KIT REVIEWS....Look in here to see other modellers veiws on kits

[CamaroSSBoy346]

Fujimi BMW 5 Series (1989-1995 ?)

This has got to be one of my favorite european cars. These were some of the best performance sedans in its heyday. The M5, built and assembled in Munich Germany, this car could run with names such as Corvettes. Im not talking about the L89 Corvette either. Im talking about the Corvette's of the same year. With a curb weight of 3803 pounds, a 340 HP 300 lb ft of tq Inline 6, this car could do the quarter mile in 14 seconds and rip to 60 mph in 6 seconds. And if that wasnt enough, you could contract Dinan or AC Schnitzer to have your 5 series supercharged, put new body kits on, or wheels.

Fujimi has recreated the BMW M5, 535i, and AC Schnitzer 535i. All 3 kits are exactly the same, however they all offer the same level of excitment. Having built both the M5 and AC Schnitzer 535i, i can say these are some pretty good kits. Way above other average Fujimi Kits

Unfortunatly, this is a curbside. Meaning no engine. Just like every other Fujimi. On the under side, you will find some engine detail. a square for the oil pan, and the transmission. Even with that little detail, its not very detailed The exhaust is also molded into the chassis (except tail pipe and muffler) 5/10

The suspension..its a joke to say the least. Wheels are held in place with a metal axle, both front and rear= no steering wheels. To keep the wheels from sliding back and forth, 1 piece holders have been made. The rear holder consists of something that resembles lower A-Arms, differential housing, and a 2mm drive shaft, which connects to a molded drive shaft, that is covered by the molded in exhaust. The metal axle acts as the axle and axles housing. Up font its the same lay out. The piece that holds the axle in place consists of the oilpan, tie rods, and stabilizers, and something that you could call a lower a arm. The coil springs, and shocks are molded into the chassis piece. It also comes with a seperate fuel tank. Wheels included are BBS 2 Piece lace mesh rims with Pirelli Cinturato P7's 2/10

The interior is okay. It comes with seperate door panels, a choice of auto or 5 speed stick shifters, and a 2 piece dashboard. The seats arent very detailed, and have no back. The dashboard face; which consists of HVAC controlls and radio isnt very detailed, and is hard to make out what it is. It also comes with a choice of 2 steering wheels 7/10

Body is nicle scuplted, and has a few mold lines on the sides of the roof. It also comes with seperate front and rear bumper. It also comes optional with the AC Schnitzer spoiler. Unfortunatley, the body lines arent deep, and may be coved under heavy paint. 8.5/10

Overall, this is a good kit for the ameature. But for the skilled modeler, this may be a let down. As all the kits are the same, for better or for worse. A great kit for the amature, as its not too difficult. Overall, 7.5/10

[willimo]

FnF-9 Acc-9 Val-8 Overall-8.75

The Tamiya S2000 kit was a joy from the shelf in the hobby shop to the shelf in my display case. The kit was just what you would expect from Tamiya; accurate, well fitting, and with a few frills to keep everyone satisfied.

Fit and Finish 9/10

When you open the box there are few surprises. The whole model goes together easily, with no fixing or adjusting parts to get them to fit, and they all just go in place so easily and intuitively that the instructions probably won’t be needed for 95% of the construction. But when they are needed, they are the very clear and only have a couple omissions, all dealing with paint call outs. The rear turn signals are poorly called out for painting, but after checking some reference material it was obvious. The front turn signals aren’t called out for paint at all, which is correct for a JDM S2000, however they are amber on the US market S2000. This isn’t a mistake on the original release that had only right hand drive, but the newer version of the kit has a dash for the North American market, and the paint should have been called out as optional depending on the version. It is a little difficult to paint the chrome headlights, too, but all the chrome on the car is well done. It is very smooth and evenly applied, and matches the polished metal of the stock rims and exhaust finishers perfectly. The only rub is the headlight buckets that could be a little shinier, but under the headlight lens it looks fine. Besides the chrome plated parts, there are metal adhesive transfers for the H and S2000 logos, and the mirror surfaces. When I first got this model and built it, the metal transfers were new and really raised the bar for logos and mirror surfaces. Tamiya includes these in most of their kits now, and they are wonderful, the clear backing makes them pretty simple to apply. The entire kit was beautifully and crisply molded, with no flash and very little mold lines. There is some minor and easily removed mold lines on the body, but on one of my four samples had a slight sink mark in the rear bumper, just inboard of the mold line. It was shallow and was mostly sanded out when removing the mold lines and was easily covered by just sandable primer. The only time the mold lines posed a problem were on the complex suspension parts, and of course the strut and spring assemblies. Otherwise, they were very easily removed with a sharp knife and sandpaper. The biggest molding flaw was on the package shelf, where two rather deep ejection pin marks mar the interior bucket molding. They are very difficult to remove, and I just left them. If you build the model with the top down, the convertible boot will cover them, but they will probably be visible behind the glass of the included hard top and up-convertible top. I used a resin aftermarket roof on one model, and built it with the top down on the other, so the marks were not visible either of my completed S2000s. The decals are full color and complete for a showroom stock street car. Tamiya even includes two decals for the digital display that is the S2000’s instrument cluster; one for the car stopped and one for full throttle. That was a nice touch, I thought. The decals have the biggest drawback to the kit, I think, as the decals for the H logos on the wheel center cap do not look convincing nor do they stick to the semigloss chrome. If you plan to use them, a coat of gloss clear might do the trick. I don’t understand why Tamiya didn’t mold the logo into the wheel center instead of using a decal, it would have looked much better.

Accuracy 9/10
The accuracy suffers here because of the lack of engine detail. If there is anything special about the S2000 it’s the tiny, aluminum block, 4cyl, 2L, 240hp motor. However, credit has to be given to Tamiya for another intensely accurate model. They body mold very accurately captures the aggressive, angry lines of the S2000 that make it a design masterpiece. As far as the body molding goes, there are no discrepancies between the 1:1 and 1:24, which makes me very happy that Tamiya got the license to issue this particular Honda. From the reference photos I’ve studies, the undercarriage is spot on, as well, the only inaccuracy is a paint omission, the instructions do not call out the spare tire well as being painted flat gray. I’ve studied these cars in depth, and the suspension is a marvel. The parts are very well molded and accurately. There are only a couple problems with the rear suspension, the lower suspension arms are molded as solid, without the holes in the delicate cast piece. I imagine Tamiya did this for strength; in the mold, in the box, and on the display shelf. However, with a sharp knife you can easily open these spaces out and make it look perfect. The other problem is the rear surface where you mate the top and bottom frame parts. The do not mate flush, and need to be sanded smooth, nor do the look accurate. The actual subframe resembles two X’s next to each other (XX), while the kit has a solid piece of plastic. This is common on Tamiya kits, and is also probably for strength on the display shelf. It is quite hidden, though, so unless you’re a total nit-picker this will be a non-issue. The interior is spot on, whatever version you plan to build. Tamiya did a good job with making a simple, very detailed interior. The only thing they could have done to improve it would be separate parts for the door handles (instead of molded on) and two-piece seats with mesh to sandwich in the headrest to give it a more accurate appearance, as on the 1:1 the headrest is a mesh that you can see through. Other than that, and the ejector pin marks on the package shelf, the interior is a masterpiece, including a piece of clear for the glass between the seats. The glass on the car is also very well done, with three-part taillamps to really show off the innovative cluster that Honda uses. The third lamp is great as well, and if you paint the attaching surface black and the locating pin silver, you can make it look very convincing. The exhaust is well done, though the mufflers should be black instead of silver as indicated by the instructions. The radiator molded into the floorpan is a little too far forward, but that isn’t noticeable unless you open it up and add an aftermarket engine. The wheels are well molded, and the detail in the tires are perfect.

Value 8/10

The inclusion of the Mugen rims in the newer V-spec release are a great addition to the car, and the hard top is also good. The real value in the newer release opposed to the older one, is the left hand drive dash, which allows North American modelers to build a replica of the cars sold here. The Mugen rims are beautifully molded, and will find their way onto at least one other Honda in my future projects. However, I can only use them on an otherwise trashed kit since it needs the included tires (in my opinion). I plan on using the S2000 suspension as well. Those, however, are the only parts of the kit that could be used for anything else without some intense research, planning, modification and scratchbuilding. Even the seats are application specific, and would take some work to put in another model. The lack of an engine really hurts the kit, as the entire thing is beautiful and could use that little extra bit to make it just perfect. By that token, Tamya makes it easy for you if you want to add, and can find, an aftermarket F20C. Only the V-spec issue has any real build options. The first one lets you choose top up or down, while the V-spec allows you to choose either stock or Mugen rims; right or left hand drive; top up, down, or hardtop; and V-spec or not (with a choice of steering wheels). Still, the price is a little high for a curbside kit, but not unfair. For the sheer joy of the build quality, and the wonderful subject matter, this kit is great. Just be sure to get the V-spec if you want any options out of the box.

Overall 8.75

If you love the S2000, you’ll love this kit. But if you just like it, or don’t care one way or another, you’ll like this kit. It is very good quality, easy and fun to build, and due to the subject matter can be build many different ways in the hands of an experienced or adventurous modeler. Just don’t expect anything beyond typical Tamiya, however, because in some instances you may be left wanting.

[CamaroSSBoy346]

Revell Acura Integra Type R

The Acura Integra has become one of the most popular modified cars. As it’s cheap, and makes about 140HP, depending on which version you get. Weather it be LS, GS, GSR, or Type R, they all come with a 1.8L 4cyl. Revell has introduced the Integra Type R, which comes with its 180HP 1.8L 4cyl.

This is a truly Revell’s finest attempt at making a model car. This car has so many options its mind blowing. But yet, it goes together with such ease. The Type R comes with 4 different wheels, with rubber band like Toyo Proxy tires. It comes with a BBS like 2-piece mesh rim, a 5-spoke rim, or a rim with 12 or so spokes (not sure off the top of my head) it also comes with the stock gunmetal Type R rims. It also comes with 3 spoilers, a GSR like spoiler, a stock Type R spoiler, and an Invader like spoiler. It comes with 2 front lips also. The stock Type R one, or a modified, bigger front lip. It also comes with a longer rear bumper, or the stock one.

The engine is pretty detailed, which Revell is known for making detailed engines. The 1.8 is crisply molded with a separately molded transmission. The car comes with a custom exhaust header, chrome plated, but mot very detailed, intake manifold, and a cold air intake. The engine bay also has tons of details on its fender wells. It also comes with a separate firewall, and radiator. I actually found enough room to drop in a front mount intercooler, and a Turbo in there. A good ideal, though, you might want to change the engine top, from the molded gray one, for the chrome plated Civic Si top, which fits much better.

The interior molded in gray, comes with the option of stock, or white face gauges, and crisply molded seats. It also comes with separate side panels. A nice feature for this kit is it comes with a separate gauge pod cover, this way you don’t have to fiddle around with the decal trying to get it straight. It comes with a separate handbrake (unlike most revell’s like ive seen), and a separate center armrest.

The suspension is also a work of art-for revell at least. It comes with separately molded brakes, separate tie rod, spindles, and lower a-arms. The wheels are also attached with metal pins, with female rims, like Fujimi cars. Out back, it comes with a nicely molded one-piece rear end, with the stabilizer bar molded in. The car also comes with a chrome-plated exhaust, which is a nice modifier touch. It also comes with a nice muffler, and a metal exhaust tip. Unfortunately, the front end may give a little camber-drifter like style-and camber on FWD cars isn’t exactly a good idea.

The body is where it starts to get scary. In the front it comes with mold lines on the front side bumpers, which I just couldn’t seem to get rid of. The back bumper doesn’t seem to curve in contour wi9th the body. It also has some dimples in the back fascia part of the bumper. The biggest problem, is their are some big dimples in the rear quarter panels

Value of this kit is exceptionally good, with a price of about $12.99, you cant beat it, as their are so many options, and many different left over parts, that can go on other cars. This kit is great for the beginner, or professional, as it is much fun to build, with its oh-so-many options. I built my kit with a pair of Racing Hart C-2 rims my XSTuning..

[IMG]http://www.rankmyride.com/data//b/2/8295//.large/image185.jpg/IMG]

[86_SR5]

Mike, I think the 5spokes are Volks, the 15 spoke(multispoke chrome) are motegi MR15's, the 12 motegi mr12, and the gunmetal are for sure mr7's.

[Layla's Keeper]

Every now again, a car comes along that becomes synonymous with a form of motorsport. Much like the Volkswagen Beetle became the darling of the Baja, and the 1969 Camaro Z28 became the car of the Trans-Am, no car is more closely aligned to the drift scene than Nissan's S13 chassis Silvia K.

Plentiful, thanks to a production run that went from 1988 to 1994, and powerful thanks to a pair of durable turbo four cylinders (the 2000cc SR20DET and the 1800cc CA18DET) the Silvia was an instant favorite. Also helping was a more than capable chassis with a Macpherson strut front suspension and multi-link rear, a comfortable (if a little tight for four) interior, and a handsome coupe body. With all this going for it, plus several other stylish interpretations of the chassis (the fastback Sil-80, and the pop up headlight variations; 180SX and One-Via) it's no wonder that the S13 Silvia has become one of the premiere cars in drifting competitions. In fact, it's almost to the point where you cannot hold a drift meet without at least having one S13 in the field.

From Tamiya, we were given a 1:24th scale rendition of this contemporary classic that has remained in production even as its 180SX kit companion was dropped. The kit creates a curbside replica of a Silvia K (turbo model) as it left the factory. Upon opening the box, you're greeted with one clear tree, two trees of grey pieces for the chassis and interior, a tree of sea green parts for the mirrors, wheels, and package shelf, Tamiya's usual baggie of tires and poly caps, and the separately bagged body; also molded in sea green. First impression is that the parts count is rather restrained, almost simplified. Also, one does wish for a chrome parts tree for headlight buckets and mirror faces.

The body is good, but not spectacular on the Tamiya S13. As compared to the Fujimi kit, the front bumper is far better shaped, plus it has the correct single intake scoop for a K model. The separate rear spoiler is a nice piece though it lacks any mounting points on the rear decklid, so line it up carefully. However, the people who'll be buying this kit to modify it will appreciate that no holes will need to be filled and no cutting will be necessary to mount a new spoiler. Otherwise, the body is nothing spectacular. The only difficulties with working on it are the difficult to paint clear multi-color taillights and grille/headlights piece and a few mold lines.

In the interior, it's obvious that the tooling of the kit is very restrained and intended to be cost effective. The whole interior tub, which mounts to the top of the chassis plate, is shared with the 180SX kit. The only concession to the Silvia's coupe body is a separate package shelf piece with molded in speakers. Not particularly auspicious, but it's doable. There is an incredible lack of engraved detail on the interior side panels, as they have only the barest of contouring. There are no molded in door handles, window controls, or door locks, which are all very visible on the 1:1 car. The rear seat area is well defined, but there is no carpet texturing on the floor or package shelf whatsoever. A nice addition to this tub is the pair of separate consoles, one for LHD and one for RHD which allows you to put the separate handbrake on the correct side for the car you're building. The shifter and boot piece is okay, and the LHD and RHD dashboards are pretty good too, with excellent radio face and climate control detail, but the gauge cluster is decal only so those who prefer to paint such details are not going to be pleased.

The seats that go into this interior are also a disappointment, as they lack upholstery detailing and have no seatbacks. Some sheet styrene will work wonders here, and you guys not worried about the stock look can travel over to your parts box without hesitation.

The chassis is a fair piece, comparable to other curbside Tamiyas in this range of kits. The chassis plate itself features some great engraving, such as the engine lowers, the forward portion of the exhaust system including the catalytic converter, and the fuel tank. The three piece front suspension is passable thanks to good engraving, but the rear suspension is a star, comprised of six superbly engraved pieces. Separate four wheel discs that hold the polycaps, in fine Tamiya tradition, finish off the chassis. They're somewhat plain compared to the fanciful cross drilled rotors and massive Brembo calipers in other Tamiya kits, but this is an everyday factory stock car. Finally, there's the back half of the exhaust system. It's a good in scale piece, but you'll want to drilll out the dual tips for more realism.

All four wheels are stock Nissan disc type wheels. They're well done and scale out well, but are very very boring. Unless you're building a replica of a factory stock Silvia, find some new wheels. It would've been very nice of Tamiya to include 17inch wheels from one of their BTCC or tarmac WRC kits. The tires are very good Dunlops, though. Not very wide and they don't have the wicked directional pattern of a Bridgestone Potenza, but they're solid for a modern street car and should be heavily considered by replica stock builders working on similar year cars.

The decal sheet is all about the badges and markings of the car, plus a selection of license plates. Very standard, unadventurous stuff that does add to a better detailed model.

So, what's the bottom line on this kit? Well, the accuracy of the body and the superb chassis detail place it above Fujimi's kit of an S13K Silvia. However, that's if you're comparing stock to stock. For tuners, this kit is only raw material, and more difficult to work with raw material in some places as well. Tamiya's reliance on male wheels limits your wheel supply based on your scratchbuilding abilities, and the molded in catalytic converter, while well detailed in of itself, means that removing it will lead to a need for more serious scratchbuilding. The interior is shamefully undetailed, save for the dashboard, and the lack of chrome parts for the headlight buckets and the mirror faces is troubling as well. The fact that this kit's only option is right or left hand drive effects its value heavily, too. By and large, the fit and finish of the parts is straight-up Tamiya, but some assemblies, like painting the multi-color taillights, or constructing and painting the three piece clear grille/headlights assembly, will try even seasoned modelers' patiences.

Yes, you can pick them up from HLJ for $13.16 USD, not counting shipping, but in the long run that 13+ dollars can get you a lot more kit for the buck from Revell, AMT, or even Fujimi.

Yes it's a Tamiya, and yes it's accurate. But being Tamiya and being accurate aren't enough to offset the lack of detail and the unfriendly builder experience. This is an average kit, and if had come from Revell or AMT they'd have been crucified for it.

Final Rating: 5.5 out of 10

[chaos]

Tamiya 1:24th scale Nissan 350Z

This is one of Tamiya's "simplified" kits. Most of us who've built some of their older kits will find a marked difference in what we've come to expect. With that said, the kit was a joy to build and although, the kit doesn’t contain as many parts, the end result is a perfect replica of this beautiful car.

The chasis has the exhaust system, and suspension all molded in (this is what I meant by the kit being simplified). This does pose a very frustrating masking experience when painting the chasis. Since most models are shelved and the chasis is not an often displayed area of a model - this may not be an important consideration for some. The exhaust barrel does come as a separate piece and chromed tail pipes included in the kit. Builders will notice the absence of shock absorbers! The wheels are accurately sized and represented, but, aren’t poseable. The tires are beautiful etched and sized. It is also to be noted that this is a curbside kit.

The interior is probably one of the most outstanding and enjoyable features of this model - the accuracy is impeccable. The details on the dash/console area are, in my opinion, spot on. The seats are well represented – Tamiya have come up with a precise paint mix ratio to closely match the colour of the 1:1’s stock seats. The door panels come as separate pieces and chrome door handles are also included. There is great potential to make this a highly detailed interior if the builder spends enough time on it.

The body is as per Tamiya’s expected quality – no flash, and the mold lines are easily sanded away. I could not find any flaws on the body. The head and tail lights are pre-chromed and the tail light lenses come in clear red plastic. This adds a wonderful dimension of realism to the model. The lenses practically snap into place. Other inclusions body-wise are chrome door handles, chrome side mirror glass, window masks, and metal emblems. The body fits onto the chasis like hand in glove.

The end product is a visual treat, and as I said earlier – it is a perfect replica. This car is one for the new modeler as well as the seasoned builder as it offers the potential for great detailing (especially on the interior as noted above).

~ Accuracy….. 3 / 3
~ Fit & Finish.. 1.5 / 2 – the chrome parts, although an awesome addition, do show some bare plastic when coming off the sprue; and the lack of poseable front wheels may be an issue for some as most Tamiya kits do offer this feature
~ Detail……….1.0 / 1.5 – no shock absorbers & curbside
~ Options……..0.5 / 1.5 – LHD and RHD available
~ Overall……6

Aftermarket parts available = Studio 27 photoetched parts and Scale Auto Style resin body kits.

[chaos]

This is one of Tamiya’s “simplified” kits. Most of us who’ve built Tamiya kits before would notice a the lack of parts, and the addition of a small number of ‘new’ parts (such as pre-painted wheels, coloured light lenses, and a few others that you’ll become aware of as the review continues). Nevertheless, the kit comes together very well and is a fair replica of the 1:1 car.

The chasis would be the substance of what I meant when I said this was a simplified kit. The exhaust system and suspension is molded onto the chasis and does prove to be quite a challenge when masking areas off for detailed painting. Builders will also note the absence of separate shock absorbers, instead these are molded onto the interior tub. The kit does feature a chromed tail pipe, and pre-painted gold brake pads that represent the Sti’s Brembo’s well. This adds to the visual dimension of the car as the brakes are quite noticeable through the wheels. The wheels are also pre-painted in gold and are a good representation of the 1:1’s stock gold rims. However, the wheels are not poseable. Also, note that this kit is curbside.

The interior is reasonably accurate with nice detail on the dash. The seats are fairly detailed down to the pleats and the suggested paint mix to closely embody the stock Sti’s seats. The door panels come as separate pieces. This interior has some great potential to be detailed by the veteran modeler.

The body is clean with no flash and easily sanded mold lines. The head and fog lamps are chromed and add depth of the realism of the completed model. There is the option of having fog lamp covers. Tamiya include a small sheet of adhesive silver foil and a template for cutting the foil that make up various parts of the rear lamp. The rear lenses are in clear red and the side blinkers are in clear orange. There were no fitment issues with the lenses except for the side lenses which may prove to be pesky parts to handle as they are rather tiny. Other additions are window masks, metal emblems and metal transfers for the side and rear mirrors. There were no fitment issues with attaching the body to the chasis.

The completed model is beautiful replica of the 1:1 car. The car offers a good place for new modelers to start from and the potential for detailing by the seasoned ones.

~ Accuracy – 3 / 3
~ Fit & Finish – 1.75 / 2 (lack of poseable front wheels)
~ Detail – 1.0 / 1.5 (the lack of proper shock absorbers & no engine)
~ Options – 0.5 / 1.5 (fog lamps or fog lamp covers available)
~ Overall - 6.25

[Blipman]

Everything you ever wanted to know about Z32 (1989 - 2000) Nissan 300ZX models but were too afraid to ask

Sorry this got so long, but I'll bet there isn't a more comprehensive collection of info anywhere else!


There are 2 main manufacturers of 300ZX 1:24 scale models that most will be familiar with: Tamiya and Fujimi, however there are other that will be mentioned later on.

Tamiya make but the 2 kits, a 2 seater TT targa top coupe (with series 1 89-93 wing as part of the body), and an NA convertible:




Fujimi, on the other hand, seems intent to bamboozle the market with dozens (23 all up) of different variants and packages. Most are only available in Japan and most are no longer in production, but different ones pop up from time to time on eBay or around the place, so here's a quick rundown of what's out there and what you actually get.



This kit is still in production and is easiest to get. It is a series 2 (94-97) TT coupe (meaning it has the raised series 2 wing) slicktop (no targa roof) with Version S 16" BBS wheels.

There are several other package designs out there with the same thing, however these are not so common

The bottom right has slight wheel variation (you get red dish pieces) and possibly other small changes. The bottom left is as per usual, however you get some accessories to make a diorama, such as a drink machine and other stuff. Unsure if all of these are slicktop or targa top, as box art suggests some have targa roofs.

In the early 90's Fujimi had various box art variations of early model Z's (series 1 wing and standard 16" wheels):

The yellow one is the only NA coupe I'm aware of (no wing, no intercooler slits in front bar), the drifting Z at the bottom comes with a few extra decals. All are targa tops, however the left hand model comes in both slicktop and targa top, I don't know how to tell them apart from the box (or if it's possible)

Then there are some minor variants, mostly with different wheels:

The top left has 18" wheels and possibly minor stick on body mods (a roof spoiler, etc), the bottom left may have sometuning parts. Bottom right has 18" wheels and some extra decals, and top right has different wheels, exhaust, brakes, front bar winglets, a roof wing and stick on rear bumper mod.

Some of the more drastic modified versions Fujimi made:

The 2 widebody kits are the same as far as I know, and are very rare. Never seen them for sale outside Japan. The police version *may* still be in production, I believe hlj still sells it at time of writing. Have not seen it for sale outside of Japan. As well as the changes seen it comes with some interior add ons and some stuff for a diorama such as traffic cones and speed camera. The 2 Veilside versions are different Veilside body kits, the upper from the early 90's, the lower with the more modern Veilside style.

Finally Fujimi convertibles:

Those on the left are standard (all NA), the lower right has different wheels and the upper right has I think different wheels, exhaust and a rear wing, but not 100% sure on that (I know one does, just not sure which).


Those are the Fujimi's, there are a few more out there

The Snaptite 1:32 scale I have not seen but don't think it's of great quality, the 1:12 scale Hasegawa is from what I hear excellent (what would you expect from 1:12?) with a lot of detail and cast metal parts (such as the engine). This is no longer in production and is very rare. I've seen it advertised for as much as US$600 (though it didn't sell), the going rate if you can find one seems to be around US$300.

There are also some IMSA / LeMans versions around

I think they are all full multimedia resin kits in 1:43 scale and 1:24 scale by Studio 27, Renaissance and others, info is hard to comeby. I don't know who makes what in what scale, however I believe the Renaissance kit (whichever that may be) is 1:24 scale, and while expensive, very good quality, including full interior and under body work detail to an impressive degree.

I know of no 2+2 (4 seater) kits out there, and none of series 4 (97-2000) Z's which had the more modern body styling


OK, on to a comparison between Fujimi and Tamya, since that's what 99% of people will make:

Overall: The Tamiya is a better and easier to build kit, but the variety of Fujimi kits may be more appealing to some. All Fujimi kits have the same parts, with an extra tree or parts added to the kit which are then glued on, so comments overall will apply to all Fujimi kits, however I can't comment on the extra pieces.

Body: The Tamiya is of excellent quality and fit, the Fujimi had cast marks which needed to be removed. The Tamiya is one piece, while the Fujimi requires you to glue on the front spoiler and rear wing, which is why there are so many variants.... the body's always the same and you get a tree of extra parts which is different for each variant. The lack of rear wing on the Fujimi means if you want to add your own wing it's a better prospect. The Tamiya has fixrd targa panels, while with the fujimi they can be removed on targa top versions. Both are quite true to the real thing.

Interior: The Tamiya interior is better modelled (the Fujimi seats are a little average) and has more parts, making painting and assembly easier. The Fujimi interior is slightly less accurate and some parts look like little care was given. The Tamiya cluster is in a few pieces making decal application of the dials a lot easier, and it simply has an overall more quality feel to it.

Engine: no Fujimi's have engine detail. The Tamiya engine detail is quite good, fitment of the intake pipes leaves a bit of a gap at the front, and it is NA only (more on that later). The hood is transparent, for those who want to show off underbonnet detail.

Ease to build: the Tamiya appears to be far easier to build well. The body is one piece, while for the Fujimi you have to glue on wings, front bumper trim and front spoiler, and for targa roofs clear pieces need to be masked and painted partially body colour. The front indicators and fog lights on the Fujimi are carelessly done, it will be quite hard to paint them well, while the Tamya does it right and seperates clear parts from painted parts as it should be. Overall fit appears to be better for the Tamiya. The headlights are also going to be much harder to get right on the Fujimi.

Accuracy: don't get me started on the Fujimi, it's hopeless. Both kits will look like a Z when done, but for the nitpickers who know Z's well, the Fujimi underside is hopeless, I can only assume it's based on another car. The exhaust comes from one side and then Y's into the 2 at the back, while the 1:1 real deal has a dual exhaust from the engine back (it's a V6). The suspension is from something other than a 300ZX as well in both suspension arms and strut assemblies, and the rear brakes are 2 piston sliding calipers rather than opposed twin piston as they should be (the two look very different).
The Tamiya is almost faultless aside from the engine.... it is NA for both the NA convertible and the TT coupe. The TT has turbos to bolt on (not that you'll ever see them) but the TT engine is missing the very distinctive second set of intake pipes, in 1:1 scale only having 2 inlet pipes as on the model is always a giveaway of an NA engine. Otherwise it's very good.

Overall the Tamiya is a better model. If you don't want to build stock, the Fujimi offers many more options as kits, the Tamiya front will be easier to modify due to how it handles the front indicators and fog lights, while the Fujimi will be easier to add a rear wing to as the wing is not part of the body. All other areas each should be about equal in terms of ease to modify.

Ben

[CamaroSSBoy346]

pfft.. i already reviewed the tamiya 300zx, but those other 300zx's are interesting

[blueboost]

-Fujimi S14 Silvia K's edition-


I have a 200SX. In the US, this is not the silvia/240SX its the baby brother... the little 2 door "sentra" if you will. My car is also known as the
Lucino in other countries. I want a 240SX/Silvia. This model I'm building represents the car I look to purchase in the somewhat near future. A 240SX/Silvia in the U.S begins life with a non-turbocharged KA24 series engine. But, with the slue of venerable engine swap options, it quite quickly can become a true champion of modified Japanese Imports in the U.S. as well as abroad. For example, a silvia with a RB25DET from the skyline (GTS-T) will run 12's at stock boost (7psi). pretty neat eh? Can you feel the Nissan love?

If Nissans quality control was anything like fujimi's they would be out of business. I guess thats why Fujimi makes model cars instead of.. cars.

Breaking open the box and diving in, the first thing I sorted out was the ride height. the suspension pieces and undercarriage/frame are identical on all the Fujimi Silvia's S13-S15, so take note -anything
mentioned here about suspension work/quality/modification go's for all Fujimi silvias.

I plan on fitting 18 inch rims by fujimi and lowering the suspension. The stock ride height and wheels are a joke. Actually, the rims although small in diameter, are a pretty good representation of the stockers (they even have the little Nissan emblem cast in the center), but... the tires seem a bit out of scale (too much sidewall). If building the model box stock, expect the car to have the ride height of a SUV. Here's what I did to correct this. I used Joeclaws tutorial in our "how-to" depository to lower the car onto my 18" rims. The tutorial is spot on and I can't recommend it enough, but it doesn't cover the rear suspenion. The shocks and springs are not at all representitive of what the actual pieces on the 1:1 car look like. The wheels can be turned back and forth when completed. lowering the rear of the car proved to be quite an affair to sort out. I recommend taking a good look at what you need
to do before putting any of the parts under the knife. What I did, was modify the spring area of the shocks just like I did the fronts per joeclaws how-to, then I filled in the little spots (with styrene) on the end
of the suspension arm where the axle sits. finally, I cut and sanded out the back area of the brake disk/shock part to accommodate for the end of the suspension arm no longer lining up with the hole its supposed to fit in. Once it was sitting lower, the model began to make sense.

the undercarriage is O.K. There's nothing really to specifically complain about and nothing to write home about. basic undercarriage details are there, undersurface of engine detail also, but very plain. Cat back piping is molded to chassis, exhaust is a seperate piece and its the stock Nissan muffler. The interior tub is a one piece joint to which you
apply only the dash, seats and shifter. The doorpanel detail is weak. The dashboard isn't very good, instrumentation cluster dials are cast and decals are to be applied. center console detail is acceptable, with
HVAC dials and something that could be made to look like a single-din stereo. There is a HUGE mold line running across the top of the dashboard directly above the drivers side. It's pretty annoying having to sand all of this stuff, at this point all the mold lines are getting old quickly. You wouldn't have to do any of this with a better quality model. The steering wheel detail is good, it has the Nissan emblem area hollowed out, ready for a decal. On the surface where your hands would touch the steering wheel you can see texture.

The seats are molded after stock S14 silvia seats and are ugly in
real life and in the model kit. the quality of the seats are acceptable, they're pretty plain seats in reality, and fujimi is real good at replicating that "plain" effect. credit is given for molding them with seatbacks and making the seats a one piece unit instead of having to build them. There's no detail on the seats for adjusting the seatback or seat position. I upgraded the seats to skyline seats from a Tamiya R32 GTR kit. The Skyline seats represent a realistic upgrade as the seats are
almost a direct fit replacement in real life and offer much greater support. The Tamiya skyline seats fit on the Fujimi chassis quite well. They slide right into the existing seat guides molded on the chassis. they
only require a small amount of sanding on the bottom to lower their position a bit, as they were too high (but do fit without any modification).

fit and finish of the chassis to the tub and the other pieces in the tub fit together well. the door sills line right up with the interior tub, better even
then some Tamiya models I've built. the plastic windows are a single piece unit that fits without any real modification or finesse. their are molded 6x9's on the rear trunk deck that can be seen through the
rear window. they could easily be sanded off if you were so inclined. that about wraps up the interior of the Silvia. Back seats are present but no great detail.

The body. Here's where things go awry. The mold lines are VERY invasive. There are mold lines in the last place you would want to have to deal with mold lines. they run along the window frames right near what would be the rubber trim around the windows (but they AREN'T the window trim) , meaning once you sand your mold lines.. you guessed it -you've sanded your window trim off also. if your going to do it right, your going to need a dental scraper to score deeper grooves around the window trim after you've sanded the mold lines. the mold lines run down the A-pillar, there are mold lines SURROUNDING the antenna, mold lines run across the top of the front quarter panels, right in the bend where the quarter panel turns into the A-pillar. FUN!!! Theres more too!
needless to say the body is going to require plenty of attention with sandpaper. This cannot be a slap together 1st place model, this one requires extra love (and extra sandpaper!!)

One of the greatest features of the S14 are those menacing headlights. Fujimi's representation of these headlights is so-so. The lines of the car, the headlights, everything LOOKS good, but its up to you as to just HOW good its going to look. The headlight body's are molded into the chassis and have no chrome plate. the clear covers of course are seperate pieces that fit...so-so, the do FIT, but its up to you to determine the quality of the fit and finish end result (want that 1st place show winning fitment? gonna require some work). Paint and patience will be required to get a high level of realism from them, but a quality build is possible. The taillights are a choice between the kouki or zenki versions of the S14, as Fujimi puts all versions of S14 lighting on the same clear parts tree.

With adequate work I do believe this model can be made into a good piece. If your looking for an easy kit to build this isn't the one. This is a kit for people that just love the S14 silvia and have to build the model. Since you are limited in your choices, you work with what you have. Expect extra work on this kit, but if you want to build a S14 get it. It contains no aftermarket pieces, no GT-wings or mufflers, just a K's aero S14 Silvia. Not the greatest, but nothing that will have you sending the kit back for a refund either.

love's love folks. and love will make you do strange things. If you love the S14 like I do, then you'll probably love building this kit regardless of it's flaws.

Accuracy: 2.75/3
Fit&Finish: .50/2
Detail: 1.0/1.5
Options: .75/1.5
Final Verdict: 5.0/8.0
(only perfect kits with a price under what you'd expect to pay will land a higher than 8.0 ranking. Making them special 9.0-10.0 kits)

[Layla's Keeper]

Revell 1/25th scale Datsun 240Z and BRE Datsun 240Z

Well, since both of these kits are derived from the same tooling, and have been re-released recently, (stock 240Z is current production, BRE kit reissued as part of the SSP program in 1996) I thought it made the most sense to review them together, thus letting you in on one of Revell's decidedly better ideas.

The history of the Datsun 240Z should be common knowledge to any import or sports car fan, as it is the car that legitimized the Japanese motor industry on the international level. The humble Z, which positioned itself in the market share that was above classic roadsters like the Triumph Spitfire, yet below pricey near-exotics like the Jaguar XK-E. At the time, the only car that was similar to the 240Z was the rapidly aging MGB GT, which indeed was partial inspiration for the Z's concept and styling, even lending it's deeply bucketed headlights and fast-hatchback roofline to the Z.

Upon it's debut, the Z sold fast and well, and garnered a reputation for being reliable, practical (as sports cars go) and quick. To establish a racing heritage for the car, Datsun once again turned to Pete Brock and John Morton of BRE, who took the Z to the first of many championships in SCCA competition.

The Revell street kit represents a high level Z of 1972 vintage, with full bumper over-riders and dressy wheels. The body is the best representation of a USDM Datsun 240Z available, but that's a double edged sword considering the only other Z kit in this scale is Fujimi's, which either comes with the Z432 shortnose bodywork (a factory racing Z which used the S20 engine from the Hakosuka GTR's and fiberglass front fenders) or the 240ZG long nose bodywork (a JDM exclusive). Hence, if you want to build a DATSUN 240Z, this is your kit.

There are some quibbles with the body as it is. For starters, the windshield is a mite bit too curved for accuracy's sake, and the trim is too finely engraved to last a coat of primer, let alone paint. The same goes for the badges, but thanks to thoughful reproduction on the decal sheet, you can get away with sanding them off.

And speaking of sanding, be prepared to do A LOT. This kit has been around the block, as Revell originally released it in 1972, so it's flash and mold line city. The worst of these massive ridges is on the C pillar. It runs down from the trailing edge of the drip rail, nearly BISECTS the tiny 240Z badge, and then follows the curve of the fender back to the tail. There is no way, I repeat, NO WAY to remove this mold line effectively without marring the drip rail or removing the badge. Ouch. Equally distressing are the cutouts for the tail lights. Once upon a time, these were nicely rectangular with fine trim engraved around them. Now they're misshapen due to flash and an absolute nightmare to reform. The stiffening braces in the windshields are a treat, too, as there's no way to remove them without, you guessed it, destroying the windshield trim. Capping off this flexi-file wet dream is the separate front fascia. It's correctly shaped, and even separates at the natural breakline of the car (Yay!) but has a massive indentation on its lower surface where the chassis attachs to the body, creating an unsightly and unrealistic gap (Boo!).

The BRE kit fares a little better, since it's an older release. The mold lines are a little less obnoxious and the kit features a well done "Spook" style chin spoiler that, while a little finicky to line up, really adds to the look of the car. Plus it covers up that massive attachment gap when you're looking at the model from the front. There's also a nice included BRE tail spoiler, which by the way, is also included in the stock kit. Nice touch, but remember to sand away the Datsun 240Z badge on the decklid before attaching it, otherwise it'll never sit properly. Thank whatever deity you can think of that Revell though to mention this in huge letters in the instructions for both kits. Rounding out the BRE body features are a neat little curiousity; the headlight bucket fairings that were made famous on the BRE car. These are a neat throwback to early aerodynamics and fit quite nicely, though one would wish they were clear. Find a friend who can vacuform stuff and use these as a master for cool headlight covers.

Both kits have one major issue, though. If you're new to modeling or don't have much patience, DON'T TRY TO CONSTRUCT THE HOOD HINGE! Someone at Revell must have been a sadist, because this multi-piece triumph of non-engineering will have you tugging at your hair for hours, and it's not particularly sturdy, either. Either make your own hinge or leave the hood unhinged. Trust me, your stomach ulcers will thank you.

As a side note between the two kits, body wise, the stock kit's bumpers have the later federally mandated bumper overriders while the BRE has the classic "blade" style bumpers. If you prefer the cleaner blade bumpers, rob them from a BRE kit. They're, after all, interchangeable.

One last thing, the separate front turn signals are very nice. Very nice indeed.

Moving along to the chassis, we find that both kits are identical. Which is not a bad thing as the Revell chassis doesn't skimp on the detail; though it does skimp on the engraving. This chassis, honestly, looks more like somebody scratchbuilt it out of sheet styrene than an honest-to-god injection molded piece. But, never you fear, there are enough injector pin sinkholes to prove other wise. I counted five on mine. Once more, lots of sanding to do. Although, thankfully, two of them are hidden by the separate gastank/spare tire well piece. Interesting part, I think.

The front suspension is represented by five separate pieces, which fit a little vaguely to the chassis but look good. Revell, thankfully, remembered to include the sway bar and trailing links on the front end, something Fujimi completely forgot. If you're building a JDM Fairlady out of a Fujimi kit, grab this kit and transplant as much of the front suspension as you can. It's that much better. The rear suspension works out nicely, too. Four well engraved pieces with good solid fit. You could smack your brother in the face with this rear suspension.

That's one odd thing about this chassis, all of the neat tricks, good fit, and cool pieces are at the back. Almost as if two different groups of tool-cutters were working on the kit at once.

Cautionary note; as you're building up the suspension, constantly check the ride height as the nose on these Z kits tends to sit way high up. In fact, I've never seen a box stock example of this kit where the nose wasn't somewhere up in gasser country. Lowering is just a matter of filing down the mounting points and opening up the strut mounts in the inner front fenders, but it's still a nuisance.

The stock kit and the BRE kit do not share an exhaust system, though. The BRE kit has a wild dual pipe "Stinger" style exhause (which is correct for the BRE car) while the stock kit has a single pipe exhaust with a two-piece chrome resonator. Either one needs its tip drilled out for added realism, and do something to knock the chrome off the stock resonator.

The interiors, which build up platform style on the chassis plate, are highly similar and well-detailed as well. The stock kit has nice two piece seats, a very finely engraved dashboard (break out some Three Dog Night and dig on the 8 track! ) , a separate hand brake, separate pedals that attach to the firewall, nicely done shifter and boot, and decently engraved side panels. The side panels look bare, but the 1:1 240Z's side panels are equally bare according to my references. The real divergence in the kits is options. The stock kit gives you the options of speaker decals for the door panels, orange on black, or white on black gauge decals (which are nice to have considering the tiny size of the gauges and the difficulty of painting them) and a rollbar with fire extinguisher. Funny, though, that same rollbar and fire extinguisher are in the BRE kit. The BRE kit, though, also offers a great Mono Lita style racing steering wheel (drill out the spokes for good measure, though) and classy high back LeCarra style racing seat (with molded in harness, bleah). Either or, the interior (which is highly visible thanks to the large windows of the Z) is a nicely represented area.

The engine bay houses a great L24 straight six. And I do mean great. The engraving is topnotch and this is one grouping of parts that flash hasn't overtaken. There's a separate fuel pump (chrome), and well done engine front piece with molded in distributor (chrome). Oddly enough, the fan, fan belts, and air conditioner pump/belts are also chrome. Grab some bleach and get to stripping if you really mind all this. The big differences between the engine in the BRE kit and the engine in the stock kit are in the exhaust and intake; the stock kit has a five piece assembly representing the stock twin SU carbs, balance tube, intake manifold, and air cleaner housing - all of which is chrome - for intake. The BRE kit has triple 44mm Solex/Mikuni/Weber sidedraft carbs with separate throttle linkage. The stock kit has the stock exhaust manifold(chrome again, sheesh) while the BRE kit has a GREAT BRE bundle of snakes header that isn't chrome. One has to ask, though, why the BRE engine bits weren't included in the stock kit, considering the stock kit has the deck spoiler and roll bar from the BRE kit.

Surrounding the engine in the bay is a treasure trove of accessory parts. The stock kit has a separate coil, brake booster, oil filter, battery (up on the firewall) radiator and core support, and upper radiator hose. All this is nice, until you get into the BRE kit. The BRE kit moves the battery down to the passenger side subframe rail and gives you an oil tank and oil cooler, then supplies you with scale rubber hose and diagrams to plumb the whole oiling system. Too cool.

The wheels and tires all this rides on are kit specific. The BRE kit has a classy set of American Racing Libres (ten times better in mold quality than the Libres in the 510 kit, and differently shaped) while the stock kit has stock full dress wheels. The sore spot in either kit, though, is the tires. The BRE kit has two-piece Goodyear Blue Streak Sports Car Special tires that fit the rims nicely, but are too shiny and oversquare to be realistic. The stock kit has some no name skinnies, probably related to Revell's old Michelin TRX tires, that don't seat the wheels properly and are a bit triangular in shape. If you can spare Dunlops from a stock Tamiya S13 kit for the stocker, or the tires from some Fujimi 14" wheel set for the BRE, it'd improve the look of the car a ton.

Decals in both kits are extensive. Naturally, the BRE comes with all the markings to replicate John Morton's C Production winning #46 car (though these tend to react poorly to setting solutions). The BRE kit does, however, ask you the builder to paint the complext two-tone red & white paint scheme. Be careful with your masking. The stocker has large "tuner" motifs that announce "DATSUN 240Z" in tremendous white or black stripes, plus has all the emblems and marker lights represented. It's sharply registered and lays down well, if a little thick. And it's hard to deny the coolness of the Illinois "ZEEE 1" license plate.

When it comes right down to it, the Revell 240Z's are a mixed bag. They're well detailed and fairly good representations of their subject matter, but they're troublesome to build and showing their age. Still, these kits hold their heads up high when compared to other import car kits, outshining their Fujimi counterparts and many newer tooled kits of similar subject matter. The stock kit's modern decal sheet and excellent SU carb intake are great selling points to replica stock builders, but in the end it's the BRE kit that's the real star with all of its vintage speed goodies and it's comparable lack of flash. The only real reasons to get the stock Z over the older, out of production BRE kit are the decal sheet and availability.

And, if you can afford it, buy both. Either or, if you're up to the challenge and willing to put in the effort to deal with the aging flaws, the Revell Z's are good kits.

Revell Datsun 240Z
Accuracy: 2/3
Fit&Finish: 1/2
Detail: 1.0/1.5
Options: 1/1.5
Value: 1/2
Final Verdict: 6.0/10.0
(value based against MSRP of $12 USD)

Revell SSP series BRE Datsun 240Z
Accuracy: 2.25/3
Fit&Finish: 1.25/2
Detail: 1.5/1.5
Options: 1.25/1.5
Value: 1.5/2
Final Verdict: 8.25/10.0
(value based against average price taken from several classic kit vendors. Expect to pay between $15 and $22 USD for an unopened BRE Datsun)

[CamaroSSBoy346]

Revell 2002 Camaro SS-

The Camaro SS/Z28 was one of the best "21st century muscle car" With over 300HP stock, this thing had great potention. Not to mention, you could buy one for as cheap as 8 grand (98-LS1's)

The engine is pretty well detailed, but it would also make good with a pair of Corvette fuel rail covers, just to dress it up. Some problems i had with it are the throttle body doesnt line up correctly with the airbox. Another minus on it, is the air box is molded into the body. No forced induction with out some cutting first. Thats the only real problem with thats under the hood. engine:6/10

Inside isnt that great. The Bad:Alot of things are wrong with this car. A: The car comes with manual window cranks. Um, i dont belive this was an option for 2002. I think its because it shares parts with Monogram's 97 (?) Pontiac Forumula. And, with this kit, the dashboard has the Delco sterio installed. But it comes with the steering wheel radio controls. The steering wheel radio controlls were equipped if only the car had the Monsoon system. interior:5/10

The suspension is fairly simple, but can turn into a major porject. For most people, this kit sits too high, just cutting the coils would work. Up front, the coild dont fit all the way up in the shock tower, letting it wiggle free. If you dont add spacers, the car might get a little front camber. Also, Revell got cheap woth the wheels. Instead of making accurate 17 inch 10 spokes, they decided to make them 16's, jsut so they would fit with the regular Z28 tires. suspension:6/10

The body-its okay, but not great. at all. The way the front facia attaches to the bumper is wrong, so you'll want to fill some lines and rescribe them. Oh yeah, dont follow the directions/box art. In the box art car it shows the reverse lights on bottom and blinkers on top. That is wrong. Do the opposite. Also, the hood, it fits a little tight, so you might brake off the little ass hinges. Plus it doesnt have the real SS ducts. Just some lousy lines to depict the ducts. Also, dont get upset if you get glue on the headlights. Its basically impossible not to. And if you like me, and like to glue everything on, then paint it you might brake the front facia off trying to get the chassis to fit in there. And a tip: Break the window piece in half. Place it in as 2 pieces. A: This way you wont fuck up the paint on the edges of the pillars, and you wonr brake anything. Body:6/10


The Verdict: Great car, fucked up by revell. If you really want a good simple LS1 SS, i suggest getting AMT's Z28, and put the SS Hood, spoiler and LS1Nose on it.

[gasman03]

Revell 2004 Chevy SSR

Chevrolet introduced the SSR at the 2000 Detriot Auto show and it was a huge hit, enough so Chevy decided that they would produce the popular 2 seat roadster. Powered by GM's bulletproof 5.3 litre Vortec all aluminum V8. which produces 300 horses. which is connected to a 5sp Automatic transmission

The Chevy SSR has a very unique convertible top, which comes apart and folds into a small compartment. allow there to be alot of trunk space.

The most striking item on the SSR is the styling, vintage Chevrolet. with smooth lines. The SSR wears 19" rims up front, and 20's in the rear. giving the truck/car a classic lean to it.

Revell did a fantastic job replicating this truck to scale. molded in black, transparent, red, gray, and white plastic. which helps in the painting process. there are four small mold line on the truck, on the front under the headlight, and about 3/4 of the way down the bed, which are very easy to remove. cause they are in places that don't have alot of detail that could be sanded away. there is 0 flash on this kit, everything is super clean, just like Tamiya kits. The kit also includes and up top, which is perfect. and fits to the body perfectly. which is a rare thing cause up tops usually warp, and don't fit that well.

The motor on this kit is great, but it is missing two items. A quick cross reference with the Silverado reveals a missing air conditioning pump (part #54 in the Silverado kits). A/C is standard on the 1:1 SSR. Also missing is the oil filler cap (part #95 in the Silverado kits). but they are easily fixed.

The chassis is screw together. which at first glance is a turn off, but, when the kit is completely assembled, those screws can not be seen. and are well hidden.

The interior is where I feel this kit shines. fully detailed, and its missing nothing, even has the OnStar buttons on the rear view mirror. which is a detail I thought Revell was gonna miss.

The rims are fantastic, the crome is perfect on it. and they replicate perfectly the SSR's rims.

imperfections on this kit are non existant. it is perfect. it is as good as Tamiya quality. if not better. retail price of the kit is $10.50. which is in line with Revells recent new kits. I give it 9/10.

[StephenDeli]

I cannot agree anymore with CamaroSSBoy346 on the Revell 2002 camaro. I ran into problems with it left and right. First off the radiator was a major pain to get in. The interior like he said was very low on detail. The Fascia and bumper were waayy to big for the body as well. The headlights posed a problem as well. Overall I thought it was the worst kit ever!!!

[gasman03]

a review for current stock Tamiya Toyota celice kits, 1986-2000

1986-1989 Celica



great kit, interior is very well done, but is the lowest detail of the current three celica's though. well done 5sp shifter. but low door panel detail take away from the motor

The body is soo cool on this kit, working headlights. but they are easy to break. and must be handled carefully. all the details on the body are very crisp. with alot of detail through out it

THe chassis is very good. the front and wheel wheel assembly is simplified, but the kit still has a seperate exhaust.

8/10

1990-1993 Celica

Photo of actual model not found

The rarest of all the Tamiya Celica kits. interior is fairly well detailed. left and right hand drive. but it has the JDM steering wheel. to make an accurate U.S. style steering wheel you'll need the steering wheel from the Tamiya 94-99 Celica. 5sp tranny. with the nice racing style bucket seat.

the body on this model is also very well done. sperate rear spoiler. seperate headlight assembly which makes painting it very easy. also includes the JDM, and American mirrors, a fantastic touch,

the chassis is tipical Tamiya, with the typical setup, but it as a seperate gas tank. which makes painting very easy.

I give this kit a 9/10

1994-1999 Celica.



The only full detail Celica kit from Tamiya, also available in GT-Four trim. I wanted to throw this kit accross the room several times. terrible chassis fit. terrible engine details

The interior is pretty well done. Left and right hand drive steering. 5sp manual tranny. well detailed dashes. with even marking for the CD player.

The chassis is the high mark of this kit, very well done, also nice to see that it was molded in red with the body. makes painting it accurately easy.

the wheels are also very well done. accurate 15" aluminum wheels, and disk brakes.

Front clip is not molded to the chassis, but I accidently glued the front clip to the chassis for painting. which made foiling the headlight almost impossible.

I give this kit a 6.5/10 becouse of the low engine detail, and bad chassis fit.

2000-2002 Celica.



My favorite of all the Celica kits. by far the best detail. the interioir has left and right hand steering. and has a choice between auto, and 5sp (the kit represents a GT, the GTS has the 6sp) The door panel detail is fantastically detailed, right down to the power window and door lock controls. dash is beutiful. every single detail is there.

The body is great. they got the lines of the Celica perfectly. it also got Tamiya's fantastic metal transfers. which look so realistic when applied to the kit.

The chassis is again, typical Tamiya. seperate exhaust. and well detailed engine, which gets covered up by the brush guard (have no clue what they call that).

The wheel are 15", alloy wheels, replicating a GT wheel. (GTS has 16" 5 spoke wheels).

another great touch is the mask for the windows, without it, its a pain in the butt to paint it.

I give this kit a 10/10, by far the best.


I still have a couple Celica's to get, and i'll update this thread when I get them.