Model car parts suppliers

PR19_Kit · January 11, 2014, 10:24:17 AM

I'm going to drift back a bit toward one of my previous modelling topics and do some more 1/25-1/24 cars.

I've got a LARGE collection of unbuilt kits in The Loft (What a surprise...) and it seems I've already started about a 1/3 of them

I stopped doing this stuff in the mid to late '90s and I also have quite a collection of detail parts to upgrade the kits, things like pre-wired distributors, white metal frames and tube axles, seat belts, resin wheels etc. but all the suppliers I used then seem to have dropped off the planet.

Does anyone know who the 'Suppliers of Choice' are these days please? That's both for the kits themselves and the detail bits. I don't mind if they are in the US, Canada, Europe, Oz or wherever.

Captain Canada · January 11, 2014, 10:26:02 AM

There was a guy in the States called Detail In Scale and he had all sorts of automotive and bike stuff...but it appears that he disappeared ! I think the other big one is Studio24

Captain Canada · January 11, 2014, 10:27:54 AM

Sorry.....studio 27

Weaver · January 11, 2014, 10:51:17 AM

This outfit list a lot of stuff, although there often seems to be a big difference between the number of things they list and the number of things they actually have in stock:

http://www.hiroboy.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=80

Martin H · January 11, 2014, 11:24:39 AM

Kit. Have a word with Paul Fitzmaurice from littlecars.com

His modelling interest is racing cars and is what his outfit was originally intended to cater for. He should be able to point you in the right direction if he isn't catering for car kits any more.

jcf · January 11, 2014, 01:56:14 PM

http://www.detailmaster.com

http://www.modelcargarage.com/store/pc/viewcategories.asp

http://www.modelroundup.com

http://www.modelcarsmag.com

http://www.scaleautomag.com

I'm currently doing an old-school quickie build of the old Monogram Chaparral 2D, hairy stick with
Vallejo/Citadel for the painted bits, polishing the white plastic body. Fun stuff.

Father Ennis · January 11, 2014, 03:37:26 PM

Hobbylinc U.S.A. offers a large selection of car kits and detail parts. I've found others by simply Googleing ...

PR19_Kit · January 11, 2014, 03:45:34 PM

Excellent stuff, thanks guys. I'll follow up on all those links etc.

I hope you're going to post pics of that Chaparral 2D Jon, that's a super kit that I wish I still had. I saw the real car, in its later 2F version, win the BOAC 500 at Brands Hatch in 1967 and I WISH I could get a kit of it, but the only ones around cost an aram and a leg. I can still se that wing scooting along the pits straight and move nose-down as it hit Paddock Bend, amazing stuff for its time.

zenrat · January 12, 2014, 03:40:09 AM

What sort of cars Kit?

For resin parts you can't go wrong with www.thepartsbox.com

And the 2 best car modelling forums are IMO
http://ozautobuilders.forum-motion.com/
http://trakinscale.proboards.com/

A word of warning. The model cars magazine forum JCF lists is run by JMNs of the worst order. If you are sensitive to such things you might wish to avoid it.

JayBee · January 12, 2014, 03:52:24 AM

In my slot car racing days I had a 1/32 scale 2F. The body was a clear vac-form, can't remember who produced it.
Ah! Happy days

PR19_Kit · January 12, 2014, 06:53:55 AM

Quote from: JayBee on January 12, 2014, 03:52:24 AM
In my slot car racing days I had a 1/32 scale 2F. The body was a clear vac-form, can't remember who produced it.
Ah! Happy days

Funny you should say that JayBee, so did I!

I think mine was a Taylormade body but their vacform wing was useless so I scratched one from styrene with a brass rod along the leading edge. With the pivot point in the right place it actually worked too.

Thanks for the HU about the forums Zenrat, I'll be suitably warned. As for what sort, I have varied interests, but the main areas are drag racing cars, both RW and Whiffed, custom cars and vans etc, 1960s-80s F1 and Sports Racing cars. Covers a multitude of sins.

My ultimate projects, once I've got back up to speed with some more basic stuff, are ZZ Top's 'Eliminator' with opening doors and fully detailed engine and frame, and a UMI conversion of the Heller Ferrari 512 to Mark Donahue's car.

kitnut617 · January 12, 2014, 08:36:53 AM

Quote from: JayBee on January 12, 2014, 03:52:24 AM
In my slot car racing days I had a 1/32 scale 2F. The body was a clear vac-form, can't remember who produced it.
Ah! Happy days

I had a 1/32 Chaparral slot car back in the 60's too but either my memory is playing tricks on me or I'm thinking I had a different one (I thought it was a Revell one but I'm not sure). It had an open cockpit but no wing. I bought it because it came with these very wide wheels with sponge type tyres, at least 3/4" wide. I used to swap out the engine/wheels combo and attached them to quite a few Airfix car kits I had converted for slot car racing, they looked great on the Le Mans Porche ---

PR19_Kit · January 12, 2014, 10:22:43 AM

Quote from: kitnut617 on January 12, 2014, 08:36:53 AM
Quote from: JayBee on January 12, 2014, 03:52:24 AM
In my slot car racing days I had a 1/32 scale 2F. The body was a clear vac-form, can't remember who produced it.
Ah! Happy days

I had a 1/32 Chaparral slot car back in the 60's too but either my memory is playing tricks on me or I'm thinking I had a different one (I thought it was a Revell one but I'm not sure). It had an open cockpit but no wing. I bought it because it came with these very wide wheels with sponge type tyres, at least 3/4" wide. I used to swap out the engine/wheels combo and attached them to quite a few Airfix car kits I had converted for slot car racing, they looked great on the Le Mans Porche ---

The wing-less open Chaparrals were 2Cs, and came with and without MASSIVE spoilers on the tail. And I think you're right about it being a Revel kit Robert, they did a McLaren M6 and a Lola T70 in the same range, as well as the usual Cobra and GT40s that everyone did back then.

I've STILL got an IHC Cobra Daytona with a Cox La Cucuracha chassis, a home-built Brabham BT19 and my bus that's appeared on here before.

jcf · January 12, 2014, 10:55:18 AM

You maybe thinking of the Aurora 1/32 Chaparral, Aurora was quite active in slot-cars
in the sixties. Strombecker also did Chaparrals in 1/32. I had the Aurora.

List from a slotcar forum:
http://www.slotforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=43154&st=15

Zenrat, you're welcome to your opinion, however just because someone is personally passionate
about build quality and concerned with accuracy it doesn't make them a JMN, it's how they enjoy
their hobby. This whole beware the evil JMN thing is tiresome.

kitnut617 · January 12, 2014, 11:28:36 AM

Not sure Jon, but I don't think I ever saw an Aurora branded kit in the UK back in the 60's, The only American brand at that time was Monogram/Revell from what I can remember --

I seem to remember the rear end of the Chaparral was more like a flat deck which then curved up at the very end if that's any help, the whole rear end was exposed (axle/wheels etc.)