Nitro Neil Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 The new release of the Starsky and Hutch Torino has gotten me thinking about all the missed opportunities by the model companies over the years. If they had only made a kit of (insert the name of a famous car here) they could have sold millions of them. I'm sure Revell will sell plenty of the Starsky and Hutch car, but not nearly as many as they could have if they had made the kit when the show was a hit. Here's my list, starting with the most obvious one. Batmobile from Batman TV Series - 1966-1968 - 2011 - 45 years late I was eight years old when this show first came on, and ALL of the boys I knew watched it. We all had to get special dispensation to stay up late to watch it. And we ALL wanted a model of the car. And sorry, the 1/32 scale kit from Auroro doesn't count. Even back then no one wanted small scale stuff. Kookie Car from 77 Sunset Strip - 1958-1964 - never OK this series and the car began a little early for the plastic model car hobby, and the show was really was for adults, but the car was cool enough to be on kids radar. I've always been surprised that no one ever even did a set of similar decals. It would have made a pretty good tie-in with some of the T-bucket kits over the years. Steve's 1958 Chevy Impala from American Graffiti Not really a missed opportunity, since AMT has had a 1958 Impala forever, but how about a tie-in with some decals and custom parts to make the car in the movie? Starsky and Hutch Torino - 1975-1979 - 2014 - 39 years late This one I can kind of understand, since the show came out right in the middle of the two OPEC oil embargoes, and prices on plastic model kits basically doubled and even tripled, and the model car hobby suffered because of that. And there is evidence that this new kit was originally intended to tie in with the recent movie. But that's still almost 40 years late in my book. Tucker when the movie came out - 1988 - never This one is a stretch, but the Tucker has always been one of those cars that people have asked to see in model kit form. Probably too late for this one. So, what missed opportunities have you seen over the years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharoah Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Good point. I wonder if some of it was licensing fees? when A TV show is popular,they're going to want more money for fees and the legal stuff. Maybe it was just the people who worked for the model companies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmustang Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 (edited) Number one on my list has always been the Mantaray by Dean Jeffries in 1/25th. Edited November 24, 2014 by magicmustang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Missed opportunities, I highly doubt it. I'm sure the model companies know what they're doing and how to spend THEIR money on new projects. Just 'cause two or fourteen model builders want a certain car kit issued, doesn't constitute it as a "missed" opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDO Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 (edited) I love the Mantaray so much. Also- the Batmobile was a licensing issue. Edited November 24, 2014 by LDO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisBcritter Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Black Beauty from The Green Hornet AMT had the Imperial kit already; did they flip a coin and decide to do the car from The Hero instead? Both shows were one-season-and-gone but you'd think Hornet would have been a more natural choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Anderson Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Good point. I wonder if some of it was licensing fees? when A TV show is popular,they're going to want more money for fees and the legal stuff. Maybe it was just the people who worked for the model companies. There were, for years, licensing conflicts between DC Comics and 20th Century/Fox--the studio was willing, DC Comics was not, until 2003 when Mattel got an exclusive license to do replicas of Batman vehicles. Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordairgtar Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Number one on my list has always been the Mantaray by Dean Jeffries in 1/25th. There were slot cars of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Smith Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 The Punisher GTO Wayne's World Pacer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Anderson Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Unfortunately, model kits of movie and/or TV cars don't have a very good record--most tended to be "one-hit" wonder model kits from shows that lasted perhaps a couple of seasons on TV (some shows for which model cars were done or at least planned never made through their first season). "77 Sunset Strip" was aimed squarely at a young audience (don't forget that 45rpm single "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb"--hardly music fare for our then "Big Band" nostalgia parents), and of course, the show came and went before there was a huge following among us kids or teenagers for a model kit of the Norm Grabowski "Fad T". Still though, it's interesting to consider all the potential model car subjects that could have happened, back in the day! Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmustang Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 (edited) The MPC Mantaray slot car wasn't very accurate and the Nichimo one was better but both were impossible to find much less afford. There was the hot wheels diecast which is very good but in 1/64th scale. Edited November 24, 2014 by magicmustang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Speed Racer's Mach Five... back in 1968 when I was a kid and the show was current, we would've killed for a kit or Matchbox car! The toy industry wasn't all that mature back then and they missed a lot of opportunities.. But there was a Revell Herbie the Love Bug kit out when the movie was still in the theaters. We saw that movie in 1968 at Radio City Music Hall, I believe that was the movie attached to their Easter show. And my father bought me the kit... I was 10 and goobed that one up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Johnston Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Jim Rockfords 1st Firebird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent G Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Releasing the 1950 Oldsmobile back in 1999-2000 when hinted at by AMT would have been good marketing sense. Any plastic late model 1998-2011 Crown Victoria, Mercury Marquis/Marauder would have been a big hit. I double Tom's comment about the Mach 5. G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyfink Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 The Punisher GTO Wayne's World Pacer Well, these two cars have been kitted, just never sold as such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philo426 Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Not quite never for the Tucker.the modelhaus makes a nice resin kit but there is little chassis detail and no engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Smith Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Well, these two cars have been kitted, just never sold as such. Exactly - a Pacer kit might sell to a couple Pacer fans, BUT a Wayne's World Pacer - back when it was popular - would've sold to Pacer fans AND movie fans. That's the point of movie tie ins. AMT released the Eddie Murphy Nova - after nobody remembers the movie...little late! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 What about these... The 70s AMC Hornet from James Bond 007 movie The man with the golden gun? Mad Max first movie cars/and panel his wife drove...I know they mad his black interceptor but there's others from the movie including the wild trike. The 70s show Olds wagon. last action hero movies 69 Pontiac Bonneville. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clovis Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I think you are right about the Tucker. I have wondered for years why a decent kit wasn't issued. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samdiego Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 (edited) Not hiring me as chief muckity muck. I had the opportunity to hang out with Norm Grabowski at a few of the Del Mar Good Guys Shows. The guy was a riot. Since then I've been surprised at how many times I've been able to pick him out in some really questionable movie roles. Hilarious, wish I'd had that ammo a few years ago. The Big T comes close to Norm's T, doesn't it? Except for the flames. It does have the chopped '32 shell. They used the Manta Ray as a tow car in Bikini Beach Edited November 25, 2014 by samdiego Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clovis Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I think that they are missing a gold mine by not producing a current IndyCar kit for the DW-12.I don't think it would be a kit that would sell well on LHS selves. This would be a kit that would need to be marketed and sold at IndyCar races and events.For those not familiar with IndyCar, every driver uses the same body, much like the taxi cabs, commonly known as Nascar.This is a no-brainer for the model companies. Licensing would be tricky due to all of the sponsorships.All in all, the beauty of this idea is that it is one kit for 33+ entrants. One kit builds a car for either Helio or Ryan Hunter Raye...only paint and decals are different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Exactly - a Pacer kit might sell to a couple Pacer fans, BUT a Wayne's World Pacer - back when it was popular - would've sold to Pacer fans AND movie fans. That's the point of movie tie ins. With the movie licensing that Round 2 has been doing lately, a Wayne's World Pacer wouldn't be a big surprise. The Pacer kit was modified to the later hood, but the hood and grill are the only parts modified, so it wouldn't be a big deal to tool up those. Many years ago someone did a model of that car. I took photos of it at the Liars show, and one day I noticed my Fotki account counts were going wacky. Someone put a link to the page containing that photo to some Wayne's World fan site and they loved it. Some of them didn't understand that I just took a photo, and were emailing me asking to buy the model. Thus, Wayne's World being a cult movie with a lot of followers today, I'd be doing the kit if I was Round 2. Like many of the recent movie tie models they've done, most of these would get sold at TV/Movie Memorabilia shows and probably stay in shrink wrap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbuzzed Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 How about the Griswold Family Truckster? Cousin Eddie's motor home? Sherriff Andy's Ford? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDano85gt Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 why was there never a 85/ 86 mustang 5.o gt kitted?? very popular in 1:1 ........ one of my favorite stangs of all time...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Anderson Posted December 10, 2014 Share Posted December 10, 2014 I think that they are missing a gold mine by not producing a current IndyCar kit for the DW-12. I don't think it would be a kit that would sell well on LHS selves. This would be a kit that would need to be marketed and sold at IndyCar races and events. For those not familiar with IndyCar, every driver uses the same body, much like the taxi cabs, commonly known as Nascar. This is a no-brainer for the model companies. Licensing would be tricky due to all of the sponsorships. All in all, the beauty of this idea is that it is one kit for 33+ entrants. One kit builds a car for either Helio or Ryan Hunter Raye...only paint and decals are different. A current Indy car would be a cool kit, but I have to wonder just how well it would sell, particularly considering the costs involved just for licensing (IndyCar, IMS, Driver, Car Owner, Major and secondary sponsors, along with Firestone, the chassis mfr, and the engine mfr), plus the tooling. Traditionally, Indy car model kits never sold particularly well outside of about a 500-mile radius of Indianapolis--that could be an issue as well. Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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