Should I buy another brand?

[Dyno247365]

Right now I'm building a Monogram kit (Skill 2 from the late 80s) and it seems like more frustration than fun. The kit itself is not very intuitive, a lot of pieces need to be held in place, some have to be DROPPED in place (springs) since normal tweezers will not fit in there. The color guide is telling me to paint the completely wrong colors. I'm just wondering if I bought the same car by another brand that it would be worth it. How is you experience with Monogram kits?

[CrateCruncher]

Dyno I saw some of the pics you posted of your Countach chassis and I have to say it looked pretty good for a guy thats just getting started.

In answer to your question, there are better kits of the Countach and better paints etc. But before you spend any more money on your new hobby I suggest reading through some of the WIP threads on this forum. Most have detailed discussion of the paints, glues, blades, abrasives and primers they used. Just do a search of some vehicles you like - something will pop up. By utilizing these WIP's as a resource you will be much further up the learning curve and will have a much better understanding of whats out there and where to get it.. You may also discover another project that motivates you more than that Countach. Also, keep in mind that some of the folks on these threads have been building models a LONG time. This is not a skill acquired overnight. But then models take up a lot less room and maintenance than the real ones too.

[Dyno247365]

You said better paints...so I guess I shouldn't use enamels compared to other paints?

And yeah I love reading through the WIP subforums. I was mostly inspired by a car model show I went to. It was was a small enjoyable part of a much larger classic and muscle car show. I saw these models on display and my first thought was "Are these diecast"? Then I looked closer and noticed every single one of them were plastic models bought in a local hobby shop. I thought WOW. I bought the Countach model from the same place, 8 bucks! (now I know why actually...) and I was thinking to myself...it's all in how they paint. The problem was I'm following the instruction booklet to a tee, minus the body and interior. I scoffed at the booklet telling me to paint the engine blocks gold...but I did it...and the radiators and now I regret it. Next time I'm looking at a real picture.

[CrateCruncher]

There's nothing wrong with Testors enamels. This engine was done using enamels exclusively.

I prefer Testors "Model Master" enamels over water based acrylics for drivetrain and interior details because they brush easily. The acrylics tend to look lumpy if brushed.

I always ignore the colors called out in the instructions. They are wrong more often than not. You are wise to hunt for pictures on the internet. I picked my last model almost solely because of some great photos I found there.

If you want to try another Countach, the Fujimi Enthusiast Model Series includes at least 5 different versions. They are the gold standard in 1/24 and ridiculously inexpensive for the quality. However, it's not a beginners kit. Most veterans give up on this one. There are hundreds of parts and all the panels open etc. A better option might be to start with a simpler kit of a subject with a good WIP thread, and that you know a lot about (like a car or truck you've owned). Tamiya has an outstanding reputation for quality kits that are easy to assemble, have a modest part count, and great instructions. And of coarse, there's loads of help available from the members here.

[blubaja]

If you know the color guide is wrong, then use the correct colors.

[Dyno247365]

Originally Posted by blubaja

If you know the color guide is wrong, then use the correct colors.

I will but this makes me question the rest of the instructions.

@CrateCruncher - the only one I can find is the 1/24 Tamiya kits. Where should I be looking for the Fujimi kits? Is that the 1/18 scale?

And difficult is good, just counter intuitive is bad. Here's the first model I did:



It was warped in a lot of places for being a relatively new model, so I had to hold it in place while the epoxy cured. I didn't have to do any painting for this one so I didn't really know how to start with the Countach. It's a big change considering for a painted model, I have to paint every piece before gluing them together and with the visible V8, I just had to shave some parts and glue/epoxy.

That Ferrari engine looks beautiful btw. Brush as in paintbrush or airbrush?

Originally Posted by CrateCruncher

A better option might be to start with a simpler kit of a subject with a good WIP thread, and that you know a lot about (like a car or truck you've owned).

That's not a bad idea actually. Anything but the Camaro though...I worked on the real one enough.

[935k3]

You can avoid allot of trouble by planning and fitting before any painting is done. I add pins and re-enforcements so most assemblies stay together without glue so I know they will be sturdy and there will be no surprises in the final assembly. It is also a good idea to keep a good supply of styrene tube,rod,sheet and strip on hand to make things fit and adding tabs and re-enforcements for positive location of parts.

[Dyno247365]

2 questions about the Countach models. One, is the Fujimi model the only one that has working scissor doors? Are there any models where you can turn the wheels with the steering wheel? Just curious because I have a diecast models like that.

Also, a question about models of Japanese cars. Am I going to have to fabricate LHD or is there possibly a LHD version exists? The 2 Japanese cars I've owned are the 1991 Honda CRX 1.5 liter (though Si is fine) and the 240sx (180sx in Japan) and both Fujimi kits are RHD!! Obviously.

[blubaja]

Some of the japanese kits offer both or either dashes. Check out www.1999.co.jp/eng/car They usually have copies of the kits contents and instructions, so you can see what you might be getting.

[CrateCruncher]

Dyno, Fujimi makes many different Countach kits. The kits in 1/24 come in two different "series" : Enthusiast Model (EM), and Real Sports Car. The EM's have opening everything and incredible engine detail while the Real Sports Car version is simplified drivetrain and interior but with the scissor doors that open. It fits between the EM and the Tamiya version in terms of difficulty. In order to get a countach with working steering you'd have to move into 1/12 scale. Otaki (later Doyusha) issued a beautiful Countach in this scale but it's a monster with nearly 400 pieces! They pop up on feeBay now and then. It was also reboxed as a Testors kit too. Best to wait a while before taking on that one though.

A good kit progression might be to build a 1/6 Tamiya Harley, then the 1/12 Countach, then a 1/24 EM kit. The 1/6 bike kits are fun to build, very mechanical, and look incredibly real when finished. I swear the tires even SMELL real. They tend to go together quick and are reasonably priced (+/-$100) for what you get.

Oh and by the way, that new Visible V8 you built was first issued in 1958 (that's over half a century ago!) by a company called Renwal. It's been reissued every few years since. I built one in 1976 when it still had the electric motor and tiny light bulbs in the spark plugs which lit up when the rotor in the distributor made the connection. My clear parts were warped too!...

Check out this video of what the model was before the Revell beaners decontented it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4k0lXbTQGfs

...and if your Goldman Sachs bonus is burning a hole in your pocket there's always the rare Renwal Visible Auto Chassis to put it in:

I had one for a while but decided not to build it. It has a working 3-speed standard transmission, working differential with planet gears, operable steering, and hydraulic brakes on one wheel. It's also HUGE!

[Dyno247365]

*drops jaw* I'm really envious of that whole Renwal setup.

Hmm, you really don't want me to build the EM huh? But I don't think it's worth it to put my time into a lesser version of the same car, know what I mean? If the doors open, why am I building it if the engine is simplified?

To clear things up, the Tamiya 1/24 LP500S said it has functional steering so I assumed the Fujimi EM would have it too. Is the Monaco GP Pace Car a RSC or EM model?

As for a bike, it's not the money that's holding me back as much as I'm not really a bike person. Maybe a 1/6 Kawasaki Ninja lol. Like a lot of people are saying here, I want to put my time into something I want to build. Maybe an EM version of the CRX or 180sx...do they exist?

[hirofkd]

Well, it's just that EM kits are for emotional masochists, because they are designed to torture the builders! Those kits can be viewed as a complete garbage (since many parts don't fit properly) or a sheer joy because you get to play with so many parts!

They are far from intuitive, or polar opposite in a sense, because parts are unnecessarily broken into smaller pieces, so clean-up and alignment work may be tedious or fun, depending on your perspective.

I built an EM Countach long time ago, and while it didn't turn out as I had hoped, the building process was fun. And I know I'll enjoy just as much when I get to build other EM kits I have.

[Dyno247365]

Well what are the differences between the EM Countach and the RS Countach? Both have opening scissor doors right? The RS one doesn't have a detailed engine? What about headlights, trunks and engine bay? Does the suspension move? Those types of differences.

You may think of a lot of parts as a bad thing, but if it's how I think it is, that means I can spend less time painting with a toothpick because the parts that are different colors are separated...am I on the right track?

Those who have said Tamiya is easier to build, I don't like the Countach model they have, specifically because the scissor doors don't open, so it would be down to the EM versus the RS Countach. However, I'm also looking at the Tohge CRX si, Glasstop CRX, and one of their 180sx models. At least the Initial D model shows the pop-up headlights (my fav part of the car) up on the box, while the Inch Up 180sx doesn't have working headlights.

[CrateCruncher]

In post #9 Blubaja gave you a link to a retail site that has all the contents and instructions pages on line. Your specific kit questions are easily answered there. I use that site all the time for that.

Buy an EM Countach. They're cheap. When you open it you'll realize why we're saying it's not a beginners kit. The Tamiya Countach has posable wheels not functional steering. Again, check that website out.

[Dyno247365]

Well I haven't made up my mind. Here's the page. On one side, I think it's awesome that I get to put a lot of the parts together as if it were a real car, especially building up the engine. On the other hand, I see 2 major flaws, more parts means more painting, and I do see what Hiro means by a lot of the pieces being unnecessarily separated. I seem to remember a lot of pieces in my visible V8 engine were like this, I cemented countless piece halves to each other and had to wait for them to dry before I installed them. Factor in that between this time, I have to paint them and let them dry twice...sucks.

But if I get say a model of a car I've owned, the doors don't open, not even sure if the hood opens. On the upside, it will give me the needed experience in painting/spraying/possibly airbrushing, and gloss finishing and I'd be glad to build a model of a car I've owned because I'll have that familiarity when putting it together.

In short...I need to think about it. Thank you for your posts btw. Reading through the EM instructions right now.

EDIT - Real Sports Car series looked promising until I saw the engine didn't really exist. So that settles it, no Countach unless it's an EM. No curbside models.