Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Zoom Zoom

Members
  • Posts

    3,885
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Zoom Zoom

  1. When the Testarossa came out my co-worker and I visited our local Ferrari dealer during lunch, a convenient 5 minute drive from work. There sat a black Testarossa with a $119k sticker price (perhaps $109k plus ADP). Hated it in photos, loved it in person. So when the Tamiya kit popped I immediately built it. Thank goodness black does a decent job *ahem* hiding that hideous vertical panel gap in the doors. I liked the 512 TR even better. Blindly thought the Rosso kit was as good as Tamiya. Was I ever wrong, the fit of suspension/chassis and other parts gave me fits. After the pain it came out great, gifted it to a modeling friend who was moving out of state. Replaced with the R/M 512 TR, which arguably solved the side strake issue better than the other players. Wheels/tires bleh, but Rosso sold their 512 TR wheels/tires separately. Win...I think, but still unbuilt.
  2. Perspective: Tamiya’s 959 kit debuted 33 years ago in 1987. It currently retails for $22.50 in 2020 dollars before any discounts. Yes, it’s definitely flawed. I’ve actually been working on one in the past year with a few local friends as part of a group build. Mine’s going to be like a modernized restomod like the love child of Magnus Walker, Bruce Canepa and Hurley Haywood all in one because it’s a solid/fun canvas to start with and I’ll likely just glue the engine cover down. What kit wasn’t flawed in 1987, especially looking from 2020 perspective? The 959 builds up into a decent looking model OOB and they got the basics right. Yeah, the engine cover fit isn’t great and the rear spoiler requires molding in, you have to be good at body and paint. With Canepa revisiting real 959’s as continuation builds with Porsche’s blessing they already have rebuilt 959’s the same “wrong” configuration Tamiya did theirs. Cool! Spend millions for a real one or about 20 bucks for a kit...no 40% off coupon necessary. Earlier this year I built Tamiya’s new Supra kit. Brilliant engineering, basically the most enjoyable experience possible. They just keep moving the goalposts. Immediately on it’s heels I built the allegedly “Tamiya-like” Moebius ‘65 Comet. Ralphie’s Dad has nothing on my ability to string together a tapestry of curse words to describe my adventure beating that Comet into submission. Five times the effort, easily three plus times the hours spent vs. the Supra to make it almost look as good as if Tamiya had made the base kit. I love my finished Comet with modified suspension, aftermarket wheels and extra engine detail and a vinyl top. It was worth the pain and looks great, yet it sits there mocking my outrage at the battles it waged on my sanity. Twice since 2016 I made the mistake?! of building an all-new Tamiya kit followed by an all-new Moebius kit. Tamiya kits make you look and feel good with ease. If want that from other companies you’re likely going to have battle scars and war stories. I knew that full well before starting the Comet. It fought me harder than the Moebius Ventura. If the Mustang GT4 was coming from anyone but Tamiya I’d automatically buy/build at least one. Without hesitation I preordered two because it’s not just “Tamiya-like”, it’s the real thing and I can’t wait to get them on the bench.
  3. I build kits from domestic & overseas companies, have been doing so for decades. I'm stupid happy that the Mustang GT4 is coming from Tamiya, have two on order and different ideas for both. The kit is right up my alley, I've been following sports car racing since the mid '70's, a Mustang fan since the '60's when my aunt bought herself a new '65 Mustang CV and then another new one in 1970. She loved those cars, it was infectious. From my countless hours spent at the bench Tamiya has more than earned my respect; I build models from nearly every company and have been building them for 50 years, Tamiya stands rightly atop the heap and they somehow manage to improve even more with every kit they introduce, they also learn from past mistakes. They're far smarter/savvier than anyone in this thread, myself included. I've seen the buzz in social media from the guys that are going to happily buy/build multiples. Tamiya's going to have no problem selling these kits. They have a worldwide audience of enthusiasts building their models, at a younger average age that gives hope to the future of this hobby. The only fail (really a travesty) I see in regards to this Mustang model is the simple fact that it's taken over 5 years for only one company, Tamiya, to make a serious enthusiast-oriented kit of a modern 2015-up Mustang. It's up to their usual high quality and customer satisfaction, regardless of complaints about the lack of an engine, which is fine by me, I build primarily for the design aspects of a car, not the guts that make a real one work (unless they're visible in a closed up car). I can't get in and drive any of them. Big picture: domestic kit companies have handed the enthusiast builder market for this subject (and others-like the new Ford GT) on a silver platter to Tamiya. Revell's 2015/2018 super-simplified Mustang GT's were paid for by Ford for promotional purposes, they had to be simple enough for a toddler to build, cheap and fast-tracked to get them out in a short timeframe and are inferior in detail to even cheap 1/24 diecast models, and meanwhile Revell is no longer a domestic company. You want your Revell Mustang or Ford GT to look like a Tamiya kit when finished? You're going to have to sweat for it, and don't turn it over or look too close inside. There is no domestic company for whatever reason that is healthy and viable enough anymore to take on an easy-selling subject like the modern Mustang, otherwise it would have happened by now. Meanwhile those of us buying/building the Tamiya kit will be happy that someone somewhere was capable of filling the void. The aftermarket will step up as they always do with modern racing subjects because serious builders often spend many multiples of the kit purchase price on aftermarket super-detailing supplies. That's a win for the kit company, the aftermarket, and the builders. Bottom line: we're getting a killer kit of a modern Mustang from literally the best company possible to tackle it at this point in time. That's honestly all that matters at this point.
  4. A couple times a week when viewing “latest/unread” posts I’ll see a private message sent to someone as if it was a regular post on the forum. The software used here is supremely jacked up.
  5. I also use jars; now that Tamiya sells 3 different sizes of jars I prefer those over the Testors jars due to size limits and metal lids that get gummed up too easily. If I only need small quantities, I use a cup.
  6. Any of them. The #46 gloss clear is a favorite. It’s thick and you use almost 3 parts thinner to 1 part clear. I look forward to trying the new Tamiya clear lacquer in a jar, TS 13 doesn’t take well to decanting & thinning, it’s too soft, probably better to shoot directly. I’m hoping it works like Mr. Hobby #46 which lays down smooth, dries really fast!and durable and can be handled w/o getting sticky which is a problem with decanted TS -13 and enamel clear.
  7. Tamiya will soon have many/most of their spray lacquers in new LP jars for those that like to airbrush and/or mix & match the colors for custom or closer-to-OEM shades that are close but not quite accurate. Preliminary testing is quite favorable. I had training in college in color theory and instinctually mix colors by eye to my liking, whether from jars or decanted. I often want to paint something immediately w/o waiting on ordered paint. I’ve decanted plenty of Tamiya paint in the past 10-15 years, I prefer laying down the paint in much thinner layers vs. the firehose effect of using just the rattle cans. This followed a period (my post-enamel phase) of using their rattle cans on nearly every project and loving it, aside from using it up quickly and darker colors pulling away from sharp edges. As I progressed I desired more control and returned to airbrushing. A single can goes a lot further, allowing more paint jobs per can, and issues of the paint pulling from edges stopped entirely. I use their primers as intended directly from the spray cans, it saves time, dries very smooth and the thicker coats are good for protecting the plastic especially if I shoot aftermarket auto paints. Mr. Hobby primers and clears are IMHO superior to Tamiya. Harder to find w/o internet, worth it if you can find it. I found this out during the period that Tamiya sprays, especially clear, vanished for a period and I needed substitutions. They have Mr. Surfacer grades for bodywork through finished primer that’s the smoothest I’ve ever encountered, and both spray cans and jars of each grade. They also have an amazing white base color. The only (few) times I’ve had auto lacquer craze using Tamiya or Mr. Hobby primers was when I didn’t apply enough primer.
  8. Only 60 copies? Glad I got mine when I did at NNL East. I’ll build as a custom too.
  9. Mine was finished a week ago, bring on the GT4!
  10. Tamiya USA posted on their FB page that it would be available in March.
  11. That photo is of Tamiya’s 1/10 scale RC GT4.
  12. Wow, I'll have to get some of that, thanks for sharing! I think you may have mentioned it in person when I saw the model, but having CRS and now having the link and having seen the results first-hand, I'm sold!
  13. From the videos this looks somewhat better executed than the Azera/Grandeur that was good but suffered from terribly weak panel lines and 4X4 stance if built OOB. I think I spend about 7 hours rescribing panel lines on my Grandeur and I ditched the kit wheels/tires for extras from a Revell kiddie Mustang kit. And still ended up with a rather boring model LOL. I'll get the Santa Fe when it comes out.
  14. What is most unsettling about the forum software is the fact that when I view the forum contents in "unread" order is seeing occasional private messages sent from one person to another in the list. That's a bug that makes me think everyone here needs to be painfully aware that your private messages may not be all that private. Three examples below of screen shots I took of this forum glitch.
  15. Interesting! I don't think the one w/the Welly logo is actually a Welly, it looks identical to the Maisto. My Welly GT3 RS models have side glass in the doors and are a lot nicer than any similar-scale Maisto. I really hope there's no collaboration between Maisto and Welly, because if this subject is perhaps just that, it's dumbed-down/cost-reduced and not as nice as the usual Welly standards. If however someone selling on Ebay used the Maisto model as a "place setter" photo for an actual Welly GT2 RS that may be forthcoming, it would be great news! Time will tell, I guess.
  16. Welly has been doing promos for Porsche in recent years, after a certain amount of time they become available through NEX/Welly and not just Porsche museums & dealerships. US dealers don't seem to get 1/24 stuff, mostly 1/18, 1/43, 1/64th scale. I wish they'd do more modern stuff like the GT2 RS, Cayman GT4, Panamera Sport Turismo, and the new 911's. Recently refinished their 2016 GT3 RS in Rubystone red, doing another soon in yellow w/side stripes. That one took a year or two to go from a promo in a special box to regular distribution.
  17. Sadly true. And sadly no model of the 2nd gen Brat which IMHO looks 1000% better. Won't stop me from building another '79, but 13 years ago (!!!) when I was looking for inspiration for my 1st gen STi build I realized how much cooler it could have/would have been w/the 2nd gen design.
  18. My sister luckily escaped w/o damage and power only flickered briefly, but she's only 2-3 blocks north of the devastation in the Trotwood area, even some major tree damage on the south end of her street. She had no idea how bad it was, I told her last night after midnight after seeing news and looking at Google Maps traffic data which pretty clearly shows the path of destruction from Brookville through Beaver Creek. She did say she could hear sirens in the distance and had a second tornado warning while we were messaging just after midnight. From pics/videos I've seen, areas I'm familiar with will look a lot different next time I visit.
  19. It's listed as a future release on a major distributor's website as of May 9th. AMT kit 1/25 scale. Release date TBD.
  20. I plan to build a BRG and '93 LE someday, as well as finish the model I started of my own '96. The guy that bought mine has finished his model of it. I wish someone would do the Chaparral wheels that I had on mine, none of the various Panasport or similar wheels in scale are right. I'd love to take Aoshima NB and make a Mazdaspeed. Lava Orange would be the color for sure! Here's when I had both cars for about 3 months: Here it is w/the new owner, he ditched the rear mud flaps and had Koni yellows installed so it sits a lot better now. It currently has a red OEM hardtop. Original soft top is still good but the rear window is shot: One of my best photos of my NC was when a couple buddies and I hit the Dragon on a Tuesday afternoon in July a couple years ago, we made the Killboy highlights. We thought it might happen w/the trio of True Red NC's and they always let me drive in front LOL. On our way back south on the Dragon we came up on a pristine stock early NSX driven pretty well but he let us pass as we were going faster. We saw the grins on their faces on Killboy's photos that evening, they were enjoying riding at the back of our little red pack. As for driving the NC, I hated the looks with a passion when new. Now I love them, but they have to be lowered. I did new suspension which made a world of difference and bought NC2 used wheels from Goodwin Racing. My original OEM bumpstops have now failed 30k miles after suspension mods so I will upgrade the springs (again) to Progress Technologies & use FatCat poly bump stops. But first time I drove an NC was eye-opening, they had really improved the Miata dramatically, much stiffer structure, much more power, and the top operation is stupid-easy up or down from the driver's seat and when stowed it makes it's own tonneau cover. I have an ECU tune and new exhaust, so it's pretty quick, and it gets better fuel economy than my NA did (with about 40 more HP). Eventually I'll get a 2019-newer ND. Only have driven one ND a 2016 GT manual, didn't notice power increase on the short drive, driving position is better, and it leans a lot compared to my NC's upgrade. They are really nice. A friend is getting an orange 30th soon, trading in his 2018 ND Club w/Brembo package that replaced his beloved NC Club that was T-boned by an inattentive driver. He told me last week "the NC is a better daily driver, the ND is better for performance driving".
  21. Great project; I believe the best NA model would be a mash-up combining Revell's running gear (engine, chassis) with the Tamiya Eunos Roadster or Miata kit. I like the Eunos variant as it's always been available, is molded in white, and has the hardtop (which IIRC is not in the molded-in-red Miata version). I had a white '96 NA8 for 14 years, sold it to one of my best friends in 2013 and it's still going strong and essentially the best car I have ever owned. Currently have '06 NC. Have built models of neither...it's just more fun to jump in and drive But I plan to build them...someday.
  22. French billionaires have reportedly already pledged nearly 400 billion euros to rebuild/restore after the fire.
  23. One thing to remember is the Aoshima MGB's were engineered w/the raised ride height of the rubber-bumper generation. Not terribly difficult to lower the model to the previous ride height which would also look much better on the rubber-bumper cars. I still have several of the early-production MGB kits including the race version w/the racing wheels and HT, not sure I want to shell out the $ for the new version just to get the late model styled wheels. Maybe someone like USCP will clone them and resin cast them as I do not need another box full of parts I'll never use. I can wait, not like I don't have a billion other projects/ideas cluttering both mind and basement space
  24. My sentence is confusing, it was a generalizing of Welly models being better than their competition, they don't do any Ferraris. If they did, they'd be a lot better than Burago for certain.
  25. For a 250 GTO in 1/24 I don't find any diecast that satisfies like the more modern Welly diecast. Best 1/24 GTO belongs to the Fujimi plastic kit in the affordable category, and MFH for a high-roller budget.
×
×
  • Create New...