Heller 1/24 Citroën Méhari - Now with actual review!

[Junkman]

It's due out in December.

 

Heller published this test shot photo on their facebook site:

Edited December 23, 2015 by Junkman

[Rob Hall]

Interesting...separate top framing..wonder if the top is not plastic (fabric or canvas) ?

[Tom Geiger]

Wow! That's great.  Heller just keeps amazing us with great French classics!   

[GeeBee]

I'm going to need a few of these, they were everywhere when I was growing up in Spain during the 70's

[Atmobil]

Yes, I will get one (atleast one...) but it is the fergie that I'm really waiting for

[fomocomav]

Well, if the US companies don't want my money, there are apparently foreign companies that DO!  There is so much variety in the auto world, there is no reason to buy re-pops if they are always the same dang thing.  (Möebius doesn't count.  They are like Jo-Han, if they produce it, you buy it)

[Junkman]

BTW, apparently this is waiting when you visit the Heller factory:

[Junkman]

Hmmm...Mehari.

Basically it was a Dyane chassis with a bit of scaffolding and an Ami 6 engine:

This was then clad with body panels moulded from ABS plastic, except for some export markets, e.g. Germany, who didn't allow body panels made from ABS due to ABS not being fire retardent.
For those markets, the body panels were made from fiberglass.

Anyway, the ABS pieces were coloured. No paint was used on Meharis. This effect will be difficult to replicate. Even difficulterer to replicate will be, that the pigments weren't UV resistant,
hence older Meharis always looked faded.

Altogether almost 145,000 were built and a surprisingly high number was indeed exported to the USA, mainly to Hawaii.

Meharis exported to the USA had a different front panel/hood to accomodate the fed spec sealed beams:

Budget Rent-A-Car operated a fleet of them in Hawaii.
They were classed as trucks and hence didn't have to undergo stringent safety and emissions tests.

In the 1971 film The Omega Man, Charlton Heston drives a green Méhari. In Hawaii, Brian Keith drives a Méhari in The Brian Keith Show, which ran from 1972 to 1974.
In 1973's Aloha From Hawaii with Elvis Presley, a yellow Méhari can be seen prominently (at the 18 minute mark) during the Early Morning Rain song.
Bill Murray also drove a Méhari in 2004's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.

There was a 4X4 version:

which was distinguishable externally by having a spare wheel recess in the hood:

Due to the low weight of less than 1,200 lbs, the Meharis were livlier than most people would expect from a flat twin with 602 cc.
They also were surprisingly capable off roaders even in non 4X4 flavour, thanks to high ground clearance, soft long travel suspension, and big 15" wheels.
And if everything else failed, six men could carry it out of a sand dune. Guess how I know...

About 7,000 of them were bought by the French Army predominantly for parachuting them from aeroplanes.
A dozen of them were also in use with the Irish (Republic) defense forces, which still operate one of them.

The car was also built in Uruguay throughout the 1970s to serve the South American market. Those were also fiberglass bodied.
 

Edited November 29, 2015 by Junkman

[Bennyg]

Pretty cool. I'm keen on the tractor though.

 

Ben

[DeTomaso]

According to their website,this should out 14-20th of this month.Looks like a really nice kit and very keen price.

[Chuck Kourouklis]

I'll take one. Gotta find their Renault 4, too.

[martinfan5]

I'll take one. Gotta find their Renault 4, too.

I know where you can find it at

 

[Rob Hall]

I know where you can find it at

 

HLJ still doesn't list them...I should have preordered them from Hobby Search, I guess...

[martinfan5]

HLJ still doesn't list them...I should have preordered them from Hobby Search, I guess...

Whoops, was thinking of the 4L, not the 4C

[GeeBee]

Luckily i have an account with Heller and will be buying mine direct from them, with the way to Euro to the £ is at the moment, there coming in at just under £16.00 ($24.00)

[GeeBee]

Just had my Paypal invoice come through, 75.91 Euro for 2 Mehari's and another Renault 4, with shipping to the U.K, works out to just over £18.00 a kit, not bad since there around £26.00 a kit over here, and not everyone stocks Heller over here

[Jim Whalen]

Sounds like a good way to buy them Geoff.  I'm sure you'll do a good job with them as well.

[charlie8575]

Meets my W-cubed specifications nicely (wild, weird, wonderous.)

I might get one of these.

Charlie Larkin

[Junkman]

Have they listed the HY on the Heller site already, Geoff?
Weirdly Oups Models has neither one yet on their site.

Edit: I wait for Oups, because they sell Heller kits a lot cheaper than Heller themselves.

http://www.oupsmodel.com/59-1-24-et-1-25-voiture-maquette#/fabricant-heller

 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2015 by Junkman

[GeeBee]

Have they listed the HY on the Heller site already, Geoff?
Weirdly Oups Models has neither one yet on their site.

Edit: I wait for Oups, because they sell Heller kits a lot cheaper than Heller themselves.

http://www.oupsmodel.com/59-1-24-et-1-25-voiture-maquette#/fabricant-heller

 

 

 

Yes they have, 21.67 Euro

http://www.heller.fr/en/maquettes/new-products/558-citroën-van-hy-3279510807684.html

[Junkman]

Sod it, I just ordered two HYs and a Mehari from Heller.

Christmas is only once a year...

[oldcarfan]

Great, another weird kit I have to buy! I haven't even decided when to start the Renault R-5s yet!

[Junkman]

I got my shipping notice today.
I'm so excited!

[GeeBee]

I got my shipping notice today.
I'm so excited!

Yes, I got mine as well ......

[Junkman]

It's a bit like who gets the first load of Beaujolais Nouveau, just with plastic.