Platerpants XKE

[Mike 1017]

I just got done looking at his beautiful XKE. The XKE is on my bucket list. I am reluctant though  to buy any of the available kits  because of such bad reviews. If Moebius were ever to manufacture a XKE kit it would be a grand slam. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

"Platerpants XKE"  ??

Ummm...I think you mean Plastheniker's XKE.

There's a lot of confused and confusing information floating around about the available 1/25 E-types.

Of the fairly inexpensive ones, the old Revell kit, in this box, is actually quite well-proportioned. It needs some TLC and modifications, but it will build into a very fine model.

The kit has been re-issued in this box...

Stay away from the old Aurora version (reboxed in several versions as Monogram/Revell), as the body is very poorly proportioned and bloats and droops where it shouldn't.

 

Edited September 20, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Matt Bacon]

Seconded... the Revell 1/25 kit is pretty good, with a reasonable amount of detail out of the box, and well-shaped.

In 1/24, the Heller kits are equally well detailed, also with pretty good shapes. And they've all recently been re-released, so they should be easier to find as well...

http://www.heller.fr/fr/recherche?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=jaguar+type+E+1%2F24&submit_search=Rechercher

bestest,

M.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Matt Bacon

[aurfalien]

Hi,

I think this is a killer kit;

http://www.profil24-models.com/model-kits-modeles-reduits/fr/gamme-au-1-24e/77-jaguar-type-e-light-weight-le-mans-1964.html

[peteski]

How about the Gunze Sangyo model (also sold by Airfix)?

[Lagib]

Platerpants-Trousers worn by employees of Chrome-Tech.

[bismarck]

"Platerpants XKE"  ??

Ummm...I think you mean Plastheniker's XKE.

There's a lot of confused and confusing information floating around about the available 1/25 E-types.

Of the fairly inexpensive ones, the old Revell kit, in this box, is actually quite well-proportioned. It needs some TLC and modifications, but it will build into a very fine model.

The kit has been re-issued in this box...

Stay away from the old Aurora version (reboxed in several versions as Monogram/Revell), as the body is very poorly proportioned and bloats and droops where it shouldn't.

 

X3. I've lost most of my fingertips sanding on the coupe kit to make it presentable. Not impossible, but VERY difficult. The roadster is a nice kit. I agree the body lines are much more accurate on that kit.

Edited September 21, 2015 by bismarck

[Matt Bacon]

For comparison, here are the Gunze (1/24, white), Revell (1/25, built) and Heller (1/24, red) bodies. Since I took these, the Heller has been re-released, so it's a much more realistic option than before.

 

bestest,

M.

Edited September 21, 2015 by Matt Bacon

[Matt Bacon]

Looking at the Gunze kit very closely, there's a bit of work to be done on the wheel arches at the rear -- they need to be pretty much symmetrical, not kicked up at the rear with that almost vertical drop at the back, and there's not such a pronounced "kink" at the seam line. Also, on my copy at least, the profile of the rear "haunches" behind the cabin is slightly different between the two sides -- the right hand side has a slight concave kink behind the door, whereas the left sweeps up in a continuous convex curve. Nothing a little bit of sanding won't sort out, but odd...

bestest,

M.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Wow Matt...looking at your photos, I'm thinking the ancient Revell kit actually gets the overall 'look' of the E-type better than the competition here.

The curve at the tops of the rear quarters and decklid is certainly more right on the Revell version, to my eye anyway. The coupe windshield and roof look tall to me as well. What series is it supposed to represent?

Thanks for posting these. I'm going to have to get a Gunze kit and do some really careful comparisons.

[sjordan2]

Wow Matt...looking at your photos, I'm thinking the ancient Revell kit actually gets the overall 'look' of the E-type better than the competition here.

The curve at the tops of the rear quarters and decklid is certainly more right on the Revell version, to my eye anyway. The coupe windshield and roof look tall to me as well. What series is it supposed to represent?

Thanks for posting these. I'm going to have to get a Gunze kit and do some really careful comparisons.

Even though it's somewhat off the topic of these kits, and requires a lot of scratch detailing - notably the infamous lower body seam, and requires an under-hood structure - I still think the 1/8 coupe is the best of all. Resin convertible conversion parts are available, though expensive. 

Edited September 21, 2015 by sjordan2

[Matt Bacon]

 

Thanks for posting these. I'm going to have to get a Gunze kit and do some really careful comparisons.

This has got me intrigued, too. This should help those comparisons:

bestest,

M. 

[Matt Bacon]

OK... I printed the above out to 1/24 scale. The good news is that profile wise, the Heller coupe is pretty much spot on to the plans. I think the roof and windscreen look taller than they should partly because without the screen in place, it's hard to see the angle, and partly because the top line of the window is slightly too high at the front: instead of rising all the way to the windscreen, the line should peak more or less at the "CC" arrow on the plan and then curve gently down a bit before reaching the "corner". I think a very small fillet of plastic card will deal with that painlessly. The windscreen depth, "V" should be 3/4" in scale, and it is exactly that...

The rear window is too small, and that makes a difference to the look. I think it shouldn't be too difficult to open out, though, and use clear plastic sheet for a replacement... it's not a very compound curve.

It's a Series 1 -- 3.8L engine, covered headlamps, toggle switches inside, bucket seats, and Heller has even remembered to mould the legroom-increasing recesses in the floor pan. 

bestest,

M.

Edited September 21, 2015 by Matt Bacon

[Platerpants]

Platerpants-Trousers worn by employees of Chrome-Tech.

well you see it was meant to be platter pants back when i was like 8 the name has stuck with me since because nobody else could think of something so moronic. I havent but would like to build an xke though. 

[wallyk 50]

Back in the late 50's, early 60's we lived near Morton Grove Illinois where Monogram was located.  Our neighbor worked there and would bring test shots home frequently.  Complete kits but non of the chrome was plated.  His son had one of the 1/8 XKE' s, later got a Big T.  We moved shortly after that.  Saw some neat stuff before they hit the shelf.