Comments (0) 令一眾F1收藏家等了幾乎10年的McLaren M23 James Hunt, 1976 World Championship因為電影Rush的熱賣再次乘勢推出，聽聞這次是限量750台。
這次的再版其實沒多大變化，最主要是車頭Good Year底色油成黃色，車身兩旁加了一個贊助商標誌，車尾頂部變成白色長方形 (這下可以更方便自行加萬寶路水貼)，James Hunt的衣服裝飾多了一個贊助商標誌，以及引擎細節多了2個顏色。
這是2004年的原版:
另外發現再版的Minichamps/PMA編號原來只是增加一個數字，由530-761811變成530-761821。
我一直都有一個異想天開的想法就是成立一個國際車模交易所(跟股票交易所一樣)，即時提供最新最具指標的車模收藏行情。
國際車模交易所的整個操作必然全盤自動化， 當然一定要有過往的歷史數據和圖表的供應，10大成交榜，加上車模分析員(演員)的精彩表演，如果想再激烈點可以順勢推出車模期貨。這樣一來肯定會招引很多人不務正業，每天進行車模炒賣，藉工作於娛樂，玩個樂不思蜀。雖然道德上未必一定正確，但是這個概念肯定有很多人Buy。誰不想玩車模之余還有錢賺﹖大聲反對說不想的那些肯定是虛偽的衛道之士。
其實所有的數據就在eBay上，如果可以即時把那些數據自動捕捉下來(這個程序不難寫)，然後進行分析進而生成圖表，那就省回很多功夫。不過還有很多分散的買賣網站、車模討論區等的成交就一定要靠世界各地的收藏家們每天即時的報價更新。
當然以上純屬幻想，請勿當真。雖然最近在FB上，已經有朋友開始了這個計劃，不過一切還是純人手操作。
最近見到兩個令人”驚嘆”的天價UT麥拿倫，銀色的要1千美金，藍色的則要8百美金。
當然最後沒有任何成交，想必賣家甚至連一個查詢也沒有。
以下是賣家的廣告原文:
This is the once in a lifetime opportunity for the McLaren collector! From my personal collection and in very good shape!
This model is quite easily explained impossible to find and really a true rare model!
This is without a doubt the rarest UT model ever produced and also the most sought after of them all!
The experienced McLaren collector already know what this is.
I have collected McLarens for many years and this is as rare as it gets from a commercial producer like UT!
They were released in a rumored 20 Silver units and 100 Dark Blue ones.
These prototypes of the McLaren LM were released as promos before the widely known orange UT McLaren came out.
There are some notable differences like metal door hinges instead of the common plastic ones and an all silver/black interior with added details!
It also has all silver exhaust tips and a silver/black engine compared to the normal orange one.
This model came to me in an UT “blue box” which is impossible to confirm as the original as some came with blue boxes and others with a white one.
其實以上”震撼”的場面經常都會久不久在國際拍賣場上見到，而且賣家自己做媒推高價格的更多不勝數，上當的笨蛋當然也有，但為數應該不會很多。
其實車模市場價格跟股票一樣，每天都在變動，當中有不少熱門當炒的產品，如一眾真正的車模”豪宅”，指的是那些絕版已久的Exoto、CMC還有GMP 。當然市場上也有不少濫竽充數、充斥場面的車模”假豪宅”。
“假豪宅”有一個特點就是根本就經不起時間的考驗，當炒的時候價格可以升高幾倍，但時間一久就馬上打回原形。
最好的一個例子莫過於Autoart最近的那台頭文字D AE86，高位見港幣2500，近來低位見港幣1000，還有行內人說日本的再版訂價才港幣900左右，真OMG! 不知道那些高位入貨的朋友們是否會捶胸頓足，感嘆一時的衝動所造成的經濟損失。不過收藏品這回事，買了就別再看最新價錢，免得傷心，認真了，你就真的輸了。
這是一個曾經出現在2010年底一個英國拍賣會上的私人珍藏，收藏品基本上包括了所有的17台1比18 PMA Ayrton Senna Racing Car Collection和一眾頭盔，要收齊了還真不容易!
熱愛Exoto的收藏家似乎現在還能在日本各地以合理的價格購買到這些絕版多時的寶貝，比起國際拍賣網站的市場價往往便宜了1/3以上，加上現在日圓已經低處徘徊了許久，所以說現在是個千載難逢的入貨機會。
現在不買，還待何時﹖
以下是來自美國專業人偶製作工作室Racing Dioramics的技巧提示:
We use Slow Zap hobby glue and an industrial extremely micro fine bondo to fill gaps and air bubbles- it is a little bit expensive and I dont recommend it for just one job.
We use toothpicks to apply the putty. 220 sandpaper then 400 after. We have never tried hobby putty but I suppose it’s the same.
We prime (that’s how you can see the blemishes) and sand. Then we use a white laquer base coat because the grey primer makes the paint not be true in color and white primer often chips.
We use an airbrush for all this but it is not neccessary. Spray can will do just fine too.
Then we do the painting of the various colors and shading by hand.
We use a combination of acrylics and enamels depending on their properties for the purpose. After- spray dull coat.
For the goggles, use 5 minute epoxy because the Slow Zap glue ( or any instant glue) gives off vapors that fog clear glas and plastic.
If you like, you can put a little Future floor clear or hobby acyrlic clear to clarify the eyes and goggles.
車模起疹子的原因主要還是因為車模生產商偷工減料，在合金裡加入了雜質。
我那些早年的UT/Maisto從來都沒起疹子的現象也就不言而喻了。
另外可以嘗試用打磨膏適度地緩和起疹的現象，如果不是太嚴重，其實還是有得救的。
1. It is caused by impurities contained in the zinc.
2. It can be described as an irreversible chemical reaction triggered by the presence of such impurities changing the molecular structure of the alloy, and which inevitably leads to permanent damage.
3. In diecast models, this is known to appear as paint chipping, cracks or change of the shape of the objects.
4. It occurs randomly, as it depends on the level of impurities contained in each single model. This is obviously unknown and can’t be determined. Thus, while in the worst case scenario most of a production run might be contaminated, it might also happen that a single model out of an entire run might be unexpectedly affected.
5. It is also influenced by heat and light, and exposure to higher temperature and direct sunlight might enhance it. It should be clear however that storing models in a refrigerator in the dark will not avoid its occurrence. If the model was made with tainted metal, sooner or later the defect will surface and it may take several years to develop.
Most diecast models were due to the use at some time of poor quality zinc for manufacturing. Whether this was accidental or due to negligence is neither known, nor is of any importance at this time. The problem is and remains on the table, either if people complain about bad luck or moral integrity or, on the other side, bury their heads in the sand like ostriches.
I think that the only useful option now is to make collectors aware of those models known to be affected, as there is no cure for this disease.
今天在書店的一本F1冠軍圖書裡讀到了一篇關於前世界冠軍Damon Hill的故事。據說他曾經報稱是1962年出世的，但後來記者從一張1961年的照片裡發現了這個孩童的蹤影。因為Wolfgang von Trips(那個開法拉利156 F1的德國人)就是在1961年離世的，所以Damon Hill不可能在一年後也就是1962年出世。
回家後我很快地就在網上找到了這張1961年的老照片。這張圖片很有意思，因為幾乎每個都是鼎鼎大名的F1賽車手，而且跟我收藏的那些高端Exoto/CMC賽車息息相關，如GT40, D-Type, W196R, 49B和156/246 F1等等。
由左至右: Bruce McLaren, Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks, Graham Hill, Jo Bonnier and Wolfgang von Trips (同年離世).
