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Lost In Space Chariot


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Based on the size of the Space Pod, I was expecting a much smaller kit than what I received in the mail today. This is a very sweet kit!! Lots and lots of clear parts to mask but it will be well worth the time and effort once completed. There is even a mini-kit of the Robot included with the option of including him inside of the Chariot. I'm very happy with the effort Moebius has put into this release and the Space Pod and now I'm itching to pick up the Seaview! Must resist.....no room to display.....resistance is futile.... :thumbsup:

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As a huge Lost in Space fan, I look forward to this.

One thing...get the treads and tires away from the plastic.

I have read multiple reports of contact damage where the flexible tires and treads are in contact with parts of the chassis. Right now, this is not a critical problem. Moebius has been made aware of the issue. This type of problem has been found in other models in the past (thinking of the great debacle of the AMT Tigercats with vinyl tires). If you separate the parts now, you should be ok.

I have fears about these kits being saved in boxes as this problem will get continously worse as the kits sit in storage. The Chariot has only been on the market for a month and widespread reports of contact melting are very disturbing when they appear so early. That is why I will not order multiple ones like I did with the Space Pod. Until Moebius starts to bag the flexible parts separately, the boxed kits may show steady deterioration. That's a shame since Moebius is doing such fine work.

Edited by Brent Gair
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I've not personally dealt with this problem myself so I'm not entirely sure how to handle it.

My initial concern is with the storage of the kit because the vinyl parts are not packed separately but are inside a bag with the chassis parts (I don't have the kit yet).

Once assembled, I don't THINK there will be more than a small area of contact. The vinyl tread will touch a drive gear. And I guess the tires are mounted on plastic wheels (?). I beleive the tread and tires will be in contact so it will be mostly vinyl to vinyl. Foil between the surfaces should certainly work. Sounds like a good idea. I've also heard that a barrier coat like Future or epoxy will work.

Edited by Brent Gair
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There are 10 rubber tires that will have a plastic rim in the center of each and the tracks are wrapped primarily around these rubber tires.

Just curious as this is the first I have heard of this problem, but what is so special about this kit having a problem with plastic contacting the rubber/vinyl parts when armor models have been packaged like that for decades?

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Concerning a fix, if you put a layer of acrylic paint or Future on the tires and tracks before having them contact the plastic, that should inert the problem and keep one from reacting with the other. Since this is vinyl, you can't use enamel on them or it will stay tacky. A layer of Krylon Fusion paint can also work as well for primer purposes.

As for the problem itself, it is due specifically to the vinyl compound that Moebius used in this kit. The AMT Tigercat had the same problem and I've also encountered it with vinyl tires on some diecast race cars in my collection when they contact the edges of the display cases they come packed in.

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Moebius thinks that the problem may not be in the vinyl but in a compound in the plastic which is reacting to the vinyl.

According to Dave Metzner (a product development guy whose name appears on Moebius products), he has checked his old stash of Polar Lights cars (he used to work for PL) which use the same vinyl compound in the tires. According to him, none of them show this problem. Early suspicion has fallen on a coloring agent used in the plastic for the Chariot. The thought is that the coloring agent is triggering the reaction. No final word yet.

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