"F...Fujimi??"
This was something interesting that I came across at an auction; a 1/20 scale kit for the champion car of the 1980 Formula 2 season, Toleman TG-280 Hart420R. When I saw this, I did not hesitate to bid, and I was lucky enough to get it at a fairly reasonable 2750 Japanese Yen (about 24 maple dollars). I guess you have to be a racing enthusiast to be attracted to such a rare topic and a crappy box like this...
Yep, not an ideal box I would like to add to my collection, but not the worst one I have ever bought, either. The picture of the car seems like it was from a photo, and the resolution is minimal.
It is, however, extremely similar to this photo I found on Auto Messe Web.
Before we get into what the heck this car is and the driver that was behind the wheels, let's talk about the brand first...Advan? Huh?From the logo on the bottom right of the box, this is definitely the Advan tire from the Japanese Rubber Company Yokohama. There is no other manufacturer information on the box or the instructions whatsoever...So, Advan was a plastic model company?
I could only find limited information on the internet about this particular kit. And really - I've checked everything, including the box, instructions, sprues, and even big parts where manufacturer information is usually engraved, such as the cowl or upper bodywork - there is just no information on who produced this kit! How strange!
A Japanese blogger, GON, posted on May 1, 2013 about the same kit. In his post, GON (2013) explained that
"このキットはYOKOHAMA ADVAN が、タイヤのキャンペーンか何かでの
販促グッズだったと思うのですが、指定のタイヤを購入した方に配っていた？
ものと思われます。"
Basically this kit is a promotional item that was given to customers as a gift when purchasing certain tires. Gon did not buy the tire; instead, he went to the tire company directly to purchase the kit. He also attached a receipt dated August 20, 1981. While this doesn't really explain who made this kit, it does bring some great context as to why this thing exists. Fun to know!
On the side of the box, there is a cut-away sketch of the car, adding a nice touch. I wonder how good it would be if this sketch was on the top of the box!
Attention to the exhaust pipes, please! They look like...intestines, tell me not! They are arranged in such an attractive way that I just can't move my eyes when I see them. A huge point for me to buy this kit in the first place.
Huh...the instructions are typical Japanese style and are very nicely printed. I checked the '80s instructions from major Japanese manufacturers on Scalemates, yet I failed to figure out who produced this kit for Advan! Ugh!
Sprue A includes most of the bodywork. On the left side, we have the same 1/20 scale MCS 8 from Modeler's. See the size difference here? Crazy!
Sprue B. You will find the monocoque and most of the engine detail parts.
The monocoque is fairly detailed to my eyes; gotta love all the rivets. The front brake fluid reservoirs...hmm...they are there. Then again, this is a kit from 1980, so this is understandable and expected.
In addition, I am very happy with all the engine parts. The details look sharp and crispy! That is a beautiful depiction of the Hart 420R engine. I must say that due to its age, I tend to ignore the accuracy of the representation. Let's just appreciate the existence of this kit, reproducing a machine that is pretty much impossible to find elsewhere and easily sinks in the ocean of racing history.
The next sprue, C, consists mostly of the structural parts.
Not bad! Here's a reference I found on motorsportsmarket where they rebuilt the car.
Yep, it is a bit bigger as these DFV funnel meshes come in 1/12 scale. With trimming here and there, I am sure one piece will fit nicely on the TG280...
Awwww, come on! It could take some effort to reproduce the detail here.
Sprue D presents the two clear parts. A lot of 1/20 kits would just omit the rear braking light, but this one offers it. Nice!
Here is the last sprue, labelled with the letter E. Pasts here are covered with my least favourite type of chrome plating, and they will be washed off with no mercy. LOL!
Oh NO! The decal has some cracks here and there. It might still be usable, though. Surprisingly, after many years, the white sections have not become yellowish. Huh?
Here's a close-up. I tried to find any after-market decals (particularly because I'm not really interested in this ADVAN livery, no offence), but no results showed up. Such a shame! I was hoping Indycal would have something since this was also the F2 car that competed in many different liveries during the 1980 European F2 season...
Lastly, allow me to present you with the most important thing inside this box! The ADVAN tires, haha! The Advan letters on the side wall are really crispy. The tire has no moulding seam on the surface. It's a bit soft and dirty, but I trust that it can still be used after cleanup.
I have not talked about the driver sitting behind the steering wheel of the No. 25 Advan TG280. His name was Kunimitsu Takahashi 高橋 国光, a legendary Japanese racer who unfortunately passed away in 2022. I also recently possessed a Fujimi 1/12 GT-R Taisan STP 1992, which was also driven by Takahashi (We will talk bout that kit one day). He also won the 1995 Le Mans GT2 class in a Honda NSX GT2. Let me finish this section by citing Wikipedia here (hey, not a formal essay, this is fine): Nicknamed "Kuni-san," he is known as the "father of drifting."
From what I could find online, Takahashi did not achieve any race wins in this TG280. Thanks to ADVAN; otherwise, I would not expect to see this kit exist. And the kit itself, to me personally, screams Fujimi (I can't be sure, but it really doesn't matter that much anyway).
Photo Credit: History of Kunimitsu Takahashi, Chronology of Kunimitsu.
https://stanley-ms.jp/history/1980.html
Reference
GON. (2013). プラモ日記 97 ADVAN Toleman TG-280 Hart420R. https://skytimegon.jugem.jp/?eid=389
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