Modelmartin

I am glad I don't know too much about software, hardware, etc. I just use what I got with the computer and it works fine. It is Microsoft Windows XP. My wife has used Firefox and thought it was ok. The thing is we rarely have any computer problems. We did last year but it was our security software going psycho on us! This website comes up just fine - always has!

Yes , I will be using the wheel detail set, for sure. The combo set came to about $170.

I have noticed a number of definite improvements and it took me all of 5 minutes to figure out what is different and how to use it. The colors are a little dull but that is just a minor aesthetic opinion. The use and functioning is much nicer. I didn't read all of the bitching above because several are on my ignore user list!.

Reminds me of the Yogi Berra line, " Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded!"

I just linked to some pics for a kit review I just posted and I LOVE, LOVE the new method. It is slick and easy to use! maybe George can master it now and become a pic post monster! Jody, try View New Content at upper left and click on the arrow next to your user name at upper left to get at messenger. It's all there.

When I heard a while back that Tamiya was producing my favorite GP bike, the Honda RC166 250cc 6 cylinder GP bike from 1966, I was very excited. I had planned on building the Protar 1/9 scale kit which is somewhat of an undertaking. I immediately put my Protars on Ebay and pre-ordered the Tamiya from Hobby Link Japan along with all 4 detail sets. HLJ had a nice package deal for the kit and all four sets so I jumped on that. They all arrived on Wednesday, just in time to make a nice little Christmas present for myself. It also came before the end of the decade so I hereby nominate it for best new kit of the Decade! Second the nomination, anyone? This is a first impression review. I haven't had time to go through everything in depth. It is all you would expect from Tamiya. The molding, engraving, and detail are all quite excellent. I have a lot of reference material and it all looks real accurate. One of my first impressions is that is small compared to modern GP bikes and indeed, it is small in real life, too! It has stacking plates for the cylinders so the aircooling fins on the cylinders really will look sharp. It has a beautiful decal sheet with alternative numbers other than the Mike Hailwood Isle of Man winner from 1966 which is the version depicted on the box. They suggest you research the other versions yourself!! The basic kit has a small P/E sheet and some metal transfer rivets for the windscreen to fairing connection. There is a small tree of softer plastic parts including the seat. The wire wheels in the kit look really nice for plastic. The spoke sections are separate from the rims so the rims could plated shiny and the spokes in satin which is accurate. I imagine they will look really good when assembled. I could not resist the wire wheel detail set, though. All in all, the basic kit itself is superb and I am mighty pleased with it. If that wasn't enough, there are 4 detail sets from Tamiya for it. The wirewheel set is GEORGEOUS!!! The rims are machined aluminum and are polished nicely. They look very accurate and have all the little lips, beads and radii on the real one. The wire holes are drilled in and are in alternating rows just like the 1:1. It has pre-cut and bent spokes and best of all really nice looking spoke nipples to hold the spokes in the rim. It comes with an injection molded jig to assemble it in and very nice instructions. The second detail set is the chain. Yes, the chain! It has assembly jigs, P/E parts, machined parts and it all assembles into a functioning perfectly detailed roller chain. It is quite fantastic. I hope my eyesight and patience are sufficient to get 'er done! The third set is the rivet set. These are 4 sets of machined rivet style fasteners to detail the bike with. One of the sets replaces the metal transfers that come in the kit for the fairing. Others are for the seat upholstery snaps, cowling fasteners, and seat fairing screwheads. The fourth set is a fork and clutch set. The clutch is very visible and this set consists of P/E parts for the clutch discs and a stamped and formed sheet metal housing. It looks really good in the bag! The fork set is to convert the kit fork into a working spring loaded fork. As a bonus they give you a set of turned aluminum trumpets for the carbs!! All in all I think Tamiya has hit a new higher level of detail and sophistication with this kit. It doesn't come cheap. The kit itself costs the same, roughly, as the wheelset or the chainset. The rivets and fork and clutch set are quite a bit cheaper and probably would give the less fanatic builder a lot more bang for the buck detail wise. You can not go wrong with just building the basic kit without the extra sets, also. I am looking forward to building this bike and entering it in BOX Stock classes at some contests!! However, I am sure the aftermarket is coming up with even more detail sets for this kit. I am a total sucker for them and am sure I will be loading it up!! Here are the pics.... Compare 1966 GP rubber in front with '90s NSR500 behind! Holy big rubber things, Batman!! There are lots of great images of the parts on the hlj.com website. They have some nice reference pics of the real bike, too.

I like how it collapses the ignored user posts. That is very slick.

Hey David, In your sig line don't you mean that four out of three people are dyslexic?

If you can get your pics hosted somewhere then you can load up as many as you want and not increase this sites bandwidth. I use Fotki and it works great and it's easy to link up. I hear you on the sig pics. I think some are pretty over the top... or is it...under the bottom! About 1 out of 100 "quotes" in the sig lines are actually amusing or illuminating. Some are quite ignorant and a few are offensive. I don't understand the purpose of them.

It is here! I will be opening the box in a few minutes. Full report will follow tomorrow. I have the day off work.

I used to color my castings to be almost a platinum gray primer but everyone thought I was using some sort of wonky resin. Customers want a resin looking resin casting. It's just a marketing thing.

Is that 1 to 1 by weight or volume? I recommend getting something better than alumilite. I use a polyol type resin and it is not in the least sensitive to mix ratios as long as you are in the ball park.

WAAAAAAA! It was too good to be true. It occurred to me mid-day at work that it might have been one of those little 1/28th or whatever racers they make.

OK, Guys! behind the Prius pattern is a Fujimi instruction sheet with a picture of the Gozzy Garage Porsche 935 K3. OMFG!!!! Does anyone know about this? Is it going to come out? That is the coolest 935 and there are dozens of variations of it. I have a couple of the Scale Coachworks kits but having a Fujimi would be great!!!

That jives with everything else here. Your dimensions are right on. Divide 1 by 25 and you get .040. One millimeter is .03937(rounded) Thats only 6 thou per scale foot difference or about .050" actual for a typical scale wheelbase. Nobody will ever notice.

Boyd who?

Thank you for sharing. Very cool.

Oy Vey!

No worries! Math doesn't come easily to everyone. I am just lucky that it is easy for me. Practice helps.

C'mon NIck! I can still see your car! That's nothing! A light dusting is all. Brush it off and pedal to the metal! Perhaps a dash of opposite lock here and there!

Because I just got a shipping notice from Hobby Link Japan that the Tamiya 1/12 Honda RC 166 and detail sets are in the mail!!! Oh Yay! This is one of those dream come true deals for me. It is absolutley one of my favorite bikes and Tamiya has really done it up. Here's the real one!

An inch is 25.4 MM. When you measure something longer like a wheelbase that is a lot of .4 mm to add up. 108 x .4 is 43.2 mm short in full size which is 1.7 inches. That would be approximately 1.7 mm which is .067 inches which is a bit more than a 1/16 of an inch. Not a lot but it can make a difference. I don't know how you ended up a quarter of an inch short. By the way, I am a machinist and do this stuff every day including trig!!

I got a dilapidated Black Widow at a model club swap meet night for $5.00 about 15-20 years ago. got reprinted decals on Ebay a few years ago. Build it?....Maybe someday!!!! I agrre that patience is the best method for getting what you want at a fair price. I have found that for some kits prices have come way down after Ebay because it turned out that there were a lot around like all the Monogram and Jo-han classic cars. People were routinely trying to get $40 to 75.00 for them at swap meets but after Ebay we find out that there are all worth $20.00 or less even for original issues. Some kits went crazy after Ebay like Funny cars. It turns out that people really wanted them. We have all heard about and seen some of those $500.- $800. Tom Daniels kits. OY!

If you get the Heller 1/24 Blower Bentley you have a good start. MPC/Airfix had a 1/12 version, same deal. There were also 1/32 Blower Bentleys. Lose the blower setup, stretch the wheelbase, and scratchbuild the body, fenders, and interior ...et voila!! Blue Train Special. Wills or Southeastern Finecast had a Speed Six in 1/24 white metal. That would only require a new body since the wheelbase and engine are correct. In 1/43rd there are complete kits and some diecasts. It is a famous car and has been modeled a number of times over the years. I am sure you can find one. I just checked on Ebay and there are IXO and Minichamps 1/43rd dieasts for about $40 - 70.00 and a beautiful Minichamps 1/18th for about $220.00 to $260.00

Z man has it right. Also recommend you follow Mr. Obsessive's advice!