Imai Renault 4CV

[Sidney Schwartz]

The usual load of mistakes, but enjoyable nonetheless. Never heard of Imai before I bought this. Didn't realize until I got it that it has an electric motor, which I didn't bother to install. This is actually a very nice kit. Theres not much to the interior, but that looks to be true of the real car as well. Nice details on the body, chrome door handles and other stuff. It came with a few decals, but they just dissolved...the kit was probably quite ancient. I'd buy another, but the only ones I found for sale today were going for over $100! I'm sure I didn't pay more than $30 for this one. Paints are Craftsmart Plum, Tamiya Light Sand and Krylon Crystal Clear. Only customization I did was to strip the chrome off the wheels and redo them with paint and bmf. Thanks for looking.

 

 

[espo]

A friend of mine drove one of these when we were in high school. Thats the radiator filler under the rear window and the gas filler is under the hood with the engine. You really don't want to get the two switched when you're getting gas. 

[1971Hans]

I never heard of the brand Imai.
You didn't try to build it with the delivered motor ?
Special choice of colour, but ik works out very well !

[Classicgas]

Cool.

[NOBLNG]

Now that’s a little different…in a cool sorta way.? Odd how those doors are hinged, but Renault did do some weird stuff.

[Kah puts]

I love ❤️ it.

[Sidney Schwartz]

5 hours ago, espo said:

A friend of mine drove one of these when we were in high school. Thats the radiator filler under the rear window and the gas filler is under the hood with the engine. You really don't want to get the two switched when you're getting gas. 

This actually happened to someone I knew! They told me drove a foreign car that was destroyed when a gas station attendent put the gas nozzle in the radiator and it caught fire. Man, I haven't thought about that story for like 40 years!

 

4 hours ago, 1971Hans said:

I never heard of the brand Imai.
You didn't try to build it with the delivered motor ?
Special choice of colour, but ik works out very well !

The real car had a gasoline engine, which wasn't modeled in this kit. The kit has a real electric motor like you find in toys, meant to make the model "drive." I get the feeling Imai is no longer around. I googled "Imai model kits" and got some hits, but they all look pretty vintage.

Thanks all for the comments. ?

[beeRS]

Great to see an Imia built, though I have never seen this Renault. Imia made a range of these motorised kits and I remember buying them for 1.50 GBP back in the early 80s.  A Toyota Celica, Lamborghini Miura, DeTomaso Pantera, Ferrari 512BB and VW Beetle ‘Jeans’ we’re amongst the range. 
 

I must say you did a great job on the Renault, and the interior, though you say basic, is better than most in the Imia range. Thanks for sharing. 

[Bainford]

Nice build of an interesting kit. Well done.

[ChrisR]

NICE!

[ewetwo]

Sharp looking.

[slusher]

A great build!