tim boyd

Correct as noted in my earlier reply....TB

Yes, I was saying that the AMT kit actually duplicated the McEwen car, not the Hemi Under Glass. Looking at the R&C issue referenced above, it is abundantly clear this is the case. Sorry if my wording wasn't that clear....TB

Me too....although someone on the board here pointed out the real car, as finally run on the strip, had the different generation of Hemi engine from what is in the HUG kit. But there was one suggestion that the kit engine was really the 2G but with the 1G distributor/magneto location, to therefore all that was needed was to relocate the distributor....don't quote me on this though as the memory on this is not entirely clear. Need to recheck my references on that subject. But other than that, the AMT "Hemi Under Glass" was actually 100% the 1/1 scale car instead....and thus is just waiting for the new Round 2 kit and the Slixx decals.....theoretically, at least. But how many times do those 100% slam dunk kitbash conversions turn out to be a little more complicated? Guess we will find out soon....TB

Round 2 is aware of the First Gear product and apparently used that as one of its very early reference sources during the initial stages of kit development, to my understanding. But my takeaway from discussing with Round 2 personnel is that they are deeply researching this subject through 1/1 and historical sources, and that the final kit will be a function of that effort, not a replication of the First Gear product. As I always say in these instances, "time will tell" but my impression at this point is that the B-61 kit will be the result of a pretty intense, in-depth effort to replicate the 1/1 scale subject...TB

SAE also did a commentary piece with quotes from various modelers/journalists/business involved people on their reaction to the new Nova kit. There is also a sidebar in the "collecting muscle car model kits" book on the development of that Nova kit....TB

They are aware of the issue and plan to correct it for future runs of the kit. Metal transfers is a cool idea; question is whether the market would accept the increased price (do not know the amount) for the added content. I'm sure we would, be we are a fraction of the total consumer sales volume for a kitmaker.... ....TB

heard really great things about the show this year - congrats to all! TIM

Chris..my own view of the new venue was very favorable on a whole number of levels. But whether they are able to stay there or return to the old venue when the facility remodeling complete, sounds as though it depends on a number of financial factors. Not surprisingly, the new venue apparently carries considerable additional cost for the D>A>A>M> team. Not clear if the financials will make sense when all is said and done. But like you I hope they are able to make it work. Thx for your view...TIM

I ordered two from Spotlight hobbies a couple of days ago and they were shipped today....perhaps they restocked early? Anyway, as of yesterday Spotlight had the Pro Touring kits in stock....TB

Heh Marc....really tasty and really nicely done. And oh so true about kitbashes that sound simple and are anything but. However, 12 times on the engine mounts? That's a kitbashing challenge record even I don't think I could beat. Way to go to keep at it and bring it home....TIM

Somewhere else I saw a picture posted this week of a 1970 Plymouth Sport Fury GT diecast just introduced in 1/64th scale by Round 2. Makes me wonder, if Round 2 was going to invest in as-yet unannounced new tool, would the overall business case/resulting sales (both initial and longer term) favor a '72 RR body clone or an all-new, moderately full detail 1970 Sport Fury GT? Even as recently as five or ten years ago, I would have laughed at that comparison. These days, it seems (based in part on the Moebius experience) that all-new kits of 1/25th scale topics that have never been available in kit form before, represent a viable business opportunity even when replicating relatively obscure 1/1 scale automotive topics. A 1970 Sport Fury GT would certainly fit that description, but even that topic seems to be attracting a lot more interest among the 1/1 Moparisti than it might have 5 or 10 years, much less back in the day, and what goes in 1/1 soon follows in 1/25th. Not only that, but the possible future derivatives (1969 and 1970 Polara 440 Magnum Police Interceptors in various liveries, as just one example). Hmmm./// If it were my money on the line, I'd still tend go with the less expensive '72 RR clone vs the more capital- and workload-intensive all-new tool 1970 Sport Fury GT, but this is just a [theoretical] example of the discussions the kit makers need to have today when considering future tooling plans and budgets.... TB

I'm not sure exactly what happened there; I have not yet heard a truly definitive and believable account of how and why it unraveled. But as is so often the case in the business world, there are two sides to every story, and I am sure this is one of those cases....TB

You guys are causing me to remember the nightmares of my first job at Ford. At the time E&L Transport was apparently in a state of chaos, as our poor dealers would call me every day asking where this or that car was. I was supposed to call E&L, find out, and get back to them. Sparing you the detail but it was a colossal mess. This was the summer of 1978, the Ford car/truck business was still booming (the second oil embargo was about 12 months in the future), and it was a wonder I didn't lose my job right there. WheW! TB

Both Steve G and John G have been watching this thread, so thank you to you and the others here for your reactions and comments. I am pretty sure they are very appreciated by the Round 2 crew...TIM

Guys....check out the "Classic Kits" column in the latest issue of the all-genres modeling magazine (last page next to the back cover) for a deep dive on the Revell '62 Imperial version of this tooling, as well as how it compares to the AMT/SMP 1962 Imperial kit....TB