What CAR/BIKE kits have you recently bought, Mk.3?

[keefr22]

23 hours ago, Bobby No Mac said:

a package arrived just before Christmas (after a customs fee).

 

If you don't mind me asking, what was the total cost of your order? Reason I ask is if it was below £139 you shouldn't have had a customs charge. I had a Spotmodel order of well below that recently that the Royal Mail in their wisdom 'reported' to HMRC, and they wouldn't deliver it until the customs charge and their 'handling fee' was paid. I complained to HMRC quoting the info on the Gov.UK website. They agreed there shouldn't have been a customs fee and refunded it. However, despite it being their fault the Royal Fail refused to refund their 'handling charge'!!

 

Keith

 

 

[Rob Sutto]

24 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

 

If you don't mind me asking, what was the total cost of your order? Reason I ask is if it was below £139 you shouldn't have had a customs charge. I had a Spotmodel order of well below that recently that the Royal Mail in their wisdom 'reported' to HMRC, and they wouldn't deliver it until the customs charge and their 'handling fee' was paid. I complained to HMRC quoting the info on the Gov.UK website. They agreed there shouldn't have been a customs fee and refunded it. However, despite it being their fault the Royal Fail refused to refund their 'handling charge'!!

 

Keith

 

 

 

oh balls, it wasn't cheap, but it was way below that figure. Thanks for flagging that up, I'll get on to HMRC about it.

[keefr22]

26 minutes ago, Bobby No Mac said:

 

oh balls, it wasn't cheap, but it was way below that figure. Thanks for flagging that up, I'll get on to HMRC about it.

 

No worries, I got the info on how to claim it back here;

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-apply-for-a-repayment-of-import-duty-and-vat-if-youve-overpaid-c285

 

Good luck!

 

Keith

 

 

 

[Rob Sutto]

7 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

Good luck!

 

I just naively assumed it was the new normal, sunlit uplands and all that 

[keefr22]

17 minutes ago, Bobby No Mac said:

 

I just naively assumed it was the new normal, sunlit uplands and all that 

 

I have to admit that the link I sent you I had saved and I just went back to re-read it and it's a lot less clear now - no surprise there!

 

I had no trouble finding the info when I claimed it back and I've had two orders from Spotmodel since that cost more and were delivered no problem with no delay at customs and no charge. But I can't find the info on Gov.UK now.... 

 

I did find this on a VAT specialists website;

 

"Items that are worth under £135 that are purchased from overseas sellers do not incur import VAT, but the overseas seller must still be VAT-registered in the UK, and must still pay the VAT to HMRC."  (and I did make a typo in my first post when I put £139)

 

It was that amount that I found on the GOV.UK website that led me to make the claim for the refund. When I was charged I contacted Spotmodel and they claimed they abided by all the post brexit VAT rules.

 

Have to admit I'm a bit concerned again now as I was going to place another order with Spotmodel in the near future that would be close to that £135 limit...!! 

 

Keith

 

Edit - found the page on GOV.UK

 

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

[Spottedlaurel]

Christmas money purchase:

 

 

Good to see Langleys in Norwich still going as a model shop in the city centre, even if they're selling off the toyshop side. The Isuzu isn't much different to the '78 that I already have, but I couldn't resist the funky box art and it was at a sale price.

 

Picked up the slate and stone sheets at a toy fair, thought they might come in useful for a display base or similar, someday............

[Neddy]

I love the shape and styling of the Isuzu 117, I may have to add one to the stash.   Such a shame it was never marketed in 1:1 scale in the UK, I'd gladly have bought one back in the day.

[Spottedlaurel]

34 minutes ago, Neddy said:

I love the shape and styling of the Isuzu 117, I may have to add one to the stash.   Such a shame it was never marketed in 1:1 scale in the UK, I'd gladly have bought one back in the day.

Perhaps a little dated by the late '70s, given that it started its life in the 1960s, but would have been interesting to have seen it here.

 

 

I recently posted this photo here, as seen back in 2001. I wonder if it was imported by Vauxhall for evaluation or even to consider selling it here, as the UVS...S plate is from a series used on a number of their press cars.

[othertales]

Not much actual build time recently due to life and work but it’s never a reason not to welcome new additions.

 

 

Revell’s 1968 Bullitt Mustang GT has some decently good quality after an initial inspection. I can already see where further work will be required but it’s been a kit I’ve been keeping an eye out for for a long time, so happy it’s now parked in my stash.

 

Tamiya’s Mini will be customised if I follow current plans and what I’ve been researching in advance. It wasn’t a priority but price was low so saying yes felt like the right thing to do.

 

Ebbro’s Citroën 2CV Fourgonnette was also another one I had been on the look out for in the right price range. Planning to make quite a few modifications when the time comes to work on it. Overall quite happy with these new additions.

 

Wishing you all a Happy New Year 🍾

Thank you for making this a place I always look forward to coming to everyday.

[SnøMotion]

Ooh, I like the look of that Fourgonnette, @othertales! Interested to see what you plan to do with it 

 

Martin

[othertales]

3 hours ago, SnøMotion said:

Ooh, I like the look of that Fourgonnette, @othertales! Interested to see what you plan to do with it 

 

Martin

Probably doing the necessary modifications to make it look like an earlier model but still tbc in my head.

[Marco F.]

@othertales...I would build the version the Kit is promissing.

To restyle to an earlier version could be quite difficult.

Heller is still promissing to release an older version....someday ...

Marco F 

[othertales]

5 minutes ago, Marco F. said:

@othertales...I would build the version the Kit is promissing.

To restyle to an earlier version could be quite difficult.

Heller is still promissing to release an older version....someday ...

Marco F 

Good advise! I haven’t really looked into in detail so haven’t really assessed how challenging or impossible that would be.

[Neddy]

This one arrived at 19:10 on New Years Eve courtesy of Royal Mail.  Thanks to them for working that late on that day!  It will form the basis of my latest mental aberration...

 

 

For several months now I've had a hankering to do another pickup truck conversion but was at a loss for a suitable donor/subject vehicle.  Then browsing through the Bay's kit offerings I stopped at an Italeri Range Rover and it occurred to me that their slab-sided angular geometric lines made it an obvious candidate.  Also the Italeri kit has a somewhat dubious reputation due to the previous experiences detailed within these hallowed portals by far more skilled modellers than I, so I wouldn't feel too guilty about hacking one about.

 

However, on researching further I found that the superb Aoshima kit was not only a LWB which would be a far better subject for a truck conversion than an Italeri SWB, but was actually as cheap as the Italeri from the excellent Kent Models.  A 10% voucher code sealed the deal and I managed to snaffle the last one.

 

I'm already looking at possible styling options and it's looking quite exciting.  Once the two old Fiats are completed this will be my next project methinks.

[Neddy]

...in fact I've already started planning the conversion.  I copied the instruction sheet, took a pair of scissors to it to make a sliding section and after much experimentation came up with the following basic form...

 

 

This will enable me to retain the existing back window if I halve the tailgate and hopefully will look a little better than the usual vertical rear bulkhead.  Obviously the rear door will have to go.

 

Looks like a fun project - what could possibly go wrong?

[SnøMotion]

Very much looking forward to that, @Neddy! The main reason I went with the Italeri was because I wanted the original two door (and I wasn’t aware of its issues). 
 

I think your rear window repositioning will really make it look ‘proper’ 👌

 

Martin

[dbostream]

4 hours ago, Neddy said:

This one arrived at 19:10 on New Years Eve courtesy of Royal Mail.  Thanks to them for working that late on that day!  It will form the basis of my latest mental aberration...

 

 

For several months now I've had a hankering to do another pickup truck conversion but was at a loss for a suitable donor/subject vehicle.  Then browsing through the Bay's kit offerings I stopped at an Italeri Range Rover and it occurred to me that their slab-sided angular geometric lines made it an obvious candidate.  Also the Italeri kit has a somewhat dubious reputation due to the previous experiences detailed within these hallowed portals by far more skilled modellers than I, so I wouldn't feel too guilty about hacking one about.

 

However, on researching further I found that the superb Aoshima kit was not only a LWB which would be a far better subject for a truck conversion than an Italeri SWB, but was actually as cheap as the Italeri from the excellent Kent Models.  A 10% voucher code sealed the deal and I managed to snaffle the last one.

 

I'm already looking at possible styling options and it's looking quite exciting.  Once the two old Fiats are completed this will be my next project methinks.

I want this kit too but I have been unable to find it at a reasonable price hopefully one day.

[JeroenS]

I pre-ordered this one in September or something, and I had forgotten about it until a week ago when the shop informed me they were going to send it. A nice surprise.

 

 

I've built Moebius's Ford F-100 service truck a while ago and it was an excellent kit. I hope this is as good. The box is huge and is full of parts. 

 

 

[Marco F.]

Happy new year Jeroen,

Looking forward to see this one completed 

Have fun 

Marco F 

[JeroenS]

13 minutes ago, Marco F. said:

Happy new year Jeroen,

Happy New Year Marco!

[Spottedlaurel]

On 01/01/2025 at 15:50, Neddy said:

...in fact I've already started planning the conversion..........

 

Intersting project, kind of on the lines of this I saw a few years ago:

 

 

[Neddy]

2 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

 

Intersting project, kind of on the lines of this I saw a few years ago:

 

 

Kind of, but with not quite the same degree of finesse.

 

I LOVE the badge modification though!

[Anteater]

There were a few Range Rovers given that body treatment so they could accept a Harvey frost crane for breakdown duties.  

[Six97s]

Start as you mean to go on...  more stuff I don't need,  🏆  The Cobra is the same one that Revell reissued recently.  It's a knock-off of the AMT MkI Cobra with a 427 body, so neither fish nor fowl.  If I ever get around to it, I'll remove the 427 badges, rework the grille opening to the MkI shape and make it something like the FIA 289.

 

 

 

[keefr22]

3 minutes ago, Six97s said:

The Cobra

 

That's the only car kit I've ever binned in disgust as I just could not get the thing to go together nicely! Hope you have better luck!

 

Keith