Model Factory Hiro..??

What does anyone know of Model Factory Hiro Kits? Someone at work, a very high up senior who owns the real road version of the car brought the kit in the hopes his son would build it.. I think it might be this kit here

http://www.hlj.com/product/MFHK046

I can't be sure, I get to see it tomorrow, as I know it's a 250 he owns. He says it looks too complicated for his son to build, and he is a total car nut. Took a few hours today talking about the kits I've been building, and was most impressed with my work. This was when he told me he had the kit, as his son builds models, but told me it just looked far too over his sons sktill level, and so he never built it. His son is only a young boy, so naturally his skills are not there, and he has now stopped building anyhow. Another one lost to the playstation generation. He mentioned he was going to have a go but says the instructions is all in japanese.. Not a good sign, and he didn't want to see his car look like it had been built by a blind man..

Anyhow he's bringing the kit in tomorrow, and would like to see it built. My last attempts with resin was not so good, so not sure what to expect. Searching aorund, seems they use a lot of "white" metal?? Should I take the kit, or just decline, as if I take the kit, he will expect to see it built. I can keep it he tell me, so I'm not building this for him, he has just offered me it as I think his love for his own car means he would love so see it built.. I can understand that..

I don´t know anything about MFH kits myself, but I do know that Alex (360spider) has built A LOT of MFH kits, so ask him is my tip. Or you could check out his AWESOME homepage, Italian Horses (http://www.italianhorses.net/)

I think Studio 27 and MF Hiro are the same company? :dunno:

They are very nice kits and alot of them are built here on AF (check the Motorsport forum). i would build it as i think your skills are getting pretty good but take your time and sand and test fit ever single piece. BUT i would give it to your superior when finished, its his car and these kits are costly. plus maybe youll get a bonus, like a ride in his car;)

You can find more about this particular kit here (http://www.1999.co.jp/asp/GoodsDetails_e.asp?Bno=&Typ1_c=102&Typ2_c=106&Typ3_c=910&SPage=1&SC=17&SN=Search+result+Search+for+%3A+ferrari+250&It_c=10036737&andor=0&scope=0&scope2=0&thumb=1&sortID=1&urikire=1&sort_sort=0&ItKey=ferrari%20250&app_url=KeyReference_right_e.asp) :)
I'd say it's all metal, but Alex can answer you better.

Cheers,
Pedro.

From what I've seen, MFH kits are neat models with some extremely nice features. Yet they are overpriced and I do not like all the white metal pieces that cheapen it IMHO. I'm already very unlikely to buy any model at the $100 price point, MFH kits are more than double that.

Alex is the one to get the straight scoop from. The kits are very buildable but will require a good bit more "worry" than a Tamiya kit, expecially fitting and finishing the white metal pieces. The resin, machined parts and photoetch are great.

Just had a quick look around on Alex's website, it didnt' register at first as I've seen his builds before, but it does now. It must be the same kits he does and even though impressive, I don't think I would be able to build that just yet..

They look like a right pain in the butt to put togehter.. Do look stunning though.. I'm puzzled as to why the guy at work brought it..!! I never asked where he got it, sounds like a classic case of - "that would look nice" and then you buy it and open the box and think "shit.." how the hell do you build that..!! And they are pretty expensive as well...

He isn't short of a few pence, and loves his cars. He's got some pretty impressive cars in his garage. We were actually taking of the Honda S2000 as there was one in the car park, and I mentioned it looks better in Yellow, and I said I can prove it, and showed him pictures of my S2000 model, thats how it all came about..

Alex (360spider) has build a few Model Factory Hiro kits and his build his excellent. I think you can ask him for tips and help for any problem that might arise.

Lucky you, I say!
The chance to get you hands on an MFH kit without forking out the 200$+ to get one?

I'd be honest with him about the difficulty of the kit, your own level of experience, show him your built kits and say you'd like to try. The chances are it's either just going to sit a cupboard somewhere or his son's going to bodge it up anyway. Personally, I think you'd do a good job on it and would love to see your build thread here.

Alternatively, I'll buy it off him for 100$ :) j/k

That is probably the best thing, buy it from him and then affter few years (I have mine MFH kit sitting on shelve for a year now) you build it and then resell it to him for some good $.
I must say that I am scared to start this one (http://www.hr-maketari.com/recenzija.asp?ID=30)

He isn't short of a few pence

Ya think?!?!? :iceslolan

250SWBs are rare and EXPENSIVE! This guy most be rolling in cash to have an 250SWB. See if he'll tell you the history of the car.

Mick,
I can give you help with Japanese translation if you decide to take it on

Mick, I'm not taking the piss when I say this but I'd advise buying it from him at a cheaper rate then keep it in a cupboard till you're confident enough to build it. I'm not saying you're bad at modelling (anything but - cripes have you seen my attempts!!!) It's just I think this is an opportunity you don't want to pass by but at the same time you only want to attempt this opportunity once your skill levels have risen a bit more.

Well, the kit is now on my desk and in a box that doesn't look like a kit that costs over £100.. The build guide is in Japanese with parts in badly spelt English but well useable, and the paint guide isn't for Tamiya paints - not that this matters. I have told him I'm still learning to build these kits, but he's given me the kit anyhow. And he has just given me a Modena and Enzo Tamiya kit as well. What a lucky haul.

I did say he could have the 250 kit back if I felt I will never build it, and I also said why not put it on ebay? He could get a good price for it. TBH I don't think he cares too much, typical money waster. Still who am I to complain. I've got nearly £200 worth of model kits, but then again I have worked some pretty long hours in the past for him over the past five years. A point he did make when giving me the kits. Guess this is my reward for the 16 hour days I worked for 3 months nearly a year ago to help win a massive contract for the company he runs. I did offer some money for the kits, but he didn't want it. Just says it's a shame his son gave up and wouldn't have been able to build it anyhow, and after seeing my work he had no idea they could look so good, and wants me to build them. In my own time that is..

Anyhow, the MFH kit looks to be a fantastic kit. It's a heavy box compared to Tamiya, and the body is cleaner then I thought it would be. It would take a lot of work, I need some better sanding sticks, epoxy glue, metal superglue and a lot of time to build this one. My skills are not good enough yet I don't feel. I'm learning still, but I must admit, I would love to give the kit a go. the decals look fantastic, and the photo etch parts are everywhere. I would think these kits would look stunning built just from the box, as the detail looks to be very good. The metal parts look hard to clean up though. They are like plastic parts with a lot of mold lines. Anyhow, I've got it for free. I offered money for it, he didn't want it, so that was that. A free MFH 250. Just how lucky can you get..!! I'll build it when I get better at building models, and, I'll have a word about how he got the his road 250 in the first place. His collection of cars is nice...!!! Some of the cars he has parked in his VIP parking spot. I still want his Aston DB9, or even his Aston DB7. Yes, this guy has two, yes 2 aston martins. I'd be happy with just one..!!

He could pay someone to build that kit for him, money.. sometimes that have a little too much.

Congratulations! Great day!

Post some pix of the kit! I'd love to see how it looks "in the raw"

Congratulations! Great day!

Post some pix of the kit! I'd love to see how it looks "in the raw"

I was doing some searching last night, and I found this website, they have pictures of the kits out of the box. The one I got is pretty much the same. I want to take some nice pictures of the kit, and post them for you all to see. But for now check this site out -

http://www.islandcollectibles.net/prod02101.htm

The kit I got is impressive.. I keep looking in the box today at work, its so tempting.. I want to have a go at building it.. But I'll hold off until I get better..

I'll get some great pictures for you all of all the parts so you can take a look.. This is nothing like a Tamiya kit....

This thread is a proof that I'm wasting my time doing my kit reviews... :-) I have seen (and reviewed http://italianhorses.net/Reviews/main.htm ) many Hiro kits, and having built several of them, all I can say, they have a lot of parts and detail, but they are terribly engineered, poorly designed, and a pain in the tail to build.

Email me if you have any questions about the kit(s).

This thread is a proof that I'm wasting my time doing my kit reviews... :-) I have seen (and reviewed http://italianhorses.net/Reviews/main.htm ) many Hiro kits, and having built several of them, all I can say, they have a lot of parts and detail, but they are terribly engineered, poorly designed, and a pain in the tail to build.

Email me if you have any questions about the kit(s).


Sorry, I do read your site, and I'm always impressed by your builds. I think I posted this as I was a happy and shocked I got such an expensive kit for free... Sometimes this means "thinking" before "posting" goes out the window when you are happy.

I did realise that once someone pointed out your website, you had in fact built many of them, and i've even been impressed by them. You are not wasting your time, well I don't think you are. It didn't register at first. I have a very bad attention span... Or so it would seem..!!

This thread is a proof that I'm wasting my time doing my kit reviews... :-)

Absolutely not!!! Alex, don't stop your kit reviews - they're like the 11th commandment :)
You could you stop making everything look so easy, however. :grinno: j/k

Well, that was meant as a joke really, I know I'm not wasting my time - I have a page visit counter :-)
I have this 250 SWB kit (only I believe mine is an Early Version), and I actually wanted to post a review of the kit up on the site next week.
Anyway, if you have any questions/ideas, email me.

I can only agree with Alex... I had to build the 250 GT SWB and I think that this kit is probably the worst made by hiro. I had to change and modify so many pieces that it took me weeks or months to finish it !
I remember that for the engine bay, I even used the plastic parts from an italieri/testor kit otherwise it was impossible to close the front hood !
Other kits from Hiro fits better together, although I continue to believe that for the price these could be really improved.
Philippe