Aoshima 1/24 Solar Car

Finally, I got this elusive Solar Car. Two years ago, it was on sale in Hobby HQ but I missed the chance. Then, sometime later, there was another being sold in ICW but then, I again, missed the opportunity. It was not so much of the chance to get it but more of, spare cash. And so, yesterday, when Hobby HQ announced that the solar car was still available (from a recent shipment), I jumped at the chance to get it.

And so, the 1/24 Solar car is finally mine. Still, I am not sure why it was called a car when it is clearly a van.

The parts from the box. The reason why it was so expensive was due to the Solar cells which was stuck to a thick fibreglass material but hey, all of a sudden, this model looks very familiar...

Its the same model I got from ICW a month ago, when rayloke came back with some shipment. Its the Subaru Samba K-88

In other words, I got two Subary Sambas now. Oh, heck. But then again, I am sure I can use the extra van for my project. If you look carefully, these two parts are actually very different. The body on the left (Solar Car) turned yellow due to age.

Instruction manuals which tells you what the Solar Car (left) will use and what the Subaru samba (right) will use. This means I now have two TVs and two Radio sets...

Not understanding the language, the dial at the bottom is for the motor and you get two 'free' figures, just as long as you can cut them out carefully.

And the best part is, this. See the Price list? That is obscene and from a shop which is now closing down. I got it for RM50.00, thanks to Mr. Low.

So, while I did have a happy night, but I could not help but wonder about the future of the model kit hobby over here. The shop above is actually closing down, what with news fro a fellow friend that their shutters in Mid-Valley are closed with the staff counting the stocks. This shop, when it first started, did have quite a following but it was the prices which forced my role as a window shopper. In the late 2000, it was doing very badly as most of the toys are really cheap stuff from China. I wanted to help by buying some stuff but although I tried as hard as I can, I still could not buy anything 'worth' my time. Also, no thanks to their staff following me all over the place, as if I was about to steal something.