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Box Top Blunders, Omissions, False Advertisements...


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In reference to the picture of the actual model on the cover being different or showing different parts not included in the box or maybe the front wheels are posed turned when the kit doesn't offer such things? I know a guy (not mentioning names for the obvious reasons) who has built many box art models for one of the companies. Often the time constraints imposed by the company make it nigh impossible to get a completed kit back to the maker for photos. Often a substitute build already in his collection is used of the same car. But sometimes details like wheels are different. Another thing that has happened is he gets test shots sent of some weird alien plastic that will not accept paint or primer or any prep work whatsoever. So again, out from the trusty collection a different build comes.

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The first time I can recall ever being greatly disappointed as to a kit's box's proposed contents versus what was actually in the box was the circa 1980 MPC Chevy Pickup (whose proper name escapes me at the moment) . The box art showed a stock , two-wheel-drive version in the background . It was red and it had the stock base model hubcaps !

I bought it at Gemco ; and when I got home and ripped-into the box to pour over its contents , I was astonished to find *only* 4-wheel-drive components , and absolutely no steel wheels / hubcaps !

I even wrote a letter to MPC about this abhorrent advertising ( ha ha ha ) , to which they responded in kind by offering me my choice of a free replacement kit (and I got to keep the other "disppointment" kit ! Talk about excellent P.R. !).

After that ordeal , I was en garde ! nothing was below my suspicions !

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There was the AMT 74 GTX reissue from a few years back that had a builtup model on the box art that showcased factory stock markings that are no where to be fond in the kit.

Or, the AMT SSP 69 Charger 500 kit that was basically a reboxed DOH kit with none of the factory markings shown on the box or the steel wheels with dogdish hubcaps.

Then, in regards to box top typos., how can you forget Lindbergs Ramchargers 64 Dodge Super Sport, instead of Super Stock, as it was supposed to state.

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I ordered six of them when that kit came out, I had a real 57 sedan at the time.

When I got them and opened one, I was very disappointed because they were hardtops. The only other sedan was the mpc flip nose 57 which was pretty hard to find and not very accurate.

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There's no excuse for companies putting graphics on the box top that do not accurately portray what's inside. Period.

How would you feel if you bought a set of dishes, say... because you liked the pattern shown on the box, but the pattern on the dishes in the box was completely different?

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There's no excuse for companies putting graphics on the box top that do not accurately portray what's inside. Period.

How would you feel if you bought a set of dishes, say... because you liked the pattern shown on the box, but the pattern on the dishes in the box was completely different?

Bad experience buying your last dish set from Walmart Harry?

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I notice that too, building the VOODOO VETTE... http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=68811 I had to find a different (one piece) body.

I'm suprised that no one has posted this yet. The legendary AMT Flip Nose Corvette! :lol:

When I bought this kit, I thought it would be cool to build, since it looked nice on the box art. But then I found out that parts don't fit at all, and noticed the Retouched Photo Of Actual Model on the Box Top. :rolleyes:

corvette-57-gasser-amt-escala-125-modelo

Edit: Why part of my text dissapeared, and I had to write it again?

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Perhaps the funniest "blooper" I've ever seen on a model kit box was on the 1988 Chevy C1500 pickup from AMT/MPC! On the box side, as a legal statement was "Manufactured under license from Ford Motor Company"! Now, I wonder if Ford got the royalties from that Chevy pickup kit? :rolleyes:

Art.

I've got an AMT '94 Sonoma SLS that says the same thing actually.

There was the AMT 74 GTX reissue from a few years back that had a builtup model on the box art that showcased factory stock markings that are no where to be fond in the kit.

I built one as a kid and it showed Cragers and factory markings on the box art, included neither.

I have 1 of my 7 AMT 454SS trucks that has the Chrome tree from a AMT '90 Silverado C1500, it doesn't have any of the 454 parts (valve covers, fuel pump, throttle body, wheels)

Nick

And I'm the one who opened it sealed, I bought 3 others at the same time from the same person who bought all 4 when they were first released. I also have a couple that are molded in different colors. And a few have the grille and bumpers chromed, others do not.

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The recent release of the Revell 65 Impala Convertable says California Wheels but they aren't in the kit.

Granted it was mis-released under the CA Wheels "sub-brand", nothing on the box or any information about the kit ever said it was anything but a straight reissue of the original.

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Granted it was mis-released under the CA Wheels "sub-brand", nothing on the box or any information about the kit ever said it was anything but a straight reissue of the original.

Agreed, but with every other California Wheels kit they have the extra wheels included.

I did buy one and after reading the box over I wasn't holding my breath. :blink:

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The one that really frosted me was the RC2/AMT Hemi Under Glass re-issue from '06.

The box clearly depicted a second-generation Barracuda with a different paint scheme.

Inside was the '66 HUG that had recently been reissued by the Model King, part-for-part.

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