Renault 4L from Heller and Ebbro

[Erik Smith]

Wow. The detail on that is amazing - look at the bumper mounts, jack...and opening doors? Wow.

[Brett Barrow]

Wow. The detail on that is amazing - look at the bumper mounts, jack...and opening doors? Wow.

Ebbro don't mess around...

[Tom Geiger]

We are getting some seriously cool kits. In this climate, you never know what you'll see next. Let's go for a Citroen Diane! And where the heck is my 1/24 scale Morris Traveler?? The hobby is getting more and more fun!

[Brett Barrow]

The stock number is 25002 and kit # 25001 was the 24th scale Citroen Fourgonnette, so I'd bet this is 24th, too. Sorry for the confusion, just passing along was what I was told.

[GeeBee]

The stock number is 25002 and kit # 25001 was the 24th scale Citroen Fourgonnette, so I'd bet this is 24th, too. Sorry for the confusion, just passing along was what I was told.

There was a typo' on one of the labels, showing the scale to be 1/20th, but only there F1 kits are in that scale, the Renault R4 is going to be !/24th, and the mold is not shared with Heller, the Ebbro version is a much earlier R4 than the Heller one.

Edited February 1, 2014 by GeeBee

[lordairgtar]

I think this is a neat little car. A Panhard Dyna would be cool. I love a car that sticks it's tongue out at you like it is saying "I am French...what of it?"

[niteowl7710]

Alright not being a Renault expert, or even a novice, I have a question...are the mechanicals between the two model years not more or less identical?

The collaboration between EBBRO and Tamiya to make the Fourgonnette was a new body shell and random pieces by EBBRO all riding a the mechanicals and chassis from the Tamiya kit. Is it possible that Heller is tooling up their 4L, and EBBRO is just releasing their "own" kits with the different model year/open roof and apparently a subsequent utility "van" body kit later on, but all of it riding on the basic mechanical/chassis bits from Heller? That scenario makes a lot more sense since the guy running Heller interned at Tamiya, and the head of EBRRO is a former Tamiya employee. Maximize your tooling investment by sharing costs and creating at least 3 distinct models kits in the process.

Edited February 1, 2014 by niteowl7710

[The Creative Explorer]

To answer the first part; yes and no, Most of the mechanical parts were pretty much the same through it's lifespan, but it changes in details a bit.

But it isn't really 2 'modelyears' you are talking about, but like the french say '2 phases', like every European or Asian cars, every phase runs a few years without hardly any changes, unlike the American cars.

The ebbro is a Phase 2, the Heller represent a phase 3/4.

@Geoff, The Ebbro is not a 'much' earlier R4, just a little, it already uses the grille with the incorporated headlights, which can be easily solved with tooling just another grille and some bumpers.

If you take the Phase 1 R4, the front end is different enough for it should be needing an all new hood, grille and headlights.

[niteowl7710]

To answer the first part; yes and no, Most of the mechanical parts were pretty much the same through it's lifespan, but it changes in details a bit.

But it isn't really 2 'modelyears' you are talking about, but like the french say '2 phases', like every European or Asian cars, every phase runs a few years without hardly any changes, unlike the American cars.

The ebbro is a Phase 2, the Heller represent a phase 3/4.

@Geoff, The Ebbro is not a 'much' earlier R4, just a little, it already uses the grille with the incorporated headlights, which can be easily solved with tooling just another grille and some bumpers.

If you take the Phase 1 R4, the front end is different enough for it should be needing an all new hood, grille and headlights.

American cars go through design cycles, rather than phases. Some models undergo more changes than other in regards to mid-cycle "refreshing", but I appreciate the information. By "model years" I just meant that I presume the EBBRO kit will be marketed as a 19xx 4L, and the Heller as a 19xx 4L, but the model years will of course be different to represent those different phases you're speaking about.

It still makes me wonder if there are enough shared components between the phases to justify sharing most of the dirty bit tooling, especially with the connection between the heads of Heller and EBBRO. Or possibly is Heller planning all three of these kits and EBBRO is going to co-brand the kits for Asia the way other kits have been done Revell AG tooling as Tamiya, the Moebius truck kits and a slew of Fujimi tools done as Revell AG kits, etc.

[GeeBee]

@Geoff, The Ebbro is not a 'much' earlier R4, just a little, it already uses the grille with the incorporated headlights, which can be easily solved with tooling just another grille and some bumpers.

If you take the Phase 1 R4, the front end is different enough for it should be needing an all new hood, grille and headlights.

Looking at the Ebbro version, to me looks like the 1967 model where as the Heller has the later grey plastic grill and different wheels makes it a 1978 model, to me, that's 'much earlier'

[The Creative Explorer]

American cars go through design cycles, rather than phases. Some models undergo more changes than other in regards to mid-cycle "refreshing", but I appreciate the information. By "model years" I just meant that I presume the EBBRO kit will be marketed as a 19xx 4L, and the Heller as a 19xx 4L, but the model years will of course be different to represent those different phases you're speaking about.

That's just the thing, 'we' don't market cars with modelyears, only the Americans do. We market them as a pre or facelift model. If we do add year to it, it is the construction date, to determine the age of the car, rather than the US-way of a modelyear.

I owned a Renault Clio II phase 1, a Renault 5 GTTurbo phase 1, A Megane coupe phase 2 and own a Renault 5 GTTurbo phase 2 and a Megane II.

My GTTurbo is a phase 2 and can be anywhere from 1987 up to 1991, my Megane II is a phase 1 and can be anywhere from 2003 up to 2006.

It is a culture thing, when pinpointing a European or Asian car, an American has to let go of the modelyears, as they are not used as such.

@Geoff, I know what you meant, and looking at the picture again, it lookes like it also could be a R4 phase 4, in which case the term much earlier can be applied, sorry.

I was referring to the original R3/R4, which has a significant different hood/grille.

[GeeBee]

Just had an email back from Manami Masuno from Ebbro, and have the following rlease dates :-

Open top type will be released in May.

Forggonett type will be released in July.

And Normal type will be released in September

[Junkman]

What about Plein Air?

I guess it'll be

time again.

[Erik Smith]

Soooo....

We are getting 4 4L kits? Three from Ebbro and one from Heller? Who would have...

[1959scudetto]

For a first series Renault 4 (1961-1967) there is still the diecast option:

[niteowl7710]

Hot of the "presses" the first of the Ebbro 4Ls is officially available for pre-order from HLJ & Hobby Search.

Based on the stock number it will indeed be the open top version (as discussed earlier in this thread) and right now has a tentative release date of July. HLJ pricing is right around $37.50 based on today's exchange rate.

[Tom Geiger]

Hot of the "presses" the first of the Ebbro 4Ls is officially available for pre-order from HLJ & Hobby Search.

Based on the stock number it will indeed be the open top version (as discussed earlier in this thread) and right now has a tentative release date of July. HLJ pricing is right around $37.50 based on today's exchange rate.

Yea! So much cool stuff coming out recently, it's just backing up near my work bench! I lived in Europe from 1969-72 and these were all over the place. I specifically remember one trip we took from Germany, through Switzerland, to Italy in our '66 Valiant. There was a family of 4 traveling in a Renault 4 that we kept bumping into along the way. They stayed in the same hotels as us for two nights, and we ran into them at tourist stops. The father tried his ten words of English on us, but just a lot of smiling and nodding. Yea, I'll be needing a couple of these!

and for those who think I just make this stuff up... that's my Valiant in Switzerland on that trip. And that's my grandfather standing there.

[mnwildpunk]

Never thought you made it up once. I look forward to this one

[niteowl7710]

Well the release date I kept seeing was July 31st/August 1st, so it was a small surprise when this kit came in stock THIS morning.

Interesting features include all the required parts to build it either as a '67-'74 French Domestic Market vehicle, or a post-'78 (from what I can tell) export version. Two sets of interior & exterior mirrors, 2 sets of wheels, 2 steering wheels, and two grilles.

Also the canvas top can be posed open or closed, as can both doors, the rear hatch and the hood.

Edited July 2, 2014 by niteowl7710

[GeeBee]

I have one on pre-order, hopefully I will have t sooner than expected ...

[martinfan5]

Myself and James received our payment request for ours today .

[niteowl7710]

FYI - the next installment of this series is available for Pre-Order. The 4 Fourgonnette is slated for a December release.

[martinfan5]

For those that are interested, here is a look at whats in the box

http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/irvan2836/library/Kit%20reviews/Renault%204L

[Tom Geiger]

For those that are interested, here is a look at whats in the box

http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/irvan2836/library/Kit%20reviews/Renault%204L

Odd and interesting. I'm not sure if I like the clear door panels, I think I'll fear masking off the glass. You only get one shot at screwing that up. And four door cars with operable front doors only screams Matchbox car. I do like the two sets of wheels, but cannot think of anywhere else I could use the 3 luggers. Of course we will buy one when the situation allows. Thanks for the pix

[niteowl7710]

Odd and interesting. I'm not sure if I like the clear door panels, I think I'll fear masking off the glass. You only get one shot at screwing that up. And four door cars with operable front doors only screams Matchbox car. I do like the two sets of wheels, but cannot think of anywhere else I could use the 3 luggers. Of course we will buy one when the situation allows. Thanks for the pix

They aren't operational unless you make them as such, they're either opened or closed out of the box.