13 replies to this topic

[ashnathan]

Hi guys, first post in this section of the forum, but I have been looking on eBay and I am grossly interested in this Tamiya McLaren Honda MP4/6 kit, but was wondering if anyone had experience with Tamiya kits before, or this kit in particular, and if its any good or not? I usually just buy the minichamp versions but they don't make them in this size and if they do they are unbelievably expensive, anybody help me out? thankyou, heres the link to the actual model I want to buy:


http://www.ebay.com/...#ht_5827wt_1066

[David Lawson]

The Tamiya MP4/6 is a superb kit that falls together very easily thanks to the very well thought out design of the parts. If you are used to building fiddly 1/43 metal kits then you should find this will be simple. The Tamiya aerosol paints for the Marlboro red are still available in the UK and obtaining Marlboro decals isn't difficult.



I built my McLaren about 15 years ago and so far nothing has fallen off it yet.

David

[brucemoxon]

Tamiya are the best kits of them all.

Take your time, enjoy the result.




Bruce Moxon

[Hamish Robson]

This, the Ferrari 641/2 and the Williams FW14B are generally acknowledged as being Tamiya's greatest ever kits. There have been some stunning builds shown in the last few years, not least Bil Attridge's TamiyaCon 2003 winner found here:

http://members.shaw....a_One/index.htm

To take a look at one being beautifully built up and super-detailed have a look here:

http://www.f1m.com/f...hp?f=29&t=11046

I have one in my (worryingly large) "to do" pile which I will get to eventually. Keep looking and you'll get one at a good price.

[biercemountain]

A number years back there was an article in "Scale Auto Enthusiast" that featured someone who had made a speciality of doing "cut aways" using Tamiya 1/12th scale models. The builds were incredible to begin with but the cut away work was very impressive.

The thought of taking a razor saw to a $250 kit borders on the insane but the guy pulled it off with style.

[ashnathan]

Now I'm going to make the hairs on the back of your necks stand up, I'm not really interested in building it, I just want the finished product..is that possible anywhere? Or do you just need to build them? ps I wasn't aware you had to do the paint yourself, thats crazy.

[zepunishment]

Now I'm going to make the hairs on the back of your necks stand up, I'm not really interested in building it, I just want the finished product..is that possible anywhere? Or do you just need to build them? ps I wasn't aware you had to do the paint yourself, thats crazy.

i'm sure there are professional builders out there. Does anyone have any experience of using one and cost etc?

[ashnathan]

The only problem I face is the time factor to do it, and the 'minute' skills neccessary to be really arty farty with it, im not delicate enough for the finer details, and when I realised you paint the car aswell, well I completely lost hope with the idea of building it, how do people paint them so precisely with straight lines no runs and make them perfect? Does anyone have this model, built, and willing to sell, or swap for a whole new kit? And you can build it all over again...?

Edited by ashnathan, 06 September 2011 - 07:14.

[Alan Cox]

how do people paint them so precisely with straight lines no runs and make them perfect?

As you can see from David Lawson's completed model, ash, it can be done, even to a more-than-acceptable standard by an average modeller like me. Admittedly, however, David is a model-maker extraordinaire.

Built models do appear on eBay from time to time. I think the last one I saw made about $300.

[biercemountain]

Regarding built models on eBay, they generally sell for much less than cost of the kit (unless they're assembled by a well-known and respected builder).

[ashnathan]

Yeah well I'm after some Tamiya's I like the Minichamps but for the bigger scales they are so expensive and most of them don't have Tobacco sponsorship, I don't like the non Tobacco cars.

[D-Type]

Yeah well I'm after some Tamiya's I like the Minichamps but for the bigger scales they are so expensive and most of them don't have Tobacco sponsorship, I don't like the non Tobacco cars.

There are vendors "out there" who sell the appropriate tobacco decals. I've seen them advertised but can't remember who it was

[Hamish Robson]

For tobacco fill-in decals, try:

Grand Prix Models - www.grandprixmodels.com
MediaMix Hobby - www.mediamixhobby.co.sg
Hobbylink Japan - www.hlj.com
Hiroboy - www.hiroboy.com

There are others, all the above give excellent service.

[tbolt]

Tobacco decals
www.modelworks.co.uk