Kit Review: Lancia Delta S4 - Profil 24

[rallymaster]

Hello,

I couldn't resist, I bought the new Profil 24 Delta S4 for my birthday.

Here is its review, hope you'll enjoy.

A few words of introduction:

I paid 135 euros at dominomodel for this kit.
On one hand I know that for some of us this price would give several kits, but on the other hand some other of us also use to add many aftermarket stuff on some kits, and push some kit's price up close to such a resin model...
So the only question is does the kit deserve such a price ?

Here follow my answer


The box:
really promissing



the body:
Seems right, no bubbles problems, fit seems well






The inside:
the only part having some minor bubbles





Metal parts:
roll cage and rear tubular chassis, a very positive point by comparison to the 43° parallele kit I own:



vacuformed parts...
and light lens, as italian standard, nice



...including rear wheel arches:


tyres:
very nice



And here starts the small parts festival !













one thing I find very strange, the seat position... look like more as a track car seat than as a rally car seat...?!



Photoeteched parts:



Decals:
one can build either 86 Monte Carlo or Tour de Corse rallies:





the building instructions:
many pages, with colors, show serious work done by Profil 24.






that shown, it's to share my conclusions:

the first thing I'd like to say simply is... WOW !!

the positive points:
- not much cleaning work will be needed, high resin cast quality.
- high level of details, in fact there are so many parts that I couldn't say how much
some unexpected parts are details, for example the fluid links outing the top radiator.
- shape is fine, maybe not perfect but which one is ?
- it's an opening kit, the only thing we could ask for such a detailed model.
- 2 rallies are possible
- some nice details like the light lens, italian kit standard, very appreciated even if translucide plastic lens would have satisfied me, too.

negative points (well, less positive would be better):
- rims seem to be gravel ones... nevertheless when building a Monte Carlo car that woukdn't be a too big problem as they used many different types of wheels.
- air intakes of front hood are closed; but some parts will detail what would be seen through the griille.


The next step would be the comparison with the 43° parallele kit, especially for the parts on which I have a doubt, wheels and seats, but I already know some conclusions (I would probably take some pics of the kit and post them here).

My conlusions:

this Profil 24 kit may be the best S4 kit I've seen, admitting I never saw a Modellers one (but this is not an opening and detailed kit) and that I don't consider the Ken TK as a kit.

If the question was does the kit deserve its price, my answer is yes !
Profil 24 did a really good work on it.

that calls much work but this kit is surely the best base to builf a incredible Delta S4.


thanks for reading
if you have any question feel free to ask them.

Phil

[sjelic]

I got mine to, few things are bothering me, maybe I didn't check enough but....here we go.

Lights: there is no way to make lens covers from clear part (no vacuformed lights inclouded, don't get me wrong those light lenses look fine but no real depth in them, so I would rather go with plain vacform, same thing go for light pods, you can not make them open because there is no glass.
Wheels: even thou they are wrong type, mine seem a bit warped (not perfectly round), if I find any afftermarket solutions this would be first thing to change.
Instructions: are incredible but also a bit confusing because there are lot of parts involved, some kind of parts list could be handy. same goes for decal placing, all of the decals have numbers but on guide....nothing.
Tail lights need lot of corrections and from the way they are made this will be a bit difficult to do.
This is just at first glance.

But don't get me wrong, this is one of the best full resin kits I have ever seen.

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by sjelic

I got mine to, few things are bothering me, maybe I didn't check enough but....here we go.

Lights: there is no way to make lens covers from clear part (no vacuformed lights inclouded, don't get me wrong those light lenses look fine but no real depth in them, so I would rather go with plain vacform, same thing go for light pods, you can not make them open because there is no glass.
Wheels: even thou they are wrong type, mine seem a bit warped (not perfectly round), if I find any afftermarket solutions this would be first thing to change.
Instructions: are incredible but also a bit confusing because there are lot of parts involved, some kind of parts list could be handy. same goes for decal placing, all of the decals have numbers but on guide....nothing.
Tail lights need lot of corrections and from the way they are made this will be a bit difficult to do.
This is just at first glance.

But don't get me wrong, this is one of the best full resin kits I have ever seen.

Hi Sasa,

I completely agree with you about lights and extra lights, I was thinking the same as I'm now exploring the kit and its parts more deeper

Light lens are usually nice with this standard, but these ones are not perfect.
I prefer the Gass model ones.
And finally I'm wondering if I wouldn't have prefered clear plastic lens...

I also found that extra lights lenses were missing in the kit whereas listed on building instructions ?

I didn't get some particular troubles reading and following them but right, there are many informations and codes...

I didn't look at the rims too long (I probably should) but it seems that mine arent perfectly round, too, but I firstly thought it was an optic effect due to molding lines and rests to be cleaned...
I also quickly thought to replace them so maybe I wasn't enough efficient in my review and didn't spend enough time examinating them, sorry.

I still have a doubt about the seats geometry; I will put my hands back on my other S4 kit this afternoon and make a few comparisons this evening if I can find time to.

solution for me is probably to mix what coudl be between these 2 kits, but it's accepting to sacrifying one for the other...
not a real solution I suppose.

thanks for your contribution, Sasa


Phil

[aeroace]

late for wish you happy birthday Phil i have ordered this kit from MAFMA.

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by aeroace

late for wish you happy birthday Phil i have ordered this kit from MAFMA.

Many thanks !

[auw12]

Happy birthday Phil~

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by auw12

Happy birthday Phil~

Thanks

[freakmech]

Happy birthday! I have 4 profil24 kits and to be honest ive been disappointed by all of them. To be honest, hes a good sculptor but hes a horrible engineer. His kits always look promising out of the box but once i start working on them there are always major issues with fit and function. Especially my 2001 MG LM, the body will never fit on the chassis plate and i will probably have to eventually build a chassis oplate from scratch. The worst is that im really tempted to get this Delta kit but i dont think i can bring myself to buy it. Be very cautious and test fit every thing 3 times before committing to glue!!! Just a warning, but please let us know how it goes and maybe you will convince me to get one. Honestly the price is really good for a full detail resin kit but i just fear the headaches and rage. Maybe im just unlucky, so good luck to you and enjoy! Keep us posted!

PS, those vac form fender flares are going to be a real pain in the butt, i can tell. Be light with the paint if using laquer or they will melt and the dont flex them to much or the paint is going to crack up. Try reinforcing the inside with sheet plastic. Sorry to be so negetive, i just wish it wasnt Profil24 that did this kit cus i want to build one really bad. Cheers

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by freakmech

Happy birthday! I have 4 profil24 kits and to be honest ive been disappointed by all of them. To be honest, hes a good sculptor but hes a horrible engineer. His kits always look promising out of the box but once i start working on them there are always major issues with fit and function. Especially my 2001 MG LM, the body will never fit on the chassis plate and i will probably have to eventually build a chassis oplate from scratch. The worst is that im really tempted to get this Delta kit but i dont think i can bring myself to buy it. Be very cautious and test fit every thing 3 times before committing to glue!!! Just a warning, but please let us know how it goes and maybe you will convince me to get one. Honestly the price is really good for a full detail resin kit but i just fear the headaches and rage. Maybe im just unlucky, so good luck to you and enjoy! Keep us posted!

PS, those vac form fender flares are going to be a real pain in the butt, i can tell. Be light with the paint if using laquer or they will melt and the dont flex them to much or the paint is going to crack up. Try reinforcing the inside with sheet plastic. Sorry to be so negetive, i just wish it wasnt Profil24 that did this kit cus i want to build one really bad. Cheers

Thanks for your contribution.
I'm a bit sad to read all that bad things happening to you about Profil 24 but I couldn't say contrary, I only own 2 Profil 24 kits, the metro and the S4...
I don't know their LM kits.
I always thought Profil 24 kits were very nice and accurate, I'm starting understanding anything else...
I thought to buy the Peugeot 905 one time, but I will surely thing about it twice !!
The kits are always nice and good looking on their pictures (uhh am I naive ? would they not be nice ? ), if they really are worse while building I still couldn't notice that as I only have test some fitting and examinate parts, but still haven't build or paint anything.

For vacuformed parts to build the wheel arches, you're right, thanks for the advice.
I think I will completely rebuild them with thicker and stronger materails.



I still haven't found time to make the comparison with the 43° parallele kit, but I will asap.


Phil

[Eejii]

Hi

I found some great reference pics of S4. I believe you might found these interesting...

http://www.mat.fi/project1986lanciadeltas4.htm

How is your Lancia nowadays Phil? Have you started to build it?

BR
Eejii

[Borjacho]

Hi all:

Normally I don´t writte in the forum, I only enjoy with your amazing projects and learning a lot and taking very good ideas. At the beginning, S4 Profil 24 kit is no compared with Ken trans kit. Anyone knows where Ken TK`s are available?

P.D. Happy birthday, Phil.

Many thanks

BorjaCho

[gionc]

Originally Posted by Borjacho

Hi all:

Normally I don´t writte in the forum, I only enjoy with your amazing projects and learning a lot and taking very good ideas. At the beginning, S4 Profil 24 kit is no compared with Ken trans kit. Anyone knows where Ken TK`s are available?

P.D. Happy birthday, Phil.

Many thanks

BorjaCho

ken's TK isn't still avaiable, but just ask him...

[gionc]

Originally Posted by Eejii

Hi

I found some great reference pics of S4. I believe you might found these interesting...

http://www.mat.fi/project1986lanciadeltas4.htm

How is your Lancia nowadays Phil? Have you started to build it?

BR
Eejii

great link, thanks a lot: would be useful.

[Ayona]

Originally Posted by Eejii

Hi

I found some great reference pics of S4. I believe you might found these interesting...

http://www.mat.fi/project1986lanciadeltas4.htm

How is your Lancia nowadays Phil? Have you started to build it?

BR
Eejii

Hello

As I am not very clever, does somebody know how to copy in my hard disk the pictures of this very good website.

Jean-Francois

[gionc]

Originally Posted by Ayona

Hello

As I am not very clever, does somebody know how to copy in my hard disk the pictures of this very good website.

Jean-Francois

There (uploading.com) a friend shared the whole S4 picts:

http://www.uploading.com/it/files/G6...ta_s4.zip.html

just type the optic code and press download, don't watch too much those cool girls LOL!