7 Muscle Cars I Hope Will Be Kitted Soon

[69NovaYenko]

First allow me to say that I was ecstatic when Revell released the newly tooled 1/25 scale `70 Cuda around late November of 2014. And, now they have me salivating from anticipation with announcement that they will be releasing a 1/25 `70 AAR 340 Cuda sometime in June of 2019.

That means there are now only a handful of 60-70 muscle cars left on my must have modeling list. First a "NEWLY" tooled 1:25 scale `70 Chevelle LS 6 and a `70 Buick GS 455 Stage 1...please.  Revell released both cars in 1/24 scale back in the day but they both fell short of the mark and by today's standards the are both woefully lacking in every respect! Then AMT took a stab at the Chevelle but it also suffered from incorrect body proportions.

Then there's the 1/25 `70 Duster 340. MPC  kitted this subject away back in the day and to and insult to injury it was a `71 Duster. Why no manufacturer has kitted that car in all these years is a mystery to me. With the soon to be released Cuda AAR, Revell now has a  newly tooled 340 block to go in the Duster in their power-plant lineup. Additionally, why did MPC opt for `71 over the first year `70 Duster beats me. If someone know fill me in.

Would love to see  a `71 Yenko Vega Stinger 350 or the Baldwin Motion Super Vega 454 or 427.kitted in 1/25. Coming up a neighbor had a 454 Vega  that would absolutely melt the rear tires..literately! He went through two sets of rear tires in 18 months!!

There hasn't been a new tooled 1/25 `69 GTO "Judge"  since the days of MPC. True, Revell released one way back when, however sadly they chose to do it in 1/24 scale. I do believe Model King was the last manufacturer to attempt this subject however, again it was in 1/24 scale and it was a funny car. I`m hard pressed to see this subject not moving off the shelves.

The `70 Firebird Trans-Am 400 has not been re-kitted since MPC released it in 1:25 decades ago. A fresh new tooling of this subject matter is long over due.

And last but not least a `70 Challenger R/T has not been on the shelves since AMT`s Vanishing Point kit . Revell attempted the Challenger T/A 340 decades ago however, it was in 1/24 and it suffers from the same problems a number of the Revell subjects had from that era and by today`s stands it is sadly missing the mark. Again, I`m hard pressed to think this subject would not move quickly off the shelves.

That my two cents.for what it`s worth. Do any of the proposed kits resonate with you folks?

 

 

Edited April 11, 2019 by 69NovaYenko

[Oldcarfan27]

For me, I would have to respectfully disagree with you on pretty much everything on your list. Most, if not all the kits you want redone, were all done recently. They include fair details, accurate body shapes and adequate parts count for their age. Much better than the details if the kits from the 50s and 60s.

Your biggest point might be that they are 1/24th scale, but all of these kits still sell well for their intended subject matter and they are useful for kit-bashing regardless of their scale. I don't really see a valid reason for the kit manufacturers to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to "reinvent a useful wheel", so to speak. Especially when there are so many other untapped subjects that have never been available as model kits.

Sorry, just my opinion. 

[Bucky]

I guess I'm a proponent of them taking what they have and issuing new subject matter from that.

A prime example for my interests would be to take the REVELL '67 Dodge Coronet R/T and back-dating it to represent a '66 Dodge Coronet 500, and then make it a convertible. 

Subjects that have been kitted before, no matter how good or bad the older kit, get less interest from me, although I did spring for the recent '68 Chevelle and the '69 Boss Mustang.

Bring on something that hasn't been done.....'73 thru '77 Pontiac Grand Prix, Chevy Malibu, Buick Regal, Olds Cutlass, and Pontiac LeMans would be nice.

Edited April 11, 2019 by Bucky

[Bucky]

A line of Ford Ranchero pickups other than Falcon based (like '66 thru '77) would work, also.

[MrObsessive]

2 hours ago, Bucky said:

Bring on something that hasn't been done.....'73 thru '77 Pontiac Grand Prix, Chevy Malibu, Buick Regal, Olds Cutlass, and Pontiac LeMans would be nice.

Yes, to ALL Colonnade cars! While not hot performers in their day compared to a few model years earlier, they were excellent highway cruisers and are now just starting to have a collectible appeal.

[Repstock]

Not a muscle car, but I've always hoped to see a 1/25 scale GMC fishbowl bus. A more iconic vehicle you will never find, and the livery possibilities are endless. I will add a "me too" to the colonnade cars...I'd love to build them.

[disabled modeler]

Me...  Id LOVE to see them bring out these for us all.....

75 Trans Am

73,74 GTOs

69 Impala SS

76 Pontiac Can Am

70/71 Demon

69,70,71,72 Grand Prix

70/71 Cyclone in factory stock verison

 

Id also love to see them bring out these....

67,68,69 Bonnevilles

69,71,72 Impalas or Caprice

65,66 Dodge Monacos

71-76 Dodge vans in a 3 in 1 kit

66,67 Buick Skylarks in factory stock

AMTs old 70s Chevy Open Road Mini Motorhome camper van

66,67,68,69 Falcons in factory stock

 

[oldscool]

I would like to see a 71 Challenger just because I like the grille and tail lights better than the 70. Would also like to see Revell do a Ranchero from the 70 Torino molds.

[Mike999]

3 hours ago, Repstock said:

Not a muscle car, but I've always hoped to see a 1/25 scale GMC fishbowl bus...

Me too. But we're more likely to see a 3-in-1 kit of a 1925 Moon or a 1915 Jeffrey Quad truck first.

Back in the 80s or 90s, somebody did a resin 1/25 scale Greyhound Scenicruiser.  I think it was mastered off a promo that Greyhound commissioned back in the 1950s.  I had one for a while that I got in a trade. I realized it was far beyond my resin-working skills and sold it on eBay.

The corrugated metal skin didn't translate very well to resin and varied from fairly sharp in some places to nearly non-existent in others.  The body was very thick and would have needed some serious grinding to look right. It did come with seats for the interior.  LOTS of seats. 

[Dave Van]

My vote........

1970 Javelin Tooling could be made so different kits could be run. Stock, drag and SCCA Trans Am

!973 Javelin Same deal as above. The two kits would share lots of tooling.....as the real cars did. 

These kits were on a companies radar.......

But I am a bit bias.......

 

[CapSat 6]

10 hours ago, 69NovaYenko said:

First allow me to say that I was ecstatic when Revell released the newly tooled 1/25 scale `70 Cuda around late November of 2014. And, now they have me salivating from anticipation with announcement that they will be releasing a 1/25 `70 AAR 340 Cuda sometime in June of 2019.

That means there are now only a handful of 60-70 muscle cars left on my must have modeling list. First a "NEWLY" tooled 1:25 scale `70 Chevelle LS 6 and a `70 Buick GS 455 Stage 1...please.  Revell released both cars in 1/24 scale back in the day but they both fell short of the mark and by today's standards the are both woefully lacking in every respect! Then AMT took a stab at the Chevelle but it also suffered from incorrect body proportions.

Then there's the 1/25 `70 Duster 340. MPC  kitted this subject away back in the day and to and insult to injury it was a `71 Duster. Why no manufacturer has kitted that car in all these years is a mystery to me. With the soon to be released Cuda AAR, Revell now has a  newly tooled 340 block to go in the Duster in their power-plant lineup. Additionally, why did MPC opt for `71 over the first year `70 Duster beats me. If someone know fill me in.

Would love to see  a `71 Yenko Vega Stinger 350 or the Baldwin Motion Super Vega 454 or 427.kitted in 1/25. Coming up a neighbor had a 454 Vega  that would absolutely melt the rear tires..literately! He went through two sets of rear tires in 18 months!!

There hasn't been a new tooled 1/25 `69 GTO "Judge"  since the days of MPC. True, Revell released one way back when, however sadly they chose to do it in 1/24 scale. I do believe Model King was the last manufacturer to attempt this subject however, again it was in 1/24 scale and it was a funny car. I`m hard pressed to see this subject not moving off the shelves.

The `70 Firebird Trans-Am 400 has not been re-kitted since MPC released it in 1:25 decades ago. A fresh new tooling of this subject matter is long over due.

And last but not least a `70 Challenger R/T has not been on the shelves since AMT`s Vanishing Point kit . Revell attempted the Challenger T/A 340 decades ago however, it was in 1/24 and it suffers from the same problems a number of the Revell subjects had from that era and by today`s stands it is sadly missing the mark. Again, I`m hard pressed to think this subject would not move quickly off the shelves.

That my two cents.for what it`s worth. Do any of the proposed kits resonate with you folks?

 

 

Awww man! We'll have 1,000 replies to this in no time

Respectfully:

1) The LS-6 probably won't happen...AMT has one in their catalog, so does Revell. They both have their problems, but they're good enough to run and sell, so there is little motivation to do a new one. The best path to a good one seems to be combining the Revell snap '70 Chevelle body and interior with a more detailed chassis & engine (the AMT '69 Olds 442 chassis is my "go-to" for GM '68-'72 A bodies). The GSX is already available in 1/24, and that kit, while a little simple, is quite nice. You probably just couldn't make a business case for either of these. 

2)  The '70 Duster: my guess as to why the '71 was done is because of the more aggressive looks of the '71 compared to the '70 (no "shark tooth" grille on the '70, louder stripes on the '71). A few resin casters do a '70 Duster grille, that would be most of what you need to backdate the '71. It's possible Round 2 could tool up a new grille, throw in their new dog dish caps and wheels from their '78 Dodge pickup, and could get another easy variant of their '71 kit. This one could be a maybe/possibly.

3) Early Vegas: before Revell was sold, this might have been a possibility. Yenkos, Pro Stocks, Pro Streets- they could have done multiple variants. AMT / ERTL did a 1/18 diecast some time back, so, maybe this is a good subject to revisit? The MPC kit was modified to become the Vega of later years, and it was no great shakes to begin with. If Revell ever actually revives and becomes something like it was before the sale, this one might be a slight possibility, but the chances as they are now are slim.

4)  See #1. Round 2 has the body tool for the '69 GTO Judge. It was last issued as the Arnie Beswick funny car, in 1/25 scale. I think the body is 100% stock, and to my eye it's pretty nice. You could combine the body with the '69 442 Chassis, get a nice Poncho engine in there, and you're mostly to a stock Judge. I think Round 2 having this body tool and Revell having the 1/24 Judge kills the prospect of getting a new 1/25 kit. We COULD however use a nice new 1/25 '70 GTO. Round 2 has the stock '70 kit, which isn't so nice, and it's been compromised by the changes back and forth from stock to circle track car.  

5) '70 Trans Am: I could actually see the case for this one. "Old" Revell could have developed an all-new kit, doing different bodies ('70 Formula, '73 Super Duty", "Rockford Files" Esprit, '74-'76 cars). MPC's kits aren't coming back, and multiple variants could definitely be tooled for better sales. Some of the Trans Ams and / or Formulas, depending on the year, were never done by MPC back in the day, so there are some gaps to be filled, too.  

6) '70 Challenger. *sigh*. The MPC kit had excellent body proportions, good body details, and substandard engine and chassis (the MPC body has been irreversibly turned into a Funny Car body). The AMT kit has decent body proportions, some body details that were off (& that nasty separate roof!), some added parts for the Vanishing Point version that were terrible, and ok to good chassis and engine. Revell did attempt a 1/25 kit, based on a diecast kit. It suffers from odd body proportions due to the diecast origins, some body details that are just wrong, but a good chassis and interior and an ok engine. It builds as an R/T or T/A, which at first seems genius, until you realize that the same 440 Six Pack engine is used for either version. As much as a great Challenger kit has never been done, and one is needed, I doubt we'll get one now. Our only hope is that one of the manufacturers thinks we need an all-new '71 Challenger R/T and actually does a good job with it.        

Here are a few of mine. I have tried to keep my list strictly to Muscle Cars. The definition of Muscle Car has broadened considerably over the past 20 years. Remember: no low compression, no non-performance engines, and mostly performance models or packages based on American passenger cars built between roughly 1964-1972 *...

1) '69 Mercury Cyclone Spoiler. Not the NASCAR version, just a straight-up, 390 powered muscle car.

2) '70 Chrysler 300/Hurst. Perhaps the coolest **only full size muscle model ever made.  

3) '69-'72 Pontiac Grand Prix. Maybe Round 2 could do a "one run of fun" on that Pimpmobile that this has become, and tool it back to stock form. While they are at it, do a few special bits and decals for a Hurst version!

4) '66 Buick Skylark. See #3.

* Cars made after 1972? Colonnade GM cars? 360 Volares? The '70's cars are stretching being called "Muscle Cars" a bit. Their performance just wasn't the same. Some of these models had the same intent though, so my belief is...maybe. A 350 powered Cutlass Supreme would not qualify for me, but a 454 powered Laguna S-3 might. A 360 powered Volare or Dart Sport might qualify, but a 360 powered Gran Fury? No to the Gran Fury, but maybe I would call that one "Cop Muscle"...  

** are 427 Biscaynes, 426 Monacos, & 7.0 L Galaxie 500's Muscle Cars? Maybe not by strict definition of their package, but I would say yes, since they have muscle engines, and since that's how some were used. Maybe less the Monaco and the Galaxie for me- those were just full size cars with big engines, really- boulevardiers. A 427 4 speed Biscayne however probably just existed for one primary purpose :)...           

Edited April 11, 2019 by CapSat 6
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[Repstock]

1 hour ago, Mike999 said:

Me too. But we're more likely to see a 3-in-1 kit of a 1925 Moon or a 1915 Jeffrey Quad truck first.

Back in the 80s or 90s, somebody did a resin 1/25 scale Greyhound Scenicruiser.  I think it was mastered off a promo that Greyhound commissioned back in the 1950s.  I had one for a while that I got in a trade. I realized it was far beyond my resin-working skills and sold it on eBay.

The corrugated metal skin didn't translate very well to resin and varied from fairly sharp in some places to nearly non-existent in others.  The body was very thick and would have needed some serious grinding to look right. It did come with seats for the interior.  LOTS of seats. 

While I like the Scenicruiser, you would have to make it Greyhound. The GMC could be any of thousands of schemes, which is why I would prefer the GMC release to the Scenicruiser. Like you said, the likelihood of getting either one is nil.

[Ron Hamilton]

5 hours ago, Repstock said:

Not a muscle car, but I've always hoped to see a 1/25 scale GMC fishbowl bus. A more iconic vehicle you will never find, and the livery possibilities are endless. I will add a "me too" to the colonnade cars...I'd love to build them.

Yesss!

[StevenGuthmiller]

If we're going to wish for all new tools for 60s and 70s muscle cars, why not wish for something that hasn't been done yet?

There are a lot of them, including pretty much every Buick Grand Sport ever produced except for 1970.

Or maybe a pre-1966 Olds 442.

Bill's suggestions of a '69 Cyclone, (or nearly any post-'67 Cyclone for that matter) the '69 or '70 Chrysler 300, and just about any Pontiac Grand Prix, would be welcome as well.

If I have to endure one more Cuda, Charger or Challenger kit, I'm pretty certain that I might have a stroke!

 

 

Steve

Edited April 11, 2019 by StevenGuthmiller

[Rodent]

I would like to see Revell do a stock Fairlane 289/271 from the Thunderbolt. I have a resin flat hood and bench seat, so all I really need is an engine to build my own.

[CapSat 6]

8 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

If we're going to wish for all new tools for 60s and 70s muscle cars, why not wish for something that hasn't been done yet?

There are a lot of them, including pretty much every Buick Grand Sport ever produced except for 1970.

Or maybe a pre-1966 Olds 442.

Bill's suggestions of a '69 Cyclone, (or nearly any post-'67 Cyclone for that matter) the '69 or '70 Chrysler 300, and just about any Pontiac Grand Prix, would be welcome as well.

If I have to endure one more Cuda, Charger or Challenger kit, I'm pretty certain that I might have a stroke!

 

 

Steve

A '67 Grand Sport Skylark would be boss!

I think Round 2 still has what's left of the '64 Cutlass 442. A pic of a "hanger shot" has made the rounds pretty recently. The body had the windshield frame removed at some point, it would be nice if they were able to restore it.

But - c'mon Steven- please allow us ONE more Challenger- we need a GOOD one. PLEASE???  

 

[Snake45]

12 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

For me, I would have to respectfully disagree with you on pretty much everything on your list. Most, if not all the kits you want redone, were all done recently. They include fair details, accurate body shapes and adequate parts count for their age. Much better than the details if the kits from the 50s and 60s.

Your biggest point might be that they are 1/24th scale, but all of these kits still sell well for their intended subject matter and they are useful for kit-bashing regardless of their scale. I don't really see a valid reason for the kit manufacturers to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to "reinvent a useful wheel", so to speak. Especially when there are so many other untapped subjects that have never been available as model kits.

Sorry, just my opinion. 

Mine too, pretty much. 

We could REALLY use a new '65 GTO, '67-'68 Cougar, '65-'66 Barracuda, and '69 Firebird. And I believe all of these would be good sellers. 

[Bucky]

The '66 thru '68 Grand Prix were large cars with big engines, but I think they had a fair amount of muscle, and I would certainly like to have a 1/25 scale kit hanging about, especially the unique '67.

[StevenGuthmiller]

3 hours ago, CapSat 6 said:

But - c'mon Steven- please allow us ONE more Challenger- we need a GOOD one. PLEASE???

Actually, I don't have any problem with these repeated issues of cars that have been done over and over again, except for the impression in my mind that the effort could have been spent on a kit of a car that has never been done before instead of another variation on an old theme.

I just don't buy them.

It's all just another lost opportunity in my opinion.

 

 

Steve

[Joe Handley]

I'd just be happy to see more late model muscle for those of us  who are still on the younger side.

[martinfan5]

41 minutes ago, Joe Handley said:

I'd just be happy to see more late model muscle for those of us  who are still on the younger side.

Yes, this , so much this right here.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I just miss the "good old days" not too many years ago, when it wasn't about "all muscle cars, all of the time".

You know, back when we got newly tooled kits from the big kit makers like the '53 Ford, '59 Cadillacs, '55 Belairs, '56 Nomad, '59, '60, '61, '62, '64, '65, '66 and '67 Impalas, the '58 Edsel, '58 Belvedere, '60 Ford Starliner, etc.

Back then I was excited to see what was coming next.

Now it's not too difficult to predict.

 

Steve

[vamach1]

I would love to see a decent 71-73 Mustang since all we have is the rehashed 73 MPC fastback without proper Mach1 markings or a correct engine and a pitiful and inaccurate chassis and engine compartment.  The 71 Boss was nothing more than a 73 body with a 71 type grill and some decals.  As far as scale, I could care less if it was 1/24 or 1/25, just make an accurate kit without hood vents.

[The Junkman]

My list isn't long but it is fervent:

'67-68 Mustang notchback.  It far outsold the fastback (still my favorite body style of any car-full stop) but they were everywhere and had most of of the options of the f/b.  Shelby Trans Am cars, anyone?

An up to date 68-69 Torino.  A hardtop would be great but even a fastback would be awesome.  Add to that a wish for the 68-69 Mercury Cyclone.  Dan Gurney/Cale Yarborough editions.

Now for a laugh: an AMC Rebel Machine.  In real life a day late and a dollar short but unique lines and color scheme.

[CapSat 6]

2 hours ago, vamach1 said:

I would love to see a decent 71-73 Mustang since all we have is the rehashed 73 MPC fastback without proper Mach1 markings or a correct engine and a pitiful and inaccurate chassis and engine compartment.  The 71 Boss was nothing more than a 73 body with a 71 type grill and some decals.  As far as scale, I could care less if it was 1/24 or 1/25, just make an accurate kit without hood vents.

Good choice! This one was never really done well, and I really like these cars.