Kato Autos

[KenS]

Is this new, or did I just miss it somehow?  I'm used to the old box of generic autos sold by Kato (23-500), but when I was in the store today I found a blister-pack of "90's autos" (23-505) I'd never seen before.  It's up on all the usual sites (and even Amazon) so I think it must have been around for a while, but I'm curious if anyone knows when they came out.

 

The cars themselves are more modern than Kato's past offerings, but I don't think the quality is all that good (two of mine have discolorations where the plastic appears to have been stressed during/after molding). At 1050 yen for six cars the price isn't terrible for what you get, but Tomytec is in no danger. 

 

I've attached a photo of them, beside one of my sets of the older cars.

[bill937ca]

Both sets have been around for years.  The new set is 23-508 light van and light truck set.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10137604

 

A now off-line RMM staff blog article I printed lists 23-500 (which originally was product number 819-1) as being put on the market in the spring of 1981.  The Toyota Crown in the set is a 1978 model. Similar models were produced into the 1990s. The Crown Comfort is similar to the model car in the Kato 23-500 and the Crown Comfort is still in production for use as a taxi and corporate limousine.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Crown#Fifth_.28S80_.26_S100_Models:_.29

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Comfort

 

I have noticed that many non-North American cars stay in production for very long lives, e.g. Citreon 2CV which was built until 1990, Volkswagen VW Beetle which was produced in its original form until 2003.

 

Incidentally the Tomix cars and trucks taken off the market in 2006 dated from 1980.  For model cars or trucks to have 25 years on the market before Tomytec was not uncommon.

[linkey]

IMHO KATO needs to bring their quality of vehicles up a notch to a close standard to TOMIX/Tomytec and number of vehicles you get as well.

[Bernard]

IMHO KATO needs to bring their quality of vehicles up a notch to a close standard to TOMIX/Tomytec and number of vehicles you get as well.

 

I agree, I ordered some Kato and Tomix vehicles, I was surprised at the plastic used on the Kato car and the axles were falling off on some of the cars.

[cteno4]

i doubt that kato will even try to compete with tomytec on vehicles. even bandai, who has a big model/toy making concern, was unable to compete with them and got out of that market! im really surprised kato has maintained these cars in stock as they really do loop pretty pathetic compared to tomytec. they dont even get up to the bandai level with was below tomytec.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Claude_Dreyfus]

IMHO KATO needs to bring their quality of vehicles up a notch to a close standard to TOMIX/Tomytec and number of vehicles you get as well.

 

I agree, I ordered some Kato and Tomix vehicles, I was surprised at the plastic used on the Kato car and the axles were falling off on some of the cars.

 

Yes, I have a set of the Kato 1990s vehicles and their quality is pathetic, bearing in mind the structures, track and tarins they supply. The mouldings aren't too bad in all honesty, just let down by poorly fitting parts and cheap-quality plastic.

 

Again, the Crowns are nice mouldings. It's a pity they are to the same standard as the Wiking models of the 1970s.

 

In all cases though, they do make good background fillers, or vehicles for areas with restricted viewing.

[keitaro]

i have the ku5000 http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003567 and it's cars are crap the wheels don't move. don't get me wrong they look nice but the actaul car cannot be used of the ku 5000 itself as the wheels are just plastic moulds.

 

Not sure if it is intended that way so they don't roll on the ku or if thats how kato does there models

[clem24]

These things, especially those old Crowns, have been around for ages. If you've ever flipped through any Kato catalog, then you should be extremely familiar with them LOL, especially with the Crowns, before they released the 90's Toyotas, and the entire catalog would be nothing but Crowns.

 

They also make 2 very nice models, a 1990 300ZX and 1994 Toyota Supra Turbo, in both HO and O (1/43) scale. The 1/43 models are lovely, minus the fact that they didn't paint the bodies - just molded in whatever color.

[keiman]

50% of my vehicles are Tomytec, I have some of the chinese generic ones with working lights and other chinese ones. I think they are better quality than my set of Kato 1990's vehicles.at least the chinese ones are good background fillers and will be used on the ground floor of my Sankei carpark.

My set of Kato Buses are good so why could not they do the same with the cars.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

i have the ku5000 http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003567 and it's cars are crap the wheels don't move. don't get me wrong they look nice but the actaul car cannot be used of the ku 5000 itself as the wheels are just plastic moulds.

 

Not sure if it is intended that way so they don't roll on the ku or if thats how kato does there models

 

Whether intentional or not, the fact the wheels don't move in this situation would be of great help! Also useful...certainly for my terminus layout, it for cars on a steep road...they don't keep rolling down again. It also saves me spoiling the Tomytec vehicles by glueing the wheels. The road at this point is partially hidden by buildings, so using the Crowns isn't such an issue.

[cteno4]

Claude,

 

try a little ball of that blue tack rubber clay stuff you can get to put behind pictures so they dont swing out of vertical easily. you just roll up a little bb ball of it and put it in the middle of the car then push it down on your road. it will not only stop it from rolling down the hill, it will keep it in place if it gets a little nudge or bang from moving the layout, etc. great stuff. usually find it in the hardware store where they have the picture hooks.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[cteno4]

speaking of cars and car carriers, anyone know who makes the cars for the kawai Ku5000 car carriers? they are really quite nice. they have moulded interior seats and chassis detail moulded on the bottom and even some of the detail painted! they also have metal axles which means they really roll! not what you want on a car carrier as claude mentioned.

 

no imprint of company, number, etc on the bottom. there are two modern sports cars, one with a spoiler and the other w/o, sorry im really not a car guy...

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10103973

 

they are not including the cars on the re-release of these unfortunately. it was a bit odd to only include 4 autos in a box with two carriers that could carry 8 cars each, but not be able to buy more of the same cars to fill your your carriers.

 

ill snap a picture later today.

 

i had in the back of my head that kawai had made some autos a while back, but cant find any at hs.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[clem24]

 

Looks like some R34 Skylines and Z33 Fairlady Z's. They do look fairly nice indeed!

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Claude,

 

try a little ball of that blue tack rubber clay stuff you can get to put behind pictures so they dont swing out of vertical easily. you just roll up a little bb ball of it and put it in the middle of the car then push it down on your road. it will not only stop it from rolling down the hill, it will keep it in place if it gets a little nudge or bang from moving the layout, etc. great stuff. usually find it in the hardware store where they have the picture hooks.

 

cheers

 

jeff

 

Thanks...may well give that a try. One question, would the rubber clay not leave a mark on the road surface...something akin to a grease stain?

[cteno4]

claude,

 

not had that happen and i think the stuff is formulated not to do this as its on your painted wall and meant not to leave marks. i think i remember seeing it say no marking on the box.

 

i have not let it sit for long periods, ive used it for weekend setups on the jrm layout now and then. ever seen it leave a mark.

 

its kind of a postit note kind of sticky, just enough to stop lateral movement on the joint plane from happening, but not much tack if you pull perpendicular to the joint plane..

 

cheers

 

jeff

[keitaro]

i have the ku5000 http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10003567 and it's cars are crap the wheels don't move. don't get me wrong they look nice but the actaul car cannot be used of the ku 5000 itself as the wheels are just plastic moulds.

 

Not sure if it is intended that way so they don't roll on the ku or if thats how kato does there models

 

Whether intentional or not, the fact the wheels don't move in this situation would be of great help! Also useful...certainly for my terminus layout, it for cars on a steep road...they don't keep rolling down again. It also saves me spoiling the Tomytec vehicles by glueing the wheels. The road at this point is partially hidden by buildings, so using the Crowns isn't such an issue.

 

as Cteno said use a tad of blue tack. i like to move the cars about from time to time and blue tack is the best.

 

As for the cars wheels not spinning on the ku the weels have to be pressed very hard and clip in place anyway so rolling wheels or not they still wouldn't move if they could spin.

 

that kawaii Ku looks great may have to add one to my list.

[keiman]

going off topic a bit, but I think I would buy that car carrier just for the cars.

Will have to look out for it.

[cteno4]

i think they are oop now with the cars. the re-release coming is sans cars...

 

jeff

[FFISKIV]

I have almost 400 kato and tomytec autos, trucks and buses on my layout and the katos stick out like sore thumbs. Almost anyone who looks will say "wow look at all these stinking little cars but eheeew those are cheap, hey these don't roll!"

Come on kato....just, come on....