Latest news and information from Classic Carlectables in Newsletter #68 (April-June 2017). The only 1:43 scale items are the 2017 Supercars from Triple Eight Engineering – the Red Bull duo of Whincup and van Gizbergen, plus the Vortex machine of Lowndes. These models will be made in all three scales.
The latest Raceland newsletter (Jan 27) points out the detail differences between race-to-race versions of various F1 cars manufactured by Spark. The changes made are not restricted to just alternative decoration! Latest Newsletter is HERE
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 more Then & Now: F1 Models 35 Years Apart
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 more Historic 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 more Review: 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 more V8s 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 more Review: 2014 Pepsi MAX Falcons
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 more Jim 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 more New Stuff From Top Gear (Trax) & Biante
Having looked at the misaligned push-rods on the Buzz Calkins Indycar (see Quick Review article HERE), I decided I’d have a crack at fixing them. After removing from the plinth, 2 screws hold the model together and the main upper body has to be pulled back a bit to clear the rear suspension. I … Read more Fixing Buzz’s Suspension (and other things)
Two versions of HRT’s 2015 VF Commodore V8 Supercars have hit the market – the pre-season test car in matte black, and the Clipsal 500 race version, for both drivers (James Courtney and Garth Tander). These are 1:43 scale diecast, RRP $59.95 and a Limited Edition of 1008 pieces of each.
Minichamps will model 9 of the 11 Formula 1 teams contesting the 2016 World Championship. Only Ferrari and Manor will not be produced by Minichamps. The company has announced it will produce 1:43 diecast versions of the Mercedes and McLarens, while Williams, Red Bull, Toro Rosso, Sauber, Renault, Force India and the new HAAS team will … Read more Minichamps to model 80% of the 2016 F1 Grid
Ertl’s 1998 G-Force IRL Indycar of Robbie Buhl isn’t a great collectable. But it is cheap and colourful! Read the Quick Review.
A quick review of the LE Holden Coupe by Trax, an excellent 1:43 scale model that has now sold out.