1/25 MPC The Grand Superfly

[stavanzer]

I agree with you, Bill.

That said, if they just clean up the tool, and run it as it is now, I'd be thrilled. It's a rare kit, and getting harder to find every day.

[Faust]

I hope Round 2 is listening.

I would absolutely love, LOVE, LOVE to see the Superfly reissued. This is one time where I don't want the stock verison.

That Superfly has been a grail of mine for some time. I would be thrilled if they'd bring it back, but I'd have to figure out how to do leopard skin interior and vinyl top... can't really be pimp without it...

[Oldcarfan27]

Edited June 28, 2022 by Oldcarfan27

[stavanzer]

Indeed. If we are wanting kits restored, this would be  great candidate.

Just make sure the chrome plating is done well.

[the other Mike S.]

They need to come out with a sci-fi show where the lead characters are driving around in a '72 Grand Prix.  If that was the case, you could bet your bottom dollar this kit would be restored back to stock configuration and reissued again.

[ChrisBcritter]

Wonder if the winning submission to the MPC 500 Kit Idea Contest was "Do a Superfly version of the Grand Prix!" 

[the other Mike S.]

The time and money it would cost Round 2 to restore the roof top back into the Superfly version, which is the way I think most people would want it, you'd be better off going all the way and restoring the hood and front header panel back to stock as well.

For me, I wouldn't even consider the Kotter version.  I didn't like it then and I still don't like it now.  However, I would consider the Superfly version just for the nostalgia factor.  However, if you really wanted to get my heart racing, I'd LOVE to see a stock version made again. 

Even if they restored it back to factory stock, a resin company could make the parts to make a Superfly out of it.  Going from Superfly (or even worse the Kotter version) back to stock would be much harder.  Restore it back to stock and let the builder decided if they wanta Superfly or *GASP* Kotter version from it.   There is enough talent from "older" builders these days to make that happen .

Edited December 3, 2020 by the other Mike S.

[Can-Con]

34 minutes ago, the other Mike S. said:

The time and money it would cost Round 2 to restore the roof top back into the Superfly version, which is the way I think most people would want it, you'd be better off going all the way and restoring the hood and front header panel back to stock as well.

For me, I wouldn't even consider the Kotter version.  I didn't like it then and I still don't like it now.  However, I would consider the Superfly version just for the nostalgia factor.  However, if you really wanted to get my heart racing, I'd LOVE to see a stock version made again. 

Even if they restored it back to factory stock, a resin company could make the parts to make a Superfly out of it.  Going from Superfly (or even worse the Kotter version) back to stock would be much harder.  Restore it back to stock and let the builder decided if they wanta Superfly or *GASP* Kotter version from it.   There is enough talent from "older" builders these days to make that happen .

Isn't the only difference between the Kotter version and the SF version the roof? 

I'm asking because I haven't seen either one in person, not to be an ass.

[Casey]

Interestingly(?), the kustom parts were included in the '70 issue for use when building the Barris Custom version, then expanded upon when MPC went both feet in on the ''Put On" oversized parts:

 

Just found these images of the WBK version's body shell on eBay. The lower half of the body appears to remain stock, and that landau top isn't the worst. I think most people could deal with that if left in place:

 

Edited December 3, 2020 by Casey

[the other Mike S.]

1 hour ago, Can-Con said:

Isn't the only difference between the Kotter version and the SF version the roof? 

I'm asking because I haven't seen either one in person, not to be an ass.

I'm not sure.  At the time the Kotter version came out, my scratchbuilding skills to replace the missing roof top were pretty lacking as they say. lol!

I could probably do it now, but I prefer using the same type of plastic the kit is made from to make it happen.  I never had good results using Evergreen sheet to make complicated replacement roof tops on model cars.  Then, you still have the hood/front grill header to deal with.

For me, I rather save all the effort to do that and just save up for a nice original promo.  They're not unobtanium yet.  However, if Round 2 restores the '72 Grand Prix tooling back to stock and they reissue it, I'd buy a case of them.

Edited December 3, 2020 by the other Mike S.

[the other Mike S.]

1 hour ago, Casey said:

Interestingly(?), the kustom parts were included in the '70 issue for use when building the Barris Custom version, then expanded upon when MPC went both feet in on the ''Put On" oversized parts:

 

Just found these images of the WBK version's body shell on eBay. The lower half of the body appears to remain stock, and that landau top isn't the worst. I think most people could deal with that if left in place:

@

 

Great pics.  Man, not having the solid roof structure really fubars the upper drip rail line profile on the side windows.  Hopefully, that's just an artifact from the weak plastic in that area and not something wrong with the tooling itself.  The front grill header doesn't look too bad and could be easily tweaked back to the stock configuration. If they can find the longer stock hood, front bumper and wheels, I think this would be an easy restoration back to stock reissue. 

They went through the same (if not more effort) for the Supernatural 4dr version of the '67 Impala based on the 2dr fastback.  I think Round 2 should restore this one if they can find the tooling.  

Edited December 4, 2020 by the other Mike S.

[Can-Con]

IIRC, the wheels in those kits are the stock wheel covers.

and for the roof ,, I'd just cut down a section from a '69 - '72 Chevelle roof to fil that gapping hole in. 

[Faust]

Oh man... that thing is soooo much cooler (i.e. pimp-kitschier) than I'd have thought possible.

It's basically rolling blaxploitation.

I NEED to get one of these. It NEEDS to be built as pimp as possible, and it needs to have chandeliers on it. And gold. And leopard print. 

Honestly, as much as I'd love one, I don't think they could reissue it, even if they wanted to. The riots would end up burning whole cities down it's so un-PC.

[Oldcarfan27]

On 12/3/2020 at 5:18 PM, Can-Con said:

IIRC, the wheels in those kits are the stock wheel covers.

and for the roof ,, I'd just cut down a section from a '69 - '72 Chevelle roof to fil that gapping hole in. 

I was thinking of using the 70 Monte Carlo. The chassis might work too.

[the other Mike S.]

1 hour ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

I was thinking of using the 70 Monte Carlo. The chassis might work too.

Yeah, the real car used same roof stamping as the '70-'72 Monte Carlo.  Or, rather the Monte Carlo used the same roof stamping as the Grand Prix which came out in the '69MY.  Chassis could be made to work as well since the wheelbase on the Grand Prix was 118" versus 116" for the Monte Carlo.

Edited December 6, 2020 by the other Mike S.

[Luc Janssens]

The big question is, is the tooling still there, and if so in what shape?

[Oldcarfan27]

17 hours ago, Faust said:

Oh man... that thing is soooo much cooler (i.e. pimp-kitschier) than I'd have thought possible.

It's basically rolling blaxploitation.

I NEED to get one of these. It NEEDS to be built as pimp as possible, and it needs to have chandeliers on it. And gold. And leopard print. 

Honestly, as much as I'd love one, I don't think they could reissue it, even if they wanted to. The riots would end up burning whole cities down it's so un-PC.

You're probably right.

They wouldn't have to issue it as "Super Fly" and they probably couldn't get approval for the "Sweathogs" either.

But they could simply issue it as a Custom Grand Prix and have the cool box art to go with it. No threats from the PC police!

[CapSat 6]

On ‎12‎/‎6‎/‎2020 at 8:51 AM, Oldcarfan27 said:

You're probably right.

They wouldn't have to issue it as "Super Fly" and they probably couldn't get approval for the "Sweathogs" either.

But they could simply issue it as a Custom Grand Prix and have the cool box art to go with it. No threats from the PC police!

They could release it as a "neoclassical custom". For the box art, I would use the same artist that did the recent releases of AMT's '62 T-Bird and Catalina Gasser. Do very dramatic/ dynamic illustrations. 

They could always unblock all of the parts and see what they have...I think some of the custom parts (side pipes, etc) came with the annual kits even before it's Superfly form. MPC probably just blocked off a bunch of parts for the Sweathogs release.  

In 1:1, wasn't the Stutz Blackhawk (I think Elvis owned one or two) based on the GP for awhile? That's a car I would love to see a kit of, but that would take fairly radical mods to the GP body going the other way from stock.  

[the other Mike S.]

2 hours ago, CapSat 6 said:

They could release it as a "neoclassical custom". For the box art, I would use the same artist that did the recent releases of AMT's '62 T-Bird and Catalina Gasser. Do very dramatic/ dynamic illustrations. 

They could always unblock all of the parts and see what they have...I think some of the custom parts (side pipes, etc) came with the annual kits even before it's Superfly form. MPC probably just blocked off a bunch of parts for the Sweathogs release.  

In 1:1, wasn't the Stutz Blackhawk (I think Elvis owned one or two) based on the GP for awhile? That's a car I would love to see a kit of, but that would take fairly radical mods to the GP body going the other way from stock.  

I think Renwal made one back in the '60's.  In 1/25th scale too....

[Oldcarfan27]

2 hours ago, CapSat 6 said:

In 1:1, wasn't the Stutz Blackhawk (I think Elvis owned one or two) based on the GP for awhile? That's a car I would love to see a kit of, but that would take fairly radical mods to the GP body going the other way from stock.  

Elvis owned the first one - a real one. Hand made body, split windshield, large size wheels (for the time). According to the Graceland website,  he also owned 3 more, so Elvis really enjoyed his Stutz' (or would it be Stutzses)

But you're right, the later one's were based on Pontiacs. No need to ruin this tool to get there.

This one was Dean Martin's with the "Drunky" license plate. 

Edited December 7, 2020 by Oldcarfan27

[the other Mike S.]

The version based off the '73-'77 Pontiac Grand Prix were my favorite.  The increased tumblehome of those cars made it look a little less boxy from certain angles.       

[Casey]

14 minutes ago, the other Mike S. said:

made it look a little less boxy from certain angles.       

Looking too boxy is the least of that car's design concerns. ?

Round2 has reissued worse (IMHO) subjects, but I can't see a Superfly/Sweathogs specific version selling well at all. Not convinced a fully back-to-stock version would set any sales records, either.

[Oldcarfan27]

11 minutes ago, Casey said:

Looking too boxy is the least of that car's design concerns. ?

Round2 has reissued worse (IMHO) subjects, but I can't see a Superfly/Sweathogs specific version selling well at all. Not convinced a fully back-to-stock version would set any sales records, either.

I'll bet quite a few readers here would beg to differ. 

Every time the topic comes up over this kit or the Grand Prix in general, most of the response is positive. 

I can see multiple generations and personalities liking something like this on the shelves. It's got a unique character that stands out.

Kind of like that fun girl at a dance that's not model perfect but has too much charisma and personality to ignore. 

Edited December 7, 2020 by Oldcarfan27

[the other Mike S.]

1 hour ago, Casey said:

Looking too boxy is the least of that car's design concerns. ?

Round2 has reissued worse (IMHO) subjects, but I can't see a Superfly/Sweathogs specific version selling well at all. Not convinced a fully back-to-stock version would set any sales records, either.

The easiest route for Round 2 would be to reissue it as the "Kotter" version, but don't call it that so they don't have to pay royalties to Travolta, Kaplan and Lawrence-Hilton Jacobs.  They could do a super short run without investing that much into the tooling.  Of course, that's assuming the tooling doesn't need a ton of work to get injecting plastic again.  Draw up a new jazzy box art theme along with some new decals and wheels/tires and they'd be set  Then, if the demand is good and they can make some money off the thing, they can start thinking about investing more into the tooling by modifying it back to stock. 

That's a somewhat similar approach (but to a much lesser degree) to what they did with the new tool '70 Camaro Z28/RS Baldwin Motion kit they inherited from Ertl R/C.  That kit was a new tool developed under Racing Champions and they released it as the '70 Z28-RS/BM with revised box art.  Then, many years later, they altered the tooling to reflect the full bumper version that we see now.

If the tooling is still viable, I say do a run.  If ROI is good, then use those profits to fix it up back to stock.  The tooling is not making them any money sitting in mothballs at their warehouse.  There will be some appeal for the car.  Give it a short run and let's see what it does (sales-wise).

    

Edited December 7, 2020 by the other Mike S.

[stavanzer]

I'd be happy to see Round2 run this kit again. There is no need for the execrable "Kotter" figures to ever re-appear either. Round2 could add those (relatively) newly tooled 5 spoke mags that have been included in a half dozen kits now. Add a set of tires with Wide Whites on one side and pinstripes on the other. Design some Radical Decals (One of Round2's Strongest Skills, now), and I think the kit would work well. Run no more than 1500-2000 of them, and see what they do. As CapSat 6 says, unblock everything in the tool, and let the buyers decide what they want. A quik check of the '69 and '71 Grand Prix instruction sheets over at the Drastic Plastic archive, shows that the G/P base kit has never had any engine options. There have been the Faux spare tire overlay for the trunk, the snazzy side pipes, and a whole group of snow skiing extra parts, as well as the "Wild Put-on Parts" from the '71 issue. If any of these pieces still exist in the tool, they would enhance the kits value. Throwing in the snow tires would be a nice thing if the Skis, sled and other winter parts are still there. And this does not count the "Super Fly" parts that might still be in the tooling as it exists now.

All in all, I think a good case can be made to run it as it sets now.

"