UNOBTAINIUM. Part Four.

As with the Daytona, three series of Boxer racing cars were developed by the Customer Assistance Department at Maranello. They were available to anyone wealthy enough to buy one for use in national and international endurance racing. Additionally, there were also a couple of semi-official GT4's (s/n 18139 and 18095) built, these two cars predating any factory involvement with a BB competition program. Both cars were built by Luigi Chinetti’s North American Racing Team (NART).
The first racing Boxer was s/n 18139 and preparation of the car began over the winter of 1974. The plan was to participate in 1975's Daytona 24 Hours and shortly after that, the equally prestigious Sebring 12 Hours, where it actually finished a creditable sixth overall. In 1977, Chinetti brought the car to Le Mans under 75 and it took 16th overall, 5th in IMSA class.
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Japanese company Museum Collection is not the first to release a kit of s/n 18139 in 1/24th scale, and it is not their best effort either. The car was previously released by Gunze Sangyo, and even before that by Airfix (later re-boxed by Nichimo, Bandai, and then Chinese knock-off Allway). Marui Tokyo also made their own version if the kit, releasing both racing version, and “road” version that never actually existed in 1:1 scale. Even Entex made this car in plastic, although it is definitely smaller than 1/24 (close to 1:32 scale), even though it says so on the box.
Museum Collection is mostly known for their decals and photoetched sets/transkits rather than full kits. The kit was one of their attempts to get into the kit market, but after releasing just few kits they turned back to P/E and decal manufacturing.
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The kit is packaged in nice cardboard box that shows original price of 14800 yen (about $150). There are not a lot of parts in that box though for your $$. Let’s take a closer look:
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Decals are VERY nicely done. I think this is one of the best aftermarket decals sets I have ever seen. MC calls them Hi-Tech decals, not sure why but they are very nice. Clearly registered and very opaque while rather thin at the same time. Instructions are very simple but easy to follow.
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There is a simple photoetch fret packed together with instructions and contains few small details, like mesh and winglets, and emblems and badges. Vacuum formed clear parts and windows are nicely done and very thin.
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The body is a nightmare though. It is not so much the little mistakes, it is just the quality of the casting itself. Look at the headlights! Clearly, the master was rushed into production. Panel lines are crooked, and there is lots of flash everywhere. Resin quality is good though, no bubbles or other casting imperfections.
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Chassis is very simple (like so many of these kits) with no detail to speak off (well, except that little engine piece molded at the bottom). While cooling fins on the engine shows that MC had the technology to make great and clean castings, it also shows that poor preparation of the master.
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Rims and multiple lights are made from turned aluminum and look very good. Tires are solid sleeks or rather good quality. There is also a dash and a seat.
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The rest of the parts are white metal – wheel inserts, brakes, interior pieces, and roll cage/axles. All very average quality and barely useable for a serious buildup.
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While this kit is not very detailed and not easiest to build, it is the most accurate kit of the car as far as proportions go. It will require quite a bit of work to make it into a full detail, but for a quick curbside build, will more that do the job. Museum Collection still exists and they produce many products, but this kit is long out of production and very hard to find nowadays.

Another interesting find! I really enjoy seeing inside all of these old and rare kits.

Ever thought of compiling all of this in a coffee-table book? :D

Even it it seems not the best model, for me it is a "I´d like to have"-kit ;-)

MC "high tech"-decals means that the carrier film on top of the decals are to be removed after the decals are applied.
/Joel

Ever thought of compiling all of this in a coffee-table book? :D

Maybe one day?

MC "high tech"-decals means that the carrier film on top of the decals are to be removed after the decals are applied.
/Joel

Joel- could you elaborate a bit more? How do you apply them?

I would really want to see this one built by you. I would want to get it, but unemployment = no more models.

On the hitech decals, you cut them out and apply them like a regular decal, the only difference is when it dries, you either get a knife, tweezers, whatever and pull the carrier film off. On those decals, the ink goes down first and then the carrier film. It looks cloudy when you put them off, but there theory is you use the carrier to put the ink on the model and then when it is dry take the carrier off leaving just the ink making it look like true vinyl or painted lettering. You can also use take to get the carrier film off. Be careful though when you take the decals out of the package. I had some get stuck to the sticky seam on the plastic and it pulled all the carrier film off. All of their decals are like this and even some studion 27 decals.
Nic

Another very interesting read. Keep them coming.

Great review of another great model

Nice car kit. Tokyo Marui also made a nice plastic model of this car. Decals are the main problem. I always liked the Sebring version of this car best.


Keep them coming!!


Tom Tanner/Scale Designs/Ferrari Expo 2010 model/photo contest-Chicago April 2010

On the hitech decals, you cut them out and apply them like a regular decal, the only difference is when it dries, you either get a knife, tweezers, whatever and pull the carrier film off. On those decals, the ink goes down first and then the carrier film. It looks cloudy when you put them off, but there theory is you use the carrier to put the ink on the model and then when it is dry take the carrier off leaving just the ink making it look like true vinyl or painted lettering. You can also use take to get the carrier film off. Be careful though when you take the decals out of the package. I had some get stuck to the sticky seam on the plastic and it pulled all the carrier film off. All of their decals are like this and even some studion 27 decals.
Nic

Hi

I have had really bad experiences with MC 'high tech' decals. The theory is fine but I'm afraid that they have a very short shelf life or you have to store them in a certain way. The problem is usally not layered decals with several colours. The problem is usually centered about one piece, one colour areas of colour. Fragile is not the word! I have fought with the Escort from 94'ish Swedish Rally. Large area of metallic blue swirls. The problem is really bad when you apply them around rounded surfaces. Luckily I could use a Tamiya metallic blue that matched perfectly to touch up. These decals are very difficult to handle at it looks like S27 and MC has turned away from them again. I think I know why :-(

Flemming

You got the answer from Scale central and flansen. I agree with flhansen on the round decals that wrinkle easily when applying, the idea is fine in theory but it works pretty bad. It's also a really risky moment when lifting the carrier film. It's very easy to tear the decals at that point.

You seldom see an instruction on the packing either.

Most of the time I just trim the carrier film off and use the decals as standard ones.

/Joel

Yep, got it now.
Thanks guys.

Cool kit,

But I can never understand why in the world someone would pay that much for a model and get something with no motor, Basic interior, and crap white metal parts. A $10 Revell has more detail then some of these $150+ Cars...lol

Cool kit,

But I can never understand why in the world someone would pay that much for a model and get something with no motor, Basic interior, and crap white metal parts. A $10 Revell has more detail then some of these $150+ Cars...lol

Yes, true, but Revell will never do many of these subjects. I don't we will ever see many specific models kitted such as the Porsche 962 IMSA. Granted the regular WEC 962 was kitted, but it varies from the IMSA kit by a huge margin. There are many Ferrari subjects too like the 312PB which changed about every 4 to 6 races. They would never do all of them.
Nic