A bit of a yarn...

Everyone here should by now know my penchant for the offbeat precision model. One area within that category that is especially appealing is accurate reproductions of parade vehicles. While my absolute favorite is the Autocult 1946 Buick (its style and sheer size create a wow factor), I've also been chasing down classic Tour de France promotional vehicles.

Momaco is an importer and distributor in France that also manufacturers its own line through Perfex, which has come out with some recent eye-catching models. The latest is this 1952 Renault 2.5T built up to promote the French yarn company SOFIL. My model is still boxed and sealed but I found some good pics online that capture its fanciful execution. It even has its own internal LED lighting:

Here's a peek at the real thing:

Last year, Perfex released another SOFIL parade car, based on a 1952 Berliet PL5, which I had to have: 

And on the near horizon is another announcement from Perfex, a 1950 Saurer 3CT1D Heuliez, which will complete the trilogy. It looks big:

Years ago, I saw some parade vehicles (probably advertised by Sinclair) that I passed on due to the asking price. I've regretted it ever since because I've never seen them again. I can't remember who made them, either. They were more for a circus parade and I recall one might have been a lion. And no, I'm not thinking of the later Pinder models from IXO. These were highly detailed and expensive.