MPC Rolling Thunder Pickup

[stavanzer]

Hello, Round2.

After the Phenomenal Success, of the Ramp Bed ' Chevy, and the Coke Collector '72 also, can you look for the tooling for the Rolling Thunder version, please? Since it only came out once as far as I can tell, it is another rare version of the truck. It has some features that just have not made it into the AMT derived parts of the current '72 kits. The Custom Heavy Duty, Chromed Front and Rear Bumpers, custom grille, and the unique bed and sleeper box, set it apart from the AMT mashup that is in production now.

It shares it's chassis plate, cab, and engine with the mythical (and Holy Grail-ish, Cooter's Tow Truck), but the bed assemblies are totally different between the two kits. I really like the Mesh Air Cleaner and Chromed 327 specific valve covers that the 2 kits share as well. 

Here are the two trucks directions to compare and contrast.

Rolling Thunder:

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/mpc-instructions/big-rigs-trailers--/mpc-rolling-thunder1/?view=roll#1

Cooter's Tow Truck:

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/mpc-instructions/tv--movie/mpc-cooters-tow-truck/?view=roll#1

and the original MPC Chevy:

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/mpc-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/chevrolet/1961-1970/mpc-1968-chevy-cust/?view=roll#1

You can see the optional Fancy Grille and "Buzzard Bar" Grille Guard, as well as how many parts from the '68 carried over into Cooter's Truck.

Lastly, the 1970 version with the unique Fire Brush Pumper parts:

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/mpc-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/chevrolet/1961-1970/mpc-1970-chevy-pickup/?view=roll#1

 

I believe there is an enormous amount of potential in this kit. By choosing bed parts, wheels. bumpers, and grilles there are a number of Light Commercial, Custom and Stock options in this tooling. There are 4 bed variants, (Stock, Sleeper Cab Stepside, and the Tow Truck/ Fire Pumper options that share many parts.) At least 3 Front Bumpers (Stock, Heavy Duty Custom, and Push Bar) and as many stock and custom options as can be found. The

The Navy Fire Truck and NHRA Safety Decal versions have not been seen again, and lend themselves to seldom seen builds. Lastly, the stock truck lends itself also to a licensed "Ed Roth Shop Truck" variant. And to address the elephant in the room, Cooter's Tow Truck. Since in many eyes the Dukes of Hazzard branding is now semi-toxic, having all the tow truck parts and none of the decals, will allow the hardcore DOH Model to build the Cooter truck just by using aftermarket decals. The rest of the public (30 years removed from the kit/boxart) will not make the connection. All they will see is a cool Tow Truck/ Fire Pumper to compete with the slew of Ford trucks in various body styles coming from other manufacturers.  

 Round2, Please look into this? It might be a good product for you.

Alan Alexis

[Mr mopar]

If you want one I would trade you mine only missing the swan .

[Plowboy]

The Rolling Thunder was based on this kit.

 

 

[stavanzer]

They even use the same wheels.

[Oldcarfan27]

On 11/23/2021 at 8:13 PM, Plowboy said:

The Rolling Thunder was based on this kit.

 

 

I have fond memories of this kit. I got it as a birthday party gift and my Dad AND Mom both helped me build it. One of those box art kits that I love!

[Can-Con]

I will never understand why AMT did what they did with these trucks.

The current '72 is a mishmash of this kit and the AMT GMC stepside with a new very poorly done grille. They didn't even get the headlights round.

They tooled up a new '72 Chevy grille on the GMC chrome tree and cut a complete new mold for the small block engine. WHY ?? The MPC kit already had both. The interior seems to be from the MPC kit and the chassis plate seems to be the AMT piece stretched to the long wheelbase. I never really took a close look at the cab but I think it's from the AMT kit but don't quote me on that.

They would have been much easier just put the new box and underhood details in the MPC kit and had basically the same thing,, but with a much better looking front end.

That said, I do now suspect that this MPC kit is mostly intact somewhere but missing it's interior.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Can-Con

[Lordmodelbuilder]

1 hour ago, Can-Con said:

I will never understand why AMT did what they did with these trucks.

The current '72 is a mishmash of this kit and the AMT GMC stepside with a new very poorly done grille. They didn't even get the headlights round.

They tooled up a new '72 Chevy grille on the GMC chrome tree and cut a complete new mold for the small block engine. WHY ?? The MPC kit already had both. The interior seems to be from the MPC kit and the chassis plate seems to be the AMT piece stretched to the long wheelbase. I never really took a close look at the cab but I think it's from the AMT kit but don't quote me on that.

They would have been much easier just put the new box and underhood details in the MPC kit and had basically the same thing,, but with a much better looking front end.

That said, I do now suspect that this MPC kit is mostly intact somewhere but missing it's interior.

Are you saying there is a new grill in the latest Coke edition 72 Chevy kit?

I have a Rolling Thunder kit. The chassis seems to be from the extended gold MPC truck as is the extended bed & wrong step side fenders.

The hood has no underside detail. Cab,interior tub & dash all seem to be look the same as the AMT parts. Still has the 8-400 emblem even though the engine is a small block.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Lordmodelbuilder
Forgot details

[stavanzer]

The 400 IS a small block. I had one in a '72 Station Wagon. Miserable Engine. 2 Barrel Carb only and totally gutless on the topend. But It had gobs of torque. Smoke most Factory 350's off the line, then ran out of steam, about 5 seconds later. The 350 would beat me to the next stoplight every time.

 

 https://itstillruns.com/small-block-chevy-400-specs-7350617.html

 

[Plowboy]

2 hours ago, Can-Con said:

I will never understand why AMT did what they did with these trucks.

The current '72 is a mishmash of this kit and the AMT GMC stepside with a new very poorly done grille. They didn't even get the headlights round.

They tooled up a new '72 Chevy grille on the GMC chrome tree and cut a complete new mold for the small block engine. WHY ?? The MPC kit already had both. The interior seems to be from the MPC kit and the chassis plate seems to be the AMT piece stretched to the long wheelbase. I never really took a close look at the cab but I think it's from the AMT kit but don't quote me on that.

They would have been much easier just put the new box and underhood details in the MPC kit and had basically the same thing,, but with a much better looking front end.

That said, I do now suspect that this MPC kit is mostly intact somewhere but missing it's interior.

I think the "current" '72 Chevy actually came from the original "72 GMC Sierra with the long fleetside bed. All they had to do was the grille, tail gate and fender emblems. I have no way to prove my thought. But, it makes sense when you think about it.

[Plowboy]

5 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

I have fond memories of this kit. I got it as a birthday party gift and my Dad AND Mom both helped me build it. One of those box art kits that I love!

I built one not too long ago as a short stepside. I was going to use the decals. I coated them. But, they still fell apart.

[Can-Con]

1 hour ago, Lordmodelbuilder said:

Are you saying there is a new grill in the latest Coke edition 72 Chevy kit?

I have a Rolling Thunder kit. The chassis seems to be from the extended gold MPC truck as is the extended bed & wrong step side fenders.

The hood has no underside detail. Cab,interior tub & dash all seem to be look the same as the AMT parts. Still has the 8-400 emblem even though the engine is a small block.

No, the "new grille" is from the reworking from back in the early '90s. The original MPC kits had separate grilles and bumpers while the AMT kits had them as one piece like the newer kits. 

The "Rolling Thunder" and gold stepside  kits are basically the same kit. You can tell the chassis plate from an MPC easily by it's molded in single exhaust system while the AMT kits had duel exhaust. 

The interior is probably from the MPC kit as the AMT kit had different door panels and a separate console between the seats. 

I'm pretty sure the cab is from the AMT kit bacause the height of the back windows. The AMT kits were 11mm while the MPC were 12 1/2 mm. The rear window in the newer kit is 11mm. 

the side trim is all new on the cab. Compare the side marker lights from the MPC and AMT '72. Both now have the upmarket markers but the old MPC kits are done better. As far as the 400 emblems with the small block, Chevy did inded have a 400 small block. My '76 Parisienne had one in it.

[Can-Con]

19 minutes ago, Plowboy said:

I think the "current" '72 Chevy actually came from the original "72 GMC Sierra with the long fleetside bed. All they had to do was the grille, tail gate and fender emblems. I have no way to prove my thought. But, it makes sense when you think about it.

Tom Carter is the person who told me they combined both kits to make the newer AMT. He said he had no idea why they didn't just put the fleetside box in the MPC kit either.

[Lordmodelbuilder]

22 minutes ago, alexis said:

The 400 IS a small block. I had one in a '72 Station Wagon. Miserable Engine. 2 Barrel Carb only and totally gutless on the topend. But It had gobs of torque. Smoke most Factory 350's off the line, then ran out of steam, about 5 seconds later. The 350 would beat me to the next stoplight every time.

 

 https://itstillruns.com/small-block-chevy-400-specs-7350617.html

 

I am aware the cars had 400 sb engines.The trucks that have the factory 400 emblems represent the big block 402 engines. GM didn't put a 400 sb into it's pickups until 1975.

[Can-Con]

36 minutes ago, alexis said:

The 400 IS a small block. I had one in a '72 Station Wagon. Miserable Engine. 2 Barrel Carb only and totally gutless on the topend. But It had gobs of torque. Smoke most Factory 350's off the line, then ran out of steam, about 5 seconds later. The 350 would beat me to the next stoplight every time.

 

 https://itstillruns.com/small-block-chevy-400-specs-7350617.html

 

Mine had a Quadrajet, worked great. 

[Plowboy]

10 hours ago, Can-Con said:

The "Rolling Thunder" and gold stepside  kits are basically the same kit. You can tell the chassis plate from an MPC easily by it's molded in single exhaust system while the AMT kits had duel exhaust. 

Actually, the MPC chassis plate has no exhaust molded in. Weird.

Edited November 26, 2021 by Plowboy

[Can-Con]

11 hours ago, Plowboy said:

Actually, the MPC chassis plate has no exhaust molded in. Weird.

That is odd Roger.  I have at least one chassis plate here with single exhaust and the instructions for the original issue of the pickup with the racer's wedge body shows single exhaust in the instructions.  Is the one in your pic from the gold truck ?

[Casey]

From a completed eBay listing, the Rolling Thunder-specific sleeper parts and an underside shot of a built model:

[Mark]

The exhaust was removed from the MPC chassis for the first long stepside issue (the gold one with the dirt bike).  That version had side pipes, so the molded-in exhaust detail was not needed.

I'd suspect that the two pickup tools were combined to get one good one.  I built an original MPC '71 Racer's Wedge a few years ago, the cab in that kit had some serious mold misalignment issues.  

Between the AMT '67 annual, MPC '68-'72 annuals, the stepside, Rolling Thunder, Heavy Pedal, and Cooter's issues, that tool was likely flat worn out.  

Basing the "new" Chevy pickup on the AMT GMC tool made sense.  It probably didn't set the world on fire as a GMC (AMT probably converted it just to make it different from MPC's Chevy).  The trim engraving on the current kit is better than the old MPC kit.  They could probably have left the big-block in, and the grille could have been done better.  But in the end, they made something out of one worn-out tool and one that probably wouldn't have sold well as it sat.

[stavanzer]

Brad, You are correct about the trucks having the 402. I forgot about that engine.

[Plowboy]

On 11/26/2021 at 10:02 AM, Can-Con said:

That is odd Roger.  I have at least one chassis plate here with single exhaust and the instructions for the original issue of the pickup with the racer's wedge body shows single exhaust in the instructions.  Is the one in your pic from the gold truck ?

Yeah, it's from the gold truck. Maybe the one you have is earlier? I have a '68 that I can dig out and check. 

[Plowboy]

Can someone post a photo of the chassis plate from the AMT '72 Chevy? I had one. But, I must have pitched it.

Here's a photo of an original issue AMT '72 GMC that has been shortened and has the dual exhaust. Note the big gaping holes at the cab corners and the bed detail that goes under the cab.

Easy to see exactly where the cut was made.

Then there's this issue of the '72 GMC. It was issued in 1990. If AMT made the '72 Chevy from the GMC, they would have had lengthen the frame to make it a LWB once again.

I don't have an original issue '72 Chevy to check the date on it. But, I'm thinking it was around the same time. Probably later. I'm wondering if maybe AMT used the chassis plate from the MPC kit? The interior in the AMT '72 Chevy looks identical to the one in the MPC '72.

Here's the chassis plate on the '68 promo. 

  

[Casey]

Much discussion of these same kits in this topic:

 

[Mark]

The current Chevy pickup kit is mostly the AMT ex-GMC, with the interior from the MPC Chevy, and new (at the time of the conversion) engine/transmission, front bumper/grille, and rear half of chassis.

[Can-Con]

46 minutes ago, Mark said:

The current Chevy pickup kit is mostly the AMT ex-GMC, with the interior from the MPC Chevy, and new (at the time of the conversion) engine/transmission, front bumper/grille, and rear half of chassis.

Yea, that's exactly what I was thinking. 

[slusher]

On 11/25/2021 at 8:43 PM, Plowboy said:

I built one not too long ago as a short stepside. I was going to use the decals. I coated them. But, they still fell apart.

Roger, did you sand the chrome off or use a GMC bed?