Wanna talk expensive?

General Discussion FSM Ready Room
1

Just read a blurb on my phone about a company in the UK that " painstakingly" reproduced a model kit of the 1969 Le Mans winning Ford GT40.

I have seen the Meng offering on YouTube and glimpsed adverts for a Trumpeter release, both in 1/12 , for a " reasonable" cost. This kit to be produced by Amalgam(?) is stated to roll out of your wallet for a poultry 13,005 USD. My guess is cause it is a 1/8th reproduction the cost is signifigantly higher.

Kinda makes the 100USD retail feel doable LOL.

All things aside, the article states that extensive research was done to provide EXACT detail of the car as it was when it beat the Porche offering by a mere 392 feet back in 1969. Pretty cool.

2

I’ve seen those same sorts of ‘offers.’ It’s hard to believe they can find enough takers to make it practical…but as P.T. Barnum observed…there’s one born every minute.

That having been said, it’s my favorite race car (and race) ever. It would be nice if it was within reach of real modelers.

3

For those folks that have more money than they have things to do with it. Not for us plebes & peasants.

4

Please. I’ll happily fess up to being a layabout…a ne’er-do-well…even a malcontent.

But a peasant? Never! [;)]

5

Here is the website if you fancy it.

https://www.amalgamcollection.com/collections/24-hours-of-le-mans

They do a cheaper one in 1/18th scale. A snip at £645.

6

I knew before reading bish’s post it was Amalgam. They email me offers all the time. I believe they are high quality products. Ive considered some of their smaller scale F1 cars but for the price I can buy a weekend pass to an actual Grand Prix. As I get older I find spending that kind of money is for having an experience over a physical object. If I dropped nearly a grand on one of their less expensive cars I probably would have insane buyers remorse after a week or so.
Ive seen the awesome work from the members here. I think there are a handfull of guys that can buy a $65 Fujimi kit and get the same results as Amalgan produces.

7

I would imagine that somebody with $12,390 to blow on a 1:8 scale model is going to be rich enough to have a few 1:1s in their garage and won’t need to buy a model.

8

There was a story about this in Autoweek a few days ago. If you’re interested here it is:

https://www.autoweek.com/racing/more-racing/a35350351/dollar13k-ford-gt40-18-scale-model-will-knock-your-socks-off/?source=nl&utm_source=nl_aut&utm_medium=email&date=012821&utm_campaign=nl22788078&utm_term=AUT_Autoweek_Racing_Daily_Newsletter_Subscribers

9

Years Ago:

In another younger life, Surrounded by Family and My Children. Christmas Morning. What did I get from the Family? Not the usual stuff a Dad gets. I Got a Pocher ROLLS ROYCE SILVER GHOST!!

Back in the middle seventies that was EXPENSIVE for a MODEL. But wifey explained the Children and her took their Pocket Allowance and pooled it to give me that. Why? Well, I had just moved us into a new Paid For house and the Business was making money hand over fist.

Sooo, they figured I had worked so hard for them they would increase my modeling pleasure. Leastwise that’s what they told me. The Look in Momma’s eyes said it was mostly the dead on truth in her way of seeing it.

Yes, that was expensive back then! But a model car for $12,000 American, I don’t think so. The real one I drive isn’t even worth the purchase price new, and it’s just barely worth that now. Shoot, new it was $17,000.00 and we are talking a demo!

But I guess there is a place in someone’s life for a model like that. EXPENSIVE ?? I guess it depends on who you talk to. To Me it’s extravagant!

10

Ahhhh, that’s chicken feed!

11

A year ago I might have considered allowing such a luxury…today I’m more interested in eating. I would like to see the true fidelity of the kit…probably should check the links you guys provided, but I still think I would have a hard time coughing up that much money.

Some day I will get my hands on another complete Pocher kit…maybe…until then I’m gonna save my chicken feed for the Meng kit. Being a Ford guy thru and thru the GT40 is almost to good to pass up, of course that would mean one of my many planes or tanks may not get built.

Maybe I could win the lottery, buy the 13000$ kit AND the real car. Be a great addition to my refigerator box on 3rd and Main LOL.

12

Maybe if you order all of them you can get a 5-10% discount?

13

Tempting[:P]

14

That’s a pretty fowl joke. [:D]

15

I’ve built several 1:8 scale cars that were well under a hundred bucks.That 12 grand kit is three orders of magnitude higher. For that much it should be 1:1 scale!

16

i don’t think you build Amalgam models. They come assembled.

17

If that’s true…DANG!!, followed by where is the fun in that? 13k I guess folks don’t want to get thier hands dirty.

18

It’s true. You can go with them and get an assembled GT40 or you can get thirty five 1/12 scale Meng GT40 kits and build yourself a fleet.

19

LOL 35 please…and I’ll gladly do the assembly[8-|]. Wait I still need 13k[*-)]

20

My most expensive model kit (retail value) was the full RC 1/16 Tamiya Tiger I kit I won in an online contest (random drawing).

The original MSRP for this kit was $1000 USD, but the shipping document listed the sale price with free shipping as around $750 (If my memory is correct).

I see one for sale on eBay for $899 + 72 s/h from Japan.

I believe the most money I ever spent on a model kit myself was the Bandai 1/35 Gundam HC Semovente double barreled tank kit. I think I paid around $75-80 for it delivered.