1/25 MPC The Grand Superfly

[Casey]

Just some pics from an ebay listing, but it's a bit of a shame this kit is the end of the line for the 1/25 MPC Pontiac Grand Prix tooling.  Not sure if this could ever be backdated to the last stock type issue or not, but I doubt it.

 

Looking back at MPC's 1970 Grand Prix, the faux front fender exiting exhaust was already present, as an optional feature:

 

The Grand Superfly's successor, the Sweat Hogs 'Dream Machine' modified reissue from 1976:

[Junkman]

I wouln't mind it coming back regardless.
And who knows, maybe it only requires some runner unblockisation.

[Bucky]

I have a couple Sweathogs kits. I'll hafta look more closely to see if the body shell has been modified from stock.

I believe it represents the '71-'72 model year GP, instead of the '69-'70.

[pack rat]

With the exception of the modified header panel, missing headlights, front bumper/grille and wheels/tires the Super Fly/Sweathogs kit can be built as a stock '72 Grand Prix.

Here's a slightly-modified Sweathogs kit beside a '69 Grand Prix; I thought the two kits made an interesting comparison when I took the pic.     

[stavanzer]

Those Deep wheels on the Sweathogs kit, are always badly chromed in the kits I have seen in person. Sometimes over half the wheel is bare plastic. MPC's Quality Control back then was very spotty.  Nonetheless, I'd be overjoyed to have this kit return, in ANY form.

[stavanzer]

To add to this, here are the directions for the '69 and '71 Grand Prix kits.  Looks to be a great deal of carryover between the two.

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/mpc-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/pontiac/1961-1970/mpc-1969-grand-prix/?view=roll#8

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/mpc-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/pontiac/1971-1980/mpc-1971-pontiac-gr/?view=roll#3

 

Not sure when the Superfly conversion was made. I'd really like to see what it left of the toolin' on this kit. Looks like there could be a great deal of interesting stuff still there. Note also, that the Deep Set Wheels that I mentioned having chrome issues, are stock Pontiac rims.  I did not know that. The big Chrome Side Exhausts have always been part of the kit. It would be great to have the Luggage, Luggage Rack, and Ski Accessories back as well.

If anybody has any good photos of the contents and directions for the Superfly Kit, it would be great to see some.

 

There are some pics here, but I can't get them to embed.

https://www.lofty.com/products/complete-unbuilt-mpc-the-grand-superfly-1-25-scale-model-kit-0401-1-cxq9m

Note that it looks like nothing remains from the Other kits, as far as extra parts go. Even the prominent 'fender humps' from the 1970 kit are missing. Those humps must have been a 1970 only piece.

Edited December 10, 2018 by alexis
Links added.

[pack rat]

5 minutes ago, alexis said:

Not sure when the Superfly conversion was made. I'd really like to see what it left of the toolin' on this kit. Looks like there could be a great deal of interesting stuff still there. Note also, that the Deep Set Wheels that I mentioned having chrome issues, are stock Pontiac rims.  I did not know that. 

The Superfly wheels are the '69-style "beehive" hubcaps but they're slightly modified (mine wears '65 Riviera wires).  The "PMD" logo was removed from the center and replaced by something else (I can't make out what it's supposed to be). 

   

[Can-Con]

I had always thought that the hood's been modified too to mate up to the oversized headlight trim but maybe not ,, it's kinda hard to say without the kit and a stock one in hand.

 

[pack rat]

5 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

I had always thought that the hood's been modified too to mate up to the oversized headlight trim but maybe not ,, it's kinda hard to say without the kit and a stock one in hand. 

Oops!  I forgot about the hood.  I just checked a '72 annual to be sure;  the Superfly hood is modified as you say.

[Exotics_Builder]

I guess I'm lucky I have an original 1969 GP, as I doubt there is an easy retrofit.  But, you never know.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Exotics_Builder

[Sport Suburban]

I have a 72 in my restoration Pyle and it has a Superfly hood instead of the correct hood. I have restored another 71 and 72 and the hoods are different. The bulges are enlarged for the headlights but look like they can be sanded down to match. The nice thing is the Superfly hood has underhood detail and the annuals do not.

[disabled modeler]

Id love to have any of them...I built the custom ones as a kid .   I have some GPs but they all need parts yet before I can restore them...we once owned  67,69,70,71,72 GPs in my family.

[Young iron]

I just love Pimpmobiles, so I wish this kit was reissued !

[Robberbaron]

Aside from the front end, hood, and front portion of the roof, the rest of the tool appears to have remained agonizingly stock.  Even the "Grand Prix" scripts remained intact on the c-pillars (and the trunk lid, I believe).  If this tooling still exists, I have no doubt that Round 2 could return it to stock.

They pretty much had to do the same thing in restoring the AMT Gremlin tooling to stock.  The question is whether at this point Round 2 is still willing to make that kind of investment.  I can't think of any tooling on which they've done this kind of major restoration work recently.  The Bruce Larson USA-1 Vega would have required a fair amount of changes, and it seems like they've given up on doing that one (at least for the time being).

Edited December 12, 2018 by Robberbaron

[Mike999]

Here's a new one on me - a snap-together MPC '69 (?) Grand Prix, with metal axles/bearings for slot-car racing.  It does not have an engine and the hood is molded into the body.

I've never seen one of these kits.  Looks like MPC was copying the AMT "Motor City Stockers" idea.  An eBay vendor has TWO of them up for sale right now.  $125 + $10.00 shipping, so I'll keep looking. Link to the auction with more pix:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MPC-FAST-PACK-GRAND-PRIX-SEALED-INSIDE-1-25-G2/123488069309?hash=item1cc07666bd:g:u0oAAOSwo3Fb61Yp

[Oldcarfan27]

If Round 2 were to retool it back to a '72, they would only have to correct the front end, grille and bumper, the headlight pods on the hood and fill in the hole in the Sweat Hogs sunroof. The rest of the kit is still stock, including the interior, rear bumper, engine, chassis and wheels. And if they still had access to the solid Super Fly roof with the moonroof scribed into it - they could even issue it with the Hurst option (it was available with a moonroof). Making an interesting variation of the GP.

I personally wouldn't mind if they left all the Super Fly paraphernalia and made the SF nose parts an option for the stock kit - that could make it a 3in1 kit without too much tooling outlay.

Stock, Hurst and Super Fly versions. I'd buy 3 kits and make all of them!

Oh yeah, and leave the Sweathogs in it, I could use more people with my cars.

Edited December 12, 2018 by Oldcarfan27

[disabled modeler]

7 hours ago, Mike999 said:

Here's a new one on me - a snap-together MPC '69 (?) Grand Prix, with metal axles/bearings for slot-car racing.  It does not have an engine and the hood is molded into the body.

I've never seen one of these kits.  Looks like MPC was copying the AMT "Motor City Stockers" idea.  An eBay vendor has TWO of them up for sale right now.  $125 + $10.00 shipping, so I'll keep looking. Link to the auction with more pix:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/MPC-FAST-PACK-GRAND-PRIX-SEALED-INSIDE-1-25-G2/123488069309?hash=item1cc07666bd:g:u0oAAOSwo3Fb61Yp

I had that one as a kid....wish I could get a hold of another one.  Me and my dad built this one together many years ago have very fond memories of it.

[CapSat 6]

7 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

If Round 2 were to retool it back to a '72, they would only have to correct the front end, grille and bumper, the headlight pods on the hood and fill in the hole in the Sweat Hogs sunroof. The rest of the kit is still stock, including the interior, rear bumper, engine, chassis and wheels. And if they still had access to the solid Super Fly roof with the moonroof scribed into it - they could even issue it with the Hurst option (it was available with a moonroof). Making an interesting variation of the GP.

I personally wouldn't mind if they left all the Super Fly paraphernalia and made the SF nose parts an option for the stock kit - that could make it a 3in1 kit without too much tooling outlay.

Stock, Hurst and Super Fly versions. I'd buy 3 kits and make all of them!

Oh yeah, and leave the Sweathogs in it, I could use more people with my cars.

They could just do a "One Run of Fun" issue with whatever they have left of this. I have the feeling that they could probably do a Sweathogs version first with what they have left (as that was the later issue), then backdate it slightly to do the Grand Superfly.

I think this could have sales potential now, since there is healty interest in Lowriders and Retro customs these days. Since Round 2's specialty seems to be licensed products, this would fit with their regular product M.O., but even if they didn't want to pay for the licensing, they could just offer it as a generic Retro Custom.

Later, if it sells well, they could look at restoring it to stock '72 specs. I would not mind simply having the Dream Machine or Grand Superfly back. I'd be more partial to the Superfly version, but I would buy one, whichever one they would offer.    

 

[samdiego]

I spent a little time trying to catch a '70 Grand Prix with my '68 Firebird one day, about 1977. We were over 145 mph and I wasn't really catching up.

[Robmc125]

On 12/10/2018 at 3:52 PM, Bucky said:

I have a couple Sweathogs kits. I'll hafta look more closely to see if the body shell has been modified from stock.

I believe it represents the '71-'72 model year GP, instead of the '69-'70.

I'm looking for a rear bumper

[Daddyfink]

5 hours ago, Robmc125 said:

I'm looking for a rear bumper

There is a "Wanted" section you can post request in. This area is for Kit News and Reviews. 

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/forum/24-wanted/

[stavanzer]

I had the Sweathogs kit years ago. The Figures are truly awful. Bring the kit back, but I would not miss the figures if they did not make it into the kit. I've also never seen one (of the three or so, I've seen in person) where the headlights got plating all the way down inside. The wheels are always iffy too.  But, I'd take this kit in ANY way it was molded.

[Bills72sj]

I would like to see the stock kit reissued with a nice chassis like the 69 Olds. Below is a representation of the 1:1 I have made years ago.

As an aside, I used the luggage rack on my 70 Challenger convertible and used half of the suitcase to make a hoodscoop for a 1969 Cougar Eliminator. I still have the snow tires in a box.

 

[FredRPG]

What are the differences between the Superfly and the Dream Machine, I had always assumed it was the same kit.

 

[CapSat 6]

12 hours ago, FredRPG said:

What are the differences between the Superfly and the Dream Machine, I had always assumed it was the same kit.

 

IIRC the Superfly had a full roof like the annual Grand Prix, while the Dream machine had a targa-style cutout roof - the roof was molded that way, it wasn't something the builder cut out.

I think also the Super Fly came with side exhausts, while the Dream Machine didn't.

If Round 2 has this tool, they could do one run as a "Neoclassical 70's Luxury Custom", with new box cover artwork, etc. That would be a low-effort-maybe-high-reward offering for Round 2.

I'd prefer they mold the full roof and include the side pipes like the SuperFly, though.