| Within the review pages we try to
give a balanced 'first view'of new kits, hand-built models, books
and videos. Our aim is not to set the world to rights but to give
collectors who cannot visit GPM an idea of whether the models on offer
are accurate and of good value. We also try to give a little background
to the cars. Our aim above all is to try to ensure that when you receive
a model or book or video through the post from GPM - that you know
in advance whether it has any 'hidden' snags or problems |
Click on a link
to order a model or the logo to see the complete range from that manufacturer |
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| SCA126
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De Tomaso Pantera Le Mans 1974 #52 - kit
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£44.00
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| SCA166
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Audi Quattro Sport Olympus 1986 - kit
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£44.25
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| SCA180
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Audi 90 IMSA 1989 #4/5 - kit
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£50.75
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| SCA126M
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De Tomaso Pantera Le Mans 1974 #52 - built
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£134.45
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| SCA164M
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Audi Quattro Sport 1st Pikes Peak 1984 - built
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£134.45
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| SCATK4312
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BMW M3 Transkit
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£6.65
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| SCAW050
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Audi Sport Wheels 10.6mm
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£13.05
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| SCAW069
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ATS 5 Spoke Wheels 9.0MM
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£9.00
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| SCAW073
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Alpina Wheels 9.0MM
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£9.00
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| SCAW075
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Borbet 5 Spoke Wheels 10.0MM
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£9.00
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| SCAW076
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BBS Racing Gr5 Wheels 9.5/11.6MM
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£11.85
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| SCAW077
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BBS Racing Wheels 10.0MM
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£9.90
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| SCAW078
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Alpina Racing 5 Stud Wheels 10.0MM
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£9.00
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| SCAW079
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Camaro Racing 5 Stud Wheels 10.0MM
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£9.00
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| SCAW080
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BBS Racing Wheels 10.0/10.5MM
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£9.00
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Scala’s
Pantera is probably the best model of this Italian/American hybrid
available at present and the latest version captures the yellow Wicky
Le Mans entry very well. There is a good level of p/e detail to go
with the well cast resin parts and the decals are very clearly printed.
The built model shows that the parts go together very well and it
is superbly finished.
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We’ve seen
several versions of the Quattro Sport kit before and the latest is
the works car of leading American rally driver John Buffum from his
home Olympus Rally. Again, like the Pantera, there is a good level
of p/e and one area that Scala always pay particular attention is
to the wheels, which are nice and narrow for this gravel event. Something
many manufacturers of rally kits could learn from. The Pikes Peak
winning Audi of Michelle Mouton is made from similar parts and very
well assembled, though it is let down by a rather heavy paint coat.
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We were looking forward to seeing
the kit of the spectacular IMSA Audi 90 but are somewhat disappointed.
Apparently the kit includes much more detail than usual but we can’t
find it. What there is is very good but there are fewer p/e parts
than in the other Scala kits here. We do get lots of resin cockpit
detail and some braided hose for the fuel lines and if you can decipher
the instructions it will build a fine model but does it justify a
price over 10% higher than the other kits in this range?
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As we’ve already
said, the wheels are one of the areas that Scala kits lead other makers
and the sets here will have many uses for improving other models.
Each set includes precision turned rims, vinyl slick tyres and very
fine p/e inserts. Colour images of all can be found at www.grandprixmodels.com
The M3 transkit parts are intended, we think, for a Minichamps die-cast
and include a resin grille insert and p/e fret with lights, spoilers,
various bonnet fasteners and parts for one seat belt harness. |
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| BIZ011 |
Dome-Zero Le Mans 1980 #12 Roland |
£30.00 |
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The latest in these very good
value Chinese resin models captures the Craft/Evans driven Dome pretty
well. The paint is good and the decals in the right places, though
some of the decals are rather wrinkled (especially around the fuel
fillers) and some might wish to change the wheels for something a
little more delicate (SCAW015).
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Click on a link to order a model
or the logo to see the complete range from that manufacturer |
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| MM083 |
Autocoast Ti22 Can-Am 1971 Delta Tires - kit
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£44.05
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| MM103 |
AC Ace Le Mans 1959 #29 - kit
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£40.55
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| MM099M |
Shadow DN4B Can-Am 1977 Alan Jones - built
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£141.00
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| MM108M |
McLaren M6A USRRC 1968 Sunoco - built
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£141.00
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Marsh Model’s little Autocoast
mini-theme appears to have to have just about reached its conclusion.
After Peter Bryant, the designer of this innovative titanium chassis
machine, had been ousted from the team and gone to Shadow the remaining
car ended up in private hands and was raced a couple of times by David
Hobbs.
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| The kit accurately
captures the car as raced at Riverside where it was running strongly
before retiring with accident damage. Kit components are the usual
Marsh combination of very well cast resin body, resin and white metal
ancillaries for the larger interior parts, wheels, tyres, etc, turned
inlet trumpets and two sheets of excellent p/e. The latter including
various grilles, interior details, wing endplates and even individual
fixings for the front aerodynamic fences. |
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The Ace kit has rather less p/e than the Autocoast, mainly due
to the simpler nature of the car, but what there is is to an equally
high standard. The cleanly cast resin body appears to be from the
previously released road car versions of the Ace so it will be necessary
to fill the tonneau cover mountings but otherwise it should be a
straightforward build of the car which won the 2-litre class and
finished an excellent 7th overall in the 1959 Le Mans 24 hours.
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| The two built models
are everything we would expect from Marsh, with excellent paint finishes,
carefully applied decals and p/e parts. The decals on the Shadow have
been lacquered in, so there is no risk of watermarks on the black
paintwork. The Penske-run McLaren also looks fantastic and has been
built to the highest standard. In this instance the very fine pin
stripe decals have not been lacquered in and a little carrier film
is visible. |
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| TRO192P
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Lancia Flavia Rally
deiFiori 1962
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£37.40
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| TRO202P
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Lancia Flavia Monte Carlo 1962 #229
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£37.40
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We have in the past wondered
why a model manufacturer would spend so much time and effort on a
very mundane older road car subject that probably isn’t going
to sell very many.
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The answer is now
glaringly obvious, as the rally cars of the 1950’s and 60’s
were very little removed from the machines that the man in the street
could buy.
These two kits are identical apart from the decals and some of the
instructions, which is hardly surprising as they are modelling the
exact same car from two different events. The body and larger components
are cast in a BBR-style crisp grey resin and are some of the best
castings we’ve ever seen, with superb engraving, no bubbles and
only the smallest amounts of flash. One of the bodies had a couple
of tiny areas of excess resin on the surface but this cleaned off
with a finger nail (and I’ve been biting my nails for 30-odd
years!). The metal wheels are pretty good, the plated bumpers have
a very smooth finish and, while the vac-formed windows aren’t
the best we’ve seen, the p/e parts are excellent. These will
build into very fine models and whether you choose the Rally dei Fiori
(the old name for the Rally Sanremo) winner or 9th placed Monte car,
Frescobaldi and de Luca took care of the driving duties. The Monte
kit also includes decals for the service car used on the 1969 event
as an interesting alternative. |
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