Which Countach is the better kit?

[JollySipper]

I would love to build a full detail Countach..... Hobbylinc has a dozen Lambos to choose from. Which of these are full detail? Which ones have you guys built?

Would appreciate any info on these, Thanks!

http://www.hobbylinc.com/cgi-bin/s8.cgi?str_s=countach&submit=GO&cat_s=SCB&mfg_s=

 

[Dragline]

Fujimi kits are hands down the best Countach kits ever made. They were originally issued during the Enthusiast Series run and are full detail like few kits then or since have ever been.

 

Working features and fantastic detail all the way through.

[MrObsessive]

I second what Bob said! I built one of the EM Countachs back in the '80's and while it was a challenge, the amount of detail was unlike anything I've seen before or since! I don't know what happened to that builtup, but I recently got in a trade another EM Countach kit (WITHOUT the wings and spoilers) and should make plans to build that sometime.

Like I mentioned in another thread though...............get yourself a LOT of patience as you're going to need it!

[JollySipper]

Thanks, Guys.... I saw the Fujimi kits, but were unsure if they were the Enthusiast series because they aren't really priced like a full kit. I've seen curbside kits that cost more....

[MrObsessive]

Timothy, on the box it should denote either "EM" or "Enthusiast Model". Those are the ones that have the millions of parts.

[Don Sikora II]

There are also curbside versions of the Fujimi Countach kits. Hobby Search usually has pictures that show the plan and parts from Japanese kits. That's where I'd start researching, especially if you know the kit number.

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/list/439/0/1

[niteowl7710]

I will now step in and disagree with all of the people and point you to the Aoshima kits. They are the most recent - being tooled in 2012 - and are 3D scanned from the actual cars at the Lamborghini Factory & Museum in Italy. 

They are 98% full detail - bottom of the engine fits to the chassis plate rather than the engine to make the various types (there are 5 kits in the series) modular rather than having to retool the engine compartment 5x over. They're much more proportionally accurate IMO, and they're a notch or two below the EM insanity of the Fujimi kits (which I think have more parts than a 1:1 Countach).

[martinfan5]

Second the Aoshima kits

 

[JollySipper]

So is there a good "compromise" kit that maybe doesn't have all the opening features of the EM kits, but still has a full engine? Also I have a built Revellogram Countach that I'm not satisfied with, I could take the engine from it and put in a better kit........ What would be a good kit to use the Monogram engine in?

You guys are most helpful, Thanks! 

[martinfan5]

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10320856

 

It does not have 100% full engine, but its so close that you will never know once its finished, unless you are going to display the engine next to the car.

Edited September 23, 2017 by martinfan5

[Dragline]

As Impressed as I was with the Aoshima kit I thought "Why". The EM kits filled the niche quite nicely. As for being more accurate? Eye of the beholder I guess. I think the Fujimi kits look like the real thing to a tee. And, I like all those parts. I've built three and used every one of em every time. If I had a built here I'd snap a pic. Perhaps I'll build one of the ones I currently have and see what can be done with it. I'm thinking all white with a red interior.. And it'll be carbureted like a proper Countach.

[aurfalien]

As Impressed as I was with the Aoshima kit I thought "Why".

Hi,

Good question and I suppose if I were you, it would be to try something different.

I've built a few Fujimi kits so far and none have gone together w/o adjusting/test fitting and have been persnickety.  Albeit none of them have been the Countach.

The Aoshima Sesto I am building now fits about perfect out of the box and for a newbie like me, that is cool.

So I guess try an Aoshima to spice things up?

 

 

 

[Dragline]

There it is then...

[dino246gt]

I think the Fujimi Enthusiast Countach is probably the most detailed 1/24th kit out there! I haven't built it, just looked at it over and over and over, but I DID build the enthusiast M6 and Daytona, they are NICE KITS!!!!

[Rob Hall]

I built the Monogram ones and the AMT one (ESCI) back in the 80s-90s, have the Tamiya ones in my stash.   I've heard the Aoshima ones are quite good, I have a bunch of other Aoshima Lamborghini kits in my stash, may add one of their Countaches also. 

[Chuck Kourouklis]

And Aoshima went there because even with the EM kits on the market for around 25 years,  there was still more demand for a state-of-the-art Countach kit than there was for any other exotic - according to Aoshima's research, anyway.

Fujimi vet here, managed to wrestle a 5000 QV together.  Great detail, no big problems when working with the subassemblies - but really white-knuckle when you try to get all the inner fenders and ducts into the body work.

Depends on how fussy you are about such things, but back-to-back Fujimi 400 to Aoshima 400, the Aoshima just looks more on-the-money, in many subtle ways and some more overt.

Have not done the Aoshima yet, but building ease was a mandate in the design.  For this you sacrifice operational hinges on the doors, absolutely complete suspension detail (we're talking the full length of those trailing links at the rear), and about the 50% of the engine that's invisible anyway.  One other issue that a few build-ups have had some difficulty concealing:  the rocker panels are separate on this kit to ease chassis installation.

On the other hand, molding refinement in the Aoshima kit is superior, even if it's not quite as detail-crazy as Fujimi's.  Nothing makes this clearer than a comparison of doors between the two kits - Aoshima's are far more completely developed and shaped to fit, right out of the gate; even if they operate on non-prototypical hinges, Fujimi's are still pretty crude by comparison.

For ultimate detail, it's still Fujimi EM - and there's a pretty serious cost in builder-friendliness in some areas.  For noticeably better accuracy at what's likely to be far less of a building headache, Aoshima's probably the better bet.  Even without building it - but having thoroughly examined it - I'll third the motion on that one.

Edited September 25, 2017 by Chuck Kourouklis
typo

[aurfalien]

 what's likely to be far less of a building headache, Aoshima's probably the better bet.  Even without building it - but having thoroughly examined it - I'll third the motion on that one.

Hi,

Well I can tell how how surprised I was at how quickly I built up my mock/temp glue build of the Sesto.

My only complaint were its wheels/tires, absolute rubbish.  But probably very accurate in scale as I prefer fat tires and wide wheels on any car.

Edited September 25, 2017 by aurfalien

[stavanzer]

Bob F.  Chuck beat me to it, but "Customer Demand" is the correct answer. Over in military modeling, Sherman Tanks, P-51 Mustangs, and Me (Bf)-109s its all the time. Each time they are advertised as "Newer", "Better", or "Improved" in some subtle way. And they sell. In great numbers.  And so it continues. Auto Modeling is pretty much unique in that instead of getting new tools of old favorites, we just get re-issues of the same old tools. If we are lucky, we get a few new parts added, or "lost" parts re-tooled. I suspect that much of this is driven by cost. Multi part slide molds for one piece bodies are far more expensive than the 'flat' tools needed for most planes.

[89AKurt]

I haven't built the Fujimi kits, but I have 3 different versions, and the detail is insane.  Built the Tamiya motorized when I was a teen.  I also built a Nitto kit, only the tires are worth time, built into a Swedish S-tank.  So Glad to see others still think the Fujimi kits are the best.  I also have the Elemento, and have to agree Aoshima is high quality.

Edited February 25, 2018 by 89AKurt
blah blah blah blah is so blah

[DiscoRover007]

After having both kits I would definitely argue that the Aoshima kit is superior. It is not as minutely detailed at the Fujimi kit but it is a better total package in my opinion. It is much better in terms of engineering and build quality.

 Aoshima knocked it out of the park. Good blend of detail and easy/well engineered assembly.

It is a great example of a model that builds perfectly well as a box stock piece but can be detailed as much as you want. Very Tamiya 360 Modena like in my opinion.

Fujimi Enthusiast kits are famous for their amount of detail. But it is also a very dated kit. Flimsy, warped and delicate plastic.  You have to be very careful with test fitting and making sure parts line up right.

[Mike999]

Just saw this thread, so here's a heads-up:  Sprue Brothers has the Aoshima Countach LP400 on sale at 40% off their usual discount price of $55.99.  Mr. Calculator tells me that works out to $33.59.  Hobbylink Japan has it for $29.76, but some people don't like to order from Japan.

This is part of their 2018 Winter Clearance sale.  I posted a general link to the sale somewhere in here. But here's a link directly to the Countach kit.  (I have no connection with Sprue Bros., other than being a customer). 

https://store.spruebrothers.com/searchresults.asp?Search=countach&Submit

 

Edited February 24, 2018 by Mike999
omit

[niteowl7710]

2 hours ago, Mike999 said:

Just saw this thread, so here's a heads-up:  Sprue Brothers has the Aoshima Countach LP400 on sale at 40% off their usual discount price of $55.99.  Mr. Calculator tells me that works out to $33.59.  Hobbylink Japan has it for $29.76, but some people don't like to order from Japan.

This is part of their 2018 Winter Clearance sale.  I posted a general link to the sale somewhere in here. But here's a link directly to the Countach kit.  (I have no connection with Sprue Bros., other than being a customer). 

https://store.spruebrothers.com/searchresults.asp?Search=countach&Submit

 

Their "discount" price (before the additional 40% off) is still MORE than the U.S. MSRP of that kit (which is $54.99).  I loathe places like Sprue Brothers and Squadron who make up phony ridiculously marked up prices, and then "discount" them down to around the ACTUAL MSRP and pretend you're getting a deal.  $33 is a nice U.S. price for that kit, but I again I wouldn't support a bunch of borderline frauds in the first place.

[martinfan5]

2 hours ago, niteowl7710 said:

Their "discount" price (before the additional 40% off) is still MORE than the U.S. MSRP of that kit (which is $54.99).  I loathe places like Sprue Brothers and Squadron who make up phony ridiculously marked up prices, and then "discount" them down to around the ACTUAL MSRP and pretend you're getting a deal.  $33 is a nice U.S. price for that kit, but I again I wouldn't support a bunch of borderline frauds in the first place.

This right here, I looked at the sale prices for the  Mr Hobby stuff and laffed and laffed , and said nope.