[Closed] PICS - My take on Neo's offerings - "a carbuncle on the nose of a super model"

Randall, thanks for taking the time to try and give your views on this. There are collectors who shy away from really even considering these questions.

I do feel a number of aspects of this remain up in the air, and, for example, in point (3) when I said : "Will a real 1:1 car and a real 1:43 model be used, as seen in person be the way a model is criticized or will images and snapshots and descriptions be utilized?" I also meant when on a Forum or elsewhere, when a model is taken to task, will images, snapshots and descriptions be used to base those criticisms on.

I guess my main point is a variety of configurations should be considered allowable and that releases shouldn't only be acceptable if they have passed the perhaps narrow judgement of a "star chamber" of factory-only correctness.

Mike, it was fun! I am hoping others here will respond to your thoughtful questions unless we've totally wrung this topic and fellow posters out.

I agree with your point about offering many variations of a certain model, at least by the same builder. This makes good use of the pattern (recycling), provides variety and appeals to more interests in the hobby, and offers more glimpses into the history of automobiles vis a vis period-specific style preferences and available technology.

Having said that, I am hopeful that more subjects can be rendered by the builders who seem to do such a superb job of covering the European market. I suppose this is a function of the much greater demand for European replicas from a populace who still loves their little 1:43 models. There appear to be abundant sources of models in France, Germany, Holland, UK, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Ukraine and Russia. If I were a Peugot follower I would be thrilled by the assortment provided by Minichamps, Solido and the like.

For North American subjects, there are still many opportunities. I am a little disappointed to see the builders repeat subjects. For example,why another '54 Mercury after Collectors Classics and Brooklin covered it? Why another '59 Cadillac convertible? I suppose one answer may be to "do it my way" or "to get it right".

That is why I applaud Conquest for its new 1947 Plymouth and 1960 Plymouth (go to the Route66modelcarstore.com website). These models have not been seen in 1:43rd. Others, please continue to issue new models and variations of your existing models and I will continue to buy them.

Bob, perhaps you have been heard? See above photo.

I'm not sure about the colors and tires but the rest of it seems to look pretty good. Is Neo on the right track?

Larger PICS of NEO Dart Swinger...

Thanks for the big pics Dariush, but I defy anyone to show me any correct

Swinger of that era with blacked out windshield, backlight and winshield wiper trim. Except on Joe Blow's modified car, done because he thought it looked it better, not becuse it's correct. (Let's not even mention the dual exhaust extensions). I don't know where NEO is finding their cars to model, but there's just too much modified "stuff" appearing on their finished product.

This entire discussion is most-informative and relevant, but regardless of any model's price,
I don't buy them if they're based on a "non-factory" car. PERIOD!

Someone needs to volunteer to be NEO's unpaid liaison with real-world cars modelled for serious collectors; on second thought, maybe it could be a "(model) cars for correctness" gig.

Wanna talk serious, NEO?

TG

I have several conversations with Jaap van Dijk re these remarks.

He does read the forum on a fairly regular basis. However, he always seems to have a reason for what we see as errors. He is creating a lot of models in a short time and I expect these mistakes will just keep cropping up.

Tom, I heartily agree!

My 2 cents:

I'm sure NEO wondered if there would be a large enough market for US cars, since the number of collectors of 1:43s in the US is not that large.
If these new US models do NOT sell well, I hope NEO does not assume the market is not there. Although I don't consider myself as a "nitpicker", I will not buy a model with totally wrong wheels, 2-tone paint configuration, and other details that I don't have to go to a reference book to confirm that they are wrong. This from a guy who LOVES his 2 NEO Mercedes, and could not wait for them to do some US cars from the '40s and '50s. I think many of you feel this way, and our "bitching" is actually frustration.