OK..........I gotta compose myself!!

[MrObsessive]

As you all know, I'm a VERY big fan of those prancing horses from Italy! Especially if their red! Every once in a long while, I'll see something that stops me dead in my tracks in the model world. For whatever reason, I decided to pay Model Factory Hiro's website a visit while I was at work overnight. What IMMEDIATELY got my attention front and center is this!

Now, some may have very good relationships with their spouses, but all I can say is if I were married, I don't think my wife would be too understanding about me spending upwards of $800 for a model kit!

But I'm not married sooooooo.................

Edited December 11, 2018 by MrObsessive

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm with you on lusting after that one, Bill.

Here's a shot of some of some of the guts, just to whet the appetites of the click-challenged.

Outstanding detail, with the big Marelli alternator and York AC compressor easily identifiable. Painted and photographed in daylight, it would be difficult to tell this thing from a real one.

[MrObsessive]

Bill this may sound trivial, but one thing I notice among the missing is an uptop. I have the Fujimi one (Enthusiasts Series) and it gives you that. Now granted, this is all test shot items I'm sure so there may be one in the final result. I'd sure hope so, but it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me in the least.

I'm gonna think reaaaall good about this one! As if I don't have enough to build!

On a bit sadder note, on MFH's home page they state that after this month, they're losing their contract with Ferrari. I take that as meaning there won't be anymore new Ferrari kits from them, but I hope this doesn't put the kibosh on what's existing.

Looks like this might be the last hurrah from them in regards to Ferrari, and they wanted that marque to go out with a bang!

[Ace-Garageguy]

14 minutes ago, MrObsessive said:

Bill this may sound trivial, but one thing I notice among the missing is an uptop...

Do I remember correctly that you're the guy who made a foldable convertible top for a 1/24 scale model?  

[MrObsessive]

7 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Do I remember correctly that you're the guy who made a foldable convertible top for a 1/24 scale model?  

Hee-Hee!!

[Tommy124]

1 hour ago, MrObsessive said:

Now, some may have very good relationships with their spouses, but all I can say is if I were married, I don't think my wife would be too understanding about me spending upwards of $800 for a model kit!

But I'm not married sooooooo.................

Well Bill, in that case let me tell you about the two most important rules in marriage... 

1. Don't let your wife take control about the money, so she can't buy anything she wants and 2. don't let her notice her that you DO actually buy everything you want! 

Yeah, that's a great kit and though I'm not an expert at all with these super premium and/ or large scale kits, I'd rather spend those hundreds of USD, Euros... (whatever) on this kit than on any of those 1/8 scale Pocher sets that come even more expensive. 

[MrObsessive]

1 minute ago, Tommy124 said:

Well Bill, in that case let me tell you about the two most important rules in marriage... 

1. Don't let your wife take control about the money, so she can't buy anything she wants and 2. don't let her notice her that you DO actually buy everything you want! 

Yeah, that's a great kit and though I'm not an expert at all with these super premium and/ or large scale kits, I'd rather spend those hundreds of USD, Euros... (whatever) on this kit than on any of those 1/8 scale Pocher sets that come even more expensive. 

LOL!!

Well, the site says that it's up for pre-order. I'm gonna sit back and wait and keep checking when it's actually for sale. I get kinda nervous about preordering something of that magnitude and then the rug gets pulled out from under you. There's that Ferrari kit discontinuation that's looming so we'll see.

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Awww MAN, Bill.  Just HADTA post this, didn'cha?

See, my thing is, I went for their open-top P4 when I'd really rather have had the closed version, and beautiful as this is, I'd really rather have the hardtop.

But I'd much rather have this than not at all.  There's been some stuff about Ferrari licensing expiring with MFH in the past, and yet they kept producing Ferraris up till now...

[FabbricaP]

Have to agree Bill, what a Glorious kit!

MFH posted this notice on their website ...

 

“Please note that our license contract with Ferrari will be terminated by the end of December 2018.
We hope to have your continual support for our products in the future.”

2018.11.20 Model Factory Hiro

 

Guess that means this one will be the last new MFH Ferrari kit for some time

[MrObsessive]

9 hours ago, FabbricaP said:

Guess that means this one will be the last new MFH Ferrari kit for some time

Yeah, I did some further digging on that kit and they say that this will be their last licensed Ferrari kit they'll do.

So......I gotta break the piggy bank and see about getting this fine one! BTW, in the description it says the kit has opening doors with crank windows. Hmmm.........for that alone I GOT to see what mechanism they'll use for that!

 

[89AKurt]

One reason I splurged on this MFH kit, the 1/24 Ferrari Lusso, was because I read on this forum that they weren't going to produce this one anymore.  It showed as unavailable on Spot Model for a long time, then was available with preorder, so I went against my better judgement and said I only live once.  So here you guys are saying *all* Ferrari models by MFH will get discontinued?  I learned my lesson!  

[MrObsessive]

Kurt, over the summer I splurged and bought from Ed Cervo (Island Collectibles) MFH's '63 Ferrari 330 LMB kit. One of my favorite '60's Ferrari road racers right up there with the 250 GTO. This is another one of those examples that if you see something you like and you have the means------------GRAB IT!

One never knows when the boom will get lowered and it ceases to be available. You can best believe also if these turn up on eBay, prices can get absolutely INSANE!

That Lusso was another one I wanted but the 330 LMB won out. I've since got a Lusso trans kit from AirTrax so that's part of my Ferrari collection now.

[89AKurt]

On 12/11/2018 at 11:43 PM, MrObsessive said:

[...]  That Lusso was another one I wanted but the 330 LMB won out. I've since got a Lusso trans kit from AirTrax so that's part of my Ferrari collection now.

I just looked at the MFH website, that was linked from Spot Model.  I saw somewhere that AirTrax made a 330GTC, another favorite classic road car.  When I was a teenager, got a ride in one.

Is this license thing a ruse, to jack up the price of Ferrari models (and everything else with the name on it)?  Got this email from Spot Model:
Licenses

In the scale modeling scene there are some important issues that are beyond our workbenches. One of these important issues are the "licenses" granted by actual car and motorcycle manufacturers to the manufacturers of our beloved models, so they can reproduce and market their models.

It often happens that the management and terms of such licenses delay the marketing of a product, such as the VW and Ford models by Belkits, and that on some occasions the arrival of the kits has been delayed for almost a year since its announcement as a novelty.

It also happens that these licenses "expire" over time, as in the case of the Ferrari license that has been granted to Model Factory Hiro, and that at the beginning of this year has not been renewed. We already discussed this issue in one of our past newsletters, but we want to insist because... what does it actually mean? Well MFH, at least for now, discontinues eeeeeevery single one of their Ferrari kits. Buaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!! :'-(

But do NOT despair, there are still a few days left before the end of the license, so some models are still available: the list is published at MFH website here and here. If you are interested in buying any of them please contact SpotModel as soon as possible. They are flying!!

At SpotModel we don't want you to miss your Ferrari!!

[MrObsessive]

35 minutes ago, 89AKurt said:

But do NOT despair, there are still a few days left before the end of the license, so some models are still available: the list is published at MFH website here and here. If you are interested in buying any of them please contact SpotModel as soon as possible. They are flying!!

At SpotModel we don't want you to miss your Ferrari!!

I won't give away too many details, but I'm very seriously looking at getting a 1/12 scale MFH Ferrari kit from a certain vendor (NOT eBay). Hopefully I'll get this soon and it'll be my most "holy grail' that I've wanted up to this point.  

[89AKurt]

Regarding the coveted license from Ferrari, I've been wondering.  When I first saw this model on one of the Japan hobby shop sites a few years ago, I thought it would be a cute addition to my collection.  It sold out right away, and never got restocked.  Then I saw at least one eVilbay seller with a ridiculous asking price (picture).  So between Fujimi, Fiat and Abarth, I wonder if it was a very short production run?  Just because of this observation, against better judgment, saw one for much less, but still a bit steep, so got that out of my system.  

[niteowl7710]

MFH has dropped their Ferrari license in the past, I imagine they can only afford to keep it active for so long.

[Tom Geiger]

On 12/11/2018 at 11:12 AM, Tommy124 said:

 

1. Don't let your wife take control about the money, so she can't buy anything she wants and 2. don't let her notice her that you DO actually buy everything you want! 

I do buy what I want but I'm reasonable in my spending.  I don't spend a dime on myself or my hobbies until all of our obligations are well past met.  And my wife has never complained about my purchases.

A few years ago...  My wife asked me for my help in selling something on Craig's List and eBay.  When I agreed, she brought out at least half a dozen expensive designer handbags!  You know, the ones that are a few hundred each...   I had no idea she had these!

and I knew there wasn't a darn thing for me to say!   

Edited January 14, 2019 by Tom Geiger

[Chuck Kourouklis]

On 1/12/2019 at 1:11 PM, 89AKurt said:

I just looked at the MFH website, that was linked from Spot Model.  I saw somewhere that AirTrax made a 330GTC, another favorite classic road car.  When I was a teenager, got a ride in one.

Is this license thing a ruse, to jack up the price of Ferrari models (and everything else with the name on it)?  Got this email from Spot Model:
Licenses

In the scale modeling scene there are some important issues that are beyond our workbenches. One of these important issues are the "licenses" granted by actual car and motorcycle manufacturers to the manufacturers of our beloved models, so they can reproduce and market their models.

It often happens that the management and terms of such licenses delay the marketing of a product, such as the VW and Ford models by Belkits, and that on some occasions the arrival of the kits has been delayed for almost a year since its announcement as a novelty.

It also happens that these licenses "expire" over time, as in the case of the Ferrari license that has been granted to Model Factory Hiro, and that at the beginning of this year has not been renewed. We already discussed this issue in one of our past newsletters, but we want to insist because... what does it actually mean? Well MFH, at least for now, discontinues eeeeeevery single one of their Ferrari kits. Buaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!! :'-(

But do NOT despair, there are still a few days left before the end of the license, so some models are still available: the list is published at MFH website here and here. If you are interested in buying any of them please contact SpotModel as soon as possible. They are flying!!

At SpotModel we don't want you to miss your Ferrari!!

That's not a bad question, Kurt.  If it isn't MFH playing games,. maybe it's the vendor.

MFH evidently has a few more releases lined up before the expiration - one of which appears to be the 1/12 365 GTB I'd prefer over the spyder.

[MrObsessive]

11 hours ago, Chuck Kourouklis said:

MFH evidently has a few more releases lined up before the expiration - one of which appears to be the 1/12 365 GTB I'd prefer over the spyder.

Hmmm.....................Ferrari 365 GTB huh? Very, VERY tempting! A bit more so than the Daytona.  

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Don't think it's the Boxer, but a Daytona hardtop, Bill.

A 1/12 365GT4 BB?  Oh yes, that'd be one MFH to rule them all...

Edited January 17, 2019 by Chuck Kourouklis
typo

[Pete J.]

Gorgeous kit, but I am not even remotely tempted and no it is not about the money.  I just never liked the "Daytona" body style.  Something about it just seemed wrong to my eye.  It just didn't have the nice curves of other Ferrari's.  Would rather have the GTO or the Nart or California spyder. More pleasing to my eye. 

 

[MrObsessive]

7 hours ago, Chuck Kourouklis said:

Don't think it's the Boxer, but a Daytona hardtop, Bill.

A 1/12 365GT4 BB?  Oh yes, that'd be one MFH to rule them all...

Yeah, I meant the Daytona coupe. I see that it's 'available', but if the frenzy is just as crazy for it as the Spider, it'll be sold out in no time. No matter.........my heart is REALLY set on the GTO! That one for me is an utmost holy grail the more I look at it. Especially the '63 car.