1/25 MPC Super Stocker Series

[Casey]

Were these six the extent of the 1/25 MPC Super Stocker series of kits?

1) 1-2750  GTO Super Stocker (soon to be reissued):

 

2) 1-2751  Camaro Super Stocker:

 

3) 1-2752  Chevelle Super Stocker:

 

4) 1-2753  Mustang Super Stocker:

 

5)  1-2754  Monte Carlo Super Stock (reissued multiple times over the last decade plus):

 

6) 1-2755  Barracuda Super Stock:

 

I recall someone here mentioning the Camaro body from the MPC annual kit was used for the Super Stocker-- does that follow for the others, too?

 

Here are the first(?) four shown in the 1974 MPC catalog, which was the original year of release?:

Edited February 1, 2021 by Casey

[Mark]

All of those were reworked from annual kit bodies except the GTO and Monte Carlo, which had been promotional model bodies.  The Monte was first converted to a NASCAR body prior to becoming the dirt track car.  The Mustang, Camaro, Barracuda, and Chevelle eventually got pieced back together as stock/street versions.

There were two '70 GTO tools.  Some of the parts, like window inserts and rear bumpers, were actually marked #1 or #2 on the back sides.  In 1970, MPC made GTO promotional models, GTO "contest promos", a GTO "Fast Pack" kit (like a promo, but with Hot Wheels style plastic tires), GTO kits (hardtop only: a convertible kit was announced but not produced) and a GTO funny car kit.  That all would have been too much to crank out with one tool, at least in the time frame when all of them would have been needed, so there would have been two tools.  That wasn't the first time for something like that, but it didn't happen often.

I'm not positive anymore which items have #1 or #2 parts; I do have a funny car body, a Fast Pack kit, and a contest promo, did check at least the two kits but I have since forgotten the findings.  One tool got updated to '71 and '72, the other was set aside until it got used for the dirt track car.

[Snake45]

55 minutes ago, Mark said:

All of those were reworked from annual kit bodies except the GTO and Monte Carlo, which had been promotional model bodies.  The Monte was first converted to a NASCAR body prior to becoming the dirt track car.  The Mustang, Camaro, Barracuda, and Chevelle eventually got pieced back together as stock/street versions.

There were two '70 GTO tools.  Some of the parts, like window inserts and rear bumpers, were actually marked #1 or #2 on the back sides.  In 1970, MPC made GTO promotional models, GTO "contest promos", a GTO "Fast Pack" kit (like a promo, but with Hot Wheels style plastic tires), GTO kits (hardtop only: a convertible kit was announced but not produced) and a GTO funny car kit.  That all would have been too much to crank out with one tool, at least in the time frame when all of them would have been needed, so there would have been two tools.  That wasn't the first time for something like that, but it didn't happen often.

I'm not positive anymore which items have #1 or #2 parts; I do have a funny car body, a Fast Pack kit, and a contest promo, did check at least the two kits but I have since forgotten the findings.  One tool got updated to '71 and '72, the other was set aside until it got used for the dirt track car.

Huh. I wonder that's how/why the body on the reissued '72 is so much wider at the rear than the body on the original '70 promo? 

[Mark]

That '72 has been through the mill...even after the '72 annual, it was used in a pro stock kit, converted to the clear NASCAR kit body, brought back to stock around 1980, backdated to the MPC/Ertl '70, then converted back.  That's all one body because it's still nice and smooth on the inside after being slicked up for the clear body NASCAR version.  The front end (around the headlights) on the "restored" '72 (those done after the backdated '70) looks kind of funky to me...if I want another '72, I'll strip/repaint the pro stock body I got at a show (minus all the unique parts for that issue)...

[Rob Hall]

Interesting that the Chevelle is a ‘70, but the MPC annuals were 71 and 72...

[64Comet404]

3 hours ago, Mark said:

All of those were reworked from annual kit bodies except the GTO and Monte Carlo, which had been promotional model bodies.  The Monte was first converted to a NASCAR body prior to becoming the dirt track car.  

Wasn't the Monte Carlo promo produced by AMT? I can't remember seeing a stock MPC Monte, but anything is possible in modelling.

[Mark]

57 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

Interesting that the Chevelle is a ‘70, but the MPC annuals were 71 and 72...

The body was backdated for the Jim Hurtubise NASCAR version.  It was done during the run of that kit, as I have seen it with both '72 and '70 bodies.

9 minutes ago, 64Comet404 said:

Wasn't the Monte Carlo promo produced by AMT? I can't remember seeing a stock MPC Monte, but anything is possible in modelling.

'70 and '71 were AMT, '72 was MPC.  They did not issue it as a kit.

Edited February 2, 2021 by Mark
Info

[Casey]

Pics of a built Camaro Super Stocker, with those funky up, over, and through the firewall headers:

[afx]

They are called 180 degree headers. Here is a built up of the Mustang kit I purchased several years ago, ended up reselling it.  

[Rob Hall]

Wild.  Never seen anything like those headers...do they just vent into the interior, to poison the driver? 

[pack rat]

Here's a restored Cuda.

I'm not crazy about a rat-motored Mopar so I substituted an RB wedge out of an old MPC Road Runner.  A 340/360 might be more authentic for a short tracker but it was all I had on hand.    

[Mark]

22 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

Wild.  Never seen anything like those headers...do they just vent into the interior, to poison the driver? 

They exited through the passenger side of the body.  I've got a couple of the kits but haven't looked at them lately; if I remember right, the header tubes were covered from the firewall back to the exit hole in the body, to protect the driver.  I have seen one street driven car (heavily influenced by dirt track practice) with headers just like those.  Not the way I'd want it on a street machine, but apparently the owner of the car wanted it that way.

[Nacho Z]

Just chiming in here for clarification. Mark seems to have knowledge of these kits. I could have sworn that Tom over at Hobby Heaven / Spotlight Hobbies had said one time that the Chevelle was a one and done kinda thing. Maybe he said that the annual was modified to make the stocker kit and never put back? Maybe he said that it, (the stocker), was only released once and modified to something else? This was many years ago so my memory on that statement is as clear as mud. I would love to hear what the correct story is. I have the original Chevelle Stocker that I built as a kid and I have a fairly pristine kit that I picked up at NNL East a number of years ago. I also have a spare original decal sheet.

[Mark]

Most of these dirt track kits were only issued once.  The Mustang, Camaro, Barracuda, and Chevelle bodies were modified again, back to stock.  That's why subsequent reissues of the Barracuda no longer have the headlights recessed as they should be.  The Chevelle was changed back to a '72, was issued twice and hasn't been seen since.  The Camaro was issued once as a stock hardtop (black car on the box; if you look at the inside of the body you can see where the exhaust was routed for the dirt track car) then made into a convertible.  The GTO and Monte Carlo were left alone, so those were available for reissue.

[keyser]

3 hours ago, Mark said:

70 and '71 were AMT, '72 was MPC.  They did not issue it as a kit.

AMT did do 72 MC kit. I have one bought new. 

[Mark]

MPC didn't issue a stock kit based on the promo, that's what I meant.  I have the AMT '72.

Edited February 2, 2021 by Mark
Info

[keyser]

Ok. You rarely make mistakes so I pondered that. 
Nevermind 🤣

[stavanzer]

Will the Upcoming GTO kit have the same "Up & Over Exhaust" that is shown up the Board? Is it the same 2 piece, adjustable Chassis that is in the MPC NASCAR Kits, or Something Different>

I kinda want one of these.....

[Mark]

The Model King reissue of the GTO from about fifteen years ago had the original chassis and exhaust system.  The only thing missing was the left front "floater" tire (it had all four tires the same).  Chassis is two-piece but not the NASCAR unit.  As I understand, some of the cars in this series had a different rear suspension setup from the others.  I'm not sure which setup was used in the Model King reissues of the GTO or Monte Carlo, or if they differ from the original MPC kits.

[stavanzer]

Thanks, Mark. That helps.

[Karl LaFong]

15 minutes ago, Mark said:

The Model King reissue of the GTO from about fifteen years ago had the original chassis and exhaust system.  The only thing missing was the left front "floater" tire (it had all four tires the same).  Chassis is two-piece but not the NASCAR unit.  As I understand, some of the cars in this series had a different rear suspension setup from the others.  I'm not sure which setup was used in the Model King reissues of the GTO or Monte Carlo, or if they differ from the original MPC kits.

There was a choice of rear leaf springs or coils - both were included in the Model King kits.

[Sledsel]

On 2/1/2021 at 8:01 PM, Rob Hall said:

Wild.  Never seen anything like those headers...do they just vent into the interior, to poison the driver? 

Used often on full bodied dirt cars.

 

[afx]

A Mustang body I did to fit this SS chassis.

Edited February 4, 2021 by afx

[Casey]

On 2/3/2021 at 2:22 PM, Sledsel said:

Used often on full bodied dirt cars.

What is the reasoning behind them? Ground clearance for damage prevention from poorly maintained dirt tracks?

 

[bisc63]

Boy the memories this thread conjured up! I remember getting 2 of those Camaros for Christmas, from 2 different aunts. ( they knew me well enough!) I thought those headers were the craziest thing ever, and the odd tires were like nothing I'd seen in all my 10 or 11 years . This would have been around 1972 or 73, and these were the first model cars I tried to build "dirty", via Testors flat tan flicked from an old toothbrush. It looked real enough! Now I GOTTA have 'em again!