| Within the review pages we try to
give a balanced 'first view'of new kits, hand-built models, books
and videos. Our aim is not to set the world to rights but to give
collectors who cannot visit GPM an idea of whether the models on offer
are accurate and of good value. We also try to give a little background
to the cars. Our aim above all is to try to ensure that when you receive
a model or book or video through the post from GPM - that you know
in advance whether it has any 'hidden' snags or problems |
Click on a link
to order a model or the logo to see the complete range from that manufacturer |
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| MM095
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Shadow DN2 Turbo Can-Am 1973 #102 UOP - kit
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£44.05
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| MM099
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Shadow DN4B Can-Am 1977 Alan Jones - kit
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£40.55
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| MM093MJ
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Porsche 917/20 Interserie 74 Jagermeister - built
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£153.60
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Following
on from the recently released early season DN2 (MM072,
FSW 1/2003) Marsh Models have now modelled the car as originally intended
by Shadow with the Turbo engine.
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The kit is modelled
on the car as it ran at Elkhart Lake where Oliver failed to set a
time in practice and retired with engine failure after three laps
in the race, having started 21st on the grid. As ever from Marsh the
kit is generally well cast with the resin parts needing just small
feed tags removing and the usual light surface preparation, though
the metal wheel inserts might take a minute or two with a small drill
to tidy up. Nothing serious but unusual for Marsh. The exposed parts
of the engine are well detailed and for those wishing to go further
there is an excellent photo on p226 of Pete Lyons’ Can-Am book
(ISBN0760300178).
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The Can-Am series proper had
finished at the end of 1974, but was revived in 1977 for 5-litre stock
block and 3-litre racing machinery. Shadow dusted off their 1974 championship
winning DN4 and modified it to take the Dodge engine used by Oliver
to win the 1976 F5000 Championship. The car wasn’t terribly successful,
either in the hands of Randy Lewis or Alan Jones, as modelled here.
Success or no, it makes a great looking model.
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| We took a look at
the kit of the Interserie Porsche last issue and the hand built of
Elford’s Hockenheim winning car shows that kit will build very
well indeed. The paint finish is probably better than the real car’s
ever was, with a deep shine, the fine details carefully applied and
the decals lacquered in. |
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| GAF2208 |
Mitsubishi Pajero Straker
Dakar 2001 #245 |
£38.30 |
| GAF2301 |
Toyota 90 Dakar 2000 #360 Adecco |
£38.30 |
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As far as we can work out from checking back through our records,
neither of these subjects were spectacular performers but both are
very vividly decorated and make very attractive model subjects.
If you’ve never attempted a Gaffe kit before what you will find
in the box are very crisply cast resin parts for the body and larger
components, equally good white metal ancillary parts and well printed
decals. Some of the metal parts have quite a lot of flash but the
metal alloy used is a very soft one and this cleans off very easily,
(in many cases with a finger nail).
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| The instructions
consist of a few colour pictures of the built model and a written
guide in French and English. They’re not the best and don’t
help with the placement of some of the small accessories such as tools
and sand ladders but the main components are so well thought out that
assembly will still be straightforward. The tools and ladders should
go in the back of the vehicles but would also look really good if
used as part of a diorama. |
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Click on a link to order a model
or the logo to see the complete range from that manufacturer |
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| COMGS001 |
BMW 320 Gr5 Hills 1981 Jagermeister
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£60.60
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| COMGS003 |
BMW 320 Gr5 Ring 1000 1979 Jagermeister
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£60.60
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| COMGS006 |
BMW 320LH Gr5 DTM 1977 Colani Design
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£60.60
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| COM162 |
Porsche 935 K4 DRM 81 #52 Jagermeister
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£48.80
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| COM163 |
Porsche 935 K4 Salz 81 #52 Jagermeister
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£48.80
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| COM157 |
Alfa Romeo GTV Gr5 DRM 1977 Sachs
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£44.85
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| COM165 |
BMW 325i Pickup
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£44.85
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| COMD98 |
Avon Decals in White/Yellow
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£2.15
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All of the Group 5 BMW kits
feature removable bonnets with full engine detail beneath. As far
as we can see the two Jagermeister kits are identical and could probably
have been offered as options in one kit.
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| Hans-Georg Burger
drove the car in the DRM and was consistently 5th or 6th in class
throughout the season but how Ekkehard Schimpf did on the hills we
don’t know. The overall shape looks very good when compared to
the shots we have of other events but the panel engraving, especially
around the doors leaves a little to be desired. |
| The profile of the Colani Motorsport
car, with its spectacular extended tail, is something rather different
but appears not to have worked, as we can’t find it in any of
our results. |
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| The very fine resin
bonnets in all three BMW 320 kits will also need careful attention
as there are air bubbles. A good level of p/e is included in all three
kits and the decals are well printed. Although there are niggling
problems they can be overcome and that extra bit of effort will be
rewarded with spectacular models. |
The Porsche kits feature very
crisply cast and engraved bodies and will be somewhat simpler build
projects than the BMW’s with minimal paint preparation needed.
Again a good level of p/e is contained in the kit with additional
sheets for the rear wings which are different for each race. For those
with Jagermeister themed collections it is probably worth investing
in a litre or two of orange paint, the number of kits being released
at the moment!
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The final DRM subject,
the brutal looking Alfa GTV Turbo, is basically a reissue of an old
Remember kit. This is a reasonably simple kit with minimal p/e but
the bodies in all of the kits we received have a number of air bubbles
which will need attention. Frustrating because the bodies are otherwise
very well detailed, as are the white metal ancillary parts.
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| At first we thought that the
BMW pick-up was maybe a model of a vehicle owned by Franz Pabst at
Competition 43 as the decals have his initials on the number plate.
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Apparently this cut
down E30 saloon is frequently seen around the streets of Munich and
the plate was just a bit of fun on Franz’s part. Once built this
will make an amusing addition to any BMW collection.
The tyre sidewall decals will be very handy for spares box stock and
feature 6 sets of 4 Avon logos in both white and yellow. |
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| SPRW075
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Millemiglia Evo Wheels 11.8mm
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£8.00
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| SPRW076B
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Millemiglia Action Wheels 9.8mm
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£8.00
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| Two very well detailed wheel
sets that will add a touch of class to many road car models. Each
set of four wheels includes turned alloy rims, tyres and very fine
etched spokes. In the Evo set there are also drilled brake discs and
callipers. |
 
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