pack rat

The 5-spoke steel wheels on the Z/28 kit pictured above were exclusive to the Z/28. Not standard or factory-optional on any other Camaro.

Great save!

This was an answer to a challenge. The kit was given to me in pieces with a warped roof and a poorly shaved body....it was beyond "gluebomb"....the guy said "You'll never be able to do anything with this!". A few weeks later I was watching TV one night...... No, it's not the Monogram kit.

An update on my earlier post re the "Five-Dollar Duster"; two gluebombs combined into one presentable kit ......you've seen the "before", now the "after". Everything went as planned except the use of the new-tool '71 Duster decals; due to the differences in body dimensions (the new version is larger). I could make them fit, but I'm not sure I want to go to the trouble, so for now it's a stripe-delete car. If nothing else, it's a good excuse to revive a fun thread, and maybe encourage some to rescue those junkers. Couldn't resist a bonus A-body group shot (the orange '70 Duster is a former glue-bomb '71 too)

I remember being laughed at when I started scooping up Johan stuff back in the 90's; including USA Oldies I consider this one my best score:

Yep....you have to look for the deals. If you sit down in front of a computer screen and type "Johan" in any search, get ready to dig deep. I could provide lots of examples, but this is my favorite; A '60 Fury hardtop....modified for an opening hood (expertly, requiring no additional work). A complete chrome tree from a wagon, meaning I'll have to modify the rear bumper (easy), otherwise it's all there except the windshield (again..easy). In a clean original box.....at an NNL......twenty bucks. If I could only find a similar deal on a '60 Olds....

Something CAN be done with it. Note....I did this after picking the kit up real cheap at my LHS. I was kicking myself for making such an idiotic purchase, so I just had to do it. No, I wouldn't recommend this insane project to anyone else.

Just a cautionary note.....the (incomplete) tooling existing in China (as stated by Tom Carter) does not automatically translate into "rumored to come back" as stated above. There are a lot of obstacles to overcome before a usable kit pops out.

Really nice model. The story behind it makes it special. I see some nice classics in the background of your pic.....is that the Mormon Meteor I see back there?

That Mako Shark looks like a tough one....those things are fiddly right out of the box

AMEN, brother! And think of the money we save.....what would I pay for an MPC '72 Duster kit nowadays?......and if I mess up the paint or whatever on this one. no big deal. Wish I had more "before" pics of some of the trash I've restored.

Here's a glue-bomb project currently on the bench; I acquired a box of "attic find" kits a few years ago that contained the remains of a California Flash '72 Duster. A stock '72 Duster would be a nice addition to the collection, but this one was missing a stock hood, front seats, and grille/headlight assembly, along with the obvious missing bits as pictured. Looking at a vendors pile of junk/bagged kits at a meet later on, I found a real sad-looking '71 Duster, complete but missing a hood and wheels (wonder if he painted it with enamel or lacquer??) Here's my engine/chassis assembly, rear bumper and grille assembly. From the parts stash....a poorly brush-painted hood, wheels, tires, a set of '70 Charger buckets (surprisingly similar to '72 Duster buckets), and finally....a set of stripes from a new-tool '71 Duster kit (haven't tested them for proper fit on the MPC body though) When it's all done, I'll have a presentable '72 Duster 340 on the shelf for an investment of about five bucks before factoring in paint, supplies etc.

As much as I enjoy the glue-bomb thread, I don't think this one qualifies. This kit was neatly built by an adult builder/collector that came complete with the original box, decals, unused parts etc. Calling it a glue-bomb would be an insult to the original builder. If it's glue-bombs you want....I'll post some pics over there shortly of what's on my bench right now..

That's some beautiful detailing!

Dusting the shelves again and took some new pics of one I finished a few years ago. A Johan 61 Plymouth Fury I purchased as a built-up and restored. Not a glue bomb; it was cleanly built by an adult. The only issue was discovered after I stripped it; the body had been broken into two or three pieces and repaired. I just had to putty and smooth out some of the repaired cracks before priming-no biggie.