Hasegawa Toyota 88C "Taka-Q"

[galaxyg]

Background:

I really like the livery on this car, perhaps more so than any other Group C, and that was reason enough to build it. It's a good looking Group C car too, even in other colours.

Pros:

Most of it fits together very well, and it's a good shape. Nice tyres. Detailed headlamps. It's a tidier assembling kit than either of the two other Hasegawa Group C racers I've built to this point.

Cons:

By far the biggest con are the decals - a large proportion of them are just a bit too large to comfortably fit into the spaces on the bodywork. I'd say the decals should have been reduced by about 10% in size before printing. The tyre decals are a bit flaky too, though that may be age.

The kit lacks detail in the interior and especially in the rear part of the car where you can see inside past the gearbox and into the void beyond. The brakes have discs but no callipers. The body has no positive mounting to the chassis and just slides over the top of it - and back off again if you're not careful. Also the body on mine didn't sit level on the chassis, despite not fouling with anything. A few parts really need reinforcement to glue in place, in particular the rear part of the main body.

Verdict:

It's OK. Neither great nor terrible, it can be made into a very nice looking model without too much hassle. Except all the masking of course, that's quite some effort.

Build notes:

Built over the course of 5 weeks in June-July 2024. I had most of the Photo-Etch set so used that - it's by no means essential. The main "extra" to the kit was to fit some hidden mechanism of wiring the body to the chassis so it'd both stay in place and sit correctly at both front and back.

 

And then with the Tamiya 88C-V I made back in 2017.

 

[Jim B]

Great looking Toyota.  Both of them actually.  Those Group C cars were mad!

[1959scudetto]

Great looking Toyota - the decal issues go unnoticed if you hadn't told us about. Those Hasegawa group C racers are impressive curbside models!

[Nacho Z]

Love it, love it, love it!!!  Fantastic looking model and the photography is just as good!  I really like that Minolta car as well.

[Roger U]

Very nice looking model. I like the colors and graphics on that car and you got them right.

[marathonman5962]

very beautiful

i have the box but not open !

Edited August 6, 2024 by marathonman5962

[Rich Chernosky]

Both models are a masking and decal challenge, but it looks like you mastered it. Good job...on both. 

[PappyD340]

Super nice build!!

[bbowser]

Very nice!  I have this one in the stash, thanks for the tips.

[TonyK]

Great looking model! Both models are very nice. Lots of challenging paint and decal work but you did a perfect job as far as I can see.

[Rattlecan Dan]

They look great. Really nice job. Very sharp cars.

[Chinacar]

Nice. I have a different livery Toyota in my stash I look forward to building before the end of the year. Thank you so much for your assessment, you did a great job on the build.

 

[marathonman5962]

VERY NICE

I have to do it

[slusher]

Great  looking model!