Justin Porter

Exactly what I was saying. I hear a lot of complaining about the vinyl tires in Trumpeter/Hobbyboss AFV kits, for instance, and resin replacements - especially ones that have a weighted sag to them - are hugely popular.

It's items like this that always make me marvel at how auto modelers regard plastic tires as a sign of a cheap or poorly engineered kit, while military AFV modelers practically froth at the mouth if you suggest separate vinyl tires in their kits instead of resin or injection molded plastic.

While it certainly wasn't rapid and wholesale supplies got gobbled up in a hurry, we finally got the Half Cabs in at my shop and I must say I'm impressed. It's a fun little kit and it came in at less than HALF the price of the AMT Ford Galaxie and AWB Falcon combo kit. I'm certainly looking forward to making a lot of customers happy with these.

Incredibly excited to put these on my shop shelves and probably will build one for myself.

I don't blame you one bit for that and believe me, it's equally fear inducing for me as a retailer when Round 2 is suggesting $38.95 as a retail price for their reissues. That sort of pricing, placing them at the very top of the domestic car kit market, makes me very wary of ordering Round 2 kits knowing that I may be sitting on them for an awfully long time.

A reissue of the AMT Watson Roadster would be very welcome even if acquiring one immediately means I have to turn to the aftermarket to backdate it from "Old Calhoun" into a Watson I actually like. lol

This I really want to see. UMI kits were always something so far off and out of reach when I was younger so it's exciting to see one being built.

Well, new news on the Sierra Cosworth from DM Model Kits. They've gotten as far as the test shot phase and have announced the following liveries. " "Modelistic greetings We continue working on our first model and today is the day we show you the first plastic mounted prototype and also the sprues that will compose ours Ford Sierra Cosworth 4 x4 Monte Carlo Rally 1991 CAR: No 5 Driver - Alex Fiorio Co Driver - Luigi Pirollo CAR: No 12 Driver - Fran oisois Delecour Co Driver - Anne - Chantal Pauwels CAR #15 Driver - Malcolm Wilson Co Driver - Nicky Grist And Portugal Rally 1992 CAR #3 Driver - Fran oisois Delecour Co Driver - Daniel Grataloup CAR #7 Driver - Miki Biasion Co Driver - Tiziano Siviero Not long before we launch these models. But we're working on giving you a great kit. We hope you enjoy and stay tuned for Ford Sierra Cosworth4x4 is almost here... D Modelkits We Make You Build Dreams"

Kind of along the lines I was thinking too. There are a lot more livery options with the Mclaren or the 70's Eagle and livery options move race car kits.

Well, I did ask for Round 2 to consider reissuing some of the classic Indy kits. Wouldn't have been my first choice BUT it is one that's been out of production for quite a long time and that I'll be very happy to add to my growing display of Lotus open wheel machines.

There is nothing - other than the nostalgia of builders who themselves are contemporaries of the kit - to indicate it WOULD be a success. Tamiya and Fujimi have both had MkII Supras in their catalog in the intervening years. The Tamiya "Long Beach Pace Car" Supra kit is still both in production and quite popular despite its own shortcomings. The Fujimi and Aoshima "Celica XX 2000GT" kits less so because they don't out and out represent full boat MkII Supras. The MPC kit isn't existing in a vacuum. It has very real competition and it has to be judged on the merits of that competition as how likely it is to be a sales success. Case in point. Round 2 decided to reissue their 1/25th scale MkIV Supra kit this past year at an MSRP of $35.95. Tamiya's MkIV Supra never left production and commands an MSRP of $28. Guess who ended losing THAT matchup horrendously? http://hobbytyme.com/images/products/tam24033.jpg

Given how folks have been buzzing my phone asking about when I'll have the Revell Henry J on the shelf, I tend to think that the folks who want a Gasser Chevy II are going to give the roof height a bit more of a pass than others. I definitely UNDERSTAND the concerns and disappointments here, but I'm also looking at the box contents going "This is going to be a very popular kit" based on things like how well thought out the actual build is and how nice the parts appear. I'm willing to go as far as to say I'm expecting that for the metalflake paint and cottonball burnout smoke crowd this kit will probably be even more popular than either Revell's '57 Ford Station Wagon Gasser OR their '62 Corvette Gasser.

I can assure you that my reluctance on the MPC Toyota Supra kit has nothing to do with its collectability. I have very regular dealings over the counter with guys who build import model cars. Having that active customer base who build these subjects tells me that it would be a hard sell. It's 1/25th scale so it would appear undersized if displayed with other Supras or contemporary JDM cars like the Z31 300ZX that Tamiya is reissuing. It doesn't have polycap wheel attachment so using Aoshima or Fujimi wheels to build it as a tuned car in something like a Liberty Walk style would be a lot of extra work AND the wheels would look oversized on the car. Yes, it has full engine detail, but that isn't nearly as much a draw in import builder circles as a straightforward build or ready compatibility with existing detail parts. And I repeat, it'd be nice to have the kit back, but I have every doubt in its sales success because of the drawbacks to it among what would be its competitors. If this were a discussion surrounding Hasegawa hypothetically tooling up a 1/24th scale '63 Studebaker Avanti - as much as I would love that - I'd be saying "But the market who loves it already has the AMT kit which serves most all their needs".

Just got our shipment of these kits in at my shop and I'm honestly fairly impressed. The moldings are a lot finer "in the hand" then they appear when photographed. The slide molding for the scoops on the rear deck is fantastic. The all-in-one engine front cover actually has one of the nicest harmonic balancers I've seen engraved in a kit in a long time and the alternator is pretty good too. About my biggest actual complaint is that the panel lines for the doors on the roof are somewhat faint and could definitely stand a pass or two with a scriber. Plus everything has nicely laid out mounting pins and lugs so I doubt anyone would have too much of a challenge building a lovely GT40 out of this box.

I was just about to say this! Most of the basic line Hasegawas come in at retail prices (and wholesale prices) CHEAPER for me than where Round 2 has started landing. Yes, most of the "Limited Edition" line like the kits they released with the female figures or some of the more obscure race liveries have been pricey but I'm here to tell you that we just got the all-new tooling R32 GTR Skylines in at my wholesaler and they are CHEAPER than the Round 2 reissue of the '64 Ford Galaxie Craftsman kit.

If it's at all like the Fieros or 3rd generation F-bodies that MPC was tooling around that time then general detail level and accuracy aren't huge concerns for me. However, I do know that Revell's otherwise excellent Integra, WRX, and Focus kits were broadly panned at release for being 1/25th scale rather than the more common - for late model subjects - 1/24th scale and I can see that happening again with a subject like the MkII Supra.

On one hand it is an interesting piece of MPC's catalog but on the other hand it's 1/25th scale and would need MASSIVE retooling to be able to accept proper polycap style wheels and tires. It's probably best left in the past while we wait for Hasegawa to add that subject to their new lineup.

The Atlantis MSRP's have been an absolute godsend for the domestic car kit side of my shop. I have no doubt a few of these little dragsters will find happy homes at a sub-20 mark.

You can count me in for a 250GT SWB, a Morgan Plus Four, and an XK-SS as well. Italeri's 275GTB/4 would be more than acceptable, too.

Aside from the 2000GT which has a phenomenal resin engine and engine bay. We had the road car version in at my shop and it is genuinely jaw dropping stuff. Was almost a little hurt to see it go home with a customer. lol It's going to be fantastic to have a new MR2 to put on the shelf and the Daytona version of the RX-7 will be an easy sell alongside the road version. Hasegawa just keeps going with the good stuff.

Not at all a bad idea, but if we're starting from fresh tooling but are also interested in cutting cost why does it have to be a 1960's style promo chassis? Why not actually break new ground and give us a modern curbside kit with reasonable suspension detail and wheels held on with polycaps? Something along the line of Aoshima's Mad Max Interceptor and KITT?

AK's concept of a diorama book focused on darker events in human history may have been promoted a bit wrong-headed, but it was certainly a solid concept. There are also coffee table books of photography plates covering the Khmer Rouge and fine art paintings hung in galleries depicting the acts of Robespierre. Modeling is just as adept an artistic medium for capturing these moments in time as the others. I actually appreciate AK's attempt - however misguided - to elevate the medium.

Without a doubt. Round 2 had an opportunity to do a proper product rollout here but all they managed to do was restate product news that was already out among the public. Couple that with a lack of any sort of production or presentation (their camera couldn't even focus ON fine details to demonstrate the quality of engraved detail on the Razor Crest test shot) and it's absurd. Compare it to AK Interactive's channel for their products and you'll see just how miserably behind the times Round 2 really is.

Not an easy kit to wring good results out of. You ought to be proud!

Looks fantastic.