It’s
the same every year, you know summer’s not far away
when the club organizers contact you about advertising/sponsorship/trade
displays for race meetings, and this year is no exception.
First one for us will be the Sandown Historics 8th-9th-10th
November and, as last year was an excellent weekend, I think
you should be there too. Also this year we will be doing
something at the Tasman Revival meeting at Eastern Creek,
28th-29th-30th November, not sure if we will have a stand
but we will deferentially be there and it would be nice
to meet up with any of you from NSW.
Some
bad news on the model front is the increases in prices
due to the cost of materials. Unfortunately we rely on
oil for everything these days and, with the huge hike
in oil prices, up goes everything else. We are now seeing
price increases of up to 18% on kits & built models
from the European manufacturers. Fortunately we have a
good exchange rate against the UK pound at the moment
but not so great against the Euro and many of the French
and Italian kits are now heading well over the $100 mark.
Also, for the second time this year, Aus Post is increasing
postal charges, parcel post within Australia is unaffected
but overseas registered parcels will be increasing by
around 6 to 7%.
The
good news is we can hold the price of our home produced
kits for the time being at $85 and we have the Bathurst
B&H Sierra RS500 ready now. This kit will build any
of the three versions from 1988/89
Modellismo
90 have just released some more Ensign MN176 kits and
two of them were driven by Chris Amon in 1976, one from
Monaco and the other from the British GP, but I must say
I prefer the version from This Way Up. You now have a
choice TWU in metal or Modellismo in resin both are $95.
Red
Line have released a limited edition built Ferrari 312PB
from Daytona driven by Schenken/Peteson
We
have acquired some decals that will enable the Aussie
entered Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Car to be made from the Nurburgring
24hr 2007. These are for car #27. Why didn’t they
make #26 as well? Maybe someone will make the decals for
the Dubai 24hr 2008 as the Aussie car won.
We
have acquired a few white metal kits of the BL Mini 1275GT
This is the UK version but, with a little ingenuity, the
Aus version can be made. We have 3 standard kits and 1
with opening bonnet/engine detail. These kits are pretty
rare and are the only model of this Mini made. Standard
kit $100 and with engine $120
Jade
Miniatures are planning to make the Ferguson P99 four-wheel
drive Grand Prix car. As well as the UK version of S Moss/
J Fairman they will also make the car that ran in Aus/NZ
in 1961 driven by G Hill & I Ireland.
