1/12 models (Tamiya/Kyosho/Autoart)

marshall, a few years ago i bought the brianza 1/12 dino gts (red ) from you, i just found a top marques 1/12 dino gts ( red which seems hard to find )and decided to go head and purchase , have not received it yet. to my eye the front grill area seems a little clumsy... what are your overall observations ? how does it compare to the brianza ? thanks, dan

 

Dan, I think that overall the Top Marques Dino models are very, very good. Perfect? No, but certainly worthwhile, and better than any of their other models of vintage Ferrari's, except for the Lusso which is a good piece too, but is let down by poor color choices. I have five Dino GT models in various scales in my collection, including the 1:12 Top Marques, and 1:14 Brianza, and I am very happy with both. I really wouldn't compare the Brianza to the Top Marques... both very different types of model making done at different times. There is much to be said about both.

 

marshall, thank you . happy that you give top marques your approval. look forward to receiving the model (coming from germany - modelissimo ). they seemed to be only source to have a red gts. will report back when i get it. dan

 

marshall, in one ad for the top marque 1/12 dino the dimensions (length ) were stated as 30 cm / 11.8" . this seems to be no larger than my 1/14 brianza. do you know the actual length ? thanks, dan

 

The length is different since these models are in two different scales. TM is 1:12 and Brianza is 1:14.

 

marshall, i know the scales are different - what i'm saying is the length for top marques should be longer than the 30cm claimed in an eBay ad i saw for the top marque dino . my 1/14 brianza is 30 cm. . that's why i was asking for the actual length of the top marque which SHOULD be longer than the 30cm. thanks, dan

 

Sorry Dan, it wasn't clear. I don't have actual length at hand. eBay ad must be wrong. The Top marques is substantially bigger than the Brianza model.

 

thank you marshall, i'm glad that it will be larger , by my calculation it should be almost 2" longer . the ad must be wrong as you say. funny that no dimensions are included by any sellers i have looked at (with the exception of the one that apparently is wrong ).

 

Dan, you're welcome. I've found that the vast majority of "model dealers/sellers" (95% or so) don't know much at all about the real cars or about the models they are selling. They are all very lazy with providing information. Especially the ones only selling on eBay. Some I'm sure can barely tell the difference between a Ferrari and a Honda. As a collector, it pays to do your due diligence.

 

just received my TOP MARQUES 1/12 dino gts. enclosed are a few pictures . i like the size , makes for an impressive model . 13.75 " long. overall it is pretty well done - of course many little nitpicks but the major error is that they have the targa "hoop " too narrow (roofline behind the seats ). as this is a main design feature of the GTS i think they should have been more accurate. maybe only those who own the real car would notice. nothing opens on the model but does not bother me. comes on a nice leatherette base but no clear case to keep dust off.
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2 new 1/12th Porsche models...

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Another 1/12th from Model Cars Wholesale.

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My black 1/12 Kyosho F40 Lightweight with LM wing showed up finally. Been hunting for this one for AWHILE. Also have the red 1/12 F40 Lightweight with the black wheels. May swap those onto the black one and it should be looking evil. I'll try to get some pics

 

I finally have a 1/12th scale Top Marques 250 SWB and I have to say the body and overall detail is very good, other than the wire wheels. I will make the SEFAC 1961 Nürburgring #60 car as it is clean looking and a factory car that did well. It was also the first competition 61 SWB. You have several choices for good wire wheels in 1/12th scale, unfortunately they are 15 inch only. Top Marques and GP Replicas models have some problems but they are mostly accurate with good bodies and perfect paint. I like their body shapes better than most of the Hiro's. Whoever does the Top Marque 1/12th masters has a good eye. The same cannot be said of the TM 1/18th models wich is strange. Also the Dino 1/12th roof is not 100% correct, but I still have the #46 NART 246 in 1/12th from them. The KK Dino shape is better but the model is not nearly as well built.

 

I don't completely agree about this 250 SWB. While overall it is good, there are too many detail and accuracy problems on this one for me. Their 275 GTB models have many problems too, etc, etc. I really wanted a large scale 250 SWB, but just couldn't bring myself to buying the Top Marques model. BUT I do agree with the comparison to the bodies on the Hiro kits, it's amazing how they screw those up.

 

The 250SWB is not perfect but it is pretty good. I have a later version with just the engine cover opening, and the fit is very tight and good. On the Hiro kits you have a lot of fanboys that will say nothing bad about Hiro. They say it does not matter, and then in the same breath will buy a 1/12th Hiro Lotus 49 because the 1/12th Tamiya is to inaccurate. So biased they cant see straight or at all it seems On the 275 GTB4 it does have even more issues but I fixed a few of them. The front looks to narrow somehow. Anyway its still way better than the Hiro Daytona.

 

Completely agree with you about Hiro, and all their "fanboys." Makes no sense to me how Hiro can make so many glaring errors, and it's not like their kits are cheap so they had to cut corners for the price. I know they lost a lot of sales through me based on their errors. Many kit orders my business did not place with them. As for the their fanboys, they make no sense either....maybe they're all legally blind?!

 

New from CMR in 1/12th

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More Top Marque 935's in 1/12th scale. They will also reissue the P4 in 1/12th as car #24 Lemans 1967.

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Looking forward to theP4: missed the #21 release and cannot find it anywhere.....................

 

I agree with you on the wheels - the spinners are way too big - so my question is how would you modify the wheels - which after market ones would work? I'm not sure how to did assemble the model either ..... but if new wire wheels would make it look better I'd be up for it...
also just got the Norev Bugatti T35 - great model - but It could use some super detailing.

 

Norev XKE almost ready. Looks pretty good for a diecast. Use the FPPM wire wheels for the 1/12th Top Marques 250 SWB. They look much better than the original. FPPM is on ebay.

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Are you sure the FPPM wire wheels will be the proper offset for the E Type? The GTO wheels are wider in the rear? I have several GT Spirit E Types and the wheel diameters are too large, I have not found anyone making proper replacements.

 

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I would not change the wheels on the Norev E-Type, they are very good for what the model is. I've been waiting for a good 1:12 E-Type Roadster.... Originally Paragon was showing one several years ago, but never produced, and finally Norev is going to make a good one, which is much better than the terrible E Roadster from GT Spirit. I do wish that Norev had picked a different color scheme, but I'll still buy one.

That said, I do have one big concern, which is the headlight recess's. In the photos I've seen, which I think are final production photos... those areas appear to be painted black, which is completely wrong, and would be a significant mistake. See attached photo.

 

Available in coupe form in 1/12th scale, also by Norev. These really do look like very nice diecast models. The wire wheels on the E Type are outside laced wires. The 1/12th FPPM GTO wheels are not. FPPM make vintage Bentley, Alfa 8C, FIAT 806 and Ferrari GTO wire wheels only in 1/12th scale. They might make other styles someday.

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