Lee
Senior Member
Posts: 1,899 
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Post by Lee on Dec 5, 2004 0:16:45 GMT 1
Just how do you define a kit? What part of the assembly of something takes it from a factory prebuilt to kit form?
Matchbox comes fully assembled and ready to go. Nothing needs to be done to it. Any thumbs can have a finished piece.
Most of the modeling manufactures package the mirrors and other trim seperate and have to be applied to a model. This takes a little skill and some coordination on the part of the owner to have a good finished model. Is this a kit?, or at least a semi-kit?
Most cottage industry models come unpainted plus cleanup and assembly needed. This does require thought, skills, and a lot of coordination to have a good finished model. This is a kit!
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Post by cfesmire on Dec 5, 2004 0:33:01 GMT 1
We also have what I've been hearing referred to as a transkit. That is, a kit that transforms another model into something else or improves on another kit or model. These can require a lot of skill also as anyone having done an Automobilia transformation can tell you. Many of the resin truck manufacturers (Dennis Aust comes to mind) offer only cab, fenders and some detail parts like fuel and air tanks and steps etc. These I would refer to as a transkit also.
I would not consider a Herpa truck a kit just because you snap the mirrors and air horns in place although some consider this to be an accomplishment.
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BillC
87thScale addict
Posts: 2,541
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Post by BillC on Dec 5, 2004 9:18:25 GMT 1
If you have to disassemble it to paint it a different color, it's not a kit.
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stanhas87
87thScale addict
1978 Dodge Monaco CHP
Posts: 4,906
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Post by stanhas87 on Dec 6, 2004 0:43:10 GMT 1
Dear Sirs:
There are also the cases when an assembled model was copied in resin - as a kit,because one should assemble it - in order to reproduce a similar,better casted and or a different vehicle.It is the case,as I remember,of the Matchbox truck that was converted to another truck make by another manufacturer,as mentioned by cfesmire.
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skunk
87thScale addict
5th B-day
Posts: 2,762
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Post by skunk on Dec 14, 2004 21:18:03 GMT 1
Other degrees of kitness (or is it kittishness?):
-LeMans Miniatures offer painted but unassembled "kits".
-My Co.Met. Lancia Delta Integrale comes fully painted but the decals need applying. The wings, front grille and headlamp assembly, mirrors etc also need building and applying. A lot more work than a Herpa, but also certainly not a kit, maybe a quarter-kit (or a quadroon, to use 19th century lingo)
-Certain unnamed cottage manufacturers, whose blobs are more like suggestions than kits.
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