Race or Road Car?

[Jay!]

In general, which do you prefer to build?

Myself, I want a fleet of road cars. So far, I've got 3 done, and 4 waiting patiently in their boxes. They're all Japanese cars, save for one Dodge Viper.

I have one race car to build, but I haven't started yet. It's the JGTC Castrol Mugen NSX. I guess I could ask primera man for tips. I'd like to get the psudo-matching Castrol Accord for a set. I'm waiting to see how I handle all those decals before I go out and buy a bunch more.

Someday, I'd like a little diorama for them. I was thinking of a slice from a racetrack, a la Gran Turismo. Complete with ads on the walls, and the red and white rumble strips on the inside of the turns.

Now, what about you guys?

[primera man]

Well you can see i like to do both !!!!!
Heres another pic for ya

[primera man]

Accord

[primera man]

.

[Jay!]

LOL! You sure are quick with the camera lately!

The Castrol JTCC Accord is always so hard to find here! I see shelves full of the PIAA and JACCS Accords, but no C/M for me.

[Morpheus XIII]

Hello again, Silver S2000. Thanks for directing me to this forum. For some reason, I never really enter the 'other forums' but I'm getting more and more interested on what else you folks have to say about other topics, besides the general car makes/models areas.

Anyways, I've only built one, and it was about 4 years ago. It was a race model, the Castrol Supra GT from the JGTC. I gave it to my friend (who actually owned a Supra) because I didn't want to ruin it while moving. In any case, I can't seem to find many places that sell these car models, and when I do find them, they are rather on the pricey side. The reason I consider them pricey here is because I used to find them in Asia for the equivalent of 2 or 3 bucks, and there were A LOT of them (mostly Tamiyas). Are there any good areas in California where you can find these for a fair price? And not the same old stuff either.

I'm more used to building model aircraft, and I've noticed that one can spend much more time with the interior cabin detail on a model car than on a plane. I feel that the interior is the source of real satisfaction, since you are crafting something that others won't initially see, but once someone peers through the windows, they will see the superb craftsmanship.

[Jay!]

Originally posted by morpheusxiii
Hello again, Silver S2000. Thanks for directing me to this forum. For some reason, I never really enter the 'other forums' but I'm getting more and more interested on what else you folks have to say about other topics, besides the general car makes/models areas.

Anyways, I've only built one, and it was about 4 years ago. It was a race model, the Castrol Supra GT from the JGTC. I gave it to my friend (who actually owned a Supra) because I didn't want to ruin it while moving. In any case, I can't seem to find many places that sell these car models, and when I do find them, they are rather on the pricey side. The reason I consider them pricey here is because I used to find them in Asia for the equivalent of 2 or 3 bucks, and there were A LOT of them (mostly Tamiyas). Are there any good areas in California where you can find these for a fair price? And not the same old stuff either.

I'm more used to building model aircraft, and I've noticed that one can spend much more time with the interior cabin detail on a model car than on a plane. I feel that the interior is the source of real satisfaction, since you are crafting something that others won't initially see, but once someone peers through the windows, they will see the superb craftsmanship.

The prices are high for all Japanese kits in the U.S. Too bad for us. It really sucks, too, because the Japanese kits sell for $20 a pop, and sit next the the American kits, which rarely sell for more than $12! So when casual modelers wander in to pick something up, they'd tend to go for the cheaper model of the more recognizeable American car.

So, $20 is about what I expect to pay, and I just get to be surprised if I end up paying less. For rarer kits, I just order them straight from Japan through www.hlj.com. I got my Castrol Mugen NSX from them on sale for 1400 yen (~$15) so after shipping it was still a couple bucks less than retail (~$22).

In Hacienda Heights there's a store called Legends Hobbies. They have a great selection of Japanese model kits of all kinds, not just cars. They also have aircraft, armor and a lot of Gundam kits. They have some military dioramas there that'll blow your mind. I could look at them for hours. Their prices aren't exactly low, but when they have something you want...

They also have a 1/12 scale NSX made by Rosso that's real hard to come by nowadays that's built up and sitting in their display case. Apparently the kit came with an extra engine to display outside the car.

There's a place in Montclair called Pegasus Hobbies that decent, but it's right down the street from Upland, so I buy paint there a lot. Their prices run high. Pegasus Hobbies is know for producing a wide selection of wheels and accessories for low-rider models, like gold 100-spoke rims. They also reconfigured the servos in an R/C car to give it "Hoppin' Hydros." LOL! That thing's rad!

You could also try a chain of hobby stores called "Hobby People," (formerly Hobby Shack). They carry the static models, but not a particularly wide selection. I did buy my S2000 from them, though.

I found a place in L.A./Hollywood once, but I can't remember where it is, doh! My friend says thay have models in the Japan-town area in the toy stores, but I've never been.

As for what you say about detailing the interiors: Here, Here! I want to get into superdetailing my models, but it's quite a hefty task. Look at primera man's funny cars for the detail that goes into wiring and "hose-ing" the engine. Damn, he's good!

My super-project is a Mugen Integra Type R. The Mugen car is a Fujimi kit of the regular J-spec ITR, plus the Mugen bodykit parts. That's one I bought from Japan. Fine, good enough, right? Then, right after I bought it Revell released a kit of the American version of the ITR, complete with engine. Well, my Mugen kit had no engine, so I went out and bought the Revell kit as an organ donor. Curses and swears came out of me like you wouldn't believe when I saw that the Mugen kit was 1/24 scale and the Revell kit was 1/25! :zx11pisse

Well, it's on the back-burner now, but once I have a bit more experience under my belt I'll pick it back up. It's not like I haven't got anything else to work on in the meantime. That is, if I ever got off of AF.

That was long!

[RCer]

Hey Silver, any of those shops have websites? I am getting interested in some modelling now.

[Guiddy]

Originally posted by RCer
Hey Silver, any of those shops have websites? I am getting interested in some modelling now.

Such is the power of looking at other peoples kits! Hehehe!

[Guiddy]

As for the Race car vs Road car thing, I wouldn't say I have any real preferences! It is all about the mood you catch yourself in when you buy a kit, maybe you guys will agree with me on this!

Sometimes I am in the mood for a race car because I just got back from an applicable event, for example I did my Subaru WRC car after getting back from the Network Q rally!

Where as at he moment I am well in Gran Turismo 3 and so am building the New Subaru WRX road car as an immediate project (Going well too! See other thread!) the Skyline I built after getting into GT2 etc.

So it all depends on the mood!

[Morpheus XIII]

Good grief, that WAS a long post, Silver S2000.

Ahh, Hacienda Heights, home of the first Krispy Kreme in Southern California. I don't see myself traveling back to the orients any time soon, and I'm almost done with my third Grumman F-14, so I had better make that trip to Legend Hobbies and browse their kits.

So, Hobby Shack is now Hobby People? Maybe that's why I don't see them around anymore. I used to find parts from them for R/C import car parking lot races, and R/C aircraft. Looks like its time for a case of nostalgia.

I've seen some stores selling models in Little Tokyo, but ALL their stuff seems to be pricey.

Getting back to detailing interiors, I tried painting my own sponsorship decals on the Castrol Supra's smaller parts, but that was almost a utter failure. The only thing that came out looking genuine was my "Trust" logo on the intercooler's core. I should have tried painting the "Supra" logo on the brake calipers; it seems fairly simple to do now.

Don't you amaze yourself when it comes to learning from modeling? It's easy to pick up things and become resourceful while building, and I'm sure that you can figure something out for the unmatching scale sizes for the Revell engine.

[Jay!]

Originally posted by morpheusxiii
Ahh, Hacienda Heights, home of the first Krispy Kreme in Southern California.

Wrong side of the hill. KK #1 is in La Habra.

[homerdrool] Them doughnuts is good. [/homerdrool]



Here's the link to Legend Toys & Hobbies. Here's one of the dioramas I was talking about, but it's way more details than you can see in this picture.

The back sides of those buildings are completely detailed, too!

Here's Pegasus Hobbies. They're site is under-developed, but you can see pics of their new store. They're moveing from a strip mall to the empty lot next door to have a bigger store and four R/C car tracks behind it. Maybe then I'll go buy an R/C car!

All in all, I think Hobby Link Japan is the best bet, if you're willing to pay for shipping. Definitely worth a look. (BTW, they have two racing Primeras in thier product listing, but one is no longer available.)

[Morpheus XIII]

Oops, I suppose it was La Habra, heh.

That's a really nice diorama. I once went through a shopping mall somewhere in the Inland Empire, and they were holding a modeler's expo with many, many of these. Too bad I didn't bring a camera that day.

Thanks for all the great links, and go for R/Cs, they are really entertaining.

[Jay!]

Originally posted by Morpheus XIII
Anyways, I've only built one, and it was about 4 years ago. It was a race model, the Castrol Supra GT from the JGTC.

I may get this kit soon...

[Prelude2War]

Originally posted by Silver S2000

Maybe then I'll go buy an R/C car!

http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/rc/kits/58276.html