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1979 Trans Am - MPC / Round 2 (1/25)


CarlR

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This model is the latest episode in my love/hate relationship with the AMT/MPC kits reissued by Round 2.

I've always liked the look of the '79 Trans Am and I had to have one in my collection. So, after doing some research on the net and fully aware I would be in for a challenge, I dove into the kit and did the best I could with the skills I have and the kit that's available.

The area I found involved the most work was the front end - it was not the same size as the attachment area on the body and a lot of careful filling and sanding was required to eliminate the step and obtain a smooth transition from the hood area to the nose. Attaching the fender flares (front and rear) was also a challenge - lots of fitting and sanding to get them to conform to the side panels. The side marker lights were lost because of all the filing and sanding required to blend in these areas.

The front and rear glass come as a single unit but I found I got a better fit by separating the two and installing them individually. Next hurdle was fitting the spoiler to the rear deck. Even the best fit I was able to get after extended fitting and filing still required the application of filler - sanding that was fun (not).

The tires included in the kit were a major disappointment - they look like they should be for some sort of off-road vehicle. Fortunately I had some spares from (of all things) the 1965 Pontiac kit from Round 2 that were much more suitable. The only problem is that on one of those replacements, the whitewall is printed off-center.

To me, the only saving grace of this kit is the decal sheet that's included. Three different color schemes are provided which will allow the builder a wide variety of color schemes to finish their model in.

In spite of what I perceive to be shortcomings of this kit, I'm glad to have it on my shelf with my other dream cars.

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Edited by CarlR
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Well done Carl!  I also like the color - you didn't see many blue TRANS AMs when these were new.  One thing that bugs me is the lack of any separation line between the fenders and the nose. The plastic nose is a separate piece and on the 1:1 car there is a clearly visible seam.

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You mention that those parts didn't fit well and you had to fill/sand them. But then you left that area smooth like the fenders and nose are single piece.  I would have scribed in the separation line to make that area more realistic.  Same goes for the rear bumper skin. There is a clear separation line there too.  The taillight lens is heavily tinted on the real car, so I wouldn't have painted it red.  This photo also shows the rear bumper seam.

hppp-1107-12-o-1979-pontiac-trans-am-rea

I'm also not fan of whitewalls on a TRANS AM, but that is just a personal preference. Just like on real cars, I would have used the black-wall side of the tire or, removed the whitewall paint.

I hope that you don't think that I'm putting down your modelling efforts - I'm not. I do like your model. I just mentioned few things that I would have done differently.

Edited by peteski
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thank you all for your kind comments.

 

peteski - I'm not offended by your comments - you make some valid points. Somehow I overlooked  that prominent separation line on the nose while I was concentrating on getting a smooth transition from one panel to the next. I think I'll try using a straight line decal to simulate the front joint - the rear, I'm not sure how I could pull that one off. As to the rear taillight, with careful masking I might be able to overspray that with Tamiya  smoke and tone it down a bit. Thanks for your observations.

 

Now, if only someone would offer a decent kit of this car...

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I would use a really thin decal for the separations or a fine tip marker if you have a steady hand! As far as the tail lights, you could try some Tamiya smoke in the bottle. Maybe using a fine paint brush, dipping it in and letting it flow over the them.

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Nice TA, great color. Looks like the whitewall on the left front is out of round. Not your fault.

I agree, very nice TA, love the color (what is it?) also think that most of the pad printed whitewalls are out of round. Some a little & others alot, seems to be across all makers...my $.02

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