Renaissance Ford MKIV - 3/4 Le Mans 1967

a Quick Revue

by Peter Radcliffe

 

This kit is one of the latest 1/24th-scale kits from Renaissance. These larger scale kits are very much in the style of a 1/43rd kit and are perhaps ideal for those who feel that 1/43rd are too small for older fingers and eyes.

The kit

It is resin with some turned metal parts, clear parts and "rubber" tyres. The main parts are the body and floor pan which has reasonable interior detail and an engine block. The kit is curbside but has sufficient under body detail for the finished model to look complete. The detail on the body is sharp with good panel lines and detail.

 

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The wheels 

They are unusual in that the rims are cast resin as opposed to the more usual turned metal. The wheel centres are resin and the detail of the "spokes" and knock off hubs are good quality photoetche. The "rubber" tyres have a good tread pattern and shape but like most Renaissance parts the feeds are large. This means that careful preparation is needed but the large feeds do ensure that there are few voids in the cast parts. There is a certain amount of flash but this is not excessive.

 

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The decals 

It appear to be of excellent quality as do the two sheets of photoetche parts. The front windscreen and head light covers are clear vacforms and the side and rear window are printed onto clear sheet. Instructions are better than many and the kit is packaged in a good strong box which should ensure it arrives without any extra pieces.

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Renaissance kits are in general very good; they usually have far greater detail than a similar kit from say Provence Moulage. Ettiene Dhont has a good eye for shape and the completed models are very satisfying. Occasionally his level of detail is perhaps excessive but as the kits often come with the option of opening up doors or more detailed options some of the hidden detail can be omitted.

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 The models are well researched and the differences between races of the same car or similar cars accurately modeled.

I feel that kit manufacturers could perhaps consider that we model makers are perhaps less capable than the factory builder. I would like to see all kits come with two vacforms. Photoetche and decal sheets could have extra small parts or decals included with little or no extra cost as the main cost is in the artwork.