82 replies to this topic

[Dr. Cranky]

Mike, that's a BEAUTIFUL Falcon indeed! Thanks for the eye candy.

[gpugh1976]

WOW............

[Maindrian Pace]

Thanks Doc, not mine though - a gift from Google image search. Someday, mine should look as good.

-MJS

[Jon Cole]

I don't expect to see any of these on a clearance rack. As example, my local LHS will order this kit, but they won't bother to stock it otherwise, due to the cost. Even hobby shops need to draw the line somewhere.

[Harry P.]

And last but not least another pet peeve of mine,but I am going to give it a headliner so it won't be seen.

The glass unit looks like it has the headliner molded in place... so what's the problem with ejector pin marks on the underside of the roof? The glass unit hides them.

[Michigan Madman]

At $50 retail they need to get better or concentrate on the military subject matter, where they seem to have a footing.

The ALF fire trucks were actually pretty good, and cost quite a bit more than $50. I really wonder sometimes how Trumpeter can do one subject or type of vehicle pretty well, then drop the ball on others.

Now, having said that, I do plan to pick up a couple Falcons, and at least as many Rancheros. Yeah, the grille is wrong, and the body is a bit 'slab-sided'. But I have some pro-touring capers in mind for these, so a totally stock appearance isn't as important to me as it may be to some. I'm not as strict with 'accuracy' as some seem to be, but even to me, the Trumpeter kits do fall a bit short in that department, even by my standards. I also plan to put those oversized rear wheel tubs to good use! About the only thing stopping me from buying these is, yes, the price... the typical new Revell tool is more accurate and of higher quality, not to mention the parts breakdown is a bit more logical. But for some reason, the average Revell release is easlily half the cost of a Trumpeter kit. If this kit sold more in the neighborhood of $20, I'd already have a few of them in the stash.

I'm not holding my breath to see them on clearance, but you might see a few of them on the Bay or at swap meets being offered at deep-discount prices by buyers who were dissapointed by the purchase and just want to be rid of them.

[Deathgoblin]

I've got two of their kits in the works. I've got the '78 Monte Carlo and the '60 Pontiac Bonneville convertible. Both are pretty nice, but there are flaws. The Chevy's engine is really bad and looks nothing like the 1/1, and the floorpan looks like a cheap plastic toy (the frame is AWESOME, though). Fortunately I picked up an '86 MC SS kit cheap at Hobby Lobby to help with some of the details. The Bonneville looks much better and I'm actually intimidated by some of the details, like the PE hood hinges. Biggest problem I've got with both of them is opposite what someone said about the Hornet kit. The markings and badges are almost too light on both, and the scripts on the Monte are just trash. I filed them off and I'm going to use the set for the '77. Keep an eye on Ebay, though. Got both of them for around $20-25 each, including shipping.

[Michigan Madman]

Another thing about those photoetched hinges.... careful bending them, they are BRITTLE.

[Deathgoblin]

Another thing about those photoetched hinges.... careful bending them, they are BRITTLE.

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the tip!

[PARTSMARTY]

it is out and it is cool.i have it.i got it on nov. 14th.yeah,maybe pricey but cool!

[Jon Cole]

The ALF fire trucks were actually pretty good, and cost quite a bit more than $50. I really wonder sometimes how Trumpeter can do one subject or type of vehicle pretty well, then drop the ball on others.

Now, having said that, I do plan to pick up a couple Falcons, and at least as many Rancheros. Yeah, the grille is wrong, and the body is a bit 'slab-sided'. But I have some pro-touring capers in mind for these, so a totally stock appearance isn't as important to me as it may be to some. I'm not as strict with 'accuracy' as some seem to be, but even to me, the Trumpeter kits do fall a bit short in that department, even by my standards. I also plan to put those oversized rear wheel tubs to good use! About the only thing stopping me from buying these is, yes, the price... the typical new Revell tool is more accurate and of higher quality, not to mention the parts breakdown is a bit more logical. But for some reason, the average Revell release is easlily half the cost of a Trumpeter kit. If this kit sold more in the neighborhood of $20, I'd already have a few of them in the stash.

I'm not holding my breath to see them on clearance, but you might see a few of them on the Bay or at swap meets being offered at deep-discount prices by buyers who were dissapointed by the purchase and just want to be rid of them.

I agree w/ Chuck... I could live with the soft details. But not with the soft detail, and high price. Especially when their competition is beating them hands down with better detail, more accuracy, and lower price.

[jbwelda]

i believe picasso was a painter not a sculpter?



rivit perfect or not (sorry, dont mean to sound condescending, just looking for a phrase) i look forward to one of these.

[garryrenfro]

Off topic, but Picasso was also a prolific sculpter and printmaker.

[mk11]

Found a good deal on one of these new falcons so I thought it would be interesting to check it out against an original 64 amt kit I've got. What I found is while the new kit is a fairly decent offshore replica of an American industrial artifact, it's a severely overpriced largely innaccurate kit that I was actually happy to resell. The body is fairly close but just seems to be missing something, like most off these offshore kits. As a friend of mine said, they seem soulless. Hard to beat the original master pattern makers from Venice and Dyersville for someone raised on american plastic. To spend 35-50 bucks on a kit that requires as much drivetrain and chassis rework/replacement for accuracy doesn't really make that much sense to me. Can understand a company seeing a hole in the marketplace and making a bid to exploit it though.

 

 

mike

[Edsel-Dan]

I have the Pontiac & Nova Convertibles as well as the Stock issue Falcon hardtop.

Some of the inaccuracies I can see, some I can't.

I am disappointed in 2 factors in the Falcon.

First, Both THE Bonneville & Nova has Steering kitted, while the Falcon doesn't.

Second, The Tires in the Falcon should be the same as in the Nova, (Those match

the tires on an Original AMT 64 falcom Promo), but are slightly taller.

 

I can fix both of these. Cut the steering gear apart and assemble with pins to make it movable,

and replacing the tires. But I would like to trade the Hardtop for a Convertible before I

start modifying it.

 

I have the ALF Pumper too. I would love to get more of that one.

The Hobby shop I go tit at ordered it for me, and got a second to put on the shelf.

 

I like that place, but can't get to them as often as I want. He discounts Plastic kits 10 or 15% out the door.

They are firstly a Fiber-glass Boat manufacturer. The Shop is in front of the factory.

Also, he is in Delaware, NO sales tax!!!

[gtx6970]

Found a good deal on one of these new falcons so I thought it would be interesting to check it out against an original 64 amt kit I've got. What I found is while the new kit is a fairly decent offshore replica of an American industrial artifact, it's a severely overpriced largely innaccurate kit that I was actually happy to resell. The body is fairly close but just seems to be missing something, like most off these offshore kits. As a friend of mine said, they seem soulless. Hard to beat the original master pattern makers from Venice and Dyersville for someone raised on american plastic. To spend 35-50 bucks on a kit that requires as much drivetrain and chassis rework/replacement for accuracy doesn't really make that much sense to me. Can understand a company seeing a hole in the marketplace and making a bid to exploit it though.

 

 

mike

 

 

Thanks for this info

 

A buddy of mine has a 1/1 1965 Falcon and I have been thinking about building him one in scale.

 

Looking at the prices for these kits, and watching sale prices of a few builtup original AMT kits, I am leaning toward the old stuff because prices seem to be very comparitive

Edited by gtx6970, 28 January 2013 - 05:59 AM.

[mrknowetall]

The entire Falcon series in the Trumpeter line is discontinued.  The two U.S. importers are now in the process of closing them out, so if you want 'em, get 'em now. 

[RancheroSteve]

I still don't want one. Better to spend your money on an old AMT builtup or a Modelhaus resin kit, IMHO.

[jbwelda]

got a direct link to the discontinued ones at a bargain price? if they were only 15 or so i would buy a few just for parts.

[Mark]

got a direct link to the discontinued ones at a bargain price? if they were only 15 or so i would buy a few just for parts.

You will never see them anywhere near $15 from a mail order place, that would be way below their cost to the distributors. None of the dealers that carried these kits ever stocked so many of them, that they would be left with a huge overstock. The stores that carried them in my area never had more than one or two of any version. They wouldn't order more until the ones in stock were sold. The high price was probably the reason for that.
I bought the stock hardtop (first variation issued), and was disappointed in it so I didn't get any of the others. These kits just didn't sell well enough; the high price combined with the shortcomings did them in. Had they been the same quality as a Revell or Moebius kit, the price might have been an irritant but they would have sold in spite of that. Had they been what they are, but priced in line with Revell or AMT, the accuracy issues would have bothered people but they would have done better. The accuracy issues and the price point together were too much to overcome.