Toyota GTs, half a century apart

[Matt Bacon]

(well, not quite 50 years, but they look good together...)

There's a family heritage running through this lot, and they look cool together!

And these two share Toyota's passion for engineering and a roaring Yamaha heart beating under the bonnet... plus they look even cooler together! ;-P

bestest,

M.

[Jeremy Jon]

Great work Matt, that blue LFA really stands out, bravo!

[DeeCee]

It's good to see them all side by side and see just how far the industry has come.

Two very nice builds mate.

[Helix]

Nice pair, well done Matt!

[slusher]

They look great...Beautiful shade of Blue..

[Danno]

Twice nice. A real pair of beauties!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Beautiful, both.

[TFchronos]

They've come a long way, beautiful builds. Really nice shade of blue on the LFA

[Tonioseven]

That first picture is perfect!! Great job on all of them!!!

[CJ1971]

?? for each build Matt! Awesome work on all, particularly that paint job on the LFA. I've long considered getting this kit but as yet I haven't, mainly because I'm not a big fan of the body-lines... The styling just looks all over the place, messy, you know? Is it really worth getting?

Cheers Cliff ??

[Matt Bacon]

Thanks for the kind words, guys!

Check out the build thread for the LFA, Cliff:

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=86471&hl=

The Tamiya LFA is the best model car kit I have ever built. You owe it to yourself as a car modeller to treat yourself to one. The only problem is that it'll set expectations of fit, finish, engineering etc that other kits simply won't deliver, so eternal disappointment is around the corner. Just kidding -- it's great. Get one, and if you don't like the lines and fussy detailing, paint it as a black one...

bestest,

M.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Matt Bacon

[CJ1971]

You sound very convincing Matt ?... Might just have to get 1 now... I actually think black might compliment all those messy body lines... ?? Might swap the "Toyota" V10 for a Viper V10 eh? Lol!

Cheers & again... Superb job all round Matt ??

Cliff

[Greg Myers]

[Matt Bacon]

Where's that first picture from, Greg? That must be a significant %age of all the 2000GTs on the road today! Certainly of the 60 or so that were sold in the US...

bestest,

M.

[Greg Myers]

http://www.streetfire.net/photo/toyota-2000gt-carroll-shelby_1132071.htm

[Greg Myers]

[Greg Myers]

Inside the car http://blog.toyota.co.uk/exclusive-toyota-2000gt-restoration

[Ace-Garageguy]

Man, that engine-internals shot is just plain sexy. Love that billet con rod.

[Matt Bacon]

Interesting -- I didn't realise that Doyusha had done the 2000GT as well as the James Bond DB5 with Oddjob and Bond figures.

I'd love to know the story with the two Airfix 2000GTs as well. (Try acquiring either of those kits without selling a kidney or mortgaging your grandmother!). I guess the original open top release was a tie-in You Only Live Twice, following on from Airfix's DBf with gadgets (which was also different from the Aurora "Super Spy Car"). It seems likely that the coupe version was reworked at the same time as Airfix's toolmakers converted the DB5 into a DB6. I've never seen the DB6 kit in the flesh, or to measure, so I don't know if they lengthened it as needed as well as remodelling the "Kamm tail" rear end treatment. It still seems a lot of work to do on the kits, though... the James Bond DB5 remained iconic, even if the DB6 was the "current production version" when they were redone; and it's not like very many 2000GTs in coupe form made it to the UK, so the convertible would have been much more recogisable for most UK modellers. I doubt that there would have been more sales with generic road version of the cars than with the movie tie-ins. I guess it's possible that the Bond licenses ran out after a few years, and Airfix were just trying to find a way to keep both kits saleable. The moulds thoroughly disappeared several decades ago, though, which is why If you find a more recent Airfix DB5 kit then it's the generic Doyusha version inside the box.

There's also, apparently, a version of the Hasegawa kit with full engine detail (minus the billet con-rod, of course ;-P) but I've never seen it -- mine was the curbside "Historic Car Series 1" box you can see above...

bestest,

M.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Matt Bacon

[Erik Smith]

Very cool. Great looking models. The 2000GT is one of my favorite all-time car designs.

Hasegawa did make a full detail kit - rare - believe the engine was white metal. One was floating around on eBay a while back - thinking $150 or something???

[Rob Hall]

Where's that first picture from, Greg? That must be a significant %age of all the 2000GTs on the road today! Certainly of the 60 or so that were sold in the US...

bestest,

M.

The background looks familiar to me..perhaps some sort of gathering at Laguna Seca..

[Erik Smith]

Where's that first picture from, Greg? That must be a significant %age of all the 2000GTs on the road today! Certainly of the 60 or so that were sold in the US...

bestest,

M.

There is A LOT of money in that photo - don't most 2000gts sell from $750,000 and up?

I saw a picture of one in the Phillipines being restored on the street!

[jbwelda]

Back to the models, those are all excellent. whats with the 240z (or might be variant) and especially what is that silver one in the back of the first photo? Another Toyota?

jb

[bondo bill]

nice group

[Kennyboy]

That would be one of his latest builds William.....the BMW vert. built with the LFA

Beautiful Beautiful........I could keep going.....So clean!!