138 replies to this topic

['70 Grande]

FYI:  The soon-to-be-reissued 1/16 Nascar Petty Charger kits will be on their way to America soon, but a new announcement regarding this reissue has just been released; the following message is from the manufacturer:

 

"The MPC-767 1/16 Petty Charger kit has been molded with an opaque "Petty Blue" body as opposed to a clear body. After several attempts using various types of plastics and injection tricks, we were not able to achieve the quality or durability we needed in order to do the kit with a clear body. The age of the tooling along with the recent backdating work we had to do were the reasons. We had to make the decision to mold the body in Petty blue instead, which is reflected in the updated packaging. The chassis/motor/interior parts are molded in grey, similar to the original kit."

 

I personally think this will be an improvement for this reissue, but I also hope the Petty Blue plastic is in an accurate color. 

[Drag Monster]

_{Interesting Mega Hobby is showing the kit in stock with the clear body. I ordered one on  Sunday and I didn't receive a back order notice. Do you know if any were shipped with clear bodies?}

Edited by Drag Monster, 08 January 2013 - 02:03 PM.

[Casey]

_{Interesting Mega Hobby is showing the kit in stock with the clear body. I ordered one on  Sunday and I didn't receive a back order notice. Do you know if any were shipped with clear bodies?}

 

If I'm reading the statement Mark posted above correctly, none were done in clear plastic, only blue.

[Dragline]

To me this is good news. Clear plastic is difficult to work with in some instances and I was going to paint mine at any rate.

 

 

I can see where some are going to be upset with the body being issued in an opaque plastic and I feel a little sad for them.

 

 

Let's hope ALL the original parts have been restored and bring em on!!!!!!

 

 

BTW, this will be my FIRST NASCAR build ever. I picked a good one.

 

 

Bob

[Greg Myers]

It will be released in an opaque Petty Blue instead. More info on Kit Review thread

Edited by Greg Myers, 08 January 2013 - 06:03 PM.

[slantasaurus]

Its not a rumor, Round 2"s posted that news on their Facebook page this afternoon......

Edited by slantasaurus, 08 January 2013 - 06:10 PM.

[Greg Myers]

Let me be the first to say: "This Blows!". I've been waiting since the late seventy's when I walked on a $100 kit at a local swap meet.

[Edsel-Dan]

email from round2 announcing it as available said Clear Body.

Maybe they are doing this like the Manx Dune Buggy.

That one is available in 3 colors.

[slantasaurus]

From Round 2's Facebook page:

 

 

The MPC767 1/16 Richard Petty 1973 Dodge Charger kit is molded with an opaque "Petty Blue" body as opposed to the clear body produced in the original release in the 1970’s. After several attempts using various types of p...lastics and injection tricks, we were not able to achieve the quality or durability we needed in order to produce the kit with a clear body. The reasons being, the age of the tooling in conjunction with the recent backdating work we had to do, to recreate the stock car body details. The difficult decision was made to mold the body in opaque Petty blue instead, which looks very attractive. The packaging has been updated accordingly and there is no mention of the body being molded in clear. The chassis/motor/interior parts are molded in grey, similar to the original kit.

[Marty "Hatchet"]

FYI:  The soon-to-be-reissued 1/16 Nascar Petty Charger kits will be on their way to America soon, but a new announcement regarding this reissue has just been released; the following message is from the manufacturer:

 

"The MPC-767 1/16 Petty Charger kit has been molded with an opaque "Petty Blue" body as opposed to a clear body. After several attempts using various types of plastics and injection tricks, we were not able to achieve the quality or durability we needed in order to do the kit with a clear body. The age of the tooling along with the recent backdating work we had to do were the reasons. We had to make the decision to mold the body in Petty blue instead, which is reflected in the updated packaging. The chassis/motor/interior parts are molded in grey, similar to the original kit."

 

I personally think this will be an improvement for this reissue, but I also hope the Petty Blue plastic is in an accurate color. 

 

On the original box art, if you notice the inset picture it shows a clear body over the frame. The caption beneath it reads "Clear see-through body"

 

On the new issue, the same inset shows a see-through body with a blue tint. Now the caption beneath it reads "Loaded with features - Big on detail"

 

After adding up the clues, I'd guess that it is still a see-through body, but now it has a blue tint. 

 

But....I could be wrong

 

 

_{Interesting Mega Hobby is showing the kit in stock with the clear body. I ordered one on  Sunday and I didn't receive a back order notice. Do you know if any were shipped with clear bodies?}

 

It's common for retailers to use past box art for new releases simply because they don't have the updated on. Most likely you will get the blue tinted see-through body.

 

The good thing for the original kit owners is, they will still have value....just not like before.

Edited by Marty "Hatchet", 08 January 2013 - 06:37 PM.

['70 Grande]

When Round-2 uses the language, "...opaque Petty Blue body...", that to me means it is NOT see-through in any way, shape or form.

[Greg Myers]

How many years and reissues of the "Visible V-8" have we seen?

The "Visible Man" ?

"Visible Woman"? 

Monograms "Phantom Mustang" ?

Tamiya's "Clearview" series ?

Monograms "Visible" B-17 kit ?

how many other engine kits with completely CLEAR features ?

I find this rather puzzling.

 

http://robdebie.home...ble-engines.htm

Edited by Greg Myers, 09 January 2013 - 06:52 AM.

['70 Grande]

Good question Greg, (regarding all of those old, clear-plastic kits that you've listed), but I don't think any of those kits were from MPC, AMT, AMT/Ertl or any kit manufacturers directly-associated with MPC/AMT/Round-2. 

 

I think that I read somewhere that the "chemical-formula" for making the clear-plastic in the original 1/16 MPC Nascar Charger kits has been lost.  (Understandable, considering how long ago it was developed, and how people and companies have changed over all of these years; MPC into AMT... AMT into AMT/Ertl... AMT/Ertl into Round-2...etc).

 

Also consider how complex recreating this clear-plastic chemical-formula might be; too much of one ingredient, (or not enough of another ingredient), and the plastic becomes too soft, (or too hard, or too brittle, or too pliable, or unable to release itself from it's molds, or lacking clearness and too foggy... etc).

 

I'm just glad to see this kit actually still being produced, whatever the color of styrene it comes in.  I'm certain that this was a costly exercise for Round-2 to go through, (making the body pieces in opaque Petty Blue styrene).  How many kit manufacturers might have just dropped the project when they started to encounter these production issues?  We should consider ourselves lucky that this kit is still going to be produced and available for purchase!

[niteowl7710]

Wonder if it's a tech issue or a price issue...

 

Considering Tamiya released a clear-bodied version of their LFA a couple of months ago, but the U.S. MSRP was $92.

 

So perhaps they can't make a clear plastic body that BIG that retains the qualities they desire.  Or they can't make one satisfactorily for the price they think they'd be able to sell this kit for...it's not like the nostalgia crowd is going to pony up say $50 for it.  I imagine the $35 it costs at Tower -- figure $43ish at LHS is already making some people cringe.

[Greg Myers]

  MPC

['70 Grande]

I think that I read somewhere that the "chemical-formula" for making the clear-plastic in the original 1/16 MPC Nascar Charger kits has been lost.

 

Yep, Greg, you're right about that MPC clear-bodied GTO Nascar kit; forgot about that one.  I'd bet it used the same clear-plastic chemical-formula as the 1/16 Petty kit used, back-in-the-day.

[Greg Myers]

and subs too

 

[Greg Myers]

Almost forgot this one

 

[Marty "Hatchet"]

When Round-2 uses the language, "...opaque Petty Blue body...", that to me means it is NOT see-through in any way, shape or form.

 

A clear blue tint would be cool but you're probably right Mark...

 

It just seems to defeat the whole purpose of reissuing this kit with a solid body. Not to say they wouldn't or didn't, but It would just be a slightly altered version of the "street Charger" that's on the shelves now. If that's the case, it would have been much better to redesign the box art to reflect that. 

 

Maybe when one of you guys gets one, let us know what's in there...I'd love to know.

[Brett Barrow]

 

Body is opaque "Petty Blue".

 

 

I think the wheels are re-tooled/restored parts, they look nice. 

Edited by Brett Barrow, 09 January 2013 - 10:23 AM.