In my last article, we looked at the Lotus 102B, and some of the goodies that are available of that model. This month, we continue with the Lotus 102D, which was entered for the 1992 Formula One season. The drivers were Mika Hakkinen and Johnny Herbert, and the car underwent a change in engine suppliers. Gone was the Judd V8, and in it's place was a Cosworth HB V8. In addition, the car had rather a sporty (in my opinion) paint job compared to the white and green of the previous 102B. There aren't many models of the 102D available to collectors, but the good news is that both of these are still available through various markets.
First up is the 1:20 scale model kit by Tamiya. There are a few things about this particular kit that are unique. First off, the kit contains a prepainted driver (the outer box would tell you which one), along with a set of tires with the Goodyear markings already on them. For those of you who have attempted a Tamiya kit, you'll understand what a big deal this is. For the lettering on the tires, Tamiya uses a set of rub off decals...which usually means major mess ups for me! The car itself is molded in yellow, and the decals are top notch as well. This is certainly not a kit for beginners!! You can normally source this kit off Ebay, or Ebay.co.uk.
If you are looking for a pre-assembled model, then I've got you covered as well. This is the latest release from Spark models, in 1/43 scale. Spark, as you well know by now, is one of the leaders in the 1/43 range, and has really focused on the Lotus model range (thank goodness!). This model is no exception to the quality and craftsmanship that I have come to expect (and pay for). You might be able to make out in the picture (again, realize this is 1/43 scale), the various antenna on the car, along with top notch decal placement. In addition, the driver (in this case, it's Mika) even has a plastic visor on the helmet. How they hand build these, I will never know.... Lotus elves perhaps? There are various manufactures out there that sell these, but I picked mine up from Jim at Diecasm. Being a rare model, with so little out there, I would HIGHLY recommend getting one of these. You won't regret it! Just remember, hand built = limited supply.
Here's a little goodie from my personal collection... it's an actual radiator surround off a Lotus 102D. Just one of those "Do I really need it...? Heck yeah!" moments!
Finally, what do you do when you want a model of a particular car that isn't available? Well, if you are Automodello, you just produce it! Our own Jim Cowen is the proprietor of Automodello, and his first mission (he now has other cars in the works) was to make a 1/43 scale model of the Griffith Series 200. Jim sent me a model to look over, and I was completely blown away by the quality and detail on the model! Here is a picture...you can judge for yourself:
I would put this modelright up there against the best in 1/43 scale...in some cases, it's even better. The detail is phenomenal, right down to the photo etched wipels....even the emblem on the trunk of the car. Here's a bit of information about the car itself: "In launching his very own sportscar, Andrew "Jack" Griffith had lofty aspirations. His target was Shelby's Cobra, and he sought to out-snake the famous roadster by wedging Ford's burly 289 into an even smaller, lighter chassis than Shelby used. The result was the explosive Griffith Series 200. At less than 1800 pounds, handling was razor sharp. And with almost 300 horses on tap, it had power-to-weight ratio to rival any production sports car on the planet. Topped off with attractively off-beat styling, the Griffith Series 200 had what it needed to create a loyal following and an enduring legend."
I thought that other collector's out there, might want to add this to their British stable! Next month, we will continue our assault on Formula One with more goodies from Spark, and a few more variations of some Hot Wheels/ Matchbox cars.
Happy Hunting!!
