The Most Frustrating Model Ever

[skunk]

This is a venting thread:


What is the Most Frustrating/Annoying Model you ever bought?
(or didn't buy becausee it was too bad)


It can be frustrating because it was awful to build or because the proportions annoyed you or whatever.

For me:


Miber Mazda 323 GT-X


Reason: Usually Miber got the proportions so right, no matter the cheap plastic and simple, four-part construction. But the 323, a car I would love to have in 1:87, came with a roof about 2mm too low, not to mention a slew of other deficiencies. I presume this was either a result of a hasty release (one of their last models?) or in an effort to make it look sporty (it was mainly intended to carry various rally liveries).

Despite my griping, I own four of them. I keep buying them, even though they are expensive and are all in the same color white.


Most Annoying but Not Purchased:

Ricko Lamborghini Miura. Wrong wrong wrong from nearly every angle, and it doesn't even have "eyelashes" to make up for it. I know that they must be hard to model, but in a realistic layout not all Miuras can be SVs. Also, now all of my hard work on the IMU Miura is for nought. Maybe they can be combined to make one perfect Miura?

[only87]

Good choice, the 323. I have that model and am right now playing around with it. Another thing about it is that it seems like the casting slides didn't fit together very well, just like when you're trying to make a 360 degree panorama with your old Pentax, you just won't get the transitions right.

Totally agree withe the Ricko Miura, Infact, I'm a bit disappointed by the whole Ricko thing. I have bought only one model by them so far, the Lancia Delta. Their newer models like the Maseratis seem to be very fine as seem their older Wanderers and what there is. But both eras are not to my collecting habits, so I hoped they could keep up the quality for the very few 60's and 70's cars but it just seems they don't have a team for that or any clue how to handle such a project. I had high hopes for the Miura and the Licoln Continental but I haven't bought any because of many reasons, but mainly them being poor models. I may buy the Lincoln one day just for its interior and maybe the rims and make the rest myself but I certainly won't pull out 13 Euros for just that.

Another example, it has been mentioned before, is the Reel Rides GTX. I bought it but I just don't know what to do with it, I think I'll try to sell it again and look forward to one of Superba's kits.

[cfesmire]

Most frustrating is just about anything from Custom Finishes. I've done a few of their pieces for other folks so I didn't put the money out and I'm very glad of that. Poor fit, loss of details and pock marked finishes on models that are not cheap. Very disappointing and an incredible amount of work.

I can't help but add the adp '41 Chevy to this considering what it cost me to get one, I'm very disappointed. Badly proportioned front clip.


I'm with Peter on the GTX, I haven't bought one yet and probably won't although the price is certainly fair even for a bad model.

[stanhas87]

Dear All:

Very few in the 87th scale arena:

1.Busch Dodge Monaco.

The front end is poorly done.I will not say that are many things wrong with it:the rest of the car is well done,having details (as the small clip from the rear door) that appear only on the large scale ones;the front end is just poor,that is all.The wheels also does not stick with me.

2.EKOs.

Most are way too simple;on my opinion,some are worst than the GTX.But offered prototypes that no one came with yet,so,on my opinion,can be forgiven due to that.

3.Matchbox Ford LTD Crown Victoria 1986.

Is well captured and allon a c70% range,but has no interior and is an exact 1/90 scale car,which frustates me further,for this vehicle is still in that category that no one will want to reproduce in HO. The difference in lenght can be noticed when put side by side with the Vic from Busch.

NOTE: the model above is from a different series than its 1-75 version,which is a larger model.Matchbox,as Mattel,did offered a c1/87 vehicles and cars now and then,and this LTD is one of them.

Maybe Reel Rides may offer the LTD from the second Blue Brothers movie,albeit that is a later model year.

4.Walthers Crown Victoria.

Hm,hm.Wrong front end and other details that are just not right.The Model Power version seems better.The Walthers model was the sole model of it;now the Model Power is,on the USA.I am not forgetting the Cop Car Collection,but these have to be imported to here.


5.CMW Ford 1967.It looks very strange and out of proportion.

I should add that my frustations are at a minimum when the model is a unique one and someone bothered to bring it out.RCB items also come to mind,but the Mercury Wagon,which between 1949-1951 sold inly a thousand of them,is an unseen vehicle in real life,but they made it (albeit the Playing Mantis/Johnny Lightning is far better than that);the same goes to another which is difficult to see in real life:Pontiac Sedan Delivery,c1952.No other manufacturer will make these,so I grabbed the RCB's and despite their many faults,I was happy that these miniatures were avaliable at all.Of course,if a better 1/64 scale miniature is avaliable,you bet I will get it.No plans for a Pontiac Sedan delivery,tough.

Another - and from collectors as that field is: if is marked 1/64,do so.Lately,there is a flavor towards 1/50 models.Malibu wants - or promises - to mold vehicles in real 1/64 scale.They have a site where feedback can be added,so the same feelings about their HO range (including the size of the vehicles;another frustation for me) can be also stated to them,which in a book,is an A+ for at least trying.If this program is sucessful,and the word spreads,other manufacturers will be willing to do the same efforts.

[Albert]

Two of the most frustating models I have are the Alfa Romeo 147 and the street version of the Fiat Punto, both by Ricko. The 147 has a wrong headlights that give it a strange look.
About the the Fiat Punto, it was a pity that the "street version" had the same body than the rally version.

Another frustating model was the Renault Clio II by AWM, again a miniature with wrong headlights.

And the newest one is the Seat Leon I Cupra (Herpa). The front windows are too short and the rear windows too long.

[BillC]

Have to agree with the judgement of the Ricko models. A number of the first-generation models (Alfa 147, 156) and several of the Lamborghini models just aren't right. The Miura is especially frustrating to me as I not only sent a number of photos showing what was wrong with the model, I took photos of the pre-production models and actually added arrows and captions showing what was wrong.

The 1963 Lincoln was never finished. Tony and I had addressed a number of issues (like the grille), but he left Ricko before the changes could be implemented. The tooling was not changed and the model was released.

[Sylvain]

Frustrating is perhaps a too strong word for me. For me the most frustrating model remains the one that does not exist, the car I would like to see in our scale, but that does not seem to interest anyone, like a 40's Chrysler Town and Country convertible for example.

On the contrary, there are many disappointing models. I won't be so hard about Ricko's 1963 Lincoln, still welcome, even if disappointing. I've already two of them, and if Ricko had the idea of offering a sedan version of it, I certainly would buy one or two again.

Lately, my main disappointments have been Woodland Scenics models and Model Power american cars of the 50's and 60's (except the Oldsmobile). Poor models, of cars which deserve more than that. I've bought some of them, but with no hurry, and I'm not sure to keep them. I hope the new coming models will be of better quality than the first series, especially the Studebaker and the Plymouth.

[swampdaddy]

hi all: Perhaps manufacturers awareness of the increasing size and demand of the 1/87 market has prompted shortcuts to get items out, and out now, to get a big share of the market before other manufacturers jump in?

I guess we will never be entirely rid of the "sort of" models.

Swamp Daddy

[Cor_DutchArt]

My most frustrating models came from Dyna Models.
It seems to me as a lumb of metal. You are suppose to make a decent model out of it.

Cor.

[Alan]

For me it would have to be the High speed Range Rover sport and Land Rover Discovery 3, mainly because I cannot get a hold of any. Grrr!!!

[Cor_DutchArt]

alan said:

For me it would have to be the High speed Range Rover sport and Land Rover Discovery 3, mainly because I cannot get a hold of any. Grrr!!!

Why don't you just ask it to our friends who are living behind Ireland???

Cor.

[skunk]

Frustrating: l'Obsidiënne Citroën Méhari. The model is a pure jewel, a superb creation - easily worth the 28 Euros I spent on it.

What frustrates me is that a month later, Norev released their Méhari at a quarter of the price. And now Atlas has one as well... Rrrr! When it rains, it pours!

[Albert]

Well, nevertheless the L'Obsidienne Méhari is the previous version to the Norev and Atlas ones. As you had seen the resin model has a different grill and the indicators in a different position.
And if you mix the L'Obisidinenne Méhari with the canvas top of the Norev model, you will have a beauty miniature.

[stanhas87]

Dear All:

On my case,I spent almost $30.00 for a Pirate kit of the Grumman-Flexble 870 City bus only to have Road Champs to mold decent models of the Flexble Metro.The kit is still unbuilt,partially destroyed and badly painted.Another 'rescue' project for Jack.

[BillC]

sylvain said:

Frustrating is perhaps a too strong word for me. For me the most frustrating model remains the one that does not exist, the car I would like to see in our scale, but that does not seem to interest anyone, like a 40's Chrysler Town and Country convertible for example...

Interesting you should bring that one up. Still don't know what happened to the one Model Power was supposed to make.