Tamiya Toyota Celsior 1/24 | Model Kit Index

Pros:

Like many Tamiya kits, this goes together with no problems at all, and includes a full engine. Interior detail is great, underbody also.

Cons:

Emblems are only decals due to the age of the kit. I'd have preferred the kit moulded in white not black. Original kit wheels and tyres look way to small. Chroming the window surrounds is a pain.

Verdict:

A great but showing-it's-age kit of a slightly boring car.

Build notes:

I'd been wanting to do a classic JDM white and gold two-tone for quite some time and the Celsior (LS400) was a good fit. It did remind me how much of a pain white cars can be, especially if the base plastic is anything other than (and in this case the opposite- black). This kit has got a bit grubby in places on the white and proved hard to clean and the BMF shiny chrome bits such as the lacing were a pain to put on as well - and don't photograph very well either. Overall I'm only so-so about this build, although the engine is nice. Much as I love the white/gold I don't think I'll be tackling it again any time soon.

I do love Japanese 4 door saloon cars but in many ways the Celsior/Lexus LS400 is one of the most boring looking of them all, I guess to be expected what with Toyota playing it very very safe for the first ever Lexus.

I scrapped the kit's tiny wheels and giant tyres and replaced them with the wheels from a Tamiya Porsche Boxster, and I added a few other details to the interior and the engine bay.

Paint is Tamiya Mica white and Tamiya Champagne gold, clearcoated with Tamiya TS13.

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