Need Some Help - '58 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz

[Danno]

I'm wondering if there's any significant difference between the IMEX/ARII kit# 31002-2400 and the Heller kit# 71262 ~~ or if the kits are the same but just marketed under different brands.

They are both 1/24 scale 1958 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz convertibles and would seem likely to be the same tooling, but the IMEX/ARII kit has photos of the actual 1:1 car as box art and the Heller kit has only artist illustrations as box art.

Both are sealed, and I don't want to unseal them ... unless no one knows about the contents.

Heller kit# 71262:

IMEX/ARII kit# 31002-2400:

Thanks in advance.

[martinfan5]

Where those kits part of the ones bought from the local board auction?

Sorry I have no useful info you desire on the kits in question

[Edsel-Dan]

The Heller kit is LESS detailed

the rear axle is molded to the chassis even though the trailing arms are separate.

(It is set up for batteries & motor)

Mold quality is noticably poor on the Heller kit versus to Imex/Arii kit too.

I have both kits

The few good points on the Heller kit. Decals that the Imex/Arii kit does not have

(Light lens detail for under the lenses, badges) & it has both boot cover & Up top.

Though that Up top is Smoothly Polished not textured like fabric as it should be.

[Danno]

The Heller kit is LESS detailed

the rear axle is molded to the chassis even though the trailing arms are separate.

(It is set up for batteries & motor)

Mold quality is noticably poor on the Heller kit versus to Imex/Arii kit too.

I have both kits

The few good points on the Heller kit. Decals that the Imex/Arii kit does not have

(Light lens detail for under the lenses, badges) & it has both boot cover & Up top.

Though that Up top is Smoothly Polished not textured like fabric as it should be.

Thanks, Dan!

[philo426]

The Ari kit is really nice!

[Danno]

Thanks, Phil! Nice build.

[sjordan2]

FYI, the box art on neither kit is a photo. The IMEX kit just has a more detailed illustration - Harry P. does illustrations of that quality and I'm sure he can vouch for this.

PS: ARII made two other versions of the kit you show, one with an up top, and a hardtop coupe such as shown above. (As Edsel-Dan pointed out, the Heller kit has both the up top and down top, while you have to buy the Arii version in the specific up top issue).

Edited June 16, 2012 by sjordan2