Posted by C.E. Cox Jr. (70.110.173.179) on August 05, 2007 at 23:15:59:
In Reply to: Re: STRICTLY SCALE IHP BODIES A WIN-WIN FOR ALL! posted by Jeff G. on August 02, 2007 at 06:32:36:
I've remained silent on this issue for a while, to examine other's responses, and justification for them, pro and con. I've noticed that through it all, the main objection to a Proto 1000 retrofit body has been it being a bit out of scale, to fit the existing drive and frame, and an estimate of approx. $50.00 per replacement body, for these cars. But I've also noticed a lack of justification for the pricing of Image Replicas' three-car R-62 kit, at $460.00, minus a drive. Even at $50.00 per body, plus $135.00 for an existing Proto 1000 four-car set, that still work's out to $335.00. A $125.00 savings, before painting and decals. Hardly insignificant. Particularly for those of us with a car roster of 30-plus subway cars. As I've previously mentioned, I have every release of the Proto 1000 cars, plus four extras, for a 28-car roster. For $335.00, to get a four-car train of WF Low-V's, R-12's 15's, WF 33's, or 62's, that is still more economical, than some of the admittedly more accurate-to-scale kits. And once again, I state that I have nothing against the more accurate kits. Just don't deny me (and others like me who have these cars), the opportunity to upgrade them with a body/truck sideframe kit, that will yield a car that I/we want, and can't buy otherwise.