I would like to respond to the folks contacting me regarding my kits since they are increasing in number:
Regarding another caster on eBay that provides dozens of castings for $10 - he is not affiliated with RMS, but does use the same Shapeways seller as the basis for some of his offerings. While I spent over 100 hours on each of my kits getting them production ready, setup with mounting points for a chassis, an interior, and glass - what he has done is produce a resin copy of the original Shapeways 3D print. That works out fantastic if you really want a certain car and it is available nowhere else. Be aware though that you will have to do all the work I used to do in advance of releasing a kit. But to re-answer the question: NO, these are not my kits.
Regarding the sale/take over of RMS - I have a caster I am working with that I am hoping will be able to take over. That is as-of-yet unknown as he has some family issues to attend to first before we will know if this is viable. The majority of the RMS kits will need new molds as they have aged and won't produce the quality of the kits folks are accustomed to. If he is able to take over, I have sales figures that can help recommend which kits to re-release first to generate the most sales/etc.
Yes, I still have the Cyclone master I'd been working on and the 1971 Dodge 3D print that was scheduled next. If the above mentioned take over occurs, those will transfer to the new caster.
Harry has about 10 kits that he will be turning into LMS cars. As his Showdown Series is wildly popular, they will ONLY be offered in this format and NOT as they were originally sold by RMS. Please stop asking him if you can have an original copy - that will not happen. Also, please be patient with him as he now has a lot of work ahead to make these kits. Fortunately, the kits he is starting with are solid and should be fairly simple to convert.
I certainly have used 3D to my advantage for over 10 years to provide kits nobody else had/has. This has required a significant cost as you typically have to buy the 3D print, have someone print it, and then finish it. In the case of starting with a Shapeways print - those are roughly $100+ in 1:32 for the print. As a comparison to how the technology has come down in cost - the Cougar and Datsun cost me almost $400 each to print, and a $2500 3D scanner to capture the images.
Someone asked which ones? Here's the list:
1966 Chevy II - Released in 2014
1966 Corvair - Released in 2015
1967 Cougar - Released in 2005
1967 Dart - Released in 2016
1971 510 Released in 2008
1970 Monte Carlo - Released in 2017
1973 Chevelle Laguna - Released in 2017
In the works:
1970 Cyclone (in progress, 80% completed)
1971 Charger (3D print completed)
1970 Javelin (3D file)
1971 RoadRunner (3D file)
1974 Matador (3D file)
1956 Maserati Birdcage (3D print completed)
These "in the works" kits will transfer to the new caster if this works out. Some I have printed, some are only in 3D files.
Lastly, I have had a ton of questions regarding what happens if I do not get RMS handed off? Nothing frankly. These are toy cars, not Faberge Eggs, not the Mona Lisa, and certainly not a Gutenberg Bible. The world will continue to spin, we will continue to race, and folks will be making stuff out of resin as in my first point and in 3D as well.