brad4321 Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 I presume you are younger than some of us baby boomers. The "retro" F1 cars were all tooled when they were new! You are seeing re-issues of them. They are great kits and it is too bad they haven't done any new ones for a long time. I assume it is a Bernie$$$$ thing. I know. Reissues, original, whatever. Those cars were very attractive and the kits are very fun. I wish too, they did some more recent F1 cars in 1/12. As long as they are better than that ###### 1/12 Ferrari kit of a few years ago. That was a waste of money.
Greg Myers Posted November 5, 2011 Author Posted November 5, 2011 (edited) I know. Reissues, original, whatever. Those cars were very attractive and the kits are very fun. I wish too, they did some more recent F1 cars in 1/12. As long as they are better than that ###### 1/12 Ferrari kit of a few years ago. That was a waste of money. I know. Reissues, original, whatever. Those cars were very attractive and the kits are very fun. I wish too, they did some more recent F1 cars in 1/12. As long as they are better than that ###### 1/12 Ferrari kit of a few years ago. That was a waste of money. . . . and I have two closets full. Yes I think this is a great series too. Next problem, being so large where / how do you display them ? Edited November 5, 2011 by Greg Myers
Eshaver Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 Well, A M T Trophy series comes to mind as their 1959 issue of a 1932 ford Roadster is what really was a basis for a lot of competition down the road .Then A M T started , and never finished a small series of Indianapolis;formula I one cars , ( Watson Roadster and the Lotus Powered Ford ). Jo-han countered with their Cadillac and then a Mercedes - Benz . Of Course Revell had Ed Roth's creations , Monogram countered with Daryl Starbirds cars . Even Aurora had a couple of interesting pieces such as their Studebaker Avanti and a James Bond 007 machine . Ed Shaver
brad4321 Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 . . . and I have two closets full. Yes I think this is a great series too. Next problem, being so large where / how do you display them ? They are large indeed. I have several of them in varying stages of development in storage. I always have about ten projects going. Fortunately over time, I've started putting more detail, care, and time into each model so I don't finish them all that often.
Greg Myers Posted November 5, 2011 Author Posted November 5, 2011 They are large indeed. I have several of them in varying stages of development in storage. I always have about ten projects going. Fortunately over time, I've started putting more detail, care, and time into each model so I don't finish them all that often. They are large indeed. I have several of them in varying stages of development in storage. I always have about ten projects going. Fortunately over time, I've started putting more detail, care, and time into each model so I don't finish them all that often. Having built a few in the past and seeing detail kits available now, I'm starting to rethink my approach.
Pete J. Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 Best is a very subjective word, but I think the best series by far is Tamiya's 1:20 scale Formula 1 kits. They pretty much brought me back into the hobby. Yes, F1 isn't everyones cup of tea, but they are such great kits to build and they did a lot of my favorite drivers cars.
Dr. Cranky Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 Looking at it in retrospect, I have to say it's all been good, even for the people who collect them now only to resell them for a lot of dough.
sjordan2 Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 (edited) The Jo-Han Gold Cup Classics were pretty good, though their later classics weren't boxed as Gold Cup. The 500K coupe and roadster are terrific, but the coupe has too many inaccurate parts, plus mounting holes for spotlights and mirrors that aren't accurate to the coupe, which were moved over from the roadster kit. And their later reissue of the 500K coupe is molded in an inaccurate bright red, with much more flash than the original Gold Cup version. The Monogram Classics are OK, though the 540K coupe is totally inaccurate with a separate hardtop that goes on top of the cabriolet body shell, and has vertical louvers on the sides of the hood, instead of the horizontal louvers of the original 1:1. That particular kit has no parallel in the 1:1 world. Edited November 5, 2011 by sjordan2
Modelmartin Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 Speaking of Tamiya which we were, The 1/12 Motorcycle kits are as much plastic fun in a box that I have ever had. I have built about 10 of them and am starting to try to put a superdetailed one together. They are so easy to build and look so good when done.
Dr. Cranky Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 I have a couple of those here and I've been wanting to try one . . . but I always get caught up in something else.
Tom Setzer Posted November 5, 2011 Posted November 5, 2011 (edited) I will agree that the trophy series got a lot of people thinking about their builds, and helped to get more people thinking out of the box, and start Kit Bashing, because a lot of the parts were interchangable between kits. You could easily use a motor from one of the 32 Fords in an A Model, or the nailhead from the forty, or the Olds from the 39 in any of the other kits, as they all used the same motor mounts, also due to the metal axels all of the wheels from the differeht kits could be used on the other kits. I would still not call it the best series, for several reasons; The casting quality was hit or miss( I have two 32 Ford Roadsters from 1960, one is fairly well done with only minor flash and a few sink holes that are easy to fix, the other one from the same year has an area on the right door that came out of the mold with a hole in it. I only discovered the hole after I cleaned so much mold release agent of of the body that it turned the scrubing bath and my scrub brush black. In the same kit one side of the 241 Hemi Block is totally deformed. I found the same problem with the 241 in the AlaKart, Roadster twin kit I just cleaned up last week, another early AMT kit. If AMT had done better Quality Control, and if they had bothered to get the proportions of the cars a little better, I would agree with the Trophy series being the best series but I can't. even though I still enjoy using them to creat early Hot Rods. My vote for the Best Series has to go to the Revell 32 Ford Series because they are well made kits, with mostly accurate proportions, and the Arrived on the scene right when they were needed to rejuvinate the Model Car Hobby. I know they got me back to being enthusiastic about building. I will have to confess that two of the builds I am working on now use kits from the Trophy Series in them! There have been other good series issued over the years, and I don't want to just overlook them, but none of them had the empact on the Hobby that the Trophy Series, and Revells 32 Ford Series have! CHEERS! Tom Edited November 5, 2011 by Tom Setzer
Roadkill2525 Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 Bandai's High Grade Universal Century and Master Grade series of kits are well engineered, their No Grade kits that were issued along with the airing of the series they come from didn't always claim the greatest quality but the artwork was fantastic.
chebbysteve Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 (edited) I guess AMT's Trophy Series is my favorite from over the years, and Revells 32's are certainly great newer material for the hot rodders among us along with their Model A's. But we cant forget Monogram. Their early, simpler models gave a lot of us the encouragement to go ahead cause they were easy to build. And then, their great race cars later. The pro-stocks, funnies, dragsters, sprints,and NASCARs, still rather simple design, but with great looking results. Edited November 6, 2011 by chebbysteve
Junkman Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 Didn't know the Revell 32 Fords were issues as a series. I had the impression they were issued one by one individually.
Swifster Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 I don't know if Monogram issued cars of this period into a series, but from the point of issuing the '59 Cadillac Eldorado, the '59 Impalas, the '50 Ford Pick Up I think just raised the bar over what had been issued previously.
Pete J. Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 Speaking of Tamiya which we were, The 1/12 Motorcycle kits are as much plastic fun in a box that I have ever had. I have built about 10 of them and am starting to try to put a superdetailed one together. They are so easy to build and look so good when done. If you want to do a super detail Tamiya bike, get your hands on the Honda RC166. With the exception of the really weird tires it is far an away the best motorcycle kit ever produced. Add the Tamiya detail up pieces and it has all the Wow factor a piece of plastic could have. Yes, it is an older bike, but individual link chain, real spoked rims with turned aluminum rims, stainless steel spokes and turned nipples, this is a real stand out.
Tom Setzer Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 If you want to do a super detail Tamiya bike, get your hands on the Honda RC166. With the exception of the really weird tires it is far an away the best motorcycle kit ever produced. Add the Tamiya detail up pieces and it has all the Wow factor a piece of plastic could have. Yes, it is an older bike, but individual link chain, real spoked rims with turned aluminum rims, stainless steel spokes and turned nipples, this is a real stand out. Those Tyres are Correct for The Period, They had a V cross section so they would put more tread area on the road when leaned into a turn. The Tyres were strictly Road Racing Tyres, and illegal for street use! I agree that is a Great Kit and it is accurate in Detail, and layout! I am a total Fan of GP Motorcycle racing! There was nothing like seeing Mike The Bike Hailwood Turning Laps on A Honda Six or the Honda 8, or Augustini on one of the Fabulous Agusta 3s. Until Kenny Roberts went to Europe and Taught All of the GP Riders a totally new way to ride. CHEERS! Tom
Junkman Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 I don't know if Monogram issued cars of this period into a series, but from the point of issuing the '59 Cadillac Eldorado, the '59 Impalas, the '50 Ford Pick Up I think just raised the bar over what had been issued previously. They indeed raised the bar for American made model kits, but were they issued in a series? Like the Revell 32s, I always had the impression they came out individually. Or was there a series marketed in the States we didn't hear about over here? I'd really like to know, because I collect 'Series' issue kits (yes, the dreaded c-word).
Pete J. Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 Those Tyres are Correct for The Period, They had a V cross section so they would put more tread area on the road when leaned into a turn. The Tyres were strictly Road Racing Tyres, and illegal for street use! I agree that is a Great Kit and it is accurate in Detail, and layout! I am a total Fan of GP Motorcycle racing! There was nothing like seeing Mike The Bike Hailwood Turning Laps on A Honda Six or the Honda 8, or Augustini on one of the Fabulous Agusta 3s. Until Kenny Roberts went to Europe and Taught All of the GP Riders a totally new way to ride. CHEERS! Tom Tom - Really??? I have been looking everywhere to find photos that show those tires. All the vintage photos show a traditional round shape. I can't find a single one anywhere that show them with that shape. Were they a short lived experiment or what? Normally Tamiya products are well researched and I was shocked that they would have a major mistake. If you have anything that documents that shape I would love to see it. It has been driving me nuts!
Modelmartin Posted November 6, 2011 Posted November 6, 2011 If you want to do a super detail Tamiya bike, get your hands on the Honda RC166. With the exception of the really weird tires it is far an away the best motorcycle kit ever produced. Add the Tamiya detail up pieces and it has all the Wow factor a piece of plastic could have. Yes, it is an older bike, but individual link chain, real spoked rims with turned aluminum rims, stainless steel spokes and turned nipples, this is a real stand out. On the "Quit whing, Best kit ever" topic I started last week I did mention that kit. I do have it and the detail sets. It is the best I have ever seen.
Tom Setzer Posted November 7, 2011 Posted November 7, 2011 (edited) Tom - Really??? I have been looking everywhere to find photos that show those tires. All the vintage photos show a traditional round shape. I can't find a single one anywhere that show them with that shape. Were they a short lived experiment or what? Normally Tamiya products are well researched and I was shocked that they would have a major mistake. If you have anything that documents that shape I would love to see it. It has been driving me nuts! That style of Tyre was only used from about 66 till Kenny went to the 500cc Gp class in 73, and brought his hanging off the bike style, that kept the bike more upright with him. He Totally Dominated GP Motor Cycle Racing with his style and the other riders soon copied him, ending the days when bikes were leaned over at extreme angles. That also ended the V Section tyres. If you want to see bikes with those tryes, search for GP bikes ran during that time. Here is a photo of a Honda with those tyres: CHEERS! Tom Edited November 7, 2011 by Tom Setzer
Junkman Posted November 7, 2011 Posted November 7, 2011 What about the Revell 1:12 scale R.M. Choppers series? I think it was great.
mcandela Posted November 7, 2011 Posted November 7, 2011 mpc pro stock series - would love to see theis make a comeback - espicaly grumpy's vega and koffel's bird Agree 100%. If they come back again they will sell at least to us old guys!!
Modelmartin Posted November 7, 2011 Posted November 7, 2011 Agree 100%. If they come back again they will sell at least to us old guys!! They were cool kits but most were very inaccurate.
Greg Myers Posted November 7, 2011 Author Posted November 7, 2011 They were cool kits but most were very inaccurate. They were cool kits but most were very inaccurate. What was inaccurate about them ? I've never built one, don't own a H-D much less any of these kits, but I got the impression they were well received.
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