amt 1202 1/25 AMT 1963 Chevy II Nova Station Wagon - Craftsman Plus

[GMP440]

3 hours ago, sfhess said:

In the end, all that matters is that we have the Chevy II wagon kit, and it's pretty cool.

Absolutely..

 

Edited April 3, 2021 by GMP440

[the other Mike S.]

11 hours ago, pack rat said:

I don't understand this so-called "disinformaton".  

Right from the start, the plan was to take a vintage kit, clone it and re-issue it in vintage-style packaging.  That's exactly what they did, and when the kit was announced Round2 stated it was/is all-new tooling.

Their choice of the Nova wagon wasn't just pulled out of a hat, and it was apparently a good one based on the kit's popularity.

 

 

Well, if it's truly a cloned body, (though I do remember reading, on here, that it was just the top half of the body tooling that was restored), then that is a huge landmark moment for Round 2.  However, Lindberg had achieved this with their cloned copy of the Johan '79 Deville body for the Hopper line more than a decade ago.  If the Nova wagon body was, in fact, completely cloned from an old kit, that opens up a plethora of long lost kits that can be produced again.  Will Round 2 do it though?  

Don't get me wrong, I like the wagon and bought two for myself.  However, I just hope this isn't a flash in the pan to impress the new owners (private equity group) so to speak.  Sometimes when great things like this happen, it just stalls out right there.  I do hope I am proven wrong and we get to see more "cloned" kits like this in the future.  

Edited April 3, 2021 by the other Mike S.

[charlie8575]

On 4/2/2021 at 5:08 PM, sfhess said:

In the end, all that matters is that we have the Chevy II wagon kit, and it's pretty cool.

 

On 4/2/2021 at 7:04 PM, Straightliner59 said:

I can't believe that anyone would question Mr. Boyd's credibility or his integrity.  I mean,  he has covered the industry for decades! 

^Both of these.

On 4/2/2021 at 9:05 PM, the other Mike S. said:

Well, if it's truly a cloned body, (though I do remember reading, on here, that it was just the top half of the body tooling that was restored), then that is a huge landmark moment for Round 2.  However, Lindberg had achieved this with their cloned copy of the Johan '79 Deville body for the Hopper line more than a decade ago.  If the Nova wagon body was, in fact, completely cloned from an old kit, that opens up a plethora of long lost kits that can be produced again.  Will Round 2 do it though?  

Don't get me wrong, I like the wagon and bought two for myself.  However, I just hope this isn't a flash in the pan to impress the new owners (private equity group) so to speak.  Sometimes when great things like this happen, it just stalls out right there.  I do hope I am proven wrong and we get to see more "cloned" kits like this in the future.  

I think we're going to see it coming.

My bets...

At least 2-3 of the 1958-early '60s annuals.

1966 Buick Skylark

1967 Ford Galaxie

1968-'69 Dodge Coronet.

If this happens, I hope they'll also fix the known errors from the original kits, like the not-quite-matched quarters on the Skylark. The 3-D scanning capability of original kits, with the ability within AutoCAD to make corrections could team up to not only have some highly-desired kits back, but improved upon. The possibilities are real, remarkable, and almost limitless.

Charlie Larkin

[RSchnell]

I'd love to find a couple of the '62 Ford Galaxie kits. I don't know the history of the molds, but I wouldn't complain if it got reissued.

I had a '62 390/375hp 4spd convertible back in the 90s and it's the one car I regret getting rid of. The fun of driving it far outweighed the poor fuel mileage.

[Mr. Metallic]

On 4/2/2021 at 8:05 PM, the other Mike S. said:

Well, if it's truly a cloned body, (though I do remember reading, on here, that it was just the top half of the body tooling that was restored), then that is a huge landmark moment for Round 2.  However, Lindberg had achieved this with their cloned copy of the Johan '79 Deville body for the Hopper line more than a decade ago.  If the Nova wagon body was, in fact, completely cloned from an old kit, that opens up a plethora of long lost kits that can be produced again.  Will Round 2 do it though?  

Don't get me wrong, I like the wagon and bought two for myself.  However, I just hope this isn't a flash in the pan to impress the new owners (private equity group) so to speak.  Sometimes when great things like this happen, it just stalls out right there.  I do hope I am proven wrong and we get to see more "cloned" kits like this in the future.  

-"If the Nova wagon body was, in fact, completely cloned from an old kit"

- "Well, if it's truly a cloned body"

As the old adage goes, you can lead a horse to water...

I just don't understand, when

1-someone who is clearly intimately familiar with the actual tooling of the kit

2- plus a highly respected and published author and hobby historian

3- plus a different industry insider

All three people having proof that it is what they say it is. And then add

4- the sticker on the box says "all new tooling" (saying so without it being true could open them up to legal issues)

But you continue to have doubts? 

[keyser]

+10000000. No wonder people get “shouted down”. Intransigence is not a virtue. Upside, many of us don’t believe deniers of great sources. 😎👍🏼
 

The body that needed fix was this. Beyond a light touch up or whatever 

[GMP440]

On 4/6/2021 at 10:20 AM, Mr. Metallic said:

-"If the Nova wagon body was, in fact, completely cloned from an old kit"

- "Well, if it's truly a cloned body"

As the old adage goes, you can lead a horse to water...

I just don't understand, when

1-someone who is clearly intimately familiar with the actual tooling of the kit

2- plus a highly respected and published author and hobby historian

3- plus a different industry insider

All three people having proof that it is what they say it is. And then add

4- the sticker on the box says "all new tooling" (saying so without it being true could open them up to legal issues)

But you continue to have doubts? 

Very true.  I run into the same thing too.  There are those that are so set in their beliefs that there is nothing  one can do to convince them other wise.  You just keep moving forward.  The way I look at it is whatever way Round 2 got the Chevy ll to be released ie; reverse engineering, 3d prototyping, etc; I'm glad they did it.  What an opportunity this has been , which in turn could open the doors to other kit subjects we thought we would never see again.  We could very well see the MPC 68 and 69 Pontiac Bonnevilles, 68 and 69 Coronet R/T, AMT 67 and 68 Ford Galaxies, AMT 68 Fairlane and others come out sooner than we think.

Edited April 8, 2021 by GMP440

[slusher]

11 hours ago, GMP440 said:

 MPC 68 and 69 Pontiac Bonnevilles, 68 and 69 Coronet R/T, AMT 67 and 68 Ford Galaxies, AMT 68 Fairlane and others come out sooner than we think.

That would so wonderful!

[VW93]

On 4/5/2021 at 1:25 AM, RSchnell said:

I'd love to find a couple of the '62 Ford Galaxie kits. I don't know the history of the molds, but I wouldn't complain if it got reissued.

I had a '62 390/375hp 4spd convertible back in the 90s and it's the one car I regret getting rid of. The fun of driving it far outweighed the poor fuel mileage.

I brought up a 62 Galaxie as a kit for Revell to do to Ed Sexton quite a few years ago.
He said AMT did one. I replied that was over 40 years ago!
Mentioned to him all the Chevy's Revell did that AMT had also made, he didn't have an answer for me.

[Casey]

2 hours ago, VW93 said:

he didn't have an answer for me.

Oh but he did:

2 hours ago, VW93 said:

AMT did one.

It was his way of politely stating the obvious-- an all-new '62 Galaxie was not going to happen, so you should seek out the AMT kit if you want to build one.

[thatz4u]

Soon as I get my hands on one, I start "Project Painless"....

Edited April 16, 2021 by thatz4u

[Snake45]

39 minutes ago, thatz4u said:

Some as I get my hands on one, I start "Project Painless"....

HAHAHAHAHHA! I've never yet seen a kit I couldn't find at least one headache in. 

[thatz4u]

4 hours ago, Snake45 said:

HAHAHAHAHHA! I've never yet seen a kit I couldn't find at least one headache in. 

Painless is more to do with the reason why, than headaches that may come for free inside the box.......LOL😉

[John1955]

On 10/1/2020 at 1:46 PM, Justin Porter said:

I have nothing especially against curbside kits. Quite frankly, some of the nicest kits I've built are curbsides like Aoshima's MGB or Hasegawa's Miura. I don't even think that $30.95 (Round 2's MSRP) is a bad price point for a nice curbside. 

I don't think this will be a nice curbside. I think the body proportions will be good but the headlights will be chromed, the door handles will be molded in place, the windshield wipers will be molded in place, the glass will be three scale miles thick, the interior will be an unrealistically shallow tub with barely any side panel detail, there will be no inner pillar or headliner detail, and there will be large exposed EPM's in difficult to fill locations. 

I understand entirely that the market Round 2 aims at doesn't often cross-shop Hasegawa or the like, but when Round 2 keeps pushing their MSRP into that realm, it's important to keep in mind that for all the "They fixed the Boss Nova body!" goodness, they're still not matching the quality of offering of their competitors. 

With all due respect, every flaw that you mentioned can be easily corrected with minimal skill level. A skilled modeler can make this into a prize winner if they want to. And you are forgetting that if we want to get young people interested in our hobby, this is the way to start out. 

No kit is perfect, including Aoshima's MGB or Hasegawa's Miura, they have flaws as well. The body on this kit is excellent with crisp detail and accurate proportions. The main reason that today's kits are so expensive is low production, once upon a time, MILLIONS of kits were sold every year and high production meant low prices. 

Any kid or any adult with a busy work schedule could get into the hobby and enjoy it, not worried about winning some contest at a hobby show. And no matter how much detail one puts into building a plastic kit, the thing still won't start up and drive anywhere. 
 

[Justin Porter]

2 hours ago, John1955 said:

With all due respect, every flaw that you mentioned can be easily corrected with minimal skill level. A skilled modeler can make this into a prize winner if they want to. And you are forgetting that if we want to get young people interested in our hobby, this is the way to start out. 

No kit is perfect, including Aoshima's MGB or Hasegawa's Miura, they have flaws as well. The body on this kit is excellent with crisp detail and accurate proportions. The main reason that today's kits are so expensive is low production, once upon a time, MILLIONS of kits were sold every year and high production meant low prices. 

Any kid or any adult with a busy work schedule could get into the hobby and enjoy it, not worried about winning some contest at a hobby show. And no matter how much detail one puts into building a plastic kit, the thing still won't start up and drive anywhere. 
 

Yeah, you've kind of missed the places in the thread where I have A: conceded that the newly tooled body was updated much more than anticipated bringing it more in line with a modern curbside kit and B: noted that the kit has been a huge volume seller at the shop I run. 

Thanks for the slam against modelers who are motivated by detail and accuracy though. Always good to see another builder firmly in the "I don't like the mean things you say about kits I like so you must be a killjoy rivet counter meanie pants" camp. 

[John1955]

19 hours ago, Justin Porter said:

Yeah, you've kind of missed the places in the thread where I have A: conceded that the newly tooled body was updated much more than anticipated bringing it more in line with a modern curbside kit and B: noted that the kit has been a huge volume seller at the shop I run. 

Thanks for the slam against modelers who are motivated by detail and accuracy though. Always good to see another builder firmly in the "I don't like the mean things you say about kits I like so you must be a killjoy rivet counter meanie pants" camp. 

With due respect, I slammed no one and have no idea what would make you say that to me. By the way, I have been building kits for over 60 years and can match anyone on detailing and accuracy when I take the time to do so. I was merely pointing out that we need to get more young kids into our hobby and the best way to do that is lower cost, and higher production does lower the cost per unit. 

That is basic Economics 101 and I fail to see why you seem upset about anything I said. I really don't. And I don't know what "killjoy rivet counter meanie pants camp" means, I have never heard that term before. Please be friendly to fellow modelers. 
 

[250 Testa Rossa]

Any chance they will be bringing back the '63/'64 Corvair kits?

[Snake45]

7 hours ago, 250 Testa Rossa said:

Any chance they will be bringing back the '63/'64 Corvair kits?

Yes. There's also a chance I'll hit the Powerball next month. 

[thatz4u]

On 4/23/2021 at 8:50 AM, Snake45 said:

Yes. There's also a chance I'll hit the Powerball next month. 

if you do hit it, you could start your own model company....

[Chuck Kourouklis]

FIRST thing I'd go after is a '48 Tucker.  Then a C8 Corvette - forget GM licensing, just go measure (scan) one at the dealer. 

Maybe get the lead out once and for all on a current 911 or a vintage BMW CS too.  Here's a fun thought: corrected bodies for some currently produced kits that need 'em.

OH yeah. I'd prob'ly run my company right into the ground. 🙂

[charlie8575]

On 4/23/2021 at 1:31 AM, 250 Testa Rossa said:

Any chance they will be bringing back the '63/'64 Corvair kits?

One never knows. Who would've thought they'd do one entire car, restore two other cars, and cut a reproduction with improvements tool of a now-ancient COE Cornbidner?

I'd say Round 2 is full of surprises right now.

 

Charlie Larkin

[Tom Geiger]

8 hours ago, charlie8575 said:

One never knows. Who would've thought they'd do one entire car, restore two other cars, and cut a reproduction with improvements tool of a now-ancient COE Cornbidner?

I'd say Round 2 is full of surprises right now.

Charlie Larkin

It’s a good thing but goes right back to the beginning of Tom Lowe’s empire.. Polar Lights reverse engineered old Aurora monster kits.  
 

 

[WillyBilly]

After a day of riding Trails in Jericho Mountain in Berlin NH, my wife and I decided to stop in to Walmart there before heading home. They had a display of models. Mostly Coke versions of everything. They also had two of these wagon kits for 20 bucks ea. The box was so small, I had to check the scale, but it was the 1/25 scale one I had been wanting. I almost bought both kits.

[Daddyfink]

So, a quick dry fit of the new Mobius Chevy II Chassis was in order, but, the rear wheel wells have to be trimmed to fit inside the wagon, so I stuck the wagon pan in the Mobius body and this is how it fits. 

Really well! 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Daddyfink

[Straightliner59]

6 hours ago, Daddyfink said:

So, a quick dry fit of the new Mobius Chevy II Chassis was in order, but, the rear wheel wells have to be trimmed to fit inside the wagon, so I stuck the wagon pan in the Mobius body and this is how it fits. 

Really well! 

 

That's cool, Jesse! I'm looking forward to snagging a Moebius Chevy II. One of my favorite cars, for sure! Hope all's well, with you.