Deora - Reissue versus Original kit?

[Ken McGuire]

Is the reissue (MPC) of the 1/25 scale Dodge Deora concept car of similar quality (molding, detail, etc.) as the original AMT kit?

[TooOld]

It IS the same kit . Same tooling , same quality , no changes .

[Don Sikora II]

It is the same kit, but some of the parts were changed along the line so the reissue doesn't include all of the same exact parts as the original. The original bed cover is gone and the wheels are all different. Might be other deletions too. The MPC reissues include the camper parts that AMT added sometime in the Seventies.

[Ken McGuire]

Thanks guys.

[Eshaver]

Well, the original 1967 kit had both a Clear canopy over the bed as optional . It also had a cover . When the Kit was re- issued sometime in the early 70's , it came out with a Camper top . Now this meant the deletion of the bed cover and no one seemed to notice .

The issue that's always bothered me is the completely WRONG interior pattern and the opening door . Several things were done wrong from the introduction of this kit and could have been easily rectified from Jump street. Same can be said of the headlamps in the grille as well as too many grille bars . Building an "EXACT" replica of this truck is doable . However , careful research is necessary.......

[blunc]

the name of this show truck was chosen from a write-in contest that was run by a now defunct model car magazine, the winner was not even old enough to drive when his entry was chosen.

[gray07]

I have this one

and a sealed one of these

They both look pretty much the same

Edited January 27, 2013 by gray07

[scummy]

Didnt the original have chrome wheels with baby moon caps ?

[gtx6970]

Didnt the original have chrome wheels with baby moon caps ?

I believe so .

and there have been numerous variations of this kit released over the years. with different options, different wheels etc etc . IMO, the most recent version shown yellow on the box is the worst of the lot. the tooling is showing it's age

Edited January 28, 2013 by gtx6970

[Tom Geiger]

I love the Deora. My first sight of it was as the Hot Wheels car when I was a kid. Once I found out it was a slant six car, I was hooked and it's always been one of my favorite show cars.

See the project below. These are the Baby Moons that came in the Deora kit. Note that it's a full chrome wheel. Pretty cool though, that's why I used them on this truck. Note that in each kit I have at least one of them has either a sink mark or chrome issues.

Back before the Lindberg '64 Plymouth and Dodge came out with a nice slant six in them, the Deora kit was the only current kit that had a slant six! So I bought a dozen of them from Hobby Heaven to use the sixes in my Mopar builds. That led to expendable kits and this project:

Here's an album of Deora reference photos that friends shared with me. If you want to build a correct version of the car, here's a good start. http://public.fotki.com/ModelCitizen/11_car_reference_library/the_deora!/

[Guest Johnny]

Didnt the original have chrome wheels with baby moon caps ?

Just some tint very deep chrome reverse wheels and the same tires that were in the original Corvair kits.

I still have the two fronts and tires floating around her somewhere.

[Edsel-Dan]

Nice box top collection.

But there is at least one more not included. The "Topless Pickup" version.

[Tom Geiger]

And this box too! I forgot I had this but this is the box art car for that issue. The color was retouched on the box art. I bought the car at the GSL auction many years ago. Note that box art cars are built without glass. This one also has gray painted into the tire tread so it will show up in photos.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Tom Geiger

[Nitro Neil]

Cool model Tom, who built that?

[Guest Johnny]

The one with the yellow truck on the box (top left) is the first release. I remember buying it back when it was.

Wish they would have left the bed cover in the kit although it isn't correct.

[Tom Geiger]

Cool model Tom, who built that?

I dunno! I've been trying to find out for years. I bought it as a box art model at GSL in 2001. I've asked a lot of the folks who built box art and so far nobody has recognized it.

[rasafyff]

There's one more.

Alexander's Drag Time.I think all AMT did was add the parts pack hemi and a pair of slicks and mag wheels to the kit,

I have the original issue and the topless pickup.They both have deep dish chrome steel wheels and Halibrand mags.

[ZIL 111V]

Always wondered....

Why the AMT DEORA kit was put in an MPC box in the 80's??? under ERTL/amt/mpC

(Tom's box).... kool boxtop builtup!!!...look way better in it's unretouched color

[Mark]

_{The wheels have been changed a couple of times over the years. Early issues used compact car tires (the ones used in Corvair and Opel GT kits for stock). Most of the early variations (Covered Wagon, Topless Pick-Up) had the same parts in different boxes, with instructions for cutting the top. I've heard those versions were done because the Deora was a slow seller. The slant six engine is cool now, but kids buying kits back then probably weren't too crazy about it. At the very least, AMT should have made the engine cover a separate piece molded in clear, so you could see the engine from up top.}

_{The Alexander's Drag Time was a DIY project in a box. The engine was the Hot Rod Shop (AMT parts pack) 392 Hemi, unplated. The whole tree was tossed in, so you got the Corvair engine along with it. The builder was supposed to radius the rear wheel openings, trim out the molded-in engine cover, and cut off the top. Trim lines may have been added to the inside of the body for the wheel openings, but you were on your own for the rest (and that plastic was pretty thick). I don't know what was included for tires, but if I remember right you were supposed to use the slant six engine's U-shaped display stand to make a roll bar.}

_{I've got an early Seventies issue with larger wheels and tires. The two sets of compact car wheels were replaced by the reversed/baby Moon set that is still in the kit, and a set of "Flag" mags that appeared in a few other AMT kits in the late Sixties. These were later changed out and replaced with the four-slot wheels that are still in the kit. This issue still has the clear canopy, and has a couple of surfboards that AMT put into a few other kits around that time The flat tonneau cover for the bed area is still included also. The next issue after that was the mid-Seventies "Vantasy" with the camper shell. I don't think the clear canopy reappeared from that point on.}

[Eshaver]

_{The wheels have been changed a couple of times over the years. Early issues used compact car tires (the ones used in Corvair and Opel GT kits for stock). Most of the early variations (Covered Wagon, Topless Pick-Up) had the same parts in different boxes, with instructions for cutting the top. I've heard those versions were done because the Deora was a slow seller. The slant six engine is cool now, but kids buying kits back then probably weren't too crazy about it. At the very least, AMT should have made the engine cover a separate piece molded in clear, so you could see the engine from up top.}

_{The Alexander's Drag Time was a DIY project in a box. The engine was the Hot Rod Shop (AMT parts pack) 392 Hemi, unplated. The whole tree was tossed in, so you got the Corvair engine along with it. The builder was supposed to radius the rear wheel openings, trim out the molded-in engine cover, and cut off the top. Trim lines may have been added to the inside of the body for the wheel openings, but you were on your own for the rest (and that plastic was pretty thick). I don't know what was included for tires, but if I remember right you were supposed to use the slant six engine's U-shaped display stand to make a roll bar.}

_{I've got an early Seventies issue with larger wheels and tires. The two sets of compact car wheels were replaced by the reversed/baby Moon set that is still in the kit, and a set of "Flag" mags that appeared in a few other AMT kits in the late Sixties. These were later changed out and replaced with the four-slot wheels that are still in the kit. This issue still has the clear canopy, and has a couple of surfboards that AMT put into a few other kits around that time The flat tonneau cover for the bed area is still included also. The next issue after that was the mid-Seventies "Vantasy" with the camper shell. I don't think the clear canopy reappeared from that point on.}

You're correct mark, the clear canopy and the tonneau cover went to A M T's unknown area aka Area 69!

[Casey]

Looks like the Deora's being reissued: AMT-926 Dodge Deora Concept Car

[Toner283]

Looks like the Deora's being reissued: AMT-926 Dodge Deora Concept Car

Here is hoping that Round 2 backdates this kit and puts the original parts back in that have been deleted over the years. The bed cover and the clear canopy for sure.

[thatz4u]

I have the AMT/Ertl version & it has only the 6 cyl in the kit & instructions.

[Don Sikora II]

_{I've got an early Seventies issue with larger wheels and tires. The two sets of compact car wheels were replaced by the reversed/baby Moon set that is still in the kit, and a set of "Flag" mags that appeared in a few other AMT kits in the late Sixties. These were later changed out and replaced with the four-slot wheels that are still in the kit. This issue still has the clear canopy, and has a couple of surfboards that AMT put into a few other kits around that time The flat tonneau cover for the bed area is still included also. The next issue after that was the mid-Seventies "Vantasy" with the camper shell. I don't think the clear canopy reappeared from that point on.}

Mark,

Which issue had the Flag mags?

[disabled modeler]

Here is hoping that Round 2 backdates this kit and puts the original parts back in that have been deleted over the years. The bed cover and the clear canopy for sure.

X 2....I want to build one with the clear canopy topper.