Chasing Unicorns (kits that don't exist and should ?)

[Blacque Jacque]

First off, let me just say this is not a "Wanted" ad, even though I would dearly love to find the subject vehicles, I'm not trying to solicit trades or sales. The topic here is cars I cannot find pretty much any kit for out there in styrene land, and discussion of such.

 

• The British Leyland Mini Clubman (or the 1275GT) with the straight grille & flat bonnet.
• The McLaren M6GT (or any of it's closed cockpit variants).

 

I know the BL era was much maligned, but they DID produce some decent cars (occasionally 😛 ) and yet the only Mini with a flat bonnet I can find reference to is a white metal 1:43 South African versions which is based on the booted Wolsely / Riley shell. This I find very hard to believe, I have a couple of polycarb vac-formed 1/10 Clubmans for my Tamiya RC Minis, but to my knowledge there is nothing in the common plastic scales, only a few diecast models from Matchbox / Corgi et al. Given the love that is showered upon the "purer" forms judging by the number of manufacturers that have examples of it in their ranges, it's a tragedy not one Clubman / 1275GT is to be found don't you think ?

 

The McLaren does kinda surprise me in that McLaren themselves spotlight the M6GT as the beginnings of their road car business, being a spin-off of their successful CanAm racers. I know the project was stillborn, but looking at other weird & wonderful single prototypes from the late 60s / early 70s that exist I find it hard to imagine someone didn't release a kit version of the M6GT, Did anyone ever model the Hardcastle & McCormick Coyote (a kit car replica / homage to the M6GT IIRC) ?

Edited April 13 by Blacque Jacque
Grammar

[Six97s]

MPC did the Coyote, but it was cobbled together using the tub from their Ford MkIV, so isn't accurate for either the McLaren or the Coyote kit car. 

[Marco F.]

@Blacque Jacque

concerning the MINI Clubman 1275GT...

 

there is a possibility to create one in 1/24.

You will need a Hasegawa kit and the USCP transkit.

For example, Spotmodel is selling both.

Have a look for the transkit 

https://www.spotmodel.com/product_info.php?products_id=60355&language=en

 

Marco F 

[Blacque Jacque]

Oh WOW !!!!
Thank you @Marco F.
A current, in stock even, Clubman front end is more than I could have hoped for, my order has been placed.
All I need now is the Hasegawa Mini to go with it, but those are plentiful & it's better to not be anywhere near the duty thresholds for imports to the UK, so just the trans-kit for now.

 

And Thank you too @Six97s I had no idea there was even an attempt at the Coyote.

No doubt the chances of finding one are miniscule, but at least I now know they are not zero.

[johnlambert]

Something that I'm only recently aware of, there's no 1:24 or 1:25 kit of the 1974 Dodge Monaco. Given how famous the film The Blues Brothers is, even if you didn't do a direct tie in, it would be a popular modelling subject amongst film fans and fans of US police cars. There are plenty of die cast models in various scales but it's hard to imagine a plastic kit being unsuccessful.

[Spiny]

3 hours ago, Blacque Jacque said:

• The British Leyland Mini Clubman (or the 1275GT) with the straight grille & flat bonnet

 

 

Somewhere on here there is a thread where someone was building one by combining the front from Hasegawa's Nissan Sunny pickup and the body of one of the Mini kits. I know it was looking pretty good hlafway through, but unfortunately can't remember who built it or even if it was finished. But that is another alternative if you can't find the USCP transkit.

 

As for unicorns, surely the obvious one which should exist must be a European/UK spec Capri?

[Pete in Lincs]

Search 1275 GT part 1 A build by von race. Not sure if it got finished though. 

Was the Coyote the car in Man from Uncle? If so, Hendie built one after a long battle with it.

Or was it the McGiver? car?

[Blacque Jacque]

1 hour ago, johnlambert said:

Something that I'm only recently aware of, there's no 1:24 or 1:25 kit of the 1974 Dodge Monaco. Given how famous the film The Blues Brothers is, even if you didn't do a direct tie in, it would be a popular modelling subject amongst film fans and fans of US police cars. There are plenty of die cast models in various scales but it's hard to imagine a plastic kit being unsuccessful.

Yeah, you'd think that kind of sales opportunity would be too good to miss, even without the official franchise ?
MPC do a 1978 Monaco in CHP livery, not sure how different it is to it's older sibling though ?
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mpc-922-1978-dodge-monaco--1254677

 

  

33 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Search 1275 GT part 1 A build by von race. Not sure if it got finished though. 

Was the Coyote the car in Man from Uncle? If so, Hendie built one after a long battle with it.

Or was it the McGiver? car?

Cool thanks, I'll have a hunt for that.
Coyote was the car in Hardcastle & McCormick. Apparently it's a Manta Montage which is a (Fiero based?) clone of the McLaren

Edited April 13 by Blacque Jacque
Replying to all.

[Neddy]

The Lamborghini Espada is one that seems to have escaped the attentions of the kit manufacturers.  Miuras are now commonplace (thank heavens) but it's equally beautiful four-door stablemate seems to have been overlooked.  Unless of course you know different... 😁

 

[cmatthewbacon]

The Espada is one of the many desirable but very hard to lay hands on resin kits from Supercar Modelling Project (SMP) in Japan.

http://smp24modelcars.blog.fc2.com/

 

Save a search for “Hardcastle and McCormick” on eBay… I’ve seen at least two come up for sale at pretty reasonable prices in the last six months…

best,

M.

 

[FG2Si]

52 minutes ago, Neddy said:

The Lamborghini Espada is one that seems to have escaped the attentions of the kit manufacturers.  Miuras are now commonplace (thank heavens) but it's equally beautiful four-door stablemate seems to have been overlooked.  Unless of course you know different... 😁

 

My LHS has one for sale. 

 

https://wheelswingshobbies.com/nakkns-4412-nakamura-1-24-lamborghini-espada-power-model-wwweb10116331/

 

Never heard of the brand before. 

 

Carl 

[Neddy]

Thanks Carl, I haven't heard of the brand either.  Great to note its existence but by the time that one hit my doorstep I'd be £132.00 lighter which is a bit much TYVM.

[Blacque Jacque]

Nice but ouch.
By the time you add shipping to that you might be over the £139 barrier & get charged all sorts of unpleasant fees for bringing it in

That brand is new to me too.

[Black Knight]

An i/m 1/35 Shorland Mk.1

[Blacque Jacque]

10 hours ago, Black Knight said:

An i/m 1/35 Shorland Mk.1

You mean like this ?
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/ima-ltd-ima13735-shorland-mk3-armoured-car-conversion--1411140

[johnlambert]

20 hours ago, Blacque Jacque said:

Yeah, you'd think that kind of sales opportunity would be too good to miss, even without the official franchise ?
MPC do a 1978 Monaco in CHP livery, not sure how different it is to it's older sibling though ?
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mpc-922-1978-dodge-monaco--1254677

 

The 1978 Monaco is quite a different animal. I'm just finishing one at the moment. The 1974 is a bit squarer and I think it might be bigger than the '78. The '74 has four headlamps arranged in two horizontal pairs, the '78 has its four lamps grouped vertically.

 

Honestly, I could have told people that my car was the Bluesmobile and most people wouldn't know any different because one big, American barge is much the same as another. But us nerds would spot the deception in a heartbeat.

[Six97s]

Yes, much different.  The '74 Monaco was a "full size" C-body on a 122" wheelbase.  The '78 Monaco was a rebranded Coronet, built on the B-body platform (Dodge Coronet/Charger, Plymouth Belvedere/Satellite/Roadrunner/GTX) with a 117.5" wheelbase.

[Sabrejet]

Easy for me:

 

Cadillac DPi-VR

Cadillac V Series R

Lamborghini SC63

Peugeot 9x8

Alpine A424

Isotta Fraschini Tipo6-C

Oreca 07

Ligier JS P217

Ligier JS P320

Duqueine D08

Vanwall Vandervell 680 and so on....

 

Lucky some others have been done in 1/24 but how about some of the above in 1/43??!!!

[Noel Smith]

Cannot remember ever seeing a Facel Vega Exellence in kit form.Being France's top luxury car from the early sixties.

Surprised that Heller never made one  to add to their 1 24th scale classics.

[Anteater]

As Spiny briefly mentioned, the missing link has surely got to be the Capri? The proposed 1/24th Decalcas Mk1 was shelved for some reason. The 1:25th AMT Capri II is American spec and long out of production. Still no Mk3 though, despite a huge potential market of Ford lickers sat there ready and waiting. The diecast Bburago 2.8 injection could probably be improved with a few resin bits but not really the same as a proper kit. Enough Ford products have been modelled so it can't be a licensing issue. Someone needs to get on it.    

[Noel Smith]

The Decalcas Mk1 Capri.   Is it 'The car you always promised yourself'.

Or is it of the very first Capri, a coupe version of the Ford Classic?

Edited April 14 by Noel Smith

[Anteater]

It was a rally version of the Mk1 Capri RS2600. Modelled on a car that was entered in the Olympus Rally but retired from the event, not that the Capri was ever really known as a rally car in the first place. Quite an oddball proposition. It was proposed in 2019 but never emerged. No idea what happened. 

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/decalcas-dcl-kit001-ford-capri-mk-i-rs2600--1172401

[johnlambert]

15 minutes ago, Noel Smith said:

Cannot remember ever seeing a Facel Vega Exellence in kit form.Being France's top luxury car from the early sixties.

Surprised that Heller never made one  to add to their 1 24th scale classics.

I'd prefer a HK500 if Heller (or anyone else) were to make it, but I'd probably buy an Excellence. I've got a 1:18 die cast Facel Vega HK500 and a 1:43rd Excellence. I just wonder if FV is a bit niche?

 

Given how many Japanese cars get kit versions, I'm a little surprised that there isn't a 1:24 first generation Honda Prelude and disappointed that there isn't a 5th generation Prelude. I've owned one of the latter, so I'd definitely have at least one as a kit. Plus, I've done the Tamiya Honda Prelude XX, the Fujimi (I think) 4WS Prelude and I've got a Prelude VTi to build. Of course the 4WS Prelude really deserves a better kit than the one we've got, but I can't see anyone rushing to build one with full engine and correct underbody detail.

[Noel Smith]

A FV might be a bit niche John, but maybe that could be said about some of the other Heller French classics. Who knows ?

 

Funny you should talk about Honda Preludes. I have a dealer brochure of the very first model Honda brought out kicking around the house somewhere. You could see some of the styling influences brought through to the Triumph Acclaim. My late father in law had one and it was the last car he owned. A really lovely little motor in its day.

[RossFMJ]

I can understand why no one's made one, but a Vauxhall Magnum, or Firenze Magnum kit would be amazing (preferably both).