GUNZE HI-TEC kits

[Khier]

were/are the only highly detailed mass production kits. Anyone knows why they discontinued these kits?

[MPWR]

Global economic downturn? The great secret anti-modeler conspiracy? Maybe they just weren't profitable to produce and sell? Who's to say?

But I'm a bit surprised to hear that these were the only highly detailed kits ever produced.

[lotus123]

Originally Posted by MPWR

But I'm a bit surprised to hear that these were the only highly detailed kits ever produced.

Perhaps as a highly detailed plastic kit that was available in any LHS? It would have compared well against a MFH of the day.

I picked up the Airfix Hi-Tech Ferrari 250 GTO a little while back for about US$15 from my LHS (and I promise there was no violence involved in getting it at that price!). Here are some pics of it.
Nice photoetch fret with wire wheels, leather holding straps, steering wheel and meshes

Metal chassis and white metal parts

Crisply moulded body - don't know about the accuracy though

Nice suspension detail in white metal

Quite a few bits in the dashboard and steering - nice detail

Airfix packaging - did they take it over from Gunze?

And finally - something else I found while digging this one out to photograph for you. VERY low tech, but don't you think it's an interesting subject in 1/24? It's going to take a lot of work to get it correct, but it will be worth it. Happily the body in the box doesn't look quite as awful as the box art!

[klutz_100]

Originally Posted by lotus123

I picked up the Airfix Hi-Tech Ferrari 250 GTO a little while back for about US$15 from my LHS

THAT was a pretty awesome barn find!! Congrats

[drunken monkey]

Originally Posted by MPWR

Global economic downturn? The great secret anti-modeler conspiracy? Maybe they just weren't profitable to produce and sell? Who's to say?

Actually, it was because they got bored and went on to mass produce superior instant noodles instead. Less work and they could secretly dry the noodles into rude words and dirty pictures.

Originally Posted by MPWR

But I'm a bit surprised to hear that these were the only highly detailed kits ever produced.

It's like the Enthusiast kits never happened.
What other kit range had a scale tool kit in them?

[MPWR]

Hi-tec ramen noodles kick ass.

Especially when they're used to spell out rude messages.

[Khier]

Originally Posted by MPWR

But I'm a bit surprised to hear that these were the only highly detailed kits ever produced.

The only among mass produced kits. MFH and others are garage companies.

I picked a couple of GUNZE Hi-Tec kits in 2000 for about 12 US$ each. If I conisder the current exchange rate it would be about 17 US$. The seller had a pile of these kits to sell. If I knew Ebay would be that popular, I would have earned a fortune by buying the two dozens he was trying to get rid off.

[ddtham]

Originally Posted by Khier

The only among mass produced kits. MFH and others are garage companies.

I picked a couple of GUNZE Hi-Tec kits in 2000 for about 12 US$ each. If I conisder the current exchange rate it would be about 17 US$. The seller had a pile of these kits to sell. If I knew Ebay would be that popular, I would have earned a fortune by buying the two dozens he was trying to get rid off.

Do you want to sell them to me??? I will double the amount you paid after the current exchange rate for $34...

[Layla's Keeper]

Khier, there have DEFINITELY been some other mass-produced high detail kits on the market, some of which I regard as far superior to the Gunze Sangyo High Tech kits. Here's a brief sampling and I'll try to stick to 1/24th-1/25th scale kits.

Galaxie Limited 1948 Chevy Aerosedan and Sedan Delivery
Accurate Miniatures McLaren M8B and Corvette Grand Sport
AMT/Ertl Pro Shop 1957 Chevy Bel Air (although ANY new tooling kit from the John Mueller era is a gem)
Fujimi Enthusiast Series
Hasegawa Historic Sports Cars
Tamiya Historics
Trumpeter 1960 Pontiac Bonneville and 1962 Chevy Nova

As well, there is rather fine detailing in many of the current mainline kits from Revell, Fujimi, Hasegawa, and Tamiya. Even Lindberg's new Dodge Charger is quite well done.

[Khier]

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Khier, there have DEFINITELY been some other mass-produced high detail kits on the market, some of which I regard as far superior to the Gunze Sangyo High Tech kits. Here's a brief sampling and I'll try to stick to 1/24th-1/25th scale kits.

Most of the kits you listed do not even a single piece of PE.

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Galaxie Limited 1948 Chevy Aerosedan and Sedan Delivery

I LOVE them, but these are conventional plastic kits.

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Accurate Miniatures McLaren M8B and Corvette Grand Sport

Well, I must admit I forgot about those.

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

AMT/Ertl Pro Shop 1957 Chevy Bel Air (although ANY new tooling kit from the John Mueller era is a gem)

A big NO. These fret of PE does not qualify the Pro Shop 57 Chevy to compare with the Hi-Tec series.

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Fujimi Enthusiast Series

Incredibly detailed, but plastic detailing. I wish Fujimi spared the pistons of the Porsche 356 and added PE headlight covers instead.

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Trumpeter 1960 Pontiac Bonneville and 1962 Chevy Nova

Oh no not the Bonneville junk of Trumpeter. This car is totally wrong inside and out. The engine and chasis are the only 2 things to praise.

[MPWR]

Originally Posted by Khier

Most of the kits you listed do not even a single piece of PE.

I wish Fujimi spared the pistons of the Porsche 356 and added PE headlight covers instead.

This is your definition of a high detail kit- included photoetch parts?

Isn't that a bit gimmicky? There are kits where a single PE part or two is necessary to recreate a specific detail on a car- but often, it's completely unnecessary. And if the kit doesn't need it (as so many 1/24 car kits do not), I would much rather the kit manufacturer put that effort into plastic detail.

If you feel like you simply must play with bits of PE to make a build detailed, you need only to buy aftermarket sets.

[jano11]

Originally Posted by Layla's Keeper

Hasegawa Historic Sports Cars

Indeed very nice kits with very crisp molding, but most of them are curbside kits, or with very little engine detail and no opening doors or hood.

They also did a few Hi-Detail kits (with white metal engine details) of a couple of their plastic kits but they are rare and the prices are very high (the same range as the Gunze Hi-Tech kits).

[drunken monkey]

the Union Collections Rememoratrise kits weren't bad either although the casting wasn't always the best.

[klutz_100]

Originally Posted by MPWR

Isn't that a bit gimmicky? There are kits where a single PE part or two is necessary to recreate a specific detail on a car- but often, it's completely unnecessary. And if the kit doesn't need it (as so many 1/24 car kits do not), I would much rather the kit manufacturer put that effort into plastic detail.

ooo! PhotoEtch Wars j/k

Andy, I would fully agree with your basic premise that most kits can be turned into nicely detailed build without p/e. It's all in the hands of the individual modeller at the end of the day.

However, at the same time I can't think of many kits that wouldn't benefit from having some details in p/e rather than plastic. Given the relatively easy pre-production and low production costs involved, it is a shame that more kits don't include p/e frets as standard IMO.

Impractical -yes. Unlikely to happen - yes. As for being "gimicky", I wouldn't agree at all

I actually think that Khier makes a good point about the Fujimi Enthusiast kits:

Incredibly detailed, but plastic detailing. I wish Fujimi spared the pistons of the Porsche 356 and added PE headlight covers instead.

Lovely kits with oodles of details in plastic but, on the whole, they fit like sh*t and many parts would have been better in p/e.

[drunken monkey]

I don't think there is any question that the sharpness and precision of an acid etched piece is better than the relatively soft cast plastic equivilant but that isn't the point being stated. The Enthusists kit are sometimes more detailed than an old Gunze kit. Rubbish, soft, fragile, badly fitting details they may be but detail it remains.