Work In Progress Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 1 hour ago, Kitkent said: The Airfix artwork/boxtop really does look like a 420G! As did Jaguar's advertising illustrations of the period. British cars manufacturers did a lot of that in the period: things drawn mysteriously lower, longer and especially wider than reality, sometimes with what looked like a 1/87 family living in a 1/72 world. When they moved over to photography things got a little more honest 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesP Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 10 minutes ago, Work In Progress said: I could not agree more. That really irritated me about the Maserati Indy. I almost didn't buy one as a result. It's not just the extra cost, unwelcome though that is, it's the ridicilous packaging format which makes it very hard to pack them well and economically for postage, and to stash away at home. At least with the recent small 1/72 fighter kits they stuck the extra nonsense tidily in a properly rectangular box, just a slightly longer one. Well the good news is that Airfix are removing the blister from the header and putting the paints and brush inside the box, at least for the new starter sets. Though if you have no intention of using them on the older starter kits then simply cut them off. I hope the 420 with be a Vintage classic boxing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 I'll certainly be buying a few of these, and as mentioned earlier, if the Jag sells well maybe Airfix will feel encouraged enough to re-release a few more. Marina, Maxi, MG 1100, Rapier etc? Yes please! Overall, I think this "Airfix Classics" branding is working nicely for Hornby and for us. Saves paying out silly money on eBay, and we get a usable decal sheet. Win win! Steve 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbostream Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 I hope this one doesn't have as much flash as the TR4A kit I used to own. Anyone have this in the stash and can share some close up photos of the parts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 29 minutes ago, dbostream said: Anyone have this in the stash and can share some close up photos of the parts? It is unlikely to have a lot of flash as the moulds are barely worn - unlike the TR, the kit has not been on release since its one and only appearance in an Airfix box in 1968, and an MPC re-pop some time a little later. I'm not going to embed them directly but there is a good click-to-enlarge shot here https://www.vintage-airfix.com/airfix/132-scale-car-range/jaguar-420-p-452.html and a lovely built example here https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/forum/jaguar-420-16609/?p=1 @rs2man has an original example of the kit, but I don't know how deep in his impressive stash it is buried 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davecov Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 I have both the Airfix and MPC boxings in my stash and both are flash free but there are a few seams and ejector pin marks to sort out. As @Work In Progress says above, the mould hasn't been thrashed in the same way as the TR4A. I have just dug my Airfix Red Stripe boxing out of my stash: Some parts are loose and as I didn't want to risk losing any, I have left them in the box. The plastic is hard, white plastic whilst I can imagine the re-release being the softer grey Airfix use now. Dave 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 Looking at that photo, it's interesting to see a right hand drive car with left hand drive wipers. A trick manufacturers did to save money for the export market. 2 other examples were the Hillman Hunter and most of the Marinas. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted January 10, 2021 Share Posted January 10, 2021 Indeed, it wasn't until I drove my first Japanese car around 1980 that it dawned on me that was such a thing as wipers set up properly for RHD, having only driven British and European makes up until then. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 Didn't realise this kit was so detailed! That's not bad for a 1:32 scale model now, let alone when this one was tooled. Btw, for those who were hoping for a 420G (Mk10) instead of the smaller 420, the only kit I know of is the AirTrax resin one in 1:24 scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 (edited) On 10/01/2021 at 13:33, bentwaters81tfw said: 2 other examples were the Hillman Hunter and most of the Marinas. Even this one got them the wrong way around. It has now been removed from Scalemates BTW. Cars featured in 60's/70's American sales brochures very often had the exhaust systems removed. On British cars of the time, it fell off after a year anyway. Edited January 18, 2021 by Mike Removing the refererences to the paddy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 That is actually a Minx, with round headlamps. This was my Hunter GT. Apologies for a little thread drift. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 (edited) On 11/01/2021 at 10:51, bentwaters81tfw said: This was my Hunter GT. I always liked the Hunter. Once saw a fully rally prepared Holbay sitting at the traffic lights in town - it sounded glorious as it pulled away. I had a rally prepped Avenger Tiger at the time at would have swapped it for the Hunter ina heartbeat! Keith Edited January 18, 2021 by Mike Removing the refererences to the paddy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul H Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 The Rootes Arrow series are tough beasties, as proven on the 1968 London to Sydney Marathon but mostly forgotten now compared to the equivalent Ford. A friend has an early Minx estate (in pretty much the same colour as the spoof box art), which he has used daily for at least ten years now. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherry268 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 I don't want to appear to be pedantic and upset anyone but surely the Jag 420 was a development of the S Type which of course was developed from the Mk 2. I think the 420 was styled on the 420G so is really a hybrid between the S type and the 420G. There was also a Daimler version called the Sovereign which I think had a different grill. One for the scratchbuilders I think 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 (edited) Yes the 420 is basically an S-type with a nose and tail styling job. It's not really a hybrid with the much larger Mark X / 420G, as it uses none of the Mark X structure. It has some of the same drivetrain mechanicals and a similar design of IRS, but then every post-war Jag up to the Series 3 XJ is a mechanical mix-and-match in that regard. Edited January 11, 2021 by Work In Progress 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherry268 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 Sorry perhaps I was a bit misleading, perhaps hybrid is the wrong word to use. I think the front of the 420 was made to look like the 420G, possibly to make it look in the same "family" of cars 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 It's as we often see today: a combination of completely new cars and updates to existing platforms being used to bring a new marque 'face' into currency, in this case "Jag Saloon" gets a new look moving them all away from the 'bar of soap' nose of the Mark I and Mark II. In order of appearance: Mark X 420 XJ Series 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 (edited) On 1/9/2021 at 7:00 PM, bentwaters81tfw said: Yes the 420G was a barge, and they didn't sell in the numbers the 420 did. This was the stepping stone between the Mk II and the XJ series. They were known as an 'old man's car' because only older men could afford them. The 'yoof' of the day had the usual other commitments. I'm not quite in my dotage, but now free of encumberances, I could afford a proper Jag too. Not that I would want one. The "old man's car" badge was popular here too for these cars and not only because of the cost: they were the kind of car that no dynamic young man wanted to be seen driving, In late '60s Italy they felt very old style and Jaguar never really recovered here the previous reputation tha the Mk.II had achieved. From then on driving a Jaguar was seen as a sign of having abandoned any pretense of feeling young Edited January 12, 2021 by Giorgio N 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherry268 Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 14 minutes ago, Giorgio N said: The "old man's car" badge was popular here too for these cars and not only because of the cost: they were the kind of car that no dynamic young man wanted to be seen driving, In late '60s Italy they felt very old style and Jaguar never really recovered here the previous reputation tha the Mk.II had achieved. From then on driving a Jaguar was seen as a sign of having abandoned any pretense of feeling young If I remember rightly, didn't they try to get round it by bringing out a two door coupe to attract a younger buyer and all that happened was the old men bought them to try to appear younger!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Knight Posted January 18, 2021 Share Posted January 18, 2021 10 minutes ago, dbostream said: How difficult would it be to fit slot car tires to this kit and are there any suitable ones out there? I have no experience using slot cars and I don't like the tires/wheels included in Airfix kits. For static display? Its easy-peasy Usually you need to fit just front wheels all round as the rear sets are usually too wide Search for Scalextric spares sellers on ebay for wheel sets. There are also some independent wheel makers out there but I've lost my links to them You can also adapt wheels from diecast cars Currently I'm fitting wire spoke centres to Airfix Aston Martin DB5 wheels. The centres are for 1/43 cars but they scale out to 15 inch in 1/32 The 1/43 wheels as I'm fitting them, a test fitting, 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlambert Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 I've gone and pre-ordered, I think it will sit nicely next to the Airfix 1:32 Jaguar E-type that I built last summer. I also think that the world needs more models of four-door saloons (a minority view, I suspect). On 11/01/2021 at 14:49, Work In Progress said: Yes the 420 is basically an S-type with a nose and tail styling job. It's not really a hybrid with the much larger Mark X / 420G, as it uses none of the Mark X structure. It has some of the same drivetrain mechanicals and a similar design of IRS, but then every post-war Jag up to the Series 3 XJ is a mechanical mix-and-match in that regard. I just checked one of my books on the subject (Jaguar, A Touch of History, by Nigel Thorley); only the front end changed from the Jaguar 3.4 and 3.8 S saloons. I recall being told that the 420 was developed in a hurry (and, possibly, on the cheap). 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 6 hours ago, johnlambert said: I also think that the world needs more models of four-door saloons (a minority view, I suspect). I'd love a 1/24 Hillman Avenger Tiger and Holbay Hunter.... but 1/32 would do as well!! Keith 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 5 hours ago, keefr22 said: I'd love a 1/24 Hillman Avenger Tiger and Holbay Hunter.... but 1/32 would do as well!! Keith I had a Holbay Humber Sceptre: I still miss it. Managed to get 115mph down the M23 in it Even then, with overdrive, I think it was only doing 4000 rpm or so. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted February 2, 2021 Share Posted February 2, 2021 (115mph indicated, that is; probably more like 105, but still fast for the time!) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted February 3, 2021 Share Posted February 3, 2021 On 2/2/2021 at 6:04 PM, Sabrejet said: probably more like 105, but still fast for the time Indeed it was, and I see that Bill Boddy's road test in Motor Sport wound a Holbay H120 Rapier up to 105 mph so that seems pretty good corroboration. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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