Robberbaron

I've always liked this kit, and I recall zero assembly problems when I first built it as a kid. My brother did point out to me that technically it's a mish-mash of an 85 and an 86. The interior is correct for an 84/85, since it has the older style gauge cluster, dash, console, and upper door panels/pull straps. These items were redesigned for 1986. Can't recall, the upholstery pattern might possibly have changed then, too. It does have the correct 1986+ door mirrors and alloy wheels. In all honesty, only the biggest MC geeks would ever notice the interior differences. And 30+ years later, many of these 1:1 cars that have managed to survive have been pieced together and rebuilt with parts from different model years, so there's nothing unbelievable about this combination of parts. The Monogram Buick Grand National kit has the correct mirrors to backdate the Monte to a pre-86.

Huh, got my final paragraph to post after I removed a set of parentheses. Maybe that's my 404 solution?

OK, so that woked...next paragraph: Those bowtie versions would be correct as the base hubcaps for converting the 1970 Z-28 kit to an SS - or a base Camaro. Pretty sure they were also the base hubcaps for Novas from about 1971? to 1974.

I'll try to post just my first paragraph: Really hope the original-style "bowtie" poverty caps are provided! If the original tooling for those didn't survive, let's hope that Round 2 accurately recreates them, instead of throwing in some generic baby moons instead.

Post fail. 404 errors

Excellent job, as always!

I got a couple of the recent "Stovebolt" reissues, admit I didn't look real close at those wheels. Need to dig one out and take another look, thanks for the heads up! Actually the JoHan '68 Cadillac "Boss Man" convertible also had a really nice set. A bit narrower than the ones in the '65 Chevelle wagon, about the only demerit is that the openings were molded shut. Very easy to sand the backsides to open them up, though. Pairing them with the '65 wagon Cragars made for a nice big & little set, which I used for a '70s style street machine Revell '69 Camaro back in the nineties.

IMHO, the Cragar S/S rims in this kit are the most "correct looking" versions that I've seen in any kit (of course the same applies to the sister 1965 El Camino). Center cap size and detailing look just right, and the shape of the spokes seems spot on too. So many other kits seem to get one of these aspects wrong.

Betcha I can guess the other 2 builds in your planned set

Last week there were no markdowns at the Hobart, IN store. Stopped in today and nearly all the clearance kits are gone - lots of empty spaces. Snagged the last MPC Mount'N Goat Jeep. Wasn't on my to-get list, but at $7.49, it's in parts kit territory. Only other thing of interest was one last '66 Suburban, but I already have the one I need, so I left that one for the next guy. They still had multiple AMT '23 T Delivery Vans, but nobody cares about those.

Steve, years ago my brother scored a '73 Caprice built-up kit, and we compared it to the '76 Caprice. We were surprised by the differences and came to the exact same conclusion as you. If that body tool still exists, it seems like it would be very easy to combine with the '76 Caprice chassis/mechanicals.

Don't forget, the currently available 1970 Impala from Round 2 is the AMT version. MPC had their own separate 1970 Impala kit, which was updated from their 1969 Impala SS 427 tool. The MPC '70 Impala retained the bucket/console interior from the '69, even though they had been discontinued for the '70 MY. I believe it even still has the SS fender badges. The MPC '70 Impala convertible WAS released in a goofy "The Bat Machine" version, but I believe it could still be built factory stock, so I don't believe that tooling was butchered, either. We don't really need a different 1970 Impala, since we still have the AMT '70. However, it seems like the MPC '70 could be pretty easily backdated into a '69 SS 427, which again would fill a gap that currently exists. (also assuming the MPC 1970 Impala body/interior/glass tooling still exists)

I've also had the same thoughts on the MPC '68 Impala. It's pretty well known that the chassis and drivetrain were reused all the way through the '76 annual, but as Snake noted, the '69 body was completely different, including the roofline, so.we.know the '68 didn't get modified for that. I also don't know of any custom butchery of the '68 body, so theoretically the body, interior and glass tooling COULD still exist, if they weren't simply scrapped at some point. I have a personal attachment to '68 Impalas, since we had a 1:1 as our family car back in the day. If the remaining '68 components did still exist, it would be a dream come true if Round 2 did a mashup with the new tool '67 Impala mechanicals/chassis. That and the '69 are the only missing links in the Impala chain nowadays.

C'mon, who's not itching for a set of "sawblade" directional 3-spokes to slap on their latest build?

Correct, Rob. I believe it was available not only in the Supreme body style (maybe as part of the Salon package?), but it was also available in the 442 in the ugly "humpback" fastback body style. About 15 years ago I stumbled onto one of those in a local Pick & Pull yard, and pulled the pedal/linkage/Z-bar assembly to resell. It was a very strangely optioned car with no center console.