Interesting new kit from Aoshima I just ordered

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

Got notification that it shipped today.

It apparently is a new offering from Aoshima that was just released. I know it's an oddball car with limited appeal, but I owned a 1978 Dodge Challenger back in the day. I loved that car. No it wasn't a real Challenger, didn't have the performance of the Toyota Celica, but it was cool nontheless. Here's a pic of a vintage Dodge ad with the two toned model that got me through five years of college commuting. I bought the car new in the fall of 1978 and drove it until February 1983. Very trouble free car. Only major maintenance repairs were for a clutch and the "silent shaft" chain assembly.

I'll post pics of the contents when it arrives from Japan. I'm thinking "old school" tuner with modern touches like stance, wheels and tires, etc. in MPC Motorsports style.

[Zoom Zoom]

As I mentioned elsewhere, I'm pretty sure this is a reissue, not sure if it originated w/Aoshima or they ended up w/it from a defunct company. If it's not too skeezy I may want to get one, as it was one of the better looking imports from the early 80's. They used to be pretty popular and common, especially in CA.

Now if Fujimi or someone would take the Starion kit and give it the wide fenders :wink:

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

I second that motion on the wide body Starion. I'll post pics of the Galant Lambda contents as soon as I get it. There are a couple of pics of the kit body on the HWI website and the proportions look pretty spot on from the pics.

I'm just glad to be able to get it in styrene as it is the one car that I've owned that I thought I would never be able to get a scale version of. I'll add some modern rims and such to this one, sort of an "old school" tuner.

[Rob Hall]

That's cool..I wouldn't mind having one of those...I remember the 1:1, always liked the roofline.

It would be fun to do one as a phantom '78 Challenger R/T with Volare wheels and a 360 V8...

[ismaelg]

Marc,

That's a nice subject. Keep us posted. A good friend on mine had one, bright orange with light grey interiors. It was a cool car and it took him all thru college and then some more.

I'd love to see the wide body Starion as well. That was a cool car.

BUT: I'd kill for a model of my first car: A 1979 Toyota Corolla which I still own today.

Thanks,

[Ken]

Still waiting on Aoshima to restock on the 1977 Celica GT liftback so I can get two. One to make my first car from and then the other to make what I wanted my first car to end up like.

I will third or fourth the wide body Starion kit. I would really like to see a last generation starion kit. I still want one full-scale.

[Don Sikora II]

That might be the Imai kit, pretty sure Aoshima has been releasing old Imai kits. The picture shows a built up from the side of my Imai Nissan Pulsar kit box. It looks pretty good in the picture. I've been keeping my eyes open for one, by time I bought the Pulsar Imai was already out of business. I was looking at HLJ a few days ago, but missed this one. The Pulsar kit isn't bad at all, kind of like an 80s Tamiya motorized kit.

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

HLJ does not have this one. I got mine from Hobby World International.

http://hobbyworld.aoshima-bk.co.jp/eindex.asp

I stumbled into this one while looking for images of the new Aoshima wheel releases. Glad I did :!:

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

Marc,

That's a nice subject. Keep us posted. A good friend on mine had one, bright orange with light grey interiors. It was a cool car and it took him all thru college and then some more.

I'd love to see the wide body Starion as well. That was a cool car.

BUT: I'd kill for a model of my first car: A 1979 Toyota Corolla which I still own today.

Thanks,

One of my best friends in high school drove a 1976 Celica GT. His Dad totaled it after my friend went to college and bought an orange one after seeing and driving my silver one. They liked it as much as I liked mine.

[Don Sikora II]

HLJ does not have this one. I got mine from Hobby World International.

http://hobbyworld.aoshima-bk.co.jp/eindex.asp

I stumbled into this one while looking for images of the new Aoshima wheel releases. Glad I did :!:

Ok, thanks. Is this a division of Aoshima? Have you ordered from them before and did it all go OK?

I did find that HLJ still has pictures of a built Imai kit if you do a search including discontinued items.

[Zoom Zoom]

I'll be interested to know about shipping; if their shipping charges are similar to HLJ's (and ship SAL vs. the pricey EMS) I may put in an order with them.

Odd that HLJ isn't carrying the kit. It looks like it builds up fairly decent, for a "motorized-era" kit.

[Don Sikora II]

They do have shipping rate tables under FAQ, they recommend EMS but will ship SAL. I'm tempted by this one too, looking forward to Marc posting pics of the parts. It is strange that HLJ doesn't have this kit, wonder why?

[Marc @ MPC Motorsports]

1410 yen for the kit and 1280 yen for the SAL s&h. About $23 USD for the total. Not too bad IMHO. It was my first order with them and I'll recap the whole experience when the kit arrives.

Don't know if they are a division of Aoshima as they sell Fujimi, Tamiya, etc as well. The translations are somewhat humorous as well. The website lists the car as the Galant Ramda. Here's some of the text from the email I received the other day:

"Thank you very much for your always coming to Hobby World

and patiently waiting for its shipment.

We sent your baggage today.

We hope that you receive the package very soon in good condition

and enjoy your Hobby Life!!"

[Rob Hall]

Speaking of Galant Ramda, I have a 1:64th scale Matchbox diecast of this from childhood..IIRC, the packaging listed it as a Dodge Challenger, but the base says 'Mitsubishi Galant Eterna'.

[Don Sikora II]

Speaking of Galant Ramda, I have a 1:64th scale Matchbox diecast of this from childhood..IIRC, the packaging listed it as a Dodge Challenger, but the base says 'Mitsubishi Galant Eterna'.

Rob, I think I still have mine too, it's green if I remember right. From what I remember it was in a 4 pack with a red Celica Supra, a black 280 ZX and a blue RX-7. Pretty sure I still have all 4 but they're very played with.

[Rob Hall]

Rob, I think I still have mine too, it's green if I remember right. From what I remember it was in a 4 pack with a red Celica Supra, a black 280 ZX and a blue RX-7. Pretty sure I still have all 4 but they're very played with.

Yes, that's it..I have all four also..lots of paint chips..