Top Gear has announced a number of new 1:43 scale resin models coming in the early months of 2017. There are some nice Aussie-flavoured subjects this time around, but no race cars. Trax Club members get discount on some models, but I think they’re still rather expensive for what they are. (click/tap the images below for … Read moreNew Announcements from Top Gear / Trax
New technology, manufacturing methods and materials sees the model cars of today a superior product compared to those of the past. Case in point are these Wolf and Brabham Formula One racers from 1977. Both of these cars were produced as part of the Technica/Eidai F1 collection. They have also now been modeled by Minichamps. I … Read moreThen & Now: F1 Models 35 Years Apart
One of the aims of my personal collection is to have a model of each Indianapolis 500 winner. At the time of writing, that’s 100 cars! With the models I own, I’m at 12% of target. Now, despite the negativity of me pointing out a bunch of faults on the pieces below, I actually do like them! … Read moreMy Indy 500 Winners
Biante has been busy punching out more 1:43 scale V8 Supercars over the past 6 months or so. This has been a combination of catching up on production that was delayed a few years back (including the AMG Mercs!) and releases from the current 2016 season. Production numbers are in the 300 to 500 range … Read more(More) V8s Galore!
Spark has been churning out the occasional old-school NASCAR stock car racer over the years and have done several Daytona 500 winners. I acquired the 1960 (Junior Johnson, Chev Impala) and 1968 (Cale Yarborough, Mercury Cyclone) winners a couple of years back. Tiny Lund’s Ford Galaxy (the ’63 victor) arrived late last year and the spectacular … Read moreHistoric NASCAR Daytona 500 Winners
The Panini F1 model car collection is now available in Australia, issue 1 hitting the newsagents recently with the 1988 McLaren MP4/4 of Ayrton Senna attached. What’s the model like? From a distance, it looks okay. But in reality, these are basic entry-level models at an attractive price. If you wanted a collection of iconic … Read moreReview: Panini F1 Model Car Collection & Issue 1
With factories going bust in China (or whatever the reason was), there has not been much in the way of 1:43 V8 Supercar models for the past couple of years. Well, that’s all changed in 2016! Both Apex and Biante have been busy churning out multiple releases over the past 6 months or so. Apex … Read moreV8s Galore!
Note: seems I forgot to publish this review when I wrote it about 6+ months ago… Classics Carlectables FG Falcons from 2014 These are par-for-the-course V8Supercars from Classic Carlectables; sealed body with no interior. Lots of collectors don’t like them because of that, but at $39, I don’t mind too much. The livery is … Read moreReview: 2014 Pepsi MAX Falcons
I was browsing through the latest Minichamps Newsletter “Announcements for the next six weeks” when this thing took my attention – the Lincoln Futura concept car. Concept cars would make a great theme for a model collection, but that’s not what caught my attention. It’s the fact the original Batmobile was based on this car. … Read moreConcept Cars: The Lincoln Futura
Models of Australian drivers who competed overseas would be a great collection theme and would make a significant and interesting display, even if it was just F1 cars. While I don’t specifically collect to that theme, I do have models of most of the Australians who have competed in Formula One. Over the past six … Read moreAussies In F1 Additions
Spark recently did a run of 500 pieces of Jim Richards’ Group A 1985 Australian Touring Car Championship winning BMW 635CSi (Spark item # AS017). When the 6-cylinder Bavarian bullet arrived in the post the other month, there was a glaring assembly issue with the car – the rear axle was ajar, the left wheel … Read moreJim Richards’ 1985 ATCC Winning BMW
Top Gear’s July product brochure There are some decent models in here I’d like to buy, but Top Gear have priced themselves out of my market, eg: the yellow Des West FX #27. Trax produced a previous FX of West’s a few years back (in diecast), but this resin one is now twice the price! … Read moreNew Stuff From Top Gear (Trax) & Biante
A Triple eight triple-set features in the latest issue of Classic Carlectables newsletter #65, July – September 2016. The 1:43 scale set honours the team’s 1-2-3 achieved at Barbagello Raceway earlier this year, Craig Lowndes heading home Shane van Gizbergen and Jamie Whincup. The set will be signed by all three drivers and limited to … Read moreTriple 8 Features in Classics’ Latest Newsletter
ACME Diecast will release two Lola T332 Formula 5000 racers later this year, modelling cars that Brian Redman and Danny Ongais drove in the US F5000 series in the mid-1970s. Acme has reached agreement with Australian company Classic Carlectables to use Classic’s existing tooling they designed and developed several years ago to produce 1:18 scale … Read moreAmerican Formula 5000s To Use Aussie Tooling
If only we could have the standard Spark plinth utilise the Minichamps stackable case… I like the way Spark models have a rather straightforward display plinth – model neatly aligned with driver/car details printed alongside. I don’t like the card outer sleeve or that stickers are used to hold the clear display case on … Read morePlinths and How Models Are Displayed