My favorite bull.
Finally, I have a decent Diablo model in the collection. Like I’ve said before, not a huge fan of Lamborghini as a brand, but the Diablo easily belongs in my top 10 (a post which I need to get done at some point). This 1/18 Diablo VT Roadster is brought to you by AUTOart and eBay, and it’s even better than what I was expecting.
I got this one for just under $75 shipped, but I wasn’t exactly sure what I would be getting. The handful of potato pics provided weren’t at all awe-inspiring. The model was dusty. There were some sticker residue on the front. I squinted and noticed a slight paint chip on the rear engine hood. But for the price, I thought it was worth the risk, as Diablo models typically don’t fall under $100 with shipping. This one, in yellow, is a bit harder to find these days, and it’s really the perfect color for this car (though the purple could make a strong argument).
When I received the model, I promptly spent an hour cleaning it up, trying to remove dust from every crevice of the car. I scratched off the sticker residue. The doors didn’t close flush with the sides of the car, so I “bent” them inwards to get them right. Naturally, the scissor doors don’t hold up. The removable roof had broken tabs and is essentially rendered useless. It looked like the previous owner tried to glue the roof onto the engine hatch, so there’s some crap under there that you can’t see in the photos. One of the grille inserts near the engine bay came off the car, and I have no idea how to get it back in without tearing the car apart. I tried, but the base wouldn’t pry itself open.
But how did the model turn out? Wonderfully. You almost can’t notice the flaws. It obviously won’t be worth the same as a “normal” used model, but I love what I got for 75 bucks. The detailing is impressive as an old AUTOart. Older Kyosho models have always left me with a big fat “meh”, but AUTOart is quite the opposite. It’s not my preferred Diablo model (that would be the SV or the GTR), but it will hold me over until I eventually wind up with one (okay.....both) of those.
I’m also in the process of refreshing my 1/18 collection. Gone are the Maistos that I bought more as filler than anything else. I can’t stand the camber any longer. Quality over quantity still wins. I’m going to be inundated with new toys when they arrive next week, so I guess that’s good news for those of you who read my posts. Can’t wait!
