24 replies to this topic

[indycarjunkie]

I was at a hobby shop today getting some paint and I decided to see if they had any models of a '65 or '66 Daytona Coupe. Well, I didn't see the Coupe but I did see a half dozen F1 car models and a couple rally cars made by Tamiya. They look cool and I thought about getting a couple. I've mostly built Revell or Monogram models in the past and don't know anything about Tamia. Can anyone vouch for their quality?

[Chris G.]

I purchase the Tamiya F1 and CART OW cars for remote control. Or do you refer just to the non-motorized models? The RC ones rock, just a little part-hungry, but FUN.

[indycarjunkie]

I had in mind the plastic kind that I can display in my living room. After building an RC car I don't think I'd have enough time to play with it. Although that does sound like fun!

[BuonoBruttoCattivo]

TAMIYA=Best in business.
Excellent quality and authenticity.

[tifosi]

Tamiya's F1 series is pretty good. Ive built a few of them and found them enjoyable. Too bad they don't do more.

[Zawed]

Tamiya have a reputation for good, high quality, kitsets. The newer ones can be expensive but you are paying for the quality. The F1 series is very good and come together nicely, even the older ones which would be 20 years plus old. They also released 60's era kits a few years back, I still have an unmade '65 F1 Honda in my closet...

[F1M]

Tamiya models are the best F1 and Rally kits out there - check out www.f1m.com and www.gpma.org for more info

Eric

[rapido]

Originally posted by Zawed
They also released 60's era kits a few years back, I still have an unmade '65 F1 Honda in my closet...

unbelievable... that was the first tamiya kit I ever put together, at age 6 or so, with the help of my dad. it was a john surtees car IIRC, wasn't it? those old tamiya F1 kits are beautiful - until you switch on the electric motor-driven rear wheels, of course...

[Nasty McBastard]

yep. those kits rock.

around 92 id built all but about 3 of their f1 kits....

lately ive been very slack (im still working on a 97 ferrari kit) but unless something drastic has happened in their new kits over the last 2 years or so, theyre the best ive found.

alot of kits rip you off piece wise, or theyre way to fiddely(IE unless youre hardcore, its easy to end up with something not looking quite right), but i cant say either goes for tamiya....not that theyre easy though.

only issue ive ever had with their kits, and most in general to be honest, is with the decals on areas like engine covers. most of the time theres a main sponsors logo that goes across the 'break' where the engine cover comes off, and theyre an absolute bitch to cut right, or if you put them on whole and then try to cut them they sometimes flake a bit......wish theyd make those decals already 'split'.

[JacnGille]

Check out http://www.grandprixmodels.com/. They carry kits with additional parts for extra detail on Tamiya models.

[maclaren]

I have a Tamiya 1:24 McLaren MP4-13, took a lot of time and effort to finish it but result is quite nice

[Eric McLoughlin]

I built the Tamiya Ferrari 312B in 1975.

[TODave2]

Originally posted by Nasty McBastard
only issue ive ever had with their kits, and most in general to be honest, is with the decals on areas like engine covers. most of the time theres a main sponsors logo that goes across the 'break' where the engine cover comes off, and theyre an absolute bitch to cut right, or if you put them on whole and then try to cut them they sometimes flake a bit......wish theyd make those decals already 'split'.

Yep, Tamiya decals often seem a bit odd and lacking in thought.

Their 1/12 scale models are amazing for detail, my brother built a beautiful '79 Sheckter Ferrari. I built about 6 of their 1/24 scale F1 series (Renault, Brabham, Williams, etc) and they too were very good. I remember dripping white paint into the GoodYear writing on the walls of the tyres to pick it all out...

[SKL]

Great quality- am looking at the Honda F1 car I made 30 some years ago right now on the trophy shelf. I can picture Richie Ginther in it right now! Highly recommended.

[diego]

Simply the best.

I still have a Fiat Abarth Rally car kit from 1983 in its box, and the plastic is still in good shape.

[Hunt the Shunt Fan]

Tamiya is the best, period. I probably have just about every tank they have and a number of their F1 cars. Tamiya = THE BEST!

[Keith Steele]

The 2000 and 2001 Ferrari already have the lettering on the tires like a diecast. Great kits. The only one I don't own is the 2000 Ferrari.

Here's what they have produced:

Item Mfg. scale Kit Number
Tyrrell P34 6 wheelerTamiya 1/20 2001
McLaren M23 Tamiya 1/20 2002
Team Lotus JPS Mk 3Tamiya 1/20 2004
Wolf WR1 Tamiya 1/20 2006
Brabham BT46 Alfa Tamiya 1/20 2007
Ferrari 312T3 Tamiya 1/20 2010
Racing Pit Team Tamiya 1/20 2011
Ligier JS11 Tamiya 1/20 2012
Williams FW07 Tamiya 1/20 20014
Brabham BT50 BMW Tamiya 1/20 20017
Renault RE30 Turbo Tamiya 1/20 20018
Williams FW11 HondaTamiya 1/20 20019
Lotus Honda 99T Tamiya 1/20 20020
Benetton Ford B188 Tamiya 1/20 20021
McLaren MP4/4 Tamiya 1/20 20022
Ferrari F189 early Tamiya 1/20 20023
Ferrari F189 PortugalTamiya 1/20 20024
Williams FW13 RenaultTamiya 1/20 20025
McLaren 4/5B Tamiya 1/20 20026
F1 Driver and EngineerTamiya 1/20 20027
Leyton House CG901BTamiya 1/20 20028
Braun Tyrrell Honda Tamiya 1/20 20029
Lotus Type 102B Tamiya 1/20 20030
Tire Changing Pit CrewTamiya 1/20 20031
Lotus 102D Ford HerbTamiya 1/20 20033
Lotus 102D Ford HakkTamiya 1/20 20034
McLaren MP4/7 HondaTamiya 1/20 20035
Benneton Ford B192 Tamiya 1/20 20036
Lotus 107 Ford Tamiya 1/20 20037
Lotus 107B Ford Tamiya 1/20 20038
McLaren MP4/8 Tamiya 1/20 20039
Newman Haas Lola Tamiya 1/20 20040
Simon Duracell Lola Tamiya 1/20 20041
Tyrrell Yamaha 023 Tamiya 1/20 20042
Honda R272 Tamiya 1/20 20043
Lotus 25 Climax Tamiya 1/20 20044
Ferrari 310B Tamiya 1/20 20045
McLaren MP4/13 Tamiya 1/20 20046
Ferrari F2000 Tamiya 1/20 2005?
Ferrari F2001 Tamiya 1/20 20052
Tyrrell P34 '77 Mon Tamiya 1/20 20053

They have also done some great 1/12 scale subjects McLaren MP4/6, Williams FW14, Lotus 49 and 49 B The Ferrari 312B and T. Honda mentioned. Matra, Tyrrell. They are the best injection molded kits.

[mmmcurry]

When I used to race cars years ago the Tamiya never really competed with top end cars such as Shumacher, Yokomo, etc. They were normally in a separate class and had to run stock motors. If you are not going to race it then a Tamiya will be fine, if you do intend to race it, it probably best to go to a local club to see what is being run. Saying that I have not looked into it for at least 5 years so things could have changed a lot.

Steve.

[TODave2]

Ligier JS11 Tamiya 1/20 2012
Williams FW07 Tamiya 1/20 20014
Brabham BT50 BMW Tamiya 1/20 20017
Renault RE30 Turbo Tamiya 1/20 20018

Yep, that's the lot I built. The Brabham was beautiful, apart from the massive decals. Instead of painting the blue Parmalat background onto the wings and sidepods, you painted the whole car white and the huge blue areas where decals

[FW11B]

Originally posted by FW11B
I think I must have most of the Tamiya F1 models, some of the 1:12 ones are really great.

Recently I have discovered the delights of Tameo 1:43, the variety of kits produced in this scale are incredible, and the detail is quite breathtaking on such small cars.

You might also want to look at this Thread...

http://www.atlasf1.c...&threadid=32931

[JacnGille]

1/43 is what I build. I have pretty much any type of road racing car; F1, Le Mans, Can Am, Trans Am, IMSA, etc in my collection.

[indycarjunkie]

The Tamiya reviews have been overwhelmingly favorable. I have just come home with my first F1 model whis is the Tyrrell Honda 020.

Its a cool looking car, which got me wondering what happened to Tyrrell anyway? I suppose that's a question for the Nostalgia guys.

Thanks for your reviews!

[Keith Steele]

Originally posted by indycarjunkie
Its a cool looking car, which got me wondering what happened to Tyrrell anyway?

It became BAR.

[Paul Medici]

Originally posted by Eric McLoughlin
I built the Tamiya Ferrari 312B in 1975.

Eric,
If you don't mind me asking, how long did it take you to build the 312B?
I bought the same kit at about the same time and was impressed with the detail; as I recall it even includes fuel injection tubing and so many other little bits that I just never could get started on it. I will build it someday, and when I do I will probably need a new glasses to find all the parts.

.....unless of course you would like to trade your built 312B for my kit

Tamiya

[Eric McLoughlin]

As it was over 27 years ago. I'm afraid my 312B has lomg gone to that great kit repository in the sky. Back in those days, I could knock together a normal kit in a few hours. I'm sure, with all the detail involved, it was completed within a month of purchase. I dont think my standard of finish was all that great I remember my mother was not all that impressed when I told her the kit cost £7.50!

The excuse I had for buying it was because I was involved in a school geography project on Italy and I (naturally) decided to concentrate on the car industry. It was a fortuitous choice that year as in 1975 Nikki Lauda became Ferrari's first World Champion for eleven years. We had some officials from the Italian Embassy in Dublin come and see our finished project (it was displayed at the Bank of Ireland HQ in Dublin) and they were delighted with the "car" side of things. FIAT Ireland even loaned us a side panel from a FIAT126 Bambino which we decked out in red, white and green and had suspended by steel cables from the bank's foyer roof. We even made national TV. It was my 15 minutes of fame. I've never reached such dizzying heights since.