Indy Car models of the latest generation, The DW12?

[clovis]

Does anyone know of a kit for the latest IndyCar body, the DW12?

I would think that this kit could possibly be a slam dunk for a manufacturer, even though tooling costs would be significant.

As you know, like the taxi cab circuit that uses the COT, IndyCar is using the same body and chassis for all teams, and has committed to this body for a number of years.

I would think it would be fairly easy to mold the body in two or three different colors, and relatively cheap to throw a in different decal sheet for each team or driver. In essence, they could have 33 different kits offered for 33 drivers,

There is quite a bit of "ride jumping", with drivers moving from team to team. For instance, Tony Kanaan, who won the 2013 Indy 500 with one team, moved to Target Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2014 racing season. And of course, each year, many of the teams change sponsors, albeit for one race. I think Dario Franchitti drove a blue car, IIRC at the Texas Motor Speedway a few years ago.

I believe that the above would provide plenty of marketing opportunities for the kits. I think IndyCar fans would collect them, trying to make sure they have every release. I believe that short runs of certain models, lets say an Ed Carpenter kit from a certain race, especially if the car sported a different color and decal sheet, could drive prices very high for some select models.

I think the manufacturers could also update the kits if and when the new "aero kits" are approved.

This would not only be for the US market, but overseas too, as IndyCar hopes to expand in the coming years to other markets. An IndyCar race just ended after many years of running in Brazil. I suspect that they could have sold thousands of kits to Brazilian fans, especially since Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan were born there.

I know I am probably dreaming...but I see a big market for IndyCar kits, especially if produced by a company that is nimble and quick to react to the ever changing market.

Thoughts?

[Brett Barrow]

One could make a small fortune making IndyCar models, just have to start with a large fortune...

Revell tried IndyCars back in the early 2000's. Total sales bombs. Disasters. They won't touch 'em again with a ten-foot pole - I've asked!

[clovis]

Which models did Revell make?

Pace cars...or race cars?

[Brett Barrow]

Reynards. It was actually 98 or 99 when they came out. I think this is all of them -

[clovis]

I'm not sure that I've ever seen any of those.

Are they pretty rare?

Thank you for taking the time to post those photos!!!

I'm off to search ebay....

[wisdonm]

Not totally sure of the company name, I think it's Green Line, makes Indy cars. The good or bad news is that they are 1/18 scale and die cast. But since they are basically all alike, you just have to change the decals. Check with Indycals.

[clovis]

I found exactly three of the late CART cars on ebay.

Not cheap, but not crazy, either.

If they didn't sell well, it was probably because they chose the wrong circuit after the open wheel split.

They should have gone with the IRL cars, just because there are an estimated 400,000 fans at the Indianapolis 500 on race day, and thousands more stream through the gates at 16th and Georgetown before the race to see qualifications, practice, and for Carb Day.

The IRL cars were also one body and chassis for all teams.

CART filed for bankruptcy protection in 2003, but the writing was on the wall many years before that.

Edited January 3, 2014 by clovis

[Racephoto1]

The IRL had Steve Kinser, Jack Hewitt, Tony Stewart, just to name a few. They didn't speak with a foreign accent, and you could see them at local dirt tracks across the country. It would've worked then . Now, I don't think so. There is only one driver in the Indy car series who has driven at a local bull ring. That alone doesn't help. It's a shame the short track open wheel guys go to NASCAR.

The Indy car series would be the 500 pound gorilla if, Gordon, Stewart, Edwards, Larson, and Kahne had gone there instead of NASCAR.

[Art Laski]

Jeff,

You should check out the Open Wheel modeling forum. Calvin Sallee is making a DW12 and there are a lot of resin casters making and selling very unique Indy subjects all the time. I bought a Chaparral 2K a couple of weeks ago.

Here's a link to Calvin's DW12:

http://mb2501.proboards.com/thread/5178/dallara-scratch-build-wip-thread

There's also another site now run by my friend Chris Hale where many of the same guys post as well.

http://indycarmodeling.proboards.com/

Hope to see you over on these boards!

-Art

Edited January 3, 2014 by Art Laski

[Art Anderson]

One could make a small fortune making IndyCar models, just have to start with a large fortune...

Revell tried IndyCars back in the early 2000's. Total sales bombs. Disasters. They won't touch 'em again with a ten-foot pole - I've asked!

Brett's calling this one pretty right, actually (and unfortunately)! With the possible exception of three Indy car subjects from the 1960's (Jim Clark's Lotus 29/38, Parnelli Jones STP #40 and the Graham HIll/Joe Leonard STP Lotus 56 turbines) model kits of Indianapolis cars have virtually never set the World on fire for market popularity. Yes, they have traditionally had a good run in the Midwest (within say, 500-600 mile radius of Indianapolis), and perhaps a flurry of interest across the rest of the US around race time, but that's about it. In my years of working in, and owning hobby shops, I was able to buy stocks of Indy car model kits from our hobby distributors for years after the kits had been produced--they were pretty much "dead stock" (imagine being able to buy case lots of those MPC 1968 Eagles and Wedge Turbine model kits in case lots all the way out to 1984-85!).

Somehow, I doubt seriously that any model kit manufacturer is likely to sink any money into new Indy car kits, unfortunately.

Art

[Art Laski]

I found exactly three of the late CART cars on ebay.

Not cheap, but not crazy, either.

If they didn't sell well, it was probably because they chose the wrong circuit after the open wheel split.

They should have gone with the IRL cars, just because there are an estimated 400,000 fans at the Indianapolis 500 on race day, and thousands more stream through the gates at 16th and Georgetown before the race to see qualifications, practice, and for Carb Day.

The IRL cars were also one body and chassis for all teams.

CART filed for bankruptcy protection in 2003, but the writing was on the wall many years before that.

Jeff,

If you have some patience on ebay, you can find some that are pretty reasonable. I wouldn't pay more than $20 including shipping. If you go to a model car show with vendors, they are usually the least expensive kits in people's stash.

Art L.

[Brett Barrow]

Brett's calling this one pretty right, actually (and unfortunately)! With the possible exception of three Indy car subjects from the 1960's (Jim Clark's Lotus 29/38, Parnelli Jones STP #40 and the Graham HIll/Joe Leonard STP Lotus 56 turbines) model kits of Indianapolis cars have virtually never set the World on fire for market popularity. Yes, they have traditionally had a good run in the Midwest (within say, 500-600 mile radius of Indianapolis), and perhaps a flurry of interest across the rest of the US around race time, but that's about it. In my years of working in, and owning hobby shops, I was able to buy stocks of Indy car model kits from our hobby distributors for years after the kits had been produced--they were pretty much "dead stock" (imagine being able to buy case lots of those MPC 1968 Eagles and Wedge Turbine model kits in case lots all the way out to 1984-85!).

Somehow, I doubt seriously that any model kit manufacturer is likely to sink any money into new Indy car kits, unfortunately.

Art

These were right on the tail end of the "big-box chain store era" as I like to call it. Wal-Mart and their ilk would buy enough of any new Revell kit to insure that it would at worst break even, so they tried a few long shots that were very likely staff members' personal favorites (I have a good idea who would have been behind the Indy Cars). But now that the big-box store safety net is gone, I think these would be a little too risky in today's market. As I've said before, Revell needs guaranteed slam-dunk home-run choices when it comes to new tooling, it's just a reality of today's situation.

[Rob Hall]

There are diecast, not sure if there are any in 1/24th, but I have a number of 1/64th and a couple 1/18th DW12s (Greenlight). I bought them from vendors at the Indy 500 in '12 and from eBay..

Edited January 3, 2014 by Rob Hall

[bbowser]

Reynards. It was actually 98 or 99 when they came out. I think this is all of them -

I see several of these at Spotlight Hobbies site at reasonable prices.

[Force]

AMT and Monogram also did CART Indy Cars in the late 80's early 90's, it was back in the days Indy Car racing was something to see.
AMT did March. Lola and Penske cars, and Monogram did Lola and March cars.

[clovis]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPLIES!!!!!

I am short on time right now, but will post again later today.

Again, thank you!!!!!!!

[Brett Barrow]

From a recent South Bend Tribune article on Round 2:

The company also recently landed the contract to produce die casts, model kits and slot cars based on the vehicles that will race in the Indy 500 in 2014.

You might just get your wish after all...

[clovis]

From a recent South Bend Tribune article on Round 2:

You might just get your wish after all...

That would be awesome!!!!

Let's hope that they give a good kit with lots of detailed parts...and not a disassembled die cast "kit" thrown into a box.

Jeff,

If you have some patience on ebay, you can find some that are pretty reasonable. I wouldn't pay more than $20 including shipping. If you go to a model car show with vendors, they are usually the least expensive kits in people's stash.

Art L.

Thanks!!!!

I don't buy a ton of kits, but I will start watching for a deal on these models.

[clovis]

There are diecast, not sure if there are any in 1/24th, but I have a number of 1/64th and a couple 1/18th DW12s (Greenlight). I bought them from vendors at the Indy 500 in '12 and from eBay..

Thanks!

[clovis]

Jeff,

You should check out the Open Wheel modeling forum. Calvin Sallee is making a DW12 and there are a lot of resin casters making and selling very unique Indy subjects all the time. I bought a Chaparral 2K a couple of weeks ago.

Here's a link to Calvin's DW12:

http://mb2501.proboards.com/thread/5178/dallara-scratch-build-wip-thread

There's also another site now run by my friend Chris Hale where many of the same guys post as well.

http://indycarmodeling.proboards.com/

Hope to see you over on these boards!

-Art

Thank you, Art!!!

I am looking forward to reading more there!!!