PettyKW43 Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 I have never been in agreement with so many different opinions on one subject as I am on this one. I must say that the biggest problem with so many of the kits that are coming out is the fact that as we get older and gain more knowledge we get more and more critical and fussy of the most minute details! I will use the Petty Charger 1/16 kit as an example , out of the box it builds up into an exceptional looking model but to make it accurate you would have to throw out half of the kit , yet so many are getting built with most happy and satisfied with the results! As much as this one might be a huge compromise I will buy it anyway, and besides with Prudhomme decals already in the box you won't have to look hard for unobtanium to finish the project. Try that with most Prudhomme projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted September 2, 2017 Share Posted September 2, 2017 There's a statement in this thread (I'm not disputing) that the actual car has a 220 wheelbase. I finally got mine this week and hope to have some fun with it in the next day or so. The wheelbase issue bothered me. Looking at the actual kit, the front axle is molded as one piece to part of the frame. When these two pieces are joined, I calculate a length for the wheelbase as 8.728 inches. Using a scale calculator ( http://webpages.charter.net/sinkwich/sdventure/html/sd_scalecalc2.htm ), I get a wheelbase of 218.2 inches. Even if I'm off a little, the kit wheelbase is off no more than three or five inches. While twenty inches off would be a deal breaker for me, I'm not going to quibble over two inched in 1/25 scale. I guess I need to surrender my rivet counting license. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 Let me correct myself. Both MPC's and Revell's bodies of this era look dainty, I always felt Monograms were a bit oversized. I always attributed this to their kits being 1/24 vs. 1/25. I've had other AMT kits of this era such as the two Ivo kits. While the overall shape of this kit is nice, the size is huge. I'm not even sure if its 1/24 or even larger. With that increase in size, it is definitely too short of a wheel base as well as all the other kit pieces being undersized. I've thought of correcting it and if the Monogram 1/24 kit doesn't match up well, it will be up on the shelf to collect dust. After so much excitement, I'm terribly disappointed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 So I looked at merging it with the 1/24 Mongoose dragster. Frankly there's so much off in so many directions in this kit, I'm thinking this is best for the decals and a scratch build I don't have the energy for. I really wanted this to one of those kits that proved AMT kits were world class. That given a head to head match up, AMT could equal Revell and rival Tamiya. They give us so few new kits, when they do, they should know the bar is set pretty high. While some may say that's not fair that this is a reissue, I'd argue that the major component of this kit, the body is new. To screw it up as badly as they have is simply inexcusable. I've wanted to build this car since I was in high school. I idolized this car. I was ecstatic when it was announced. I ordered it in March for an August release. Now I'm disappointed I blew $30 on a kit that I have little use for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in Berwyn Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I am surprised everyone is surprised about the contents of this kit. AMT/R2 was very straightforward that this was a new body on the Flying Wedge chassis. The only thing that therefore surprised me was the battleship rivets on the wedge. The rest is exactly as they said it would be. We got the exact same thing with the Trojan Horse FC. We got a strange Mustang II body on an odd chassis with bad headers and the wrong engine. But I knew what I was buying and will end up with a shelf model of a Mustang II to go along with a bunch of Revell body FCs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyfink Posted September 3, 2017 Share Posted September 3, 2017 I can understand them trying to squeeze more out of tooling that is already bought and paid for and make another buck out of them. But if they are going to continue to target us with them, they should start tooling up more proper parts for these kits or make the new parts are bit more accurate. These kits are not really aimed at today's young builders, they are aimed at us, the old guys. And we are now a bit more picky about what we build and how much it cost. We knew what the kit was to begin with and we knew they where making new parts for it and accepted that. But they didn't bother making sure it was a bit more accurate proportion wise. We bought it, we looked at it, we are not exactly pleased with it and some of us will build it, and some of us will chuck it to the shelf of shame. Done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edboys Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 (edited) Wanted to share some pix of the 1/16th Snake Wedge I did a few years back, although it is sans decals/graphics. Because I can't seem to post photos please click on the link below.https://imgur.com/a/AjLCT Edited September 4, 2017 by edboys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyfink Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Wanted to share some pix of the 1/16th Snake Wedge I did a few years back, although it is sans decals/graphics. Because I can't seem to post photos please click on the link below.https://imgur.com/a/AjLCT That just looks right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 Mark......looks great. Why couldn't AMT approach your accuracy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edboys Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Mike - AMT would have to tool up a new mold and we all know that won't happen....too bad too. I intend to create a 1/25 version now that the Snake Wedge kit is out, combined with the Mongoose RE kit recently released. Would look pretty cool having one in 16th and 25th scale sitting side-by-side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PettyKW43 Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 As much as a his kit might not be very accurate, most race car kits regardless of type tend not to be accurate as per specific prototypes, it take a modeller not a kit builder to make them that way . As modellers we are the ones who slice and dice and kitbash to make them real. I do agree that we are the market that the model manufacturers are targeting and they should be trying to put out the best product that's possible but economics I think are the biggest hindrance to seeing all new kits! Keep em coming guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted September 11, 2017 Share Posted September 11, 2017 I agree with accepting some inaccuracies. I accept that. The frame is off, AMT reused the old Ivo frame. Its far from accurate for a Buttera frame. I'm okay with that, but by golly.....they tooled up an all new body. Get the body near right! Built from the box, I doubt the driver could see out of it. The blower would also hid below the deck work. I'm okay modifying a kit.....I can't remember reading directions.....but please get something near right. They designed a new body......why, oh why couldn't they got it closer? I swear they used the Hot Wheels die cast as a model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffaary Posted October 9, 2017 Share Posted October 9, 2017 (edited) So I decided to build the kit mostly as-is out of the box, but with the roll cage modified. Forget the innacuracies, even if you build it box stock the wedge doesn't fit over the valve covers. I had to cut more than half of each valve cover off to get the wedge to sit down. I also had to move the engine as far forward as possible and extend the driveshaft accordingly. This is ridiculous. I would also say the way both axles attach is fragile and dumb. That I can live with, but for the wedge to not clear the valve covers is unacceptable. Edited October 9, 2017 by jeffaary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr mopar Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 I just got my kit and love it ,I'm going to build it box stock the way it was mint to be ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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