Beyond the Twilight Zone

[bigdaddyfan]

Just another WOW type find on the bay. I know one of you guys has the money to throw around. Come on and splurge on this. LOL LINK

Read his description and then look at this one. LINK

Edited February 21, 2010 by bigdaddyfan

[Harry P.]

Obviously a typo...

[bigdaddyfan]

I will try to find out.

[Bill Eh?]

I'm not sure as to what is supposed to be unusual here. It's a large scale Tamiya Lola kit. They are out of production and the last reissue was quite a while back. But I did find an Entex 1:8 scale McLaren M23 on eBay with a buy it now price of $6,500. No, I didn't add a zero, that is the price this person is hoping for! Deep pockets or what?

Edited February 21, 2010 by Bill Eh?

[Custom Hearse]

Here's the McLaren Bill was talking about...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250584287128&ssPageName=ADME:B:BOC:US:1348

[Harry P.]

Hmmmmm... maybe that $7500 price wasn't a typo after all!

Well, like I always say, a product is worth whatever a buyer is willing to pay for it. If this guy can get that kind of money for a plastic model kit, more power to him.

[LDO]

Not a typo. He's selling it for a friend, and he knows it's rare. It's an original issue with PURPLE LETTERING on the box. The one in the other link is a 1996 issue that does not have PURPLE LETTERING. But seriously- who cares? I paid $130 for my T-70, and <ahem> although I haven't started it yet, it is for building, not collecting.

[RyanSilva]

He does have the best offer option..my guess is he had a big price..to attract people, in order to notice it..then offer a best offer price.

[bigdaddyfan]

I spoke with the gentleman this morning and it is correct, he is selling it for a friend. He has asked me if I could help him as far as its rarity goes. I thought that since it has the Model Rectifier Co sticker it may not be an original issue nor have any special significance. Wasn't that company created in the 80's to sell Tamiya products here in the US? Maybe the purple lettering was used to differentiate the boxes for the US sales? I know other companies do that exact same thing for different sales regions. There might be a couple of reissues of this kit also. I know it was in 1996. There is one listed now at $75. I had and sold one about 5 years ago for $125. The McLaren listed is from the same guy. Does anyone have any information that may help this guy? Do you think Tamiya would respond to questions? Is there any type of buyer's guide out there for foreign kits like the Model Directory we have for US kits?

[crazyjim]

I complain about the prices of normal, present day kits, so I don't think I'll be bidding on such an expensive kit.

[bigdaddyfan]

A collector has been in touch with the seller and has confirmed that the purple lettering does signify the original issue and has told the gentleman they have been selling in the $375 range and was rejected for a sale. I guessed wrong about that. So I guess both he and I have had our questions answered. Like Harry said, more power to him if he can get the money he wants.

I have a sealed MPC #3000 Granatteli #40 turbine Indy car I will let go for just $4000, or an open one for $2500. How about a couple of built ups for $1000? Any one? I will throw in a free set of Indycal decals for it also with free shipping. What a deal. LOL

[John E. Bowers Jr.]

Has the Barrett-Jackson mindset begun to influence the model car scene?!

[Harry P.]

I buy Pocher kits, so I'm somewhat familiar with rare kit prices. The most expensive Pochers are somewhere in the $2,000-$3,000 range.

IMO, $7500 is way, way past crazy. For any kit, no matter how rare. How he came up with an asking price like that is beyond me.

But having said that... we all have heard of potato chips shaped like Richard Nixon or images of the Virgin Mary in a cheese sandwich selling for preposterous amounts on ebay, so who knows???

Like P.T. Barnum said, there's a sucker born every minute. And then there's the "more money than brains" crowd that can't be factored out.

[Junkman]

I think we only have to watch the auction and we will see that this is going to be a no sale. Nobody with even half a brain will spend this money on a plastic model kit, no matter which one it is.

If you want to find out, what a kit is worth, post it on I pay for 1 penny and see what happens. All my kits are listed for this amount with no reserve and I have yet to be disappointed with a sales result.

I find prices for old kits are generally on a slight downward slope, thanks to the 'crisis' for one thing and more and more collections hitting the market due to the fact that we are nearing the era where the first-time-around collectors are passing away, leaving the collections to their heirs, who sell them. The same development can be seen among the model railroaders, according to my father, an avid railway enthusiast and collector, who turned 70 last year. He is considered a young gun in this hobby.

Edited February 22, 2010 by Junkman

[bigdaddyfan]

The seller told the collector he spoke with, (and refused his offer), that the owner would not sell it for less then $5000 and he might cut a deal on the Entex McLaren. Maybe $3500? Good luck with those I told him. He states he knows nothing about model cars and when asked if he is relaying these conversations to the owner he told me he was and the owner stated he knows what they are worth. Again I wished him luck.

What no takers for my turbine kits I mentioned earlier?

How about a Farrah Vette, Charlies Angels van, and a puzzle of Farrah's swimsuit photo for $500?

Anyone?

Man, I can never catch a break.

What is the exact name of the 1 penny auctions, I can't find it in Google?

Edited February 22, 2010 by bigdaddyfan

[Junkman]

What is the exact name of the 1 penny auctions, I can't find it in Google?

I understand it is against forum etiquette to advertise one's Ebay auctions?

[bigdaddyfan]

I understand it is against forum etiquette to advertise one's Ebay auctions?

I thought you meant your models are listed on a "one penny" site, something different then ebay.

[Junkman]

I thought you meant your models are listed on a "one penny" site, something different then ebay.

Nope. I refer to Ebay as I pay, because they get my money no matter what I do.

I always list my stuff for a penny starting bid with no reserve. I let the bidders decide what my stuff is worth. And trust me, it's not 7.5k for a Tamiya Lola.

[Harold]

That should buy him a lot of crystal meth, because you'd have to be on some serious drugs to pay that much for a kit. If that's worth $7500, just think what that old unbuilt JoHan DeSoto is worth :lol:.

[Junkman]

OK, the reissue listed for 75$ sold for 168$ in the end. Stiff, but that's what is paid for them obviously. Now, if I'm VERY optimistic, a mint first release may bring twice the amount, provided you indeed find a collector of Tamiya 1/12 kits, which may be tough outside Japan.

7500$? Either these guys know something all of us don't know, or it's the kind of optimism of the man thinking his wife gave up smoking cigarettes when he starts finding cigar butts around the house.

[bigdaddyfan]

He is getting quite a few questions about the price. One gentleman wrote him and said he worked for Aurora and Revell for many years and he knows that this is not worth that amount. There is now a statement on the listing that anyone who comes up with proof of it's worth, the owner will consider the information for an offer. Go read it, it is pretty funny. Unless this is old man Tamiya himself selling this kit, this guy don't know dick.

[Junkman]

I just think his outlook on reality is too different from the rest of the world's. If you want a tammy lola, go shop elsewhere.

Edited February 27, 2010 by Junkman

[Junkman]

The next candidate:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/nissan-caravan-with-motor_W0QQitemZ270534078860QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN?hash=item3efd16718c

[seeker589]

$7500.

For a MODEL KIT!?!?

I have friends that have race-cars built for WAYYY below that! Others have race budgets of half that for the whole year!

<<<<<< This Chevy small block Beetle was built for less than $2000. It runs mid to low 10s.

Crack - it has to be crack...

Edited March 1, 2010 by seeker589