Anyone ever heard of ESCI models?

[robertw]

They produced kits from 1967 until 2000, mostly military although they also did a number of European cars in 1/24 but also did some large scale bikes and aircraft cockpits. Most of their aircraft were in 1/72 or 1/48 and military in 1/72 & 1/35. In most cases their kits were fairly good but at times they also issued kits from other companies molds. They were also the first model company to produce their own aftermarket decal sheets. Many of their molds went to other companies after they shut down.

For anyone with an interest in model history a history of the company was released earlier this year "1967-2000 The Story of ESCI Kits"

[Greg Wann]

I have a ESCI Ertl 63 Corvette convertible kit in my stash.

[Erik Smith]

Here is one version of their Landcruiser kits.

I just sold this one - but it's a cool kit. I think it's been modified and released by Italeri. There were a few versions...

[Snake45]

I have a ESCI Ertl 63 Corvette convertible kit in my stash.

Almost certainly an AMT. Some of the AMT airplane kits have been sold under the ESCI label.

[Tom Geiger]

Here is one version of their Landcruiser kits.

I just sold this one - but it's a cool kit. I think it's been modified and released by Italeri. There were a few versions...

I have one of the Landcruisers in a different box. Note that this is a long body truck. Did they do a short version too? I know they did an open top military version.

[Daddyfink]

The BMW is the one I have. Is there any issue painting over a clear body without it looking like a terrible paint job?

No, should be fine. Paint the backside a dark color, like black, and primer and paint it like any other kit, should be just fine.

[Erik Smith]

I have one of the Landcruisers in a different box. Note that this is a long body truck. Did they do a short version too? I know they did an open top military version.

To my knowledge there has never been a short body version in 1/24. I think there is a 1/20 scale.

[Atmobil]

I have quite a few of the Esci kits, the Mercedes 190E, 190E 2.3-16 aswell as the crystal version (in my eyes that is just stupid as the rest of the parts are not clear) and a dutch police version of the 190E (only differnce to the ordinary 190E is decals and a blue light for the roof). The 190E was also re-released in the same period by Revell Germany as a Kamei X1 kit, with extra bodystyling bits.

I also have the Mercedes 450 SLC (W107), Mercedes G-wagen (also re-released by Italeri and Revell later), 1984 Ford Transit (have gotten rare and expensive to find), Land Rover series III 109" (also rereleased by Italeri a few years ago) early two door Range Rover (rereleased by Italeri a few years ago in a Paris Dakar version), Toyota Land cruiser (was very expensive a few years ago, saw one on Ebay go for 236$, but has been rereleased by Italeri and can be foudn quite cheap I think), Renault 5 Alpine (planning on using bits from the new Renault 4 two make a standard looking R5) and a 1:32 Volvo F12 truck that is a snap kit but still quite well detailed.

Common to all these kits are that they are quite well detailed but not up to modern kit standards. The Meredes 190E, SLC and Renault 5 has engines and I think you can get fairly nice detail out of them with research and work. The SUVs (G-wagen, Ranger Rover, Land Rover, Land Cruiser) and the Transit have no engines but are still very nice kits. Well detailed chassis and and suspensions. I built the G-wagen and the Land Rover and as I remember they went togheter without much problems. A mate of mine built the CJ7 and he claims it to maybe be the best CJ7 kit out there even if it has no engine.

Here is a couple of pics of the 1:32 Volvo F12. Not painted and without headlightlences, only put togheter.

And here is a few of the Land Rover, never got pictures of it finished as it was going in to a diorama that I never really got around to.

And here is the 230G

I also saw pictures of the BMW M1 some time ago and it looked nice. I think that one can possibly compare the Esci kits to the MPC kits of the late 80s. Not quite Tamiya in quality but still not bad. They also had some interesting subjects in their lineup.

[Tom Geiger]

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I do have this Landcruiser in 1/25 scale. It's a Polistil diecast. Yes, they did their diecast in 1/25 instead of 1/24, which is odd for a Euro company.

I also have that Mercedes G Wagon. I have the Landcruiser Philippine Taxi version too.

[jbwelda]

ESCI 109" wb Land Rover. I thought it was a very nice kit with some really kool accessories, but as I recall the body pieces were kind of warped. fairly easily remedied though. I have a couple others that I intend on building one of these days. No hemi though.

oh I forgot to mention: terrible tires. the ones I used here were bridgestone mud and snow. thousand percent improvement.

jb

Edited December 11, 2014 by jbwelda

[jbwelda]

so that land rover I posted above was the Paris - Dakar rally vehicle, and had appropriate accessories some of which I used and some of which I did not. a bunch of other versions exist as well, at least one civilian use version and at least one work version that I believe I have seen.

while looking for my unbuilt Rovers, I came upon this which may not have been mentioned above, another Paris - Dakar rally vehicle, but this time a range rover (appears to be the 80/81 version according to a quick glance at the history page of the instruction sheet). note that the back windows are filled in and it is a two door model, I do not think I have ever seen such a vehicle in real life but I assume they are or were more or less common in countries other than the USA. at any rate I guess that makes it have a high potential as a sedan delivery street rod, so maybe a hemi for this one. (kidding...)

not a very good shot of the body but you get the idea:

jb

[Atmobil]

I think one can build a standard range rover out of it if one cuts out the areas where the windows should be. To bad they did not do the same as the Paris Dakar version of the G-wagen. That one had separate bits to be put into the window holes and all the stock parts in the box aswell as the paris-dakar bits.

[Guest]

I have the AMT/Esci Ferrari 250 SWB, tho not 100% accurate! it isn't a real bad kit. I plan on turning it into a phantom kit car, Mopar 340 6 pack powered.

[robertw]

I have a ESCI Ertl 63 Corvette convertible kit in my stash.

This was the AMT Prestige kit, they both came out in 1990.

[Bob Ellis]

My ESCI kit is an AMT 1958 Impala.

[jbwelda]

so I guess ESCI has licensed from or licensed to pretty much everyone: AMT, Revell, Italiari, ...

I do know they seem to have concentrated on some interesting subjects, rally and race cars.

jb

[samdiego]

With all of the mergers and acquisitions It's really gotten to the point where you can't trust the model box anymore. I think we should lobby for model origin information to be posted on the lid or 1st year of release or something in the fine print to let us know that the trusted and respected Revell-Germany box we paid for contains a turd made by some other company years ago.

[Chuck Most]

Did somebody say Paris-Dakar?

This is the only untouched ESCI kit I have in the stash at the moment.

This is the other one- obviously, aside from the decals and color of the body (P-D van molded in white, Hertz in yellow) the kits are pretty much the same thing.

I posted a thread showing the contents of the Paris-Dakar version a couple of years ago.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=68216&st=0&p=841577

[dartman]

I have built a couple over the years the ford Escort Mk2 rally which has been re-boxed by Revell recently, the Ford transit Van and i think an early issue Range Rover, they are so so kits, the accuracy is fairly good, normally a low parts count, pretty flash /warp free, but they build and display easy, certainly nothing to get to excited about.

I have built that same kit Mr Stock.Quality was good and no fit problems.I have a couple more in my

stash but cant get to them now as they are in my storage locker

Edited December 12, 2014 by dartman

[checkmate]

I'd love to get hold of one of the Transit vans, that Paris-Dakar one looks cool.

[oter11]

i have few esci modelkits as well:

crystal version is sold,but i have 2 or 3 kit more of the zakspeed version

Edited December 12, 2014 by oter11

[Atmobil]

I think that AMT kits in Esci boxes may have been made for certian markets (Italy maybe) because it was a more wellknown brand than AMT. I do know that you guys in the states got a lot of kits with Entex logos on that often was kits with different origins (Japanese makers like Bandai and such). Maybe it's the same thing with Esci/Amt kits?

I remembered that I actually got one more Esci kit, a BMW 320 (E21) group 5 race car with Carling Black Label decals. I also have a tamiya kit of the same type of car but that is not the same kit. Tamiyas (with First National City travelers Check and BMW North America livery) kit is simpler in the chassis design as it it designed to be motorized. The Tamiya kit also has quad headlamp grille (like on the higher end 323i) and the Esci kit got the simpler grille of the 316, 318.

[jeffs396]

I have several ESCI kits, I like them mostly because of the subject matter, but the quality is good as well.

The Jeep CJ-7 kit was done in at least two different versions, and in most ways is the best CJ kit ever done. OPEN U-JOINTS on the driveshafts!!! Also the only way to get the '81-up hardtop doors with paddle handles and factory hi-back bucket seats!

But this 'POOH JEANS' BMW??? LOL

Maybe if there would have been a pair of these, the jeans wouldn't be soiled!

[zenrat]

To my knowledge there has never been a short body version in 1/24. I think there is a 1/20 scale.

This looks shorter to me.

[Tom Geiger]

This looks shorter to me.

That's the ticket! Thanks! Now to find one. And I won't be needing the big gun.