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Heller Renault Estafette - finally?!


Paul H

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This has been on Heller's to-be-released list for quite a few years now, but now looks like it is becoming reality, with both civilian and gendarmerie releases:

 

https://www.heller.fr/en/80743-renault-estafette-new-mould-1000807430

 

https://www.heller.fr/en/80742-renault-alouette-gendarmerie-new-mould-1000807420

 

Heller's social media also has pics of the sprues:

 

https://www.facebook.com/heller.fr/photos/a.100962021719016/140329837782234/

 

https://www.facebook.com/heller.fr/photos/175415954273622

 

(in other news, they are also reissuing their Bugatti EB110 😎)

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1 hour ago, Work In Progress said:

 

Is that the one that Inspector Clouseau keeps getting carted off in, in A Shot In The Dark?

 

And, while I have you, how far have you got with your Bonner Sapphire Chipmunk?

 

Not sure about the film - haven't seen it for ages!  It's probably either one of these or perhaps the Peugeot equivalent? Annoyingly, the usual source for such questions, the IMCDB website appears to be offline.

 

As for the Bonner Chipmunk, that's still early days.  I've test fitted the major parts of the donor kit, and am about to start making the new, extended cowling.  I had all the dimensions somewhere for the length increase, and also the size of the new spinner (I measured these directly off the former used to make it), but have mislaid them so will have to ask Bill again when I next see him, which will probably be as soon as the lockdown is over.  If I ask nicely enough (& have finished the current CAD work I'm doing for him) I may be able to borrow the cowling drawings, but reckon I have enough pics to eyeball it.  I suspect I will have to make two models of it though, and so I'm still thinking about whether to 3D print the new nose.  However, once I am a bit further along, I will start a thread for it. 🙂

Edited by Paul H
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An update from Heller, which shows detailed sprue shots & the instructions:

 

 

I can't remember if they were there previously when I posted this link in one of my earlier posts, but if not, there are some good photos of the built up kit here:

 

https://www.heller.fr/en/80742-renault-estafette-gendarmerie-new-mould-1000807420

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 24/10/2021 at 13:00, mbdesignart said:

Heller wbsite shows it as available, finally. Some online retailers say 6 week delivery. I'm keeping my eyes peeled.

This UK retailer has stock of both versions:

 

http://www.davecoleysemporium.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p11058_Heller-80742-1_24th-scale-Renault-Estafette-Gendarmerie,-1968-New-Moulds-.html

 

http://www.davecoleysemporium.co.uk/contents/en-uk/p11075_All-NEW-for-2021-Heller-80743-1_24th-scale-Renault-Estafette-Van.html

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17 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Ive never seen or heard of these before. Were these Renaults answer to the VW Micro bus ? 

 

Kind of - I suspect that Renault had a much closer eye on the Citroen H van & equivalent Peugeot van than the VW though, given the configuration that they chose for the Estafette.  They were already producing rear engined passenger cars at this time (4CV, Dauphine, 8, 10 & Caravelle / Floride) so that configuration would not have been a big step.

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4 hours ago, Creepy Pete said:

There's a review with sprue shots at Modellversium here. Looks nice.

 

It does indeed - I was about to post a link to that page!  Typical Heller in how they have moulded the glass as part of the whole panel, but with careful painting, it should make for a better and more realistic model than the more conventional method.  I've always liked their alternatice approach to designing model kits.

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18 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Ive never seen or heard of these before. Were these Renaults answer to the VW Micro bus ? 

 

31 minutes ago, Paul H said:

 

Kind of - I suspect that Renault had a much closer eye on the Citroen H van & equivalent Peugeot van than the VW though, given the configuration that they chose for the Estafette.  They were already producing rear engined passenger cars at this time (4CV, Dauphine, 8, 10 & Caravelle / Floride) so that configuration would not have been a big step.

UK, French and German manufacturers all produced small van ranges for the same reason: Narrow streets, big enough for most delivery and trade jobs, and easy to drive. The US had similar markets but went a little larger. In Italy the same types were augmented by motor tricycle vehicles produced by some of the motorbike manufacturers. I've yet to discover whether they had an on/off switch for the horn though....

 

Heller have come up with some good design solutions over the years as well as idiosyncratic Gallic whims and fancies. Hopefully their recent releases sell well enough for them to do more along the same lines.

 

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23 hours ago, SleeperService said:

Heller have come up with some good design solutions over the years as well as idiosyncratic Gallic whims and fancies. Hopefully their recent releases sell well enough for them to do more along the same lines.

 

What I've always liked about the Heller kits that I have is the way that the majority have been engineered to be prototypically correct.  That is what initially attracted me to their old classic & vintage stuff, and their recent R4 (which I also have) is done in a very similar way, as is the Estafette, rather than in the more toy-like manner that some recent 1:24 car kits are.  Whilst the Estafette isn't really my cup of tea, it is fantastic to see Heller producing new tooled vehicles in 1:24 (as well as re-releasing more of the amazing stuff from their back catalogue), and I'm very interested to see what they will produce next.  There is clearly a decent market for kits of old & quirky French cars, as has been shown by Ebbro's releases.

Edited by Paul H
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On 05/11/2021 at 22:19, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Ive never seen or heard of these before. Were these Renaults answer to the VW Micro bus ? 

These were the eqivalent to the Ford Thames 400E 15 cwt panel van. Forerunner of the ubiquitous Transit.

My then (1967) girlfriend's father had 2 of these in his fleet, one with a fibreglass high roof. Used to work saturdays for him, and travelled in these, hence my interest.

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I had this on back order at Hannants for £19:99. They have dropped it.

It is listed on Davey Coley's Emporium at £23:99 'out of stock'  yet it is on their ebay site for £29:99 posted with 9 in stock.

Modelsforsale has it for about £1 cheaper posted.

 

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