Tamiya 1/24 Citroen 2CV

[henk4]

As promised for Crisis the Tamiya Citroen 2CV, straight from the box (this car does not need any improvement as we all know).

[Niko_Fx]

Are these cars too hard to built? I mean I have never done one before but I have seen some in this forum in the last couple of days and I kind of want to do one. Does it require experience? How much time? What's the price of one of these?

By the way all I have seen here posted look great :)

[Matra et Alpine]

Are these cars too hard to built? I mean I have never done one before but I have seen some in this forum in the last couple of days and I kind of want to do one. Does it require experience? How much time? What's the price of one of these?

By the way all I have seen here posted look great :)
For your first car, buy a quality kit.
Tamiya are excellent value for money.
Protar and others (Studio 27) add extra detail and are worth it but take a bit more skill.
And cost :)

Learn on a Tamiya - they're not too expensive - and produce an excellent finished model.
1/12 is large scale, but also will take many hours to complete a decent kit - you need to do lots of detail paint mark-up when the model is big.
I'd recommend going for a 1/20 or 1/24 scale as a good compromise.
1/43 is another skill I've yet to complete and is VERY difficult when trying to get final details.

Build your first one exactly as the instructions recommend.

Later on, you can start modifying, adding and builindg out of order to ensure extra detail and accuracy in reasonable time.

There are lots of on-line modelling sites and newsgroups.
Search on model kit and you'll do well - just not with the wife in the room because you just KNOW the other stuff that search will find.

Your local model shop can be very helpful, most owners are more than willing to offer advice on the best modelto start with iin their stock.
If you don't have one nearby, I've found www.hlj.com to be excellent - especially for the harder to get kits. They've a superb Skyline kit on special offer of $22 right now :)

[Niko_Fx]

Thanks a lot Matra, I'm going to follow your Advice and go for a 1/20 or 1/24. 22$ seems like a good price, I'm sure those cars are worth it. I got a lot of free time (only got classes 3 days a week, my GF lives in another country and I'm not working at this moment) so I could give those cars all the time and effort they need.

Thanks again for the info :)

Nikolai

[henk4]

Thanks a lot Matra, I'm going to follow your Advice and go for a 1/20 or 1/24. 22$ seems like a good price, I'm sure those cars are worth it. I got a lot of free time (only got classes 3 days a week, my GF lives in another country and I'm not working at this moment) so I could give those cars all the time and effort they need.

Thanks again for the info :)

Nikolai

Glad you like the kit, but $22 is only the beginning, you will need additional things like paint, glue, and some tools to start with. Check out whether there is a good hobby shop in Caracas and they might be able to help you along. Tamiya kits are the best to start with, as there quality of fit and level of detail stands out against most of the other brands, in particular Revell.

[Niko_Fx]

Glad you like the kit, but $22 is only the beginning, you will need additional things like paint, glue, and some tools to start with. Check out whether there is a good hobby shop in Caracas and they might be able to help you along. Tamiya kits are the best to start with, as there quality of fit and level of detail stands out against most of the other brands, in particular Revell.

Yes, I know some great Hobby shops in Caracas... But I'm in Florida right now :confused:..... I cannnot think of any hobby shop around here. I know walmart has a section for car/planes/robots/etc kits but as you may know they are not recognized for their great products but for their low prices. Do you know of any good web page where I could order a kit?

Thanks Henk4

Matra does your page ship to the U.S?

[henk4]

HLJ ships to every destination.
Some additional links: www.modelersite.com
www.f1m.com
also http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=927
will be able to give you some ideas about what's going on.

By the way if you go for the Skyline as Matra suggested, than be sure to have Tamiya TS44 spray for the body colour.

[Matra et Alpine]

Glad you like the kit, but $22 is only the beginning, you will need additional things like paint, glue, and some tools to start with. Check out whether there is a good hobby shop in Caracas and they might be able to help you along. Tamiya kits are the best to start with, as there quality of fit and level of detail stands out against most of the other brands, in particular Revell.
Good point and important in the first kit you chose - - -
Find one where the moulding is predominantly in the colour you want the finished car. Then you won't need to paint much.
Getting good paint finish is a challenge to leave for a while.
Again, Tamiya are excellent at mould finish and a lot of models need nothing.
I'll post some pics of the A110 I built last year ( a quick build with minimal paint )
If you only need to paint detail parts then a few tins of paint ( matt black, aluminium and yellow will let you mix colors up to match bolts/nuts. Small tins are only a few $$ - spend the money on good brushes and cleaners :)
Don't go for glue in tubes, the best are dispensed in bottles with syringe tips - these allow to lay a precise amount in the right places. Later you can get into 'painting' the glue and building up etc etc that are all necessary with less well made kits :(
A small pair of cutters and file are also advised for getting items of the spure ( again don't go crazy as I built dozens of models using my mum's fine sewing scissors and nail files :) )
Leave for later the .2mm drills etc ( needed to drill the holes on brake rotors )

[Matra et Alpine]

By the way if you go for the Skyline as Matra suggested, than be sure to have Tamiya TS44 spray for the body colour.
I'd have expected this to be a model that you wouldn't HAVE to paint the body, hence keeping the first kit and easier task.

[henk4]

I'd have expected this to be a model that you wouldn't HAVE to paint the body, hence keeping the first kit and easier task.Probably the body is molded in blue but TS44 is an extremely well covering and easy to handle paint, which you can apply directly to the body, without having to use a primer (but not without good cleaning). Would be a good starter for getting experience with spray cans.

(For the A110 I used the special Alpine Blue metallic, with in combination with a clear coat gave a very good result.)

[Niko_Fx]

Ok, thanks for all the advices, I'm going to follow them :)

[Matra et Alpine]

Probably the body is molded in blue but TS44 is an extremely well covering and easy to handle paint, which you can apply directly to the body, without having to use a primer (but not without good cleaning). Would be a good starter for getting experience with spray cans.
It just brings in the complexity of cleaning the body.
Spraying paint needs the body to be washed in good detergent and dried - preferably air-dried - and use cotton lint-free glove to handle it till painted.
I reckon not worth the hassle for the first attempt.
( if you don't do the above you end up with uneven surface or dust caught in the finish )
Americans love a product called "Future" - a floor polish - as a final coat on their models to seal and provide a very high gloss finish. Have you tried it ?

(For the A110 I used the special Alpine Blue metallic, with in combination with a clear coat gave a very good result.)
Well the Alpine Blue is a unique colour and the only way to get a realistic result is to use the Tamiya paint - they also do a polycarbonate paint for those who want to build the 1/12 scalre radio controlled A110 :)

Niko-fx, I hope we've given you some starters and you enjoy trying it and hopefully join the ranks of modellers. Don't worry if the first ones don't come out as you'd like. It's a hobby that takes skill and experience.

Be careful, it's a dangerous hobby, you will find yourself at classic car shows taking photographs of the most obscure parts so you have a reference to make a model more accurate. I was 16 and had just built the Tyrrell when Jackie donated the car to the city of Glasgow. I was upset to find all the wiring and piping on the real car that wasn't in the model and stripped it and rebuilt it up with all the right parts and colours. SAD :)

PS: 1/12th scale motorbikes are another great series :)

[henk4]

Be careful, it's a dangerous hobby)

the most important danger being that you will have not enough life to finish all the kits you tend to hoard during the years ;)

[Niko_Fx]

the most important danger being that you will have not enough life to finish all the kits you tend to hoard during the years ;)

hahahaha :)

[<AAA-MOD>]

the most important danger being that you will have not enough life to finish all the kits you tend to hoard during the years ;)


That's a great comment, especially coming from you. You may outrank HLJ's stock of sealed new kits.

[crisis]

the most important danger being that you will have not enough life to finish all the kits you tend to hoard during the years ;)
Sorry to take so long to reply. Nice choke kit. (Rotten car) I agree it would be a criminal waste of time to modify this kit. I like your comment about hoarding kits. My father was exceptionally gifted in this particular talent. I inherited all of them when he died. I couldnt even guess how many there were. Mostly aircraft, that was his thing. I have built hundreds as a kid and far fewer as an adult , (there never is the time). I also contributed to the stockpile by purchasing many myself. I have sold hundreds but still two cupboards and four large cartons full. I have all but given up any hope of building them as my spare(!) time is engaged in numerous other activities. I still have a heap of early Frog and Airfix aircraft kits as well as many other vagueries. I would actually like to sell more of them but would prefer the antiquities to go to a collector or someone who respected the value of them. Even better someone who could build them well. (they are , as you may understand of questionable quality detail wise). As I said they are mainly aircraft so not of much interest to most people on this site I guess.

[Matra et Alpine]

I still have a heap of early Frog and Airfix aircraft kits as well as many other vagueries. I would actually like to sell more of them but would prefer the antiquities to go to a collector or someone who respected the value of them. Even better someone who could build them well. (they are , as you may understand of questionable quality detail wise). As I said they are mainly aircraft so not of much interest to most people on this site I guess.
eBay is the main source of kit sales.
You can see some really silly prices for old kits.
Unopened bagged kits seem to comand huge prices.
$900 for a Testarossa - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3175467228&category=2581
$600 for a German tank - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3176027736&category=2588
GBP 170 for a James Bond 'cheap' Airfix kit - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3175726507&category=1190
$600 for a 'cheap' REVELL F104 kit - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3174457339&category=50301

I'm sure you could find all the 'going rates' for the kits you've inherited.

You can also ask over on the rec.models.scale, they don't gererally like folks trying to sell on the ng. But you could ask for advice there.

[crisis]

eBay is the main source of kit sales.
You can see some really silly prices for old kits.
Unopened bagged kits seem to comand huge prices.
$900 for a Testarossa - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3175467228&category=2581
$600 for a German tank - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3176027736&category=2588
GBP 170 for a James Bond 'cheap' Airfix kit - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3175726507&category=1190
$600 for a 'cheap' REVELL F104 kit - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3174457339&category=50301

I'm sure you could find all the 'going rates' for the kits you've inherited.

You can also ask over on the rec.models.scale, they don't gererally like folks trying to sell on the ng. But you could ask for advice there.
Yes , Actually I didnt want to sound like I was looking for buyers here but I tend to run on a bit when I get going. I was thinking about Ebay but Im not really wanting to make a fortune. I would like to get them out of my shed but I feel responsible to the old man as they were his pride and joy. He always told me , "these will be worth a lot one day". Somewhat of a conundrum.

[Matra et Alpine]

Yes , Actually I didnt want to sound like I was looking for buyers here
Actually for car kits, I wouldn't mind you list them here myself :)

I was thinking about Ebay but Im not really wanting to make a fortune.
Hmm, I maybe gave a too positive view.
As well as silly money you do get lots going for good prices and occasionally get some excellent deals.

I would like to get them out of my shed but I feel responsible to the old man as they were his pride and joy. He always told me , "these will be worth a lot one day". Somewhat of a conundrum.
I think that leaves you three choices ....
- contact local model club and ask them to sell them on your behalf
- sell them on eBay
- pass them onto your son in your will :)

[byronleehk]

It just brings in the complexity of cleaning the body.
Spraying paint needs the body to be washed in good detergent and dried - preferably air-dried - and use cotton lint-free glove to handle it till painted.
I reckon not worth the hassle for the first attempt.
( if you don't do the above you end up with uneven surface or dust caught in the finish )
Americans love a product called "Future" - a floor polish - as a final coat on their models to seal and provide a very high gloss finish. Have you tried it ?

Well the Alpine Blue is a unique colour and the only way to get a realistic result is to use the Tamiya paint - they also do a polycarbonate paint for those who want to build the 1/12 scalre radio controlled A110 :)

Matra,

I've tried "Future" and my feelings for it is mixed...
Pros: Cheap, thin, easy to use, can be sprayed or brushed on.
Cons: Sometimes won't mix with other paints, i.e. "HOT" ones in nature like enamels by Boyd, hard to wet-sand.

Aside from Tamiya, I have also used spray cans by Testors, Gunze Sangyo and Modeller's.

I specially like the line by Gunze Sangyo called "Auto Color" but the down side is they are mainly for Japanese and only a few for European Exoctics. And if you want realistic results for older (1965-1980) race cars then I'll go with Modeller's "Racing Color".

Hope this helps.

[henk4]

That's a great comment, especially coming from you. You may outrank HLJ's stock of sealed new kits.

Thanks, but your are wrong, I always open the boxes immediately ;)

[<AAA-MOD>]

Thanks, but your are wrong, I always open the boxes immediately ;)

sorry, i assumed you left them sealed, but i understand you still have a lot of kits waiting for your attention.

[henk4]

sorry, i assumed you left them sealed, but i understand you still have a lot of kits waiting for your attention.

Rumours do spread quickly

[henk4]

Sorry to take so long to reply. Nice choke kit. (Rotten car) I agree it would be a criminal waste of time to modify this kit. I like your comment about hoarding kits. My father was exceptionally gifted in this particular talent. I inherited all of them when he died. I couldnt even guess how many there were. Mostly aircraft, that was his thing. I have built hundreds as a kid and far fewer as an adult , (there never is the time). I also contributed to the stockpile by purchasing many myself. I have sold hundreds but still two cupboards and four large cartons full. I have all but given up any hope of building them as my spare(!) time is engaged in numerous other activities. I still have a heap of early Frog and Airfix aircraft kits as well as many other vagueries. I would actually like to sell more of them but would prefer the antiquities to go to a collector or someone who respected the value of them. Even better someone who could build them well. (they are , as you may understand of questionable quality detail wise). As I said they are mainly aircraft so not of much interest to most people on this site I guess.

Thanks for the compliment on the car, (what do you mean by "choke", is it meant cynically? ;) ) actually the only additional thing is the bare metal foil on certain rims along the body. The topic of kit value is a nice one, it is sometimes coming close to the hype about "mint and boxed" diecasts. The value of a kit actually reduces to zero once built, which is also a reason not to start building, as soon as you know that a re-issue of a certain is out the question. Many buyers of old 1/12 Tamiya have been unpleasantly surprised by re-issues of all of them reducing their market value to retail price. My gem in this respect is a Protar 1/12 plastic/metal kit of the McLaren MP4/2C,(number 779 of an assumed total of 1000) of which re-issue is highly unlikely, even though Protar has been taken over by Italeri. I have seen prices creeping up to a 1000 US$. (I paid 50 during a sale). Should I sell it? Built it, which means capital destruction, and experts say the kit has lousy detail? Ah, life is so complicated.
Anyway a recent professional change has meant that I may have more time available but again, there are also other priorities in life.

[crisis]

Thanks for the compliment on the car, (what do you mean by "choke", is it meant cynically? ;) ) actually the only additional thing is the bare metal foil on certain rims along the body. The topic of kit value is a nice one, it is sometimes coming close to the hype about "mint and boxed" diecasts. The value of a kit actually reduces to zero once built, which is also a reason not to start building, as soon as you know that a re-issue of a certain is out the question. Many buyers of old 1/12 Tamiya have been unpleasantly surprised by re-issues of all of them reducing their market value to retail price. My gem in this respect is a Protar 1/12 plastic/metal kit of the McLaren MP4/2C,(number 779 of an assumed total of 1000) of which re-issue is highly unlikely, even though Protar has been taken over by Italeri. I have seen prices creeping up to a 1000 US$. (I paid 50 during a sale). Should I sell it? Built it, which means capital destruction, and experts say the kit has lousy detail? Ah, life is so complicated.
Anyway a recent professional change has meant that I may have more time available but again, there are also other priorities in life.
I had to choke on my words as a compliment to that car, as you know gos against my personal predjudices. I cannot fault the quality of your modelling though so a compliment was well deserved. Frog aircraft kits suffered(?) the same fate as the Tamiya kits you mentioned when not only Novo but Revell and a few others began re releasing their old kits. Frog kits themselves never gained much aof a reputation for detail, moulding or anything else that could be related to quality. They did, however , choose subjects that were not available from other manufacturers. The 1/72 Shakleton was a particularly sought after example. Novos reissues reduced the quality even further some how and Revell marketed them in such a way to sometimes fool the unwary that they were getting a "new" kit. The reissues did much diservice to those who were asking rediculous prices for the originals though. I hope you recent professional change was positive and of your choosing.

[henk4]

I hope you recent professional change was positive and of your choosing. Thanks, yes it was. rather than being on fixed contract I am now working self-employed, where you either earn twice as much or work only half the year, depending on demand.

[byronleehk]

Thanks for the compliment on the car, (what do you mean by "choke", is it meant cynically? ;) ) actually the only additional thing is the bare metal foil on certain rims along the body. The topic of kit value is a nice one, it is sometimes coming close to the hype about "mint and boxed" diecasts. The value of a kit actually reduces to zero once built, which is also a reason not to start building, as soon as you know that a re-issue of a certain is out the question. Many buyers of old 1/12 Tamiya have been unpleasantly surprised by re-issues of all of them reducing their market value to retail price. My gem in this respect is a Protar 1/12 plastic/metal kit of the McLaren MP4/2C,(number 779 of an assumed total of 1000) of which re-issue is highly unlikely, even though Protar has been taken over by Italeri. I have seen prices creeping up to a 1000 US$. (I paid 50 during a sale). Should I sell it? Built it, which means capital destruction, and experts say the kit has lousy detail? Ah, life is so complicated.
Anyway a recent professional change has meant that I may have more time available but again, there are also other priorities in life.

I've had this 'fight' for years...to build the kit or to keep it mint in box? :confused:

The little guy on my left shoulder say "kits are meant to be built, and think of the fun of building it, the joy of just looking at your finished art afterwards". But the other little guy on my other shoulder said "Don't even open the box, keep it sealed and mint".

*sigh*

I wish I was rich like a friend of mine. He'll buy 2-3 of the same kit, 1 to build and the others to keep. He actually has a storage facility for those kits.

*sigh* (again)

[crisis]

I wish I was rich like a friend of mine. He'll buy 2-3 of the same kit, 1 to build and the others to keep. He actually has a storage facility for those kits.

*sigh* (again)
Take it from me, there is not much point in that. Only a few kits end up being rare enough to command big prices. Most companies re issue their back catalogues eventually and moulds change hands also. Any kits that are actually new releases will be around in thousands as well. If you start collecting you will end up like my father and subsequently me. Hundreds of models that take up heaps of storage space and someone will have to get rid of them when you croak.