All disappeared?

[Dave Ward]

In the process of building the Italeri 1/24 Bugatti Royale Coupe Napoleon - I wondered how many of the other cars in the Italeri range were available. As well as the Bugatti, there was a Cadillac Town Car, Cadillac Fleetwood, Chrysler Imperial, Mercedes Benz 540K & a Rolls-Royce Phantom.
A trawl through the retail shops provided a blank - several listed them, but 'out of stock' or special order - not really surprising as they are out of production - even on the Italeri website. So the normal progression of pre-owned retailers - again a blank - then to ebay - there are models on there, invariably at collectors' prices from the US.
I began to wonder if there had been a sort of boom of sales in the models of 30's large luxury cars - especially 1/24 - I looked for Monogram and AMT models - it seemed to be so! Models of the classic American cars, like Duesenberg & Cord seemed to have dropped out of the market - collectors cornering the market? makers exhausting dwindling stocks?, or a badly selling genre of models just fading away?
The only 1/24 range of older cars I can find, which seems to be in production is Heller ( I made their Delage a short time ago ), and those are pretty old moulds.
You've got to think manufactures are missing out on what looks like a niche in the market!
Dave

[PaulTRose]

ive got the Merc 540k to do sometime but i agree with what you say about missing an oppertunity

[Gern]

It would be nice to see a range of 'ordinary' cars in 1/35 - even if most of them get built, or even designed, as wartime casualties. I suppose it's the usual excuse that the manufacturers use - "We don't think there's a market for them."

[Bugatti Fan]

Dave, my liking is for the older classics, and agree that many have been dropped by their respective manufacturers.
You have already listed the Italeri models, who's Royale was in two versions. Monogram had some nice ones released back to the sixties, Bugatti 35B, Duesenberg SJ Phaeton and Town Car. Rolls Royce Henley, Cord and a Packard that I can remember. Lindberg made a Bugatti Royale (the Weinberger Car) and I believe the moulds went to Revell. MPC made their Lincoln and Chrysler kits, and Pyro brought out an Auburn Speedster. There was a kit of far eastern origin of the Blower Bentley, a different kit to the Heller (that Revell re boxed) version.
Cannot think of any others in 1/24th scale unless you go down the white metal route with the classics made by South Eastern (ex Wills) Finecast under their own name (finely detailed), and under the Auto Kits label that are mainly kerb side models. They are still available on mail order and their website is well worth a look at. They also make a nice range of traction engine and steam lorry kits in 1/32 scale too. There was another company named Auto replicas based in Bournemouth, Dorset who made 1/24th scale kits of a replica Frazer Nash, Bugatti type 43 and a Bugatti Brescia in white metal also.

[Bugatti Fan]

Dave, I forgot about Jo Han who had a few classics in their range. I can remember building their classic Mercedes back in the 70's.

[Dave Ward]

Dave, I forgot about Jo Han who had a few classics in their range. I can remember building their classic Mercedes back in the 70's.

Noel,
yes, they keep on popping up on ebay, but at collectors prices! I lurk, hoping to get a car with either a damaged box, or no box at all. I'm wary of already started models, the last two I bought weren't goers - can't really complain, as they were listed as 'not sure all parts there', same as 'spares or repair'..................
Dave

[Bugatti Fan]

Dave, I agree about silly prices being asked for on Ebay. They are only plastic kits after all.
I am on the lookout for the ultimate partly made disaster, a Pocher Bugatti T50 to strip back and re build.
Unbuilt kits go for really stupid prices on Ebay, but you never know........One Day!

[Lee Drennen]

Dave. I collect the old 1/32 classics like Pyro Palmer Life Like and there hard to find these days on eBay if you find one there pricey

[rtfoe]

Talking about ordinary cars used by the military in 1/35 scale there are some by MiniArt. I just purchased a German Staff Car Type 170V Cabriolet B.

Cheers,
Richard

[Tim Marlow]

I built that a few years ago Richard. The detail is good, but I found the kit plastic a bit brittle.

[Dave Ward]

I've made a few of the ICM 1/35 staff cars - they're all nicely detailed, but over engineered! Also the Zvezda Gaz M-1. I have a few in the stash, as well, including the Packard Twelve.
I keep on the lookout on ebay - patience & regular visits! - a 30's Cord or a Cadillac would be nice, but not at the ruinous prices on offer. The Pocher kits were expensive when new, and I can't imagine them depreciating.............
Dave

[Bugatti Fan]

Dave of Stourbridge. Unfortunately it is a fact of life that manufacturers will not invest huge sums of money on designing and tooling up subjects they consider will not sell well. I would love to see more kits of 'ordinary' cars, but who would bother to be enthusiastic about a lot of an Austin Allegro for example. Airfix brought out a number of kits of mundane cars that have never seen the light of day again since their first release. Some of the ones considered more interesting have been re popped from time to time. Apart from Airfix back in the day, I cannot think of anyone else who kitted everyday cars apart from Heller's one stab at 1/43rd scale and the old Revell Cadets series from back in the Sixties. Both long gone!

[Bugatti Fan]

Dave of Stourbridge. Unfortunately it is a fact of life that manufacturers will not invest huge sums of money on designing and tooling up subjects they consider will not sell well. I would love to see more kits of 'ordinary' cars, but who would bother to be enthusiastic about a lot of an Austin Allegro for example. Airfix brought out a number of kits of mundane cars that have never seen the light of day again since their first release. Some of the ones considered more interesting have been re popped from time to time. Apart from Airfix back in the day, I cannot think of anyone else who kitted everyday cars apart from Heller's one stab at 1/43rd scale and the old Revell Cadets series from back in the Sixties. Both long gone!

lot of an Allegro should read kit of

[Tim Marlow]

You’re dead right Noel. I wonder how many Austin Maxi or Bond Bug kits they sold!

[Dave Ward]

At the moment there are a couple of Bond Bugs on ebay @ £150+ and a Austin Maxi for £300!! You'd have to be a very serious ( and wealthy ) collector to pay that!
Dave