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Return of the 1/25 MPC '68 Coronet/Super Bee RT Convertible...


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18 hours ago, RDean58 said:

I am wrong. The Daytona charger used (according to something I read) modified 70 Charger front fenders while the Superbird used modified 70 Coronet front fenders.

That is correct

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On 5/26/2022 at 9:24 AM, tim boyd said:

From what I've learned from those who were in the business back then, convertible kits never sold as well as hardtops.  Reasons for that are somewhat unclear.  Probably would have been even worse except those convertible annual kits often the market before the hardtop versions, meaning those "who had to have" the very latest 1/1 scale replicas bought the convertibles even when they would have preferred the hardtops had they both been available at the same time.   By the mid 1960's, as Mark notes, the trend was so pronounced the kitmakers started paring down the kit choices accordingly.    TB

Looking through a 1964 Auto World catalog, they did carry prior years' annual kits.  They may have bought leftover warehouse stock from AMT or a wholesaler.  The '64 catalog includes no '58 or '59 annuals, and one '60.  Most are 1962 and 1963 annuals.

Most are convertibles.  In instances where both a hardtop and convertible version of the same car were manufactured, there is not a single instance where Auto World had prior year hardtop kits but not convertibles.  In some cases they had both, and of course they had a few hardtop or sedan kits in cases that no convertible was offered in 1:1.  But, when both were made, the last ones left unsold were always convertibles.  That would seem to bear out Tim's assessment of the situation, and would explain why not all of the convertibles made it into kit boxes starting with the '65 model year.

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11 hours ago, Motor City said:

Art Anderson had mentioned the same thing that convertible kits never sold as well as hardtops when he was in the business.

I don’t know if that confirms or contradicts what is commonly seen in the vintage kit world.

Very often, hard tops are much more difficult to find than convertibles.

Just as examples,  the AMT 1958 Ford, 1960 Mercury and 1960 Buick convertibles are much easier to come by than the hard tops.

Don’t really know the dynamics of why that’s the case, but it has been the case.

 

 

 

Steve

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The kids building back then often wanted to build racing versions, mostly drag cars with the occasional NASCAR build.  NASCAR did have a convertible division through about 1962, but the hardtops were more popular.  I don't think drag cars were allowed to race with the top down...so with no raised top included, no drag version.  Most guys wanted hardtops for customs too.  All that would explain the convertible kits being leftovers at years' end.

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With few exceptions, I preferred hardtop kits over convertibles when given the choice.  I always built the kits stock and thought the hardtop styling showed more design characteristics than the convertible.  Some roofs were really unusual, which made the car stand out ('67 & '68 XL, for example).  I have noticed what Steve said, that early unbuilt convertible kits are easier to find than hardtop versions of the same car.  This is especially true of Imperials, Buick Invicta, and early Park Lanes.   

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On 5/31/2022 at 10:23 AM, Mark said:

He's fishing.  That's what happens when eBay dishes out free listings and re-listings in order to prop up their numbers.

Yes and like someone said it only takes one.

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The box art image on the box top of the original '68 annual was based on the '68 Super Bee convertible as built by the Alexander brothers and displayed at shows back in '68 by Dodge.  I believe it was a modified Coronet 500.  

The kit included parts to replicate the car, including a supplemental decal sheet with the Super Bee markings in addition to the sheet found in the hardtop.   I haven't checked my kit against pics of the 1:1; I'm not sure if MPC missed anything.   The upholstery in this pic looks like it doesn't match

 zzz 68bee.jpg

Edited by pack rat
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3 hours ago, pack rat said:

The box art image on the box top of the original '68 annual was based on the '68 Super Bee convertible as built by the Alexander brothers and displayed at shows back in '68 by Dodge.  I believe it was a modified Coronet 500.  

 

The phantom Super Bee convertible. It's funny that Plymouth offered a droptop Road Runner (1969-1970), but Dodge didn't offer a drop-head Super Bee. 

The 500 upholstery found its way into the R/T... Super Bee trim was all Coronet and Coronet 440. I wonder if that customised 'Bee is still around?

 

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