alexis

Any Pics of the Hellcat T.D.?

Alistair Maclean, my Favorite Thriller Writer! His early books are his best, but the Mid Year books are good too. His last few books recycle much of the plots from his early books, and are thus sort of bland. Ice Station Zebra really demonstrates Maclean's talent for writing about the Arctic and Cold Weather. Read it in July, and you will be 10 deg colder by the time you are done. I've read every book he's ever written. The way to Dusty Death is a great book, capturing the atmosphere of mid '60s/'70s, F1 Racing. Fear is the Key, is one of my favorites. Creepy, Moody, and still plausible, it has some of his best writing. Now, My Review. My Wife and I watched the 1992 Movie, Universal Soldier. Stars Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. It showcases a really cool Transformers Style Big Rig, a 1955 Buick in the most "Improbable Paint Job Ever". The Movie starts with a Bang, showing a terrorist attack at the Hoover Dam. The US Gov't end in the UinSols. The arrive by Plane and deploy. It shows the only Footage I've ever seen of a SuperGuppy AirFreighter. They unload the enormous Rig from the Guppy! Fabulous. Once this happens, the movie goes down hill fast. I'll not spoil the rest, just note that this movies allows Dolph Lundgren to showcase "BOTH' of his expressions. A real stretch on his part. The story remained Silly, but Believable in a Cartoon Way, up until the the final confrontation. It was, 'over the top', contrived and pushed the movie from Fun to Stupid, in just 10 seconds. On the old Car Model Magazine "Reel Review" Scale, I give it 2 out of 5 gluetubes.

Another old kit. I hope it sells, well in order to finance stuff I like.

"Many Unique AMT Features" What the........? What would those be? Boxart> Decals? Decal only version of the Rat Fink Truck that just doesn't make any sense, trailer or no trailer.

david, I suspect the previous issue was a "Testing the Waters" deal. Had to see if the actual sales and public acceptance was in line with their own projections. Apparently it was. So, now this kit follows. I'm sure Round2 had planned all along to do this, but could have pulled back if the Curbside '63 had been a flop.

Joe, great thoughts on the '55 Wagon. Red or Green would work too. There are so many ways you can go with that kit. It should have a huge Decal Sheet.

Amen, Bill & Luc!

No Worries!

Movie Cars... I'd say if Round2 is going to tool up an "All New Movie Car" a very strong case can be made for a new '74 Monaco Bluesmobile. A Semi-Promo Style Chassis (like the '70 Ford Police Car or many of the early '70's MOPAR MPC kits should work, with the detail focused on the Body, Engine, and Interior. Of Course, it will need an authentic Air Raid Siren/ Roof Mounted Horn, and to increase sales/build options parts and decals to produce both a Genuine Mt. Prospect PD Cruiser and the Surplus Version seen in the Movie.{so Full Cop Gear, and Push bars, ect} Then, CHP Markings are almost a Must Have since the '74 Monaco was used in vast numbers by the CHP. I am not sure the Difference in 73 or 75 Monacos, but if minor tooling changes could cater the differeing model years easily, it might be worth build them in from the start. Next, Taxi Parts and Decals get yet another version, as does Fire Chief Markings. Lastly, Including the Full Factory Wheel Covers, would allow a Plain Vanilla "Grandma Car" like so many folks owned back then. (My Grandma's was Brown) So, For the Monaco Tool. 1. Bluesmobile. 2, Mt Prospect PD Cruiser. 3 CHP Cruiser. 4 Fire Chief Car. 5. Taxi Version. 6 Grandma's Grocery Getter. That is not counting other versions that other people can imagine. Now, Another Idea for the tooling, going a totally different way. Use the same Chassis, engine, wheels, dash, ect, and tool up a new Body, Interior, Grille, and wheel covers, and make the Family Truckster. While the Body is the most expensive part of the tool, if you are working from a clean sheet from the beginning, designing for both should reduce the workload, especially since most compromises can default to "Dodge Monaco" rather than "Fictional Movie Station Wagon". We know that the real Truckster was Ford based, but for a model, this should cut it. Still, I can see the same chassis, and dirty bits yielding a couple Police cars, with a long series of variants over the life of the tool, and a One Off Movie Station Wagon, that should sell well enough to assist the primary kit in breaking even. So, what do you guys think?

Well, the First "Lost Kit" version will sell loads. Then the "Coke Version" will sell to the Coke Collectors, then it will be time for the Updated version with a newly tooled accessory or two. (Hint. Maybe a Dumpster or Trash Cans....?) So, I can see this totally working.

Great Build!

Are you still looking for these? Alan PM me.

Those Hubcaps look vaguely 'ford-ish' or 'AMC-ish' to me. Maybe the stock hubcaps from the AMT Sunbeam Tiger, might be a place to start, however.

I have two of the Black Ones, and One of the Red. Saving them for a future build. I Fancied building one as a 'Mad Max' styled machine many years ago. Maybe now is the time to tackle that build.

Oh, Okay.