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Radical Racing
USA
16 Posts |
 Posted - 09/22/2010 : 17:04:11
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I recently bought a new BBR release of a classic custom bodied Ferrari. I found when I got it there was no reference anywhere on the model, the base or the carton as to the year of manufacture. Now year of manufacture is important to me for several reasons.
#1 I organize and keep track of my collection in an Excel spread sheets with the models listed by year of actual manufacture from oldest to newest.
#2 I like to read about my models in my library of Ferrari books. Without the year I am sometimes at a loss to identify the car exactly.
#3 I organize my displays by year of manufacture from oldest to newest. I like to see the progression of styling and engineering development progress from one year to the next.
The point of this post is that when I asked BBR by e mail to tell me the year of manufacture they sent me a one sentence response saying they didn't know the year of manufacture and had just made the model from some photographs. Was I just being blow off by a busy secretary or did they really not do research on the car? Both possibilities trouble me.
Frankly I think model manufacturers are missing a great marketing tool and doing a great disservice to their customers by not including an information sheet about the car in the box. I don't care whether it's a classic one off from the 50's or a new production car. Sure we love the cars for the shape but the history is also enjoyable and interesting part of every car. It is another way to engage the collector.
Not all of us are blessed with a great Ferrari library or can remember the story behind each car. Wouldn't it be convenient and helpful if there was a history included with each model?
Maybe if we make enough noise some manufacturer will see the logic in this and make it a standard policy. It frankly amazes me that it has not been done before to my knowledge, at least in 1:43.
Todd
PS - Some history would be nice with competition cars also. |
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the.x.man
New Zealand
877 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2010 : 17:17:49
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I agree with you there, Todd. It is something Ugo Fadini does with his models, a little extra touch I always appreciate.
The silly thing is, it would be almost no extra work to include a sheet of paper in the box with a little about the car (how it came about, famous people that owned it, race history, etc), as they should already have most of that information to hand from when they developed the model in the first place.
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The only substitute for cubic inches is more cubic inches!
~ Max Balchowsky |
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ferrari4evr1
USA
297 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2010 : 18:59:51
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Perfect post Todd... I completely agree with you..
I had the same trouble with MR Collection and their MR55 model. According to them it is a 1960 400 SA Cabriolet(on their label) but, digging deeper into the SA history, there is no car that matches this car in details. Only a 1960 250 GT Cabriolet Speciale!! I emailed them as well and all they said was, it is based on a real car but they have no archive on the serial number. Ahh ok, thanks! Can you tell me if it was a misprinted label because this car does not fit any 400 SWB SA Cabriolets ever built??!!! I got NO answer from them. Of course...
James |
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43builder
USA
100 Posts |
Posted - 09/22/2010 : 19:13:14
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i have often though of writing a book that catalogs all of the BBR models from day 1 in 1984. it would be quite a job however.
Patick Lewis |
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vova43
Russia
186 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2010 : 00:24:43
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Completely agree with you, Todd.
It's an important topic. Few times I also had the same problems when did not got any historical information from model manufacturers including BBR.
To 43builder:
Such book is existed. It is "Le Grandi Piccoli" published by BBR itself in 1995, if I remember correctly. It's large format edition covered all their models from the very first to date of publication with color photos of all variations of all models. Since that time they promised - and not once - volume two with models from 1995 up. But till today we have wait only...
Vladimir |
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Lars T.
Germany
21 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2010 : 02:59:23
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I sure wish BBR would make and publish the 2nd edition! For now, I'm trying to find at least the 1st edition, maybe some day on Ebay...
Ciao,
Lars T. |
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moriaan
Netherlands
510 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2010 : 03:52:33
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The "italian" style of doing business is "special".
Delays, poor information, the mystique, non organised...
I have experienced it since I started, it never changed.
Try contacting any other artist or creative mind...
Artists are not interested in the business, or questions about past work.
Hans |
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43builder
USA
100 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2010 : 07:19:09
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I wish they would offer that book with a true limited edition car. That is something i would gladly pay for. i bought a 458 Safety car on a leather base, with a book of all the F430 CHALLENGE cars, and i think it was well worth the money!
Patick Lewis |
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Radical Racing
USA
16 Posts |
Posted - 09/23/2010 : 19:03:14
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Let's start with RGM and Makeup, companies that I believe will listen to our web host. RGM especially needs to do his but he also does not even put the year of manufacture on his models anywhere.
If I understand his business plan, it is to offer special editions and colors based on BBR molds. RAnier is doing research to create these special editions. The information should be right at hand. I think a collector should be told about the 1:1 source of these special editions.
Makeup seems as if they are trying to make a name for theseselves by one upping BBR and MR. So add a nice histroy with each model. Makeup would get me to buy their model over BBR or MR every time.
The more I think about this the angrier I get. We pay what many people in the world think is outrageous money ($250 for that little thing!) for a model and we get only rudimentary and often wrong or incomplete information about the car the model is based on.
Not right. I am going to start reporting model manufacturers to the model car police.
Todd
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A plea to the mfrs. for more information
