Kit: Tamiya Toyota Celica GT-4 (Snorkel Version) 1/24 Scale
I did this model sometime just after I started college in 1996. I will forever remember building this model because it was the first one I ever put together that had photo etched parts in aluminum. This was a new level of quality in a kit for me.
Everything went together the way it was supposed to and it’s holding up quite well.
The main gimmick with this model is the insanely detailed interior. The aforementioned photo etched parts were seatbelt latches and loops. I had to tie my own friggin’ seatbelts!!
They gave you this length of red plastic and you had to loop it through all the little latches and whatnot and make your own 5 point seatbelts which tied to the structure in the very back. Amazing.
The decals were out of this world. I love the Castrol color scheme and the decals just called me. Problem is, none of them stuck worth a damn, not even for a few minutes.
I ended up making a solution of white glue and water and running them all through that. And after several months of work getting everything just right, I hit it with my usual clear coat and it BAM all of a sudden it shrinks everything up and it’s all full of wrinkles. Years later I would have done everything differently but for me back then this was a new and unpleasant experience.
But I give myself credit for the outstanding build, and the metal antenna and mesh grille guard brings it up a notch.
Still a really cool build and it’s still on display (though the stupid antenna is too tall for my display case.)