1:43 Garage43 Benetton B193 Michael Schumacher First Win in F1

After collecting a number of BBR Ferrari F1s of Michael Schumacher, I felt the need to acquire Michael's Benetton F1 models. At that time, the only alternative was a 1:43 minichamps version with figure but the quality was below that of BBR. I researched for a BBR Michael Schumacher Benettons but only found the B194 Spain and B195. For this reason, I commissioned Laurent Tay of Garage43 to build me this special model: B193 Portuguese GP.

Quality of the paint was exceptional. Others might not like the clear coat over decals on this model but personally I prefer it this way to protect the decals and paint. I have models which resemble the real car more and not too shiny because of the lack of clear coat but I'm concerned that decals might lift in the future.

Based from a Tameo kit. I like the tobacco livery on this model. Unfortunately tobacco liveries have been banned probably to protect kids from smoking. I'm not sure if FIA or whatever regulatory body had conducted a scientific study that proved a direct correlation between tobacco advertisement and smoking on young adults.

Laurent's builds are always very clean. For sure, his models have more details than a factory built BBR or MR. For example, in this model a custom seat belt was used.

 I like the carbon base which contrast that of the bright color of the F1 car. There was a time when I planned to have all my Schumi's F1s to be built by Laurent.  The quality to price ratio was hard to beat but the frequent delays on the finish date (and one time even cancelation of the project after months of waiting) of the models were too much to bear.  For this reason, I've decided to look for other professional builders and source my models from other auction sites such as Ebay and Yahoo Japan.

1:43 Autobarn Mclaren F1 GTR Orange Crusher

In the past few years, car enthusiasts have been comparing a Ferrari 250 GTO and a Mclaren F1. This may be unthinkable when the car was released in the mid 1990s and even when it won Le Mans in 1995. However, the dramatic rise in its value of more than $20 million has raised a valid point in the claim of being the best supercar of all time. Morever, the Mclaren F1 has overtaken the valuation of iconic Ferraris such as the Ferrari 250 SWB and other notable supercars including the Bugatti Veyron. This may be attributed to many factors such as low production number (106), Le Mans winner, fastest naturally aspirated car, central sitting position, among others. Moreover, in my opinion the F1 is still the best Mclaren road car beating newer cars including the P1 and Senna.

When I became aware of the Autobarn Mclaren models in 2010, I was hesistant to start a new line in my collection. At that time, I was focused on BBR Ferrari F1 Schumacher models. In addition, the increasing number of Autobarn Mclaren F1 variants will make it quite expensive to complete. Without doubt there were a lot of interesting Mclaren F1 model liveries such as the Ueno Clinic, Fina, Marlboro, West, Gulf, Lark and others. If I buy one, it would lead to another purchase that would result to having no funds for my main line (BBR F1s). For this reason, I decided to buy just one Mclaren F1 Papaya Orange. Little did I know that this particular model would be extremely hard to find because of its limited production of just 50 pieces. Not until recently I bought one from a collector in UK.

The quality of Autobarn (AB) Mclaren F1s is at the level of BBR which is not surprising because I believe MR produced AB models. After all these years, the condition of the paint and parts are still good. Not bad for an almost 20 years old model! As much as I like this model, in the near future I'm thinking of commissioning a master builder to build me another Orange crusher for more details and the UENO clinic Le Mans winner version. Until then, I'll enjoy this model and continue to hunt for other AB F1 models.

1:43 Hayakawa Porsche 908/3 Japanese Masters Part 3 Matsuyoshi Hayakawa

One of my goals in 2019 is to have one model from the Japanese Master Builders such as Momose, Hayakawa, Kamimura, or Shimoma. Last November of 2018, I was offered by a fellow collector an opportunity to own a Hayakawa Porsche 908/3. During that time, I didn't have the funds to purchase it right away so I asked the seller to reserve this model for a few months. For the next couple of months, I tried to raise funds by selling some of my models. Fortunately, I was able to sell a number of my AMRs, BBRs, a Barnett, 2 Albercas, among others. It was hard for me to let go of these models but it is rare to see a Hayakawa model live, let alone own one. 

Fast forward March 2019, I almost had the funds (few hundred dollars short) for the model when I decided to email the seller to ask for few more pictures. I received an email with the pictures but the seller wasn't to eager to let go of the model. To be honest, I understood because in the past I agreed to sell the model but deep inside there was the feeling of not wanting to let go. This may attributed to the sentimental value of the model. Two months later, he agreed to sell the model. 

Between November 2018 and April 2019, I did an extensive research on the Japanese Master Builder to  find out who is the best model builder in the world. Before doing my research, I thought that Akihiro Kamimura is the best but this is not the case. He may be the most popular because of his models were featured in magazines and of course his gdist blog. One thing is for sure, he is in the top 5 in the world. It is widely accepted that Matsuyoshi Hayakawa is the best model builder.

Hard to imagine that this model was built from a Starter kit. Lots of scratchbuilding were done on this model. The details are on a different league especially the engine. This could be mistaken for a bigger scale. Paint is flawless, as close to perfection as you can get.

Porsche and Gulf livery = perfect combination. The Porsche 908/3 may be overshadowed by its more famous brother the 917 but the success in tight tracks such as Targa Florio has made the 903/8 a true Legend.

I told myself that this would be my last high end 1:43 model. This would make sense since it would be hard for me to find another one that could beat this. Easier said than done, I recently obtained another JF Alberca model and commissioned Jean Francois to built me another one. I would quote a collector that once told me "collecting model cars is never-ending". I couldn't agree more.

1:43 Momo Factory Ferrari Dino 206 P Japanese Builders Part 2: Kazuhiko Momose

It is widely accepted that the master model builders of Japan are the best in the world when it comes to assembling 1:43 model cars. Kazuhiko Momose is one of these elite professional builders. Personally, I rank him in the top 2 in the world. I know this is subjective but if we would consider price as the determinant, Momose's models are the second most expensive. I read that he makes additional parts from scratch such as headlights, wheels, rear light, among others.

After seeing this model for sale at website store based in Europe, I wasn't sure if I'll get the item for a number of reasons. Firstly, at that time I was also thinking of acquiring another model by a top Japanese builder. Secondly, some experienced collectors believe that it might be better to have a model assembled from a mediocre kit (e.g. Starter) which would offer a greater challenge to the builder and eventually more details to the model. In other words, model will be appreciated more if a simple kit was used to make a truly exceptional model. This would involve a lot of scratch building, modifications and of course more time consuming. Lastly, the price is high considering this model is closed. Is it worth it?

Based from a Le Phoenix kit (France). I'm a big admirer of the AMR and Le Phoenix brand. Ever since I bought my first AMR 250 GTO model a few years ago, I became hooked to this brand and tried to limit my acquisitions on these 2 brands. For this reason, I've decided that I should have a Le Phoenix kit built by a top Japanese master builder. Furthermore, I like the weight of models built from white metal kit. I don't know, whenever I inspect these models, I feel like that they are more durable and valuable. This may be due to the fact that their 1:1 counterparts were built using the same material (or at least close to the real material). 

The model is as perfect as can be with its clean assembly, painting and extra details. With all the positive things I can say about the model, it is an instinct to look for the flaws which I had trouble finding. 

The Dino 206 S is arguably one of the best looking Ferrari of all time. It is sometimes referred to as the baby Ferrari P3. Good thing I found a picture showing the interior of the model. Otherwise, I won't be able to appreciate the beauty and details of the dashboard. Going back to the question if this model was worth it, I would definitely say yes.

1:43 JPM Ferrari 330 P4 no. 20 Le Mans 1967

I love the curves of the Ferrari 330 P4 no.20 Spyder 24H Le Mans 1967. It was an era when government restrictions were not as strict as compared today. For this reason, designers at that time can express their creativity to build works of art. One such creation is the Ferrari 330 P4 which is one of the most beautiful Ferrari ever built.

This particular model was built and assembled by Jean Paul Magnette who is widely considered the best builder that worked for the famous AMR brand. Therefore, it is imperative that serious collectors should own at least one JPM model for their collection. 

Build quality is very good with perfect painting as you can expect from JPM. An experienced collector told me before that JPM's painting is just right, not too thick or thin. In terms of details, we won't find that many additional parts that one could find in an JF Alberca's model. However, the model was built cleanly without any glue residues that we can find in a BBR model and even from well known model builders. If you would ask me to describe the model in a few words, it would be PERFECT BUT SIMPLE.

Built from an Annency kit. Presentation has a simple base with a logo of JPM Montage. I would have preferred that the model has an acrylic cover to protect it from dust and damage. Box looks normal that could be improved to make the model more special. For example, using high quality and thick paper  to make the box. 

We should be thankful that JPM is continuing the AMR tradition of building high quality models from white metal kits. His models are expensive compared to a factory built AMR but as the saying goes if you want quality you need to pay more.

1:43 BBR Ferrari F310 Spain GP (Ryuji Kinoshita) JAPANESE MODELER PART 1

It is widely accepted that the Japanese modelers are the best in the world which includes Hayakawa, Momose, Suzuki, Shimoma, Kamimura  just to name a few. They build models characterized by extreme cleanliness, unbelievable details and unparalleled paintwork. These are achieved through advanced building techniques coupled with their culture of trying to achieve perfection. 

Two years ago, I sold my BBR Ferrari F310 Spain GP which was one of the rarest handbuilt model around. I never thought that I'll own another model but this time built by Japanese modeler Ryuji Kinoshita. Unlike the well known Japanese modelers, he's not a professional builder but rather a hobbyist who sometimes commission his work at a famous store Raccoon in Japan. When this was offered to me, I was a bit hesitant because I didn't know the builder. However, after some research and correspondence from the owner of Raccoon, I decided to get it.

The paintwork and details are top notch. A lot of additional parts were added into the model. The previous owner even told me that this model's quality is at par with the other well known Japanese Master modelers.

The base and presentation are typical of Japanese modelers with acrylic, white base. Model comes with a generic blue box.

Michael Schumacher's helmet is a welcome addition and makes the model even more special.

1:43 Barnett Ferrari 290 MM Fangio

In 2018, I commissioned Steve Barnett to build a Ferrari 290 MM and Maserati 450 S. For me these two cars belong to the "Golden Age" of racing. Imagine a Ferrari being driven by the world's best driver Juan Manual Fangio against top competition. If I could go back in time, I'll definitely choose the 1950s and 1960s to witness the epic battle between Ferrari and Maserati. Unfortunately I can't do that. Unless I have tens of millions of dollars to own the real car, I would have to settle with these beautiful 1:43 models. Due to  budgetary constraints, I asked Steve to build a "curb or simple version" of the model. 

Built from an AMG kit with engine details. Steve told me that the kit was badly cast. He remade some parts of the suspension and soldered these for strength. Door hinges were remade so that the doors could open and close.

This car has the iconic Blue and yellow color of the nose.

Although this model didn't receive the full treatment to show Steve's abilities, I was satisfied with the end result.