Randy Robinson
Reviews By Author
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La FerrariPublished:
La Ferrari, even the name sounds exotic, expensive and exclusive. With a top speed of 230 mph, a price upwards of $1.5 million U.S. dollars and only 499 produced for worldwide consumption. The latest supercar offering from Ferrari is all of the above and more. The likelihood of the average Joe getting his or her hands on a full scale La Ferrari, is nil to none. But for us scale modelers; Revell gives us the opportunity to live out our exotic car fantasies in 1/24 scale. Revell’s La Ferrari kit consists of 141 parts on five trees molded in white and clear styrene with chrome plated parts and four soft rubber tires. The clear, chrome and rubber parts are bagged separately. The decal sheet is fairly extensive and the 16-page instruction manual is clear and easy to follow. My… more |
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Street Fighter - Bad NewsPublished:
From the instruction sheet-“This glass-bodied sleeper patterned after a ’60 Chevy panel truck looks like a clean semi-custom…” Designed by Tom Daniel it is a pro-street style custom wagon. Tom Daniel was prolific designer of wild customs; over 75 of his designs were made into scale models. The kit consists of 72 parts molded in orange and transparent red with chrome-plated parts and four soft rubber tires. The instruction sheet is simple and easy to follow with clear drawings and part numbers as well as paint callouts. Construction begins with the engine/transmission halves. The oil pan is not a separate piece so some clean up of seems are necessary once the halves are together. The intake manifold, dual carburetors and distributor are molded as a single unit with the… more |
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La FerrariPublished:
Ferrari has a history of building limited edition supercars based on their Formula One racing technology. Think GTO, F40, F50 and the Enzo. The Ferrari La Ferrari is the latest chapter in this storied tradition. It is, essentially, a 200+ MPH, 963 horsepower, gas/electric Hybrid. With only 499 La Ferrari being built and those being offered to the upper echelon of Ferrari’s clientele, the chances of getting one are kneel to none. However, Tamiya seemly has a history of offering excellent 1/24-scale replicas of these incredible supercars, and its latest rendering of the La Ferrari is no exception. The kit comes in a stylish and sturdy black box with a glamour shot of the finished model on the cover. Inside are several parts trees molded in red, black and silver. The body parts… more |
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Kawasaki Police 1000Published:
The Kawasaki Police 1000 is probably one of the most recognizable motorcycles on the planet. The motorcycle has appeared in countless TV shows and Movies. The most notable of which is the TV series CHiP’s, Starring actors Eric Estrada and Larry Wilcox. Adapted in the 1970’s by the California Highway Patrol as a patrol bike, the Kawasaki Z1 quickly gained a reputation as a highly dependable and agile motorcycle. After several improvements and a name change to the KZ1000C1 police version, the bike became a staple in the motor pools of Law Enforcement agencies all across the country. Aoshima has faithfully reproduced the bike in its California Highway Patrol, Las Angeles Division, trim. The kit comes in a sturdy box with an illustration of the completed motorcycle on the cover and… more |
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Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4Published:
Lamborghini introduced the Aventador in 2011 as the replacement for the Marcielago. Aoshima introduced its 1/24 scale version in 2012 and the model is every bit as cool-looking as the real thing. Aoshima accurately captured the stealth jet fighter proportions of the one-to-one car. The model comes packaged in separate bags for the different trees. The body parts are molded in white plastic, the interior parts in gray, and the chassis in black. The wheels, headlight/taillight bezels, exhaust, and a couple of other pieces are molded in a satin chrome finish. There are painting mask for the windshield and side windows, and all of the clear parts are packaged separately. The taillights are molded in clear red, so no painting needed. The instruction sheet, mostly, is clear and easy… more |
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Mercedes Benz 2448 Canvas TruckPublished:
The KitThis is a review of the Italeri 1/24 scale Mercedes-Benz 2448 Canvas Truck. The box is large and features photos of the built-up model on the top. Along the sides are 360-degree views of the model that can be used for reference. Inside the box you will find three individual bags of yellow, black, and grey styrene; there is a tree of chrome parts and a tree of clear parts, each wrapped individually in plastic bags. There is a super decal sheet which contains markings for two separate trucks, twelve soft rubber tires, and a twelve-page, well laid out instruction booklet. All of the parts trees are clearly marked. The first two pages of the instruction booklet contain a drawing of all the parts trees, making the individual parts easy to find. The instruction guide also… more |
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Mini Cooper S Countryman All-4 "Union Jack"Published:
HistoryThe new Mini Cooper launched in the US in 2001 and was instant hit with American car buyers. In 2010, BMW introduced the fourth and, to date, the largest addition to the Mini line, The Mini Cooper S Countryman All-4. The Mini Countryman is the first in the Mini series to feature a five-door hatchback design and four-wheel drive. In the styling motto of “as many different MINI’s as there are drivers”, the Countryman is available in a variety of color options, including the “UNION JACK” which features a flag design on the roof and mirrors. The KitThe kit comes in a sturdy box with an artist’s rendering of the car on the cover and photos of the completed model on the side panel. Inside you will find 104 parts, including optional right- or left-hand… more |
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Phantom Custom VanPublished:
The KitThis review is for the AMT “Phantom” custom Ford van. The model is based on the Ford E-150 Econoline van. The kit comes packaged in a standard box with an artist rendering of the model on the top and sides. Inside you find the sprues molded in white and chrome, with a clear sprue and two sets of soft rubber tires. Also there are optional custom port windows molded in clear and a smoke tint. The kit can be built as a stock service type van or a custom. For the stock version, you get chromed stock-looking wheel covers and narrow no-name tires. The custom option has wide Goodyear tires, Keystone ranger spoke wheels molded in white, custom bar grille with rectangular headlights, side mount exhaust, front spoiler, wheel flares, a mural of a graveyard at sunset, and… more |
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1956 Ford F-100 PickupPublished:
HistoryFord introduced the “F” series pickup in 1948, beginning with the F-1; it became the best selling line of pickups of all time. The second generation of the “F” series was introduced in 1953 as the F-100, it ran through 1956. The 1956 Ford F-100 is very popular among street rodders and was the vehicle of choice for famed pin striper, cartoonist, and custom car builder Ed “Big Daddy” Roth. Ed Roth created outrageous characters such as Rat Fink and Mr. Gasser, as well as vehicles like the Beatnik Bandit, Orbitron, and the Outlaw, among others. These were wild one-off creations that set the bar for custom hot rod show cars. The Revell model company turned several of Roth’s custom vehicles into model kits. Ed “Big Daddy” Roth was a notable figure in the custom car… more |
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Scania R730 Truck “The Griffin”Published:
The KitThe kit comes in a well-constructed box with a glossy photograph of a built model and the decal sheet on the front. Along the sides are more pictures of the built model and a brief description of the one-to-one vehicle. Inside, you will find over 240 parts on eight sprues, seven soft rubber tires, a comprehensive and colorful decal sheet, and a chrome adhesive sheet. Everything, except rubber tires, is individually wrapped in plastic. Parts for the body are molded in a glossy black metallic finish. The other parts are molded in a semi black finish; there are clear parts for the glass and a small chrome tree. The instruction sheet is a sixteen-page booklet. It has well-illustrated and easy-to-follow directions. The last two pages are dedicated to decal and chrome… more |