Rocking Rodney Rat Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 (edited) I'm not really much of a collector, I'm more of a builder. I do have a few rare kits but I generally build, not collect. With that being said, I did start to collect the vintage issue Revell Parts Packs. I've always loved these little things and they fascinate me as to their collective potential. One can frequently find them on eBay so a few years ago I started a quest to acquire the whole set. There was one pack that allude me and was thinking I may never find it. I scour eBay almost daily and lo and behold, the "missing link" Pontiac engine one showed up a few weeks ago. I had to have it and paid dearly for it but now have them all. Revell did reissue the engines (Ford, Chevy, Pontiac and Cadillac) several years ago, but none of the others. I met Ed Sexton of Revell a couple of years ago at the Atlanta NNL and asked him if the others could be reissued. He assured me that since the reissued engines didn't sell well, the rest would never (never say never?) see the light of day again. Apparently, the parts packs didn't sell all that well when they were originally issued due to the fact that a complete kit cost +/-$2.00 in the early '60s and each parts pack was about $.79 or so. You'd need several packs to make a whole car!!! I have posted them up on fotki somewhat in numerical order if you care to look through them: http://public.fotki.com/jferren/revell-parts-packs/ It's pretty beat up, but it's about 55 years old!!! The Roadster Chassis Speed Equipment is my favorite one. I have purchased several of these over the years in various conditions and use the parts on my builds. maybe if we collectively beg Revell, they'll have a change of heart and bring at least some of them back out? Probably not.... -RRR Edited December 22, 2017 by Rocking Rodney Rat 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 (edited) Edited December 22, 2017 by Casey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete L. Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 RRR, Revell should reissue the parts packs as complete kits much like they did in the past...chassis, motor, chassis, body. What's the hard part, they've been reissuing the same '55 Chevys for well over 50 years ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocking Rodney Rat Posted December 22, 2017 Author Share Posted December 22, 2017 4 minutes ago, Pete L. said: RRR, Revell should reissue the parts packs as complete kits much like they did in the past...chassis, motor, chassis, body. What's the hard part, they've been reissuing the same '55 Chevys for well over 50 years ??? I wonder how many of the molds are still around? I know some of them were cut up and integrated into other kits. The parts pack Hemi was folded into the Miss Deal Studebaker kit so I would assume the parts pack version of that engine is no longer available... -RRR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SfanGoch Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 41 minutes ago, Rocking Rodney Rat said: It's pretty beat up, but it's about 55 years old!!! I'm 57, pretty beat up and look a hell of a lot better than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 (edited) On 12/21/2017 at 6:59 PM, SfanGoch said: I'm 57, pretty beat up and look a hell of a lot better than that. Your icon picture say otherwise. ? Though I have to be careful not to throw stones. I'm 59 and do look worst than that package. Of course I did 55 years ago too. Edited January 5, 2018 by unclescott58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 1 hour ago, Pete L. said: RRR, Revell should reissue the parts packs as complete kits much like they did in the past...chassis, motor, chassis, body. Yes, please. And they can start with the Fiat and Bantam bodies. I'll take a half dozen of each to start. Come to think of it, I believe I still have at least two of the Bantam bodies still in original packaging in the Snakepit. No, they're not for sale or trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyfink Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 I am lucky enough to have a few of the parts packs in my stash along with the "Complete" Double Kits But, we know that the Hemi, Wheels and I think the chassis packs, ended up in the Miss Deal funny car along with a stillborn Stude body Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 One of the Chevy engines was pieced into the opening-doors '57 Chevy kit in the late Sixties. If you look at the unplated parts trees, you'll see the Parts Pack tree incorporated into one of them (minus a few small parts). Besides the engines, the motorcycles, and the "chassis accessory" kits, most of the Parts Packs didn't sell well for long. Some of the chassis were outdated when first issued, with the rest becoming obsolete soon afterward. The "dream car" parts in particular could be had for cheap for many years. Revell would probably have to get $15-20 apiece to make it worthwhile to replace complete kits in their production schedule...how many would pay that much for a parts pack? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berr13 Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 Many of the parts packs are new to me--I've never seen some of them before. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 IIRC, Revell reissued the engine parts packs in the 90s and they were a sales dud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyfink Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 5 hours ago, Rob Hall said: IIRC, Revell reissued the engine parts packs in the 90s and they were a sales dud. The only one they should have issued, and did not issue at all, should have been the HEMI! And maybe the Chevy, but the Ford and Pontiac where total duds! I couldn't get rid of them at $2 a piece! Sold the lot, had six sets, for only $4 bucks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 40 minutes ago, Daddyfink said: The only one they should have issued, and did not issue at all, should have been the HEMI! And maybe the Chevy, but the Ford and Pontiac where total duds! I couldn't get rid of them at $2 a piece! Sold the lot, had six sets, for only $4 bucks! Revell has reissued the Hemi engine several times. It's expensive, but you get a free '53 Studebaker along with it... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddyfink Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 8 minutes ago, Mark said: Revell has reissued the Hemi engine several times. It's expensive, but you get a free '53 Studebaker along with it... Never thought of it that way! A deluxe parts kit!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boss 302 mustang Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 Excellent collection!! I had a lot of them as a kid and wish I still had them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misterNNL Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 I heard a saying at one time(long ago and far away) that said "anyone can collect old kits,but it takes areal man to cut them up and build them". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted December 24, 2017 Share Posted December 24, 2017 There's 2 Chevy. 1 Pontiac, and 2 Ford Parts Pack engines in my stash. Somebody wants them. they're available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Metallic Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 On 12/22/2017 at 5:58 AM, Rob Hall said: IIRC, Revell reissued the engine parts packs in the 90s and they were a sales dud. While that may have been true then, I think they should revisit the idea (but obviously not reissue the engines they did recently) The concept still works for parts packs, look at how much fun Round2 is having with them. If they weren't selling they wouldn't keep introducing new ones, even spending new tooling dollars on some. Please Revell, reconsider! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Happily for me, I started buying old parts-packs up as fast as I could back in about 2005, WAY before the stupid-money guys got in the game. I've probably got well over 100 engines from Revell and AMT (including the rare nailheads and mega-rare Chryslers), multiples of all the bodies both companies made, and all the frame, wheels / tires and accessory parts as well. I loved them when I was young, learned a TON about how real rods and dragsters were built from them, and learned to recognize most of the post-war American OHV V8 engines well before I turned a wrench on a real one. If Revell even has the slightest notion of reissuing some of the vintage drag and rod parts-packs (assuming the tooling even exists), they need to get on the stick. It's the geezers (like me) who have any idea WHAT the stuff is, and they're most likely the ones who have much interest in building historically-correct rods and drag cars...and who'd spend the bucks to get long out-of-production grail kits today. The prices on the most recent repops of the four engine kits last released ARE creeping up, and the supply does seem to be dwindling. But who knows? The old dragster frames are selling for $25-$50. The 2-car kits made up from parts-pack trees are in the multi-hundreds when they (rarely) come up. When I see a manufacturer release a limited run of an old tool, say 5000 units, I always think to myself "well, that many of the old roadster and dragster accessory packs, and frames, and Bantam and Fiat bodies would probably sell out instantly if they were marketed right". But we all know I'm an idiot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted January 5, 2018 Share Posted January 5, 2018 Here's an idea I'd like to see implemented by Revell. How about doing like Ertl and Model King has done in the past, and sell us all of the old parts packs in one box? Engines, bodies, chassis, wheels, etc., all in one box. So one can maybe build one or two complete kits from the contents. It's worked to get me to buy the AMT ones in the past. It would work to get me to buy the Revell ones now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Bartrop Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 I could get behind rereleasing Revell parts packs. The big and little whitewalls with steel wheels from the '29 RPU would be a natural for a new parts pack. With the rising price of full kits making it harder to rationalize buying one just for an engine or a set of wheels. parts packs are looking more attractive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exotics_Builder Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Bob Paeth had a HUGE collection before he passed away. Since he had worked for Revell, he had the ability to get all those goodies and hang on to them. I wonder what happened with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tachyonbb Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I still have a few of them in my collection. I remember buying 10 of them for $2.00 in the early 70's at a hobby shop that was dumping them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike999 Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 One of my fave Parts Pack engines is the 354 c.i. Cadillac. It has "street" and "strip" options with 2 different transmissions and a separate clutch plate. The street trans is complete with a shifter AND linkage. Details like that, along with separate bell-housings and internal parts, make the Parts Pack engines a gold mine for diorama builders. Or builders who want to add some better parts to an engine. The detail is often well done, just buried under all that heavy chrome plating. Easily fixed with a trip thru the Easy-Off and a Ziploc bag. And I wish they had included stock Cadillac valve covers with the lettering for that 354 (it has generic finned valve covers). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 6 minutes ago, Mike999 said: One of my fave Parts Pack engines is the 354 c.i. Cadillac... A fine engine kit indeed, but there was never a "354" Caddy engine from the factory. I've always wondered why Revell never saw fit to correct the label. The first-generation Caddy OHV V8 (1949-1962) represented by the kit only came in 331, 365 and 390 factory displacements. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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