anyone familiar with AUTO-KITS LIMITED of london england ?

[redzed]

i put this box on a shelf in my basement when i bought the house 1979.

i knew what was in it, metal car kits i built about 55 years ago when i worked at a grocery store.

i bought them from the frozen foods manager (can hardly believe i remember this) but don't remember his name.

i googled the manufacturers address but the building seems to be for sale.

i did find them for sale online from england for 80 euro which i think is about $85 us dollars.

they need work !

[Rattlecan Dan]

Looks like some classic stuff there. Probably going to be valuable gorgeous builds.

[ybsluos]

I had not heard of them before. Very cool. Very nice looking kits.

[Bugatti Fan]

Hi Frank

In answer to your question Auto Kits was founded in the early sixties and I think had a shop in Holborn in London. The shop closed and the moulds were acquired by Wills Finecast and supplemented their Finecast car kits range. The Finecast ones had engine details whereas the Auto Kits were mainly kerb side models. Wills Finecaxt company was acquired in the 70's and became South Eastern Finecast operating from the same premises in Forest Row, Sussex here in the UK. The company' s main line of products was for 00 Gauge model railways, and they also did a nice range of 1/32nd scale traction engines.

Fast forward and all the ranges were acquired by Squires at Bognor Regis, Sussex here in the UK a company that supplies a huge range of tools for model makers. As far as I know they are marketing the kits, but not sure of the availability of any of them as it depends on what they got as full kits and what they may have to produce to fill any gaps.

I have an Auto Kits MG TD to build and a Finecast Bugatti Type  59. The fidelity of detail on the Finecast kit is the better of the two, but the MG TD will make up into a nice model also. I will be looking to replace the wheels on the Bugatti with a set of Le Mans Miniatures photo etched wheels from Grand Prix Models that will really set the model off well. 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Bugatti Fan

[ChrisR]

Some of these kits are still available.

http://www.sefinecast.co.uk

[redzed]

thank you very much bugatti fan, and i did find a site that still sells these

[Ace-Garageguy]

I have a few. They're challenging, but can be the basis of spectacular models of historically important subjects.

Thanks to Bug Fan for the history, too.

[Bugatti Fan]

Chris, it looks like Squires are trading the kits using the South Eastern Finecast brand name as it is well known.

if you look up Squires I think that it will be the same address as on the info you posted.

Forgot to.mention in my last post that all the South Eastern Finecast kits are in white metal for those reading this thread and are unfamiliar with the Finecast and Auto Kits brands.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Bugatti Fan

[BRIAN BERKE]

The AUTO-KIT RANGE was marketed by Automodels who had a store on Finsbury Pavement, London in the late 60's. These metal kits were their range but were manufactured at Forrest Row. Sussex. I know this as I drove a load of printed boxes for the kits from the store to Forrest Row.

[Bugatti Fan]

Auto Kits in Finsbury Pavement, London.  Thanks for that correction Brian. I visited the store once and thought it was in Holborn trying to remember all those years back.