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Prototyp : News
News Archive: 2003
2004-2005, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000

23 DEC 03
It's been a harrowing couple months. Juggling increasing demands from my full-time (and commuter!) job, family (with a very articulate young daughter) and other normal adult behavoir, time for Prototyp is getting harder to find. The demands, and my dedication, are quite high and really Prototyp needs much more attention in order to grow properly. Our recent production delays are obvious to anyone who had ordered the new kits the first part of December. Sorry about that. Next time around things will be different. Anyhow, we're taking the next couple weeks off, then it's back to work in the New Year. Hope you all have pleasant holidays.
02 DEC 03
Finally complete with a major chunk of work at Prototyp: three new kits now printing (Suntec Jaguar, the 1991 version of the Toyota Eagle MkIII and the first of the Nissan P35 series). Just in time for the holidays! More details in the new Shop.

The new shop is up, too, featuring model-information pops with more pictures and previews of the model's parts sheets, a new shopping cart with accurate world-wide shipping calculation (via USPS) and a little help for those desiring non-Paypal transactions.

Other stuff I've been doing is moving the entire Prototyp production environment into Apple's OSX Panther on my Powerbook. Soon will start to play with a variety of CAD applications in hopes that these will speed up the production time for future models. If the P35's building instructions are the last I have to hand-draw, I will be a very happy man.

11 OCT 03
As you can see, the Bentley has moved off the screen and into paper. It's going to be a wonderful model. Nissan P35 online photographic Construct is nearly complete; needing part numbers and some annotation. The illustrated version is still in progress. These are the final steps before the kit is ready for release. Hopefully, with a bit of focus, I can do this in the next few weeks, perhaps we will see a P35 kit release sometime around beginning of December. And the new Shop, and possibly the Suntec Jaguar. And maybe another P35 or two... Busy time. The Bentley, having come this far, will have to be put on hold for a bit. It's discipline as I am really very very excited about this model. Just until the next set of kits are out and you are all busy building them, then I can get back to it.
20 SEP 03
Nothing new for Prototyp in the last few weeks; started a new job, got a stomach flu... No worries, though, because we've got the Nissan P35 'NPTi' final (beta) build galleries in glorious full-size and quicky low-bandwidth versions. New assembling the kit's photographic Construct Guide and beginning the illustrated versions. 2003 Bentley Speed 8 design work continues.
01 SEP 03
The Nissan P35 'NPTi' final (beta) build is complete. Posted a full-size and a low-bandwidth gallery for your viewing pleasure. Work continues now on Construct and finalizing the kit's parts sheets. Wrapping up a more detailed round of 2003 Bentley Speed 8 parts design and build engineering, will have some parts to build soon. I can't think of a more complex modern closed-cockpit sportscar than this car; this model will be a masterpiece. The Prototyp Shop renovation is ready to launch. Some very useful background information about Prototyp is here, on the new About Prototyp page.
21 AUG 03
The Nissan P35 'NPTi' final (beta) build about 85% complete. Wheels and wing are still to be built and photographed. Expect a full build gallery in a couple weeks. 2003 Bentley Speed 8 parts design and build engineering underway. The Prototyp Shop new shopping cart integration almost complete, redesigning the model-information pop-ups now. Also added an About Prototyp page with background info and links to Prototyp press.
07 AUG 03
The Nissan P35 'NPTi' final (beta) build about 70% complete, posted a gallery update so have a peek. Fenders, wheels and wing are still to be built and photographed. Expect a full build gallery in a couple weeks. 2003 Bentley Speed 8 technical drawings nearly finished, now starting the bodywork parts design and some construction concept tests. The Prototyp Shop new shopping cart will launch soon, replacing the EMart cart we're currently using. The main reason for developing this new shopping cart is to have much more accurate international shipping costs. Hope to have it fully integrated and running perfectly before the next model releases. Optimistically (employment/work conditions permitting) the next release will have at least one Nissan P35, the Suntec Jaguar XJR-11 and perhaps the 1991 'Debut' version of the Toyota MkIII.
15 JUL 03
Nissan P35 'NPTi' design work is complete. Currently part-way through the final (beta) build as well as shooting photos for Construct and the building illustrations. Expect a full build gallery in a couple weeks. Kit release is completely dependant upon my employment scenario over the next couple months. The Eagle MkIII model appears in a detailed build review at Cardmodelers.org. Started model notes on the 2003 Bentley Speed 8. Work also continues on Project 962. Almost done with a fancy new shopping cart for the Prototyp Shop. Functionality is finished and now working on design and integration.
14 JUN 03
Hope everyone is enjoying Le Mans. I have high-hopes for the Bentley boys and would love to see the Domes and Courages do well.
race reports - LeMans.org | race reports - DailySportsCar.com | race reports - Sarthe.com | photos - Motorsport.com

A little bit of Prototyp news to share on this update: WM Elzerman has put up a build review of the Eagle MkIII on Cardmodelers.org. Work continues on a more robust and effective shopping cart for the Prototyp Shop. Collaborative development is underway for a full-version of the Porsche 962 (a project which has been in the works for several years already) and work continues on finishing the aft-end of the Nissan P35. Hope to soon start building this car and get into producing the Construct illustrations.

25 MAY 03
Not much news to share on this update. Been away for a few weeks working back in my old home-town of San Francisco. Good fun, good work, but not much time at all for Prototyp. Posted a little alpha-build P35 gallery. Hope to start building the pre-production Nissan P35 this weekend, but it may not happen. Have started building a more robust and effective shopping cart for the Prototyp Shop. Will alert everyone when it is in place.
05 MAY 03
P35 bodywork design is done. Moving on to the rear wing and finishing livery bodypanels. More gabbering about all this in the P35 model journal. Mike Fuller has just published the full version of his P35 article at http://www.mulsannescorner.com.

Fixed a few broken links (MkIII build gallery from this page in particular). We've implemented a new Shop shopping cart solution. eMartCart interfaces with Paypal and adds some functionality. Now the Prototyp Shop can calculate shipping costs a little more accurately than in Paypal alone. This isn't a perfect solution, but it's better. Problem now is that I can see when people bail partway through placing their orders... seems some 50% of folks don't like Paypal. Tell me why.

25 APR 03
Nissan P35 model design has cleared its first major hurdle; all the nose-bodywork and windscreen panels are done, sorted, and build out beautifully... by far the most complex arrangement of panels I've designed. Work resumes on the Suntec Jaguar... updates on that soon. Very tentative estimated date for the Suntec kit is June.
21 APR 03
Toyota Eagle MkIII is now available in the Shop. I've had a few folks ask about what is involved in building one of these models, curious before they commit and buy a kit... Construct, Prototyp's photographic building guide will walk you through the steps. Something of interest: a Nissan P35 research article by friend-of-Prototyp Mike Fuller just published at http://www.dailysportscar.com. The Prototyp P35 model design is coming along well.
11 APR 03
Toyota Eagle MkIII release has obviously been delayed a bit. Test-build still in progress... no word yet if there are any issues with the model design slowing things up. Hope to print and release before the end of the month. The kit is in the Shop if you wish to pre-order. Added new Nissan P35 project archive.
09 MAR 03
Short update: Toyota Eagle MkIII 'Laguna Seca' IMSA 1993 kit is done and off to an independent test-build. Build gallery is available in two versions: small-screen or full-screen. Bit of work to do now on sorting out kit modifications for the other two versions. We're still looking for photos of built XJR-11's. Show off your models here: feedback@prototyp.org.
22 FEB 03
Toyota Eagle MkIII project is nearing completion. Pre-production build is down to the wheels and a few detail bits. Construct nearly finished leaving parts numbering and an independent test-build left to do before printing. The chassis and bodywork build up beautifully into a dead-on replica of the full-size MkIII. Progress is slowed a bit by demands of getting our house sorted and beginning to look for proper jobs, but I am working toward a MkIII kit release date sometime in late March.
30 JAN 03
How are your builds coming? Anyone finish an XJR-11? Prototyp would like to see your photos. The builder's gallery is your chance to get onto the Prototyp website. Any comments on the kits are welcome too. Contact me here feedback@prototyp.org. The Prototyp article from Model Cars Magazine republished here (many thanks to Gregg at Model Cars). The Toyota Eagle MkIII pre-production build is going smoothly. Photography is finished for the chassis and the illustrations are in progress. The bodywork is next then the peripheral bits (wheels, tires, wings, etc). No estimate on the MkIII release date yet. A re-organized Shop section will debut with the MkIII release, hopefully as an improvement. On the domestic front, we're finally into our permanent home and getting through the unpacking, though it might well be some time before things are back to 'normal'.
20 JAN 03
Final sheets layout, final parts revisions and the Pre-production print are done for Toyota Eagle MkIII. Next step is photographing the build to create the Construct assembly illustrations. Very exciting seeing this model as a kit, finally. It's beautiful on the sheets, I can't wait to see it built up. There is a great amount of subtle detail in this model which necessitated further exploration of printing techniques.
10 JAN 03
Toyota Eagle MkIII final-round test build in progress. It's not a pretty build, working with a low-resolution print on scrap paper, but allows me to check all the new and revised parts together and do some preliminary planning for the step-by-step assembly instructions... the next step is a pre-production print and Construct assembly illustrations. We're moving into our new home in the next week or so, so site updates will be sporadic again through the end of January.
01 JAN 03
Prototyp would like to take a moment and thank everyone who has supported this project. Thank you! 2003 will bring a great many things.
Work on the Toyota Eagle MkIII is nearly done; parts sheets done and ready for a pre-production test build. That leaves the instructions illustrations and part numbers to do, so we'll get to see how quickly i can rip through them. Then it's off to print and integration onto the site for release. The MkIII will be released in three versions conveying the fairly subtle changes to the car through its career: 1991 Laguna Seca (debut), 1993 Daytona (endurance winner), and 1993 Laguna Seca (one of the last races of IMSA GTP).
2004-2005, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000