Just bought the 1:12 Caterham...

So I finally lost my common sense, when I saw the Tamiya 1:12 Caterham models at a model shop in Stockholm, Sweden where I have been living lately... They had both models, and I bought the JPE version because it has the Vauxhall C20XE engine (same engine I have on both my real cars... even it's turbocharged on the other). I already have the same JPE Caterham as the Kyosho 1:18 die cast model, but this Tamiya model has been something I've been admiring a long time on pictures in the net.

The amount of detail in the model is just stunning... I still don't know when I would dare to start building the model... I have already lots of other models unbuilt also or started but not finished yet...

This will definately be the "crown jewel" of my models if I ever get it done. I'll do some minor modifications to the model, but nothing big like machining my own wheels, but this kit already comes with the Speedline wheels which are just perfect. I'm just thinking if I dare to paint it different, the panels are already painted with signal yellow. Possibly I will repaint it... but I don't reveal the color plan yet (as I don't know yet).

When I start the kit, I'll start a thread in the completed and in-progress section.

I could take photos of the parts in the kit if someone would be interested.

But yes, it was insanely expensive for a model kit... I just had to have it when I got it to my hands... :D

So I finally lost my common sense, when I saw the Tamiya 1:12 Caterham models at a model shop in Stockholm, Sweden where I have been living lately... They had both models, and I bought the JPE version because it has the Vauxhall C20XE engine (same engine I have on both my real cars... even it's turbocharged on the other). I already have the same JPE Caterham as the Kyosho 1:18 die cast model, but this Tamiya model has been something I've been admiring a long time on pictures in the net.

The amount of detail in the model is just stunning... I still don't know when I would dare to start building the model... I have already lots of other models unbuilt also or started but not finished yet...

This will definately be the "crown jewel" of my models if I ever get it done. I'll do some minor modifications to the model, but nothing big like machining my own wheels, but this kit already comes with the Speedline wheels which are just perfect. I'm just thinking if I dare to paint it different, the panels are already painted with signal yellow. Possibly I will repaint it... but I don't reveal the color plan yet (as I don't know yet).

When I start the kit, I'll start a thread in the completed and in-progress section.

I could take photos of the parts in the kit if someone would be interested.

But yes, it was insanely expensive for a model kit... I just had to have it when I got it to my hands... :D
Yes please pictures! If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for it?

Congrat on your buying. This kit is mostly my next one to buy. (JPE too, I don't like the other version)
Just need to save some money for this monster. (it's under 200$us on ebay... still expensive)

If you can take picture of the parts, I think most of us would apreciate.

Just spread the parts on the living room table and took some photos of them. They didn't all fit to the table even... I put a swiss army knife to give some scale to the table too.

http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1290055.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1290056.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1290057.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1290058.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300059.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300060.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300061.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300062.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300063.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300064.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300065.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300066.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300067.JPG
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P1300068.JPG

I paid 2890 Swedish crowns, which is about 320 euros or 422 US dollars, which definetly was not the cheapest price for this model... I just couldn't resist buying it even it had that kind of pricetag. They had also several Revell 1:12 models, like F40, Chevy 57, Corvette etc, which were just couple of hundred crowns, so you could have bought a pile of Revell 1:12 F40's with the price of the Caterham from that model shop (Wentzels at Stockholm, Sweden). Now I'm suffering, because all of my modelling tools and paints are in Helsinki, Finland, where I normally live...

wow 422 US is a steep price for a model, but I know that feeling where you just have to have what you want regardless of the price. Hope to see the build later on! :)

I built the cycle fender special version of this and it is the best kit I have ever made. I want the JPE version myself, under $200.00 to my door on eBay makes it very attractive.

Enjoy buiding that, I am sure you will.

I reckon this kit would be a great reference if you bought a real one to build in your garage.... That's just a fantastic model, one on my "one day" list. I wish you's just push aside all your other kits and get on this one, but, thus is life. We don't get all we want. Good luck, for whenever you get around to making it!

As this:
http://www.opelclubfinland.net/kuvat/forum/caterham2.jpg
is already in my shelf, it's the Kyosho 1:18 model, I might make this model look a bit different with some different colour choises.

Well, I know people who have paid something like 200 euros for a 1:43 resin kit with lots of PE parts. But have to say that he also built it very well... This is at least bigger, than the price difference... :)

Crazy price, but a fantastic kit. Looking forward to watching the build up.

Just wish I could persuade the wife that spending that much money on a kit isn't such a bad thing.

Just wish I could persuade the wife that spending that much money on a kit isn't such a bad thing.

Well try this: Before I was making 1 kit by month, at 30$ each and more.
Now I take 4 months to make one (more complex) which let you buy a single kit of 120$ for the same "money spent" :D. For the extra 80$, well you will need luck to persuade your wife :lol:

Congratulations! I'm (slowly) building exactly the same. It's fullsize cousin takes most of my time lately, as I'm building a 1:1 too. I decided to spray the bodywork, you can see a picture here:

http://www.mk-indy.nl/images/2005%2001%20(january)/HPIM1011_medium.jpg

I also intend to use quite a lot of CF decals (from scale motorsport). I have already covered the panel behind the seats.

Good luck, and please keep on informing us....

Congratulations! I'm (slowly) building exactly the same. It's fullsize cousin takes most of my time lately, as I'm building a 1:1 too. I decided to spray the bodywork, you can see a picture here:

http://www.mk-indy.nl/images/2005%2001%20(january)/HPIM1011_medium.jpg

I also intend to use quite a lot of CF decals (from scale motorsport). I have already covered the panel behind the seats.

Good luck, and please keep on informing us....
I wish I could have the possibility to build a 1:1 Super Seven... :)

I was on a track day last summer in Finland with my 300+ hp Calibra 4x4 and I got totally beaten by a Caterham with the same engine with double carbs, when I have Motronic and turbo IC... the performance was just stunning. And there is also one in my office parking house, which I have been admiring several times.

I think I have to respray the car also, just to add something own. The colour scheme I'm going to use is pretty dediced already, but let's see, I have to do some photoshop pictures first. First I have a delay for a month, as my modelling tools and paints are in another country where I live at the moment. When I move back, I can start with the Caterham model. I'm actually planning to build the engine first, as that was the biggest reason for buying the model... That C20XE Opel/Vauxhall engine and the turbocharged C20LET version are just works of art for me (and I do have one of each in 1:1).

The blue colour looks fantastic. Is that going to be the colour of your 1:1 car also?

No, I think my 1:1 will be gun-metal (follow the progress on www.mk-indy.nl) But I have a nice picture of a Caterham in blue, with carbon fibre accents, which I want to duplicate.

I'm also thinking of covering the seats in carbon, or carbon/kevlar, but I don't know if it will work (I have NO experience with the CF decals, except for the flat panel behind the seats).

Did you notice the back of the dashboard? The instruments and switches continue in the correct way too......it's amazing......

Again, I'm very interested in following your progress; I'll try to update too, when I've done something.

Hey,

Nice buy. Is that prepainted or something? You make me want one now:-/ Thanks.
lol Looks fun though. Hope to see some progress someday. lol. Enjoy.

Frank X.

Hey,

Nice buy. Is that prepainted or something? You make me want one now:-/ Thanks.
lol Looks fun though. Hope to see some progress someday. lol. Enjoy.

Frank X.The aluminium body panels and other parts which are fluorescent yellow (wheels, roll-bar, nose cone etc.) are prepainted. Rest of the parts are not prepainted.

IS it me or the yellow is too fluorescent ? I mean, it would look much better with a real Yellow

IS it me or the yellow is too fluorescent ? I mean, it would look much better with a real Yellow
Yes, it is a little too fluorescent. The cover picture of the kit show what it would look like in normal yellow.

This is one colour plan I've been thinking for it (the pictures are crappy, I just colored very quickly the picture of the Kyosho model with Photoshop and it was the first time I used Photoshop and I also had a really crappy mouse...)

http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P8290011_b_huono.jpg
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/modelcar/P8290011_b_huono2.jpg

The original fluorescent yellow picture:
http://dedik-144.nebula.fi/kuvat/forum/P8290011.jpg

What do you think? Red with black wheels?

Red would look good, but you won't be able to use the decals (they would look crap on red)

Well thanks for this thread, now this damn expensive kit is on my buy list grrrrrrrrr....

No, I think my 1:1 will be gun-metal (follow the progress on www.mk-indy.nl) But I have a nice picture of a Caterham in blue, with carbon fibre accents, which I want to duplicate.

I'm also thinking of covering the seats in carbon, or carbon/kevlar, but I don't know if it will work (I have NO experience with the CF decals, except for the flat panel behind the seats).

Did you notice the back of the dashboard? The instruments and switches continue in the correct way too......it's amazing......

Again, I'm very interested in following your progress; I'll try to update too, when I've done something.

Wow nice build so far. I am getting started on my parts list for my 1:1. Though it will be far different from any of the one's on the street it should look good. I am going with the Caterham Road sport. And will be ripping the car apart the moment I get it. I haft to move some cross members and add about 2 in' for the 4 rotor engine and T56 6speed tyranny. Among other things I might also haft to add a few thicker pipes around the frame so that it can handle the 450 HP engine.

Difficult to try to choose the colour for the model...

I have been looking a lot of photos of real Caterhams, and there are couple of cool colours, like the metallic blue, metallic gray, silver, yellow (not fluorescent!) etc. to choose from in addition to my first idea of red...

One thing is for sure, it won't be fluorescent yellow.

This is the look I'm trying to achieve with the model:
http://www.mk-indy.nl/images/inspiration/caterham%20blue%20aeroscreen%201.jpg

I already sprayed the wheels gunmetal.

I think for that kind of car, I would custom mix automotive paint (Cool color like BMW Blue)

This is the look I'm trying to achieve with the model:
http://www.mk-indy.nl/images/inspiration/caterham%20blue%20aeroscreen%201.jpg

I already sprayed the wheels gunmetal.

I would try one of Finisher's Blues, maybe Prost Blue or Sparkling Blue. I think Kunta used Finishers Sparkling blue on his Carrera GT.

Cheers

Farrokh