Testors Maserati Merak 1:24

[ea0863]

Am I the only one that does this "stream of consciousness" thing where one build gets me thinking about the next associated build, and so on? Recently it's been a Maserati kick. First was the Boomerang that had been calling to me, then the Bora I had buried in a box that needed a little refurbishing, but then came this Merak. My son and I built it probably 15 years ago, but it had definitely seen better days. Dusty, dirty, and more than a little haggard with its worn racing decals. But I had so much sentimental attachment to it, I couldn't bring myself to strip it and start anew. So I learned the art of cleaning models with a gentle touch, rubbing alcohol, and lots of quality q-tips. I decided to leave the decals as is, going for the "as raced" look, and finally finished it off with some Tamiya clear. Now it will sit proudly next to the other Maseratis, all of which are now in cases away from dust and grime  

Before pics:

And after pics:

BTW; for those who are interested in building a Merak, this Testors version has a nice body. What you are seeing is actually the unpainted and unretouched body. The tires are Goodyears on one side, and Michelins on the other, the glass is a nice fitting one piece affair, and the interior is a fairly good representation. However, because it is a model meant for an electric motor, it is rather basic underneath, and has a battery compartment where the back seats would be. Also, this version has no engine or opening compartment (I believe there are one or two other Merak models out there that do have engines and even opening parts). Overall though, considering these can be had for reasonable prices, I would recommend this model for a quick and fun build.

 

Edited August 12, 2023 by ea0863

[Mittagskind]

Well done and actually a shame to disappear invisibly in a box.

[kruleworld]

i'd call this Merak-ulous.

[ChrisR]

Nice save.

[atomicholiday]

Looks great!   These cars had such beautiful lines. 

[afx]

Nice work.

[Jim B]

Nice looking Maserati.  Really well done.

No, I don't think you're the only one who does "stream of consciousness" builds.  I call them "kicks", myself, and currently I'm on a road racing kick, previously it was muscle cars.  It all just sort of depends.  I do end up doing a "flight of fancy" build sometimes in the middle of a kick, though, like my F-4J Phantom II.

[ea0863]

7 hours ago, Mittagskind said:

Well done and actually a shame to disappear invisibly in a box.

Thank you Hanjo.

[ea0863]

6 hours ago, kruleworld said:

i'd call this Merak-ulous.

Why thank you Walter, both for the compliment and the smile it put on my face! Perhaps in the future, I'll do something sacrilegious such as dropping a Chrysler hemi in another Merak, and then I can dub it "Merak-ulous"  

[ea0863]

3 hours ago, atomicholiday said:

Looks great!   These cars had such beautiful lines. 

Thank you Jeremy. It was a relatively basic build, and my son was about eight at the time when he helped with it.

[ea0863]

4 hours ago, ChrisR said:

Nice save.

Thank you Chris.

[ea0863]

2 hours ago, Jim B said:

Nice looking Maserati.  Really well done.

No, I don't think you're the only one who does "stream of consciousness" builds.  I call them "kicks", myself, and currently I'm on a road racing kick, previously it was muscle cars.  It all just sort of depends.  I do end up doing a "flight of fancy" build sometimes in the middle of a kick, though, like my F-4J Phantom II.

Thank you, and I thoroughly enjoy your builds - so kick away!  

[Rattlecan Dan]

Cleaned up nice. Good job of restoration. 

[ea0863]

4 hours ago, Rattlecan Dan said:

Cleaned up nice. Good job of restoration. 

Thank you SIr

[karbuildr]

Very nice build and enjoyed the backstory too. I like the "as raced" look.

[ea0863]

2 minutes ago, karbuildr said:

Very nice build and enjoyed the backstory too. I like the "as raced" look.

Thank you David

[ea0863]

11 hours ago, Jim B said:

Nice looking Maserati.  Really well done.

No, I don't think you're the only one who does "stream of consciousness" builds.  I call them "kicks", myself, and currently I'm on a road racing kick, previously it was muscle cars.  It all just sort of depends.  I do end up doing a "flight of fancy" build sometimes in the middle of a kick, though, like my F-4J Phantom II.

My flight of fancy right now is doing the six MPC Trick Trikes in between car builds. I've finished three and just started the fourth today  

[ATHU]

Nice to see that kit built. Excellent work!!

[ea0863]

11 hours ago, ATHU said:

Nice to see that kit built. Excellent work!!

Thank you Anders.

[slusher]

Looks really great, awesome save!

[ea0863]

51 minutes ago, slusher said:

Looks really great, awesome save!

Thanks Carl.