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Topic starter
17/05/2021 8:25 am
Rather belatedly, I just got myself a Greenlight Starsky & Hutch Gran Torino.
OK, so it's probably been around for a while and I'm sure lots of you kiddies already have one on your bedside table, sitting next to your teeth in the glass jar. But I thought I'd post it anyway, just because it's bright and cheerful on a dull morning.
As we'd expect from Greenlight it's a pretty decent model with all the detailing required to convey the feel of the original.
If I felt like having a grumble (a relatively rare occurence, I grant you, but not unheard of) I would suggest that the curved crease on the car's rear flanks seems to be rather weakly defined, with the result that the back end of the white body stripe looks like a pretty bland curve without the distinct "kink" as illustrated on Greenlight's own box art.
Mind you, if you look at pics of the real thing, that detail does look more or less pronounced from different angles. I have the old 1:36 Corgi version which has a more convincing crease, although in other respects it is much more crude and toy-like.
So why should I suddenly think of getting a Starskymobile? Well, because I was sorting out a box of model oddments a couple of weeks ago and came across this - the fake Striped Tomato done by Pilen on their AMC Javelin.
It;s a bit of fun, although you might say it just spoils the look of the basic Pilen model, which has always been one of my favourites - a really crisp casting which captures the shape well, and nicely finished with a very pretty paint job.
Pilen were mainly known for reworking old dies from French Dinky, Corgi, Solido and others, but there are one or two models that seem to have been done from scratch because nobody can find any older models they might have been based on. The Javelin seems to be one of these, and they did a fine job with it. I don't think there has been another 1:43 model of the first generation Javelin? So much nicer than the second generation effort, which turned a very delicately styled car into a clumsy imitation of a Mustang (only my opinion)
p.s. By the way, the British TV car show "Fifth Gear" did a track comparison of the Gran Torino and the General Lee Charger (You may have come across it already). Neither car quite lived up to its on-screen super performance image. The Torino wallowed like a barge. The Charger had terrible brakes, and the Torino had so little acceleration on the track that the brakes were hardly needed.
You can see it here:
Fifth Gear - Dukes of Hazzard v Starsky & Hutch Shoot-Out - YouTube
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.
Topic starter
17/05/2021 11:01 am
Yes, same video. If you put your cursor on my link (I know, it doesn't LOOK like a link!) it will actually turn blue and will fire up when clicked.
I only mention it for the benefit of anyone who isn't sure how to post a "live" link to a video, because on the old Forum set-up you had to incorporate the web address into a tricky little hypertext formula, like so:
But now I've found you can simply paste in a copy of the web address and you have a "click-able" link. Saves a bit of bother.
p.s. The side view of the Torino on your YouTube link seems to undermine my complaint about the shape of the white flash. Ah well, I did say it depends on the viewpoint. I beg Greenlight's forgiveness.
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.
17/05/2021 11:25 am
And for AMC pony car fans there is also the AMC 43rd scale plastic kit of the AMX, a sort of shortened Javelin. Not a bad kit if you are into building a rather simple plastic kit.
John F. Quilter
Eugene, Oregon USA
John Kuvakas and John Kuvakas reacted
17/05/2021 12:19 pm
Indeed the Pilen is a very nice casting - I've had mine from about the time it came out. GreenLight made another Torino that any dude would abide by.
17/05/2021 1:42 pm
I have the red Grand Torino by Minichamps but without the white stripes. Several times I thought to make the decals... but finally I think I prefer it in its origin look. Maybe I'll take Greenlight Stripped Tomato...
Keko Romero Sánchez
Cádiz, Spain
http://kekomovil.blogspot.com
Topic starter
17/05/2021 2:58 pm
@john-quilter Yes, I got the AMT kit many years ago and it's pretty good. It didn't come with the AMX decals, those are just my own dry lettering transfers.
I am also the proud owner of a diecast version by the Spanish firm Nacoral Inter-Cars, who did a fine line of models of quite stupendous crudity of detail. It could be greatly enhanced by the addition of a Starsky & Hutch stripe applied with a 1/2 paintbrush by anyone with limited visual acuity and advanced delirium tremens.
I have one or two other delights made by the same outfit. Their '68 Thunderbird, for example, borders on the sublime.
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.
18/05/2021 11:24 am
Graeme, If that blue Thunderbird does not satisfy, start searching for the AMT plastic kit of one which was in the same series as the AMX. Or pop for the four door version by Brooklin.
John F. Quilter
Eugene, Oregon USA
Topic starter
18/05/2021 12:23 pm
Goodness me, how could a chap not be satisfied with that beauty?
Yes, the Brooklin 4-door is nice, but having seen it on offer for around GBP 120 (USD 180) so I think I'll stick with my old French Dinky 2 door coupe. The one with the working tail lights. Mine has the black vinyl roof, which I believe is the rarer version. I believe the plain green one has been re-released by Altaya.
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.
18/05/2021 1:00 pm
@graeme-ogg - How many stripped tomatoes are out there now, that is the question! I bet Greenlight based it on a repro with the rounded white flash. Sorta like the fake one in the british video clip! 
https://www.goldeagle.com/tips-tools/hollywood-classics-starsky-hutch-1975-ford-gran-torino/
John Kuvakas and John Kuvakas reacted
18/05/2021 1:17 pm
