Kit Review: AMT F & F Eclipse plastic kit.

After being satisfied with their Supra I was in hope that the Eclipse would be as good, it isn't. :frown: I compared the body to the Revell metal body which is better shaped, niether one really captures the true lines of the Eclipse but the Revell isn't as slab sided. AMT remembered the roof scoop and some on the lower rear sides. For some reason the gas fill lid protrudes from the body.

Comparing the other parts, Revell has better engravings and interior, I have to say the Revell looks better overall, looking forward to their plastic kit eventhough I don't like the front end which is different than the metal kit. I don't really care which one is more true to the movie car, I just want a good Eclipse to work with.



http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/206234eclipsefront.JPG
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/574376eclipseback.JPG
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/187755top.JPG
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/963079greenside.JPG
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/958294whiteside.JPG
Wheels are good shape and size.
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/618919wheelcar.JPG
AMT wheel left, XS Tuning Wheel right
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/553347wheels.JPG
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/353457chassis.JPG
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/236955dash.JPG
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/859346glass.JPG
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/472927hood.JPG
http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/810971muffler.JPG

Originally posted by Veyron
[B]After being satisfied with their Supra I was in hope that the Eclipse would be as good, it isn't. :frown: I compared the body to the Revell metal body which is better shaped, niether one really captures the true lines of the Eclipse but the Revell isn't as slab sided. AMT remembered the roof scoop and some on the lower rear sides. For some reason the gas fill lid protrudes from the body.

Comparing the other parts, Revell has better engravings and interior, I have to say the Revell looks better overall, looking forward to their plastic kit eventhough I don't like the front end which is different than the metal kit. I don't really care which one is more true to the movie car, I just want a good Eclipse to work with.



Revell's next Eclipse is NOT plastic! Their flyer is misleading, the orange Eclipse is another variation of the metal kit, with different plastic pieces like bumpers/wings. The AMT kit looks okay, but that's damning with faint praise. :biggrin:

It doesn't look bad,at least it's a start and at least there's finally an Eclipse plastic model car.

Originally posted by ZoomZoomMX-5


Revell's next Eclipse is NOT plastic! Their flyer is misleading, the orange Eclipse is another variation of the metal kit, with different plastic pieces like bumpers/wings. The AMT kit looks okay, but that's damning with faint praise. :biggrin:

Their WRX is going to be a metal body too, the Focus SVT will be plastic.

the engine could be used in an Evo kit (4G63) :rolleyes:

im going to have to get one of these when i see one, does the plastic kit have the AWD Drivetrain or FWD?

Originally posted by Veyron


Their WRX is going to be a metal body too, the Focus SVT will be plastic.

Correct. Their RSX will be metal as well. At least Revell makes decent metal kits now.

for a 10$ model, it look ok to me.. i'm sure it will be fun to make even if it's not 100% acurate...

and a Mitsubishi engin could be usefull

i cant wait to get one!

Originally posted by Thor302
im going to have to get one of these when i see one, does the plastic kit have the AWD Drivetrain or FWD?

Revell's is AWD, AMT's is not. :rolleyes:

could you take a picture of the decals ? if they look ok, it will be a nice model wide by site to Integra and Supra

where can i get this amt one???????? i want one

Originally posted by Vric
could you take a picture of the decals ? if they look ok, it will be a nice model wide by site to Integra and Supra

http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/976511decal.JPG

Originally posted by Veyron


http://files.automotiveforums.com/uploads/976511decal.JPG

thanks

at least they have more sponsor decals than the Supra (I need to make lot of them) sadly, not CF decals :frown:

The rims look good:bigthumb:

Are revell releasing a plastic kit too then?

I'm just interested in a good Eclipse to build sans the decals and wheels.:smile: Looks like Revell has the better shape to me.:bigthumb:

Originally posted by flyonthewall
The rims look good:bigthumb:

Are revell releasing a plastic kit too then?

Revell are in love with Metal body...

AMT will is the only way to have someting that look like an Eclipse

I know this is not exactly related to the model, but WHY DOES THIS FRONT ENGINE CAR HAVE A ROOF SCOOP???????? Is it as i suspect, just another tasteless boyracer add on with no practical function?




Look, a tasteful car!!!!!!!:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Originally posted by cagman
I know this is not exactly related to the model, but WHY DOES THIS FRONT ENGINE CAR HAVE A ROOF SCOOP???????? Is it as i suspect, just another tasteless boyracer add on with no practical function?




Look, a tasteful car!!!!!!!:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

The same reason head lights on a 928 point straight up to the sky when there off, It's just to be different. No more tasteless, impractical, model unrelated questions from you, okay? :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

Not to mention lots of perfectly good front engine rally cars have roof scoops. :rolleyes:

Sorry, it looks cool to me, and a roof scoop can provide a bit of ventilation, not just engine cooling.

There are tons of things in the world far more worthy of being bothered over :rolleyes: :loser: :biggrin:

where can i get this? is it only in japan?

Originally posted by rx7king
where can i get this? is it only in japan?

They're just now hitting the shelves in the US. Wal Mart (and Target of all places) have the Supra kit, so the Eclipse should be available pretty much everywhere before long.

alright cool. i hope so, cuz i want one bad

Originally posted by rx7king
alright cool. i hope so, cuz i want one bad

Maybe Hobby Lobby will have them in time for their next 1/2 off sale :confused: :biggrin:

how often does HL have these 1/2 off sales? i picked me up 6 kits today

Originally posted by rx7king
how often does HL have these 1/2 off sales? i picked me up 6 kits today

You can never tell, usually it's every couple of months or so, sometimes more often, sometimes less often. Their weekly sales are nationwide, so checking their website for the sale every week will tell you when the next sale is. They've had a good number of 1/2 off sales this year, sometimes it's only 1/3 off.

cool thanks

Originally posted by Veyron


The same reason head lights on a 928 point straight up to the sky when there off, It's just to be different. No more tasteless, impractical, model unrelated questions from you, okay? :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:



Point taken:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: ,my headligt configuration is stupid, they get dirty even when their folded down, youre rigth!!

Gotta get myself one of those eclipse kits anyway, to try and "eurostyle" it.:redface: :iagree: :sorry: :silly: :silly: :silly: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep:

PS: I ask what i like, when i like.

Originally posted by cagman




Point taken:biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: ,my headligt configuration is stupid, they get dirty even when their folded down, youre rigth!!

Gotta get myself one of those eclipse kits anyway, to try and "eurostyle" it.:redface: :iagree: :sorry: :silly: :silly: :silly: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep: :sleep:

PS: I ask what i like, when i like.

There you go, something for everyone around here. :icon16:

How do the chassis compare? Can they be swapped, to make the AMT kit AWD?

How do the chassis compare? Can they be swapped, to make the AMT kit AWD?

It could be done, the Revell body is 1/8" wider so it's chassis would have to be trimmed somewhat to fit the AMT body. The wheelbase looks like it would be fine.

I have this kit on order for about a month now(should arrive next week)
I really dont care about the litle details and if its correct to the real car.
But thats because until tamiya comes up with a f&fseries ( but they wont)theres nothing better to get on the market.

Thanks for the head-up on this kit. If I may ask, where did you obtain yours? It has not hit any stores in NJ as of yet that I know of.

Thanks and regards,

how did you aquire this plastic model? is there one out already?

Thanks for the head-up on this kit. If I may ask, where did you obtain yours? It has not hit any stores in NJ as of yet that I know of.

Thanks and regards,

I saw a stack of them on Saturday at Hobbytown USA in Kennesaw, GA.

Finally an Eclipse model! It doesn't look too bad. Did it come with the Nawz! bottles?

You can tell that some details are not quite there, but it doesn't look too bad. Can you imagine if Tamiya had a go at this one?

I don't really understand why they didn't make it a 2-in-1 sort of thing. Especially since it was AMT and they make Custom kits out of everything. I would really, really like to build an Eclipse with the stock bumpers (not to mention the 5 spokes they sold with the car right before they replaced it with the new bread-loaf bodystyle). Maybe It'd be a good chance to try throwing a ton of putty at it and making my own bumpers.... but that's a lot of work for an Eclipse.

Eclipses are nice cars, but not totally bitchin' cars, and unfortunately Tamiya has a bit of a complex when it comes to the cars they make models of. Too bad.

You can tell that some details are not quite there, but it doesn't look too bad. Can you imagine if Tamiya had a go at this one?

That will NEVER happen! Tamiya won't ever do something that's not JDM oriented, and the Eclipse is made in the US for the US. If the Eclipse had ever been made in Japan, you can bet there would have been kits of it long ago :rolleyes: :banghead:

AMT's not much better at having a clue :shakehead

I want this kit. I got the supra, now i want this one. Anybody know if it's coming to Australia? Haven't seen or heard about its arrival

That will NEVER happen! Tamiya won't ever do something that's not JDM oriented, and the Eclipse is made in the US for the US. If the Eclipse had ever been made in Japan, you can bet there would have been kits of it long ago :rolleyes: :banghead:

AMT's not much better at having a clue :shakehead


It's not quite that cut and dried. Being a writer for model magazines for the past 21 years, I got to see a lot of the behind the scenes stuff, and why the model companies make the decisions that they make.

First of all, the Japanese model companies essentially produce for one market - their home market, Japan. Export sales (Europe, USA, etc.) are "gravy" and not much more important. That doesn't mean the Japanese model companies don't care about export sales, they very much do, but it is of secondary importance to them.

Japanese model companies are not always biased towards JDM products. Tamiya has produced, for example, the 1994 Mustang Convertible, 1995 Mustang Cobra R, 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 1993 Jeep Wrangler, all AMERICAN products that were very popular in Japan. That's the key point - how popular the article is in Japan. Here's another example. The Mazda Tribute SUV is sold in Japan, but made here in the US in Flat Rock, Michigan, next to its mechanical twin the Ford Escape. Despite its decent popularity in Japan, it doesn't seem to have captured the interest of any of the model companies. SUVs are not all that big in Japan as far as car sales go, their JDM minivans (which we DON'T see here in the USA except for the Mazda MPV) sell far more. (the Toyota Sienna and Nissan Quest are USDM only)

I hope to see Tamiya or Fujimi get on the stick and do the sexy new Nissan Skyline Coupe (Infiniti G35 in North America). I see more of these on the road than the cool new Nissan Z and that's got to count for something in terms of popularity. True, the Eclipse is USDM only, but it is of high interest in Japan. A new 1/1 scale Eclipse is about a year away. Let's hope it's sexier than the current car, and that they bring back the AWD.

Just my .02.

Best regards,