Mark

That pack is included in the Mooneyes dragster kit. The dragster uses only one part from it: the tow bar (or maybe the push bar), which was repurposed as a suspension piece for the dragster. The Fiat coupe kit includes the tubular frame pack, not this one.

I got one of these today, a few observations... -The dragster front tires are included. -Body and related parts, and the two engine trees, are molded in gray that is pretty close to the lighter of the two grays Revell molded the parts pack body in. The double kit made up of parts packs had the body molded in white. It would be easier to paint the body yellow over white plastic as opposed to the gray. -No plated parts at all. I'd like to see the suspension parts tree plated in one of the upcoming kits... -Instructions show one version, with the choice between the two engines. Using the Ford engine with the blower will necessitate enlarging the hole in the body. The built version shown on the box has the hole enlarged but doesn't show the bugcatcher. -Ford engine version with the blower has the magneto (incorrectly) at the rear. The AMT Silhouette kit has a front cover with provisions for a front drive distributor or magneto. -Instructions don't show other possibilities for the use of the other parts in the kit, specifically the suspension parts and other wheels. -Instructions show only the nose piece with the grille detail. The smooth one is in the kit, mine was a very slight short shot. That's no big thing, the tiny gap (at one corner) would get filled anyway when the nose is molded to the body. -The hinge for the right side door isn't mentioned in the instructions. Mine was broken, not that it would work too well anyway. The right side door line needs a bit of cleanup at the lower edge regardless.

The 7 Litre is a Galaxie, bumper is different and probably too wide anyway. The bumper from the currently available '66 Fairlane kit might work, but I haven't tried that on the older kit body.

We've got to remember that the annual kits existed mainly because of the promo model contracts. They were made to fulfill those contracts, with the auto manufacturers allowing AMT/SMP to produce them as kits afterwards. Producing the kits probably allowed for a minor price reduction on the promos. But the parts breakdown of these things is mainly owing to the promos. AMT/SMP tried to strike a balance between accuracy and ease of (promo) assembly (meaning fewer parts). The big rear window and upscale trim is there because Ford and Chevrolet wanted it there to promote the deluxe packages. The long/wide pickup beds, with no alternative, was the same deal. That's what Ford and Chevrolet wanted, that's probably the configuration that sold in the biggest numbers.

Weren't the SATCO tires (those not from existing kits) made in China? I had once heard that the SATCO unique tires were retooled once because the factory that made the earlier ones seized the tooling. Even if he'd gotten control of it back, he wouldn't have been able to move it to another factory...

The Australian beer... which every Australian I have ever run across completely disavows...

The early versions of the AMT Chevy van didn't have the roof ribs. Those were added for the A-Team version.

The original '68 and '69 AMX kits were quite good; chassis and engine detail and accuracy are far superior to the 1/24 scale Jo-Han kits. Minor errors in those kits include extra lights engraved into the grille (pretty sure a part is included to cover those) and early style valve covers. The 1968 version was first sold by mail and through AMC dealers, so AMC may have been to blame for those errors. The '70 version went off the rails a bit, as MPC did that update out of their own pocket to get another year out of the kit. The front bumper/grille could have been better, also the seat and door panel detail was not updated. The '69 interior with a '70 instrument panel is the opposite of reissued Jo-Han kits, which have '70 interior and seat detail but a '69 dashboard.

To sum it up... "Your results may vary".

AMT '62 Bel Air and Impala convertible kits have a 409 unit. The Model King reissue '69 Camaro funny car from a bunch of years ago has a big-block piece on one of the plated trees. It isn't used in building that kit, but the body in it is modified from the annual kit. The manifold was used in the annual kits, and happens to remain on the plated tree.

The idea probably didn't involve more detail, so much as just making the parts easier to handle. The boxes were bigger too...another part of the deal...leaving less shelf space at the store for competing items. The first S-10 was disappointing, the Stealth and Mitsubishi had that terrible looking roof. The later kits aren't bad, I have the later S-10 and one of the Firebirds.

I wouldn't bet on any of the SMP parts being anywhere close to fitting a Revell body. The SMP kits are on the crude side, the bumpers are no exception.

Starting in '65, AMT began thinning the herd as far as convertibles went. The full size droptop kits were probably lagging sales-wise, so they only kept the Chevy and Ford big cars through '67. Funny thing is, they probably could have done both GTOs (hardtop and convertible) instead of combining them into one kit. And the Mustang was so hot back then, that they could have offered all three body styles as individual kits.

They haven't done a decent job of keeping people informed, but they are supposedly working on getting back in print. The last issue was in the pipeline, but it has been said that some distributors destroyed unsold copied because they couldn't ship them or store them. From what little I know about magazine distribution, that doesn't cost them, it all comes out of the publisher's bottom line. I've read about no copies reaching subscribers in Australia, for example. Whatever the case, I'm pulling for them. It would be easy to hide behind the "well, you know...Covid" excuse so many others seem to be doing. I too plumped for the "lifetime" deal, it's by far the best car magazine out there.

There was/is only one Skylark. The body was converted from closed hood (promo/Craftsman) to 3-in-1 by switching out part of the body tool around the hood area, and unblocking the optional parts. The Modified Stocker reissues include the stock wheels from the Craftsman version, and some of the custom parts from the 3-in-1 version.

I brake for tailgaters.

Probably waiting until it's nearer to coming onshore here...shipping costs will affect the price, and I don't mean that they'll get cheaper...

Not that anything newer really needs much in the way of service. My current 2018 car is approaching 58,000 miles...original tires (I do switch tires for winter, but the snows go on late and come off ASAP), little else touched other than oil changes. The rear brakes were replaced at about 45,000 miles...someone who heard that was surprised. With my previous vehicle, all four wheels had been done twice by then. The original stuff barely got through the warranty period. The electrics will require even less. The manufacturers and dealers will replace service and repair profits with charging monthly fees for apps to keep everything on the car operational. And they'll decide when the car becomes obsolete by no longer offering the apps...

Newer vehicles aren't designed to be taken apart...they're designed to be put together as simply and quickly as possible, with the least amount of labor. Disassembly is the buyers' problem...

Maybe it's Phil Dirt.

The Willys pickup, like the car, is on the small side compared to a Chevy or Ford. The pickup had a smaller bed than the other trucks. Willys advertised that it could "do the work of a larger truck", they just forgot to mention that it might take two or three trips to do it...

Insurance companies don't make money by paying on claims. They make money by NOT paying on claims. That said, I have kept collision coverage on the last couple of daily driver vehicles, as long as I owned them. The line item for collision coverage isn't very much in the scheme of things. I won't drop glass coverage either, and don't understand the reasoning behind trying to save money by not having it. One cracked windshield puts you ahead, even if you keep the car ten years. I did pay for a windshield for an older car out of pocket (had a wiper scratch from before I bought the car); most glass shops will charge you less if they know you are paying for it yourself...still, it ain't cheap.

I haven't had that problem, not saying it doesn't exist though. The Nomad body I have has both of the rear pillars (either side of the rear glass) broken, as well as one B-pillar. Rest of the body is really straight except for that typical drivers' side cowl droop. I thought this one was a bit better in that respect, but it still needs help there. The hardtop does actually fit together pretty well, except for the sloppy hinges and too-flat rear glass. I don't see any mention of retooled clear parts, nor are any being offered for sale separately, so I would assume they have not been retooled. I haven't picked up the hardtop, as I've already got more of those than I'll ever deal with in this lifetime...

I've been messing with one of the Nomad bodies; mainly, fixing it where all of them break. Where the rear most pillars contact the roof. They're paper thin there. Hopefully that's what is being tended to. The one I have is a very early kit (first issue), with one-piece vinyl tires. Still, I'll want to pick up Atlantis' version.

The AMT pickup bed is pretty close to stock for those trucks.