AMT The Green Hornet Black Beauty Kit

[bigryan18]

23 minutes ago, SteveG said:

 

I suppose you could argue that we missed our window on the Black Beauty, I'm hoping that we didn't and it's a success.  For those who think we should be doing something else, what SiFi and or TV-Movie Movie car or truck would you like to see next? 

As for doing it the BB as a 2n1 kit, there's just too many differences between the Dean Jefferies design and the stock 66 Imperial to make that work.  For what it's worth, the design team was given all the stock Imperial details for future use. 

-Steve

I'm happy to see the BB done in 1:24 but as far as other TV/Movie cars or trucks go, a correct long bed Fall Guy truck and Eleanor from the Gone In Sixty Seconds reboot would be cool

Edited June 7, 2022 by bigryan18

[stavanzer]

21 minutes ago, Luc Janssens said:

Since you're asking Steve, I wouldn't mind a '74 Dodge Monaco, Bluesmobile/CHP/ Mount Prospect police car

While I'm sure a lot of people welcome the BB, it's not my cup of tea, but wouldn't life be boring if we all would like the same,?!

 

Cheers and keep up the good work

 

Luc

Add me in as another who supports the Bluesmobile. Another Geezer favorite, at least it will support the mythical "9 Variations per kit" standard that was always given as the reason why a crowd suggested  subject could 'never be produced' because it did not support enough different kits.

This whole Black Beauty kit has totally destroyed any future arguments by kit manufactures about why they will or will not produce a kit.

It is now down to only one reason. Do we want to make it or not?

Nothing else matters. Not Tool Costs! Not Public Clamouring for a Kit! Not Reasonable Sales Potential!

I do not remember reading many folks asking for the Black Beauty as a model, and I frankly question the info that resulted in this choice. To judge from the "Lunatic Fringe" here on this website it seem to be a 6 or 7 out of 10 choice in the TV/Movie car sweepstakes. Certainly not a Top Ten vote getter. And a kit with no other potential uses........So it joins the Monkeemobile as a One Shot Showrod. Not a bad thing in itself, but not a mainstream kit.

I just didn't realize that Round2 had money for a new Showrod Kit.

Not trying to bag on you, Steve G, but this just seems to be a very retrograde decision from the leadership at Round2. I don't see the research that justified this investment. I just don't know anybody who has mentioned this show or it's Hero Car in conversation in the last 20 years......Maybe there is a Fan Base. But I see no evidence of it. At least not like the Blues Brothers, or even Cannonball Run.

[drodg]

I am glad they are bringing it out.   

[Justin Porter]

35 minutes ago, stavanzer said:

Add me in as another who supports the Bluesmobile. Another Geezer favorite, at least it will support the mythical "9 Variations per kit" standard that was always given as the reason why a crowd suggested  subject could 'never be produced' because it did not support enough different kits.

This whole Black Beauty kit has totally destroyed any future arguments by kit manufactures about why they will or will not produce a kit.

It is now down to only one reason. Do we want to make it or not?

Nothing else matters. Not Tool Costs! Not Public Clamouring for a Kit! Not Reasonable Sales Potential!

I do not remember reading many folks asking for the Black Beauty as a model, and I frankly question the info that resulted in this choice. To judge from the "Lunatic Fringe" here on this website it seem to be a 6 or 7 out of 10 choice in the TV/Movie car sweepstakes. Certainly not a Top Ten vote getter. And a kit with no other potential uses........So it joins the Monkeemobile as a One Shot Showrod. Not a bad thing in itself, but not a mainstream kit.

I just didn't realize that Round2 had money for a new Showrod Kit.

Not trying to bag on you, Steve G, but this just seems to be a very retrograde decision from the leadership at Round2. I don't see the research that justified this investment. I just don't know anybody who has mentioned this show or it's Hero Car in conversation in the last 20 years......Maybe there is a Fan Base. But I see no evidence of it. At least not like the Blues Brothers, or even Cannonball Run.

I have always laughed at the "you need multiple variations" myth because all you need to debunk it is the existence of best selling race car kits. For instance, take one look at Tamiya's long-serving Toyota TS020 GT-One kit. It very specifically represents the car as it appeared at the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans. Building it as the '98 version OR the one-of-one Road Version requires transkits or scratchbuilding. However, it's a best-seller to this day, partially owing to the car's mythic status in Gran Turismo and other racing games. The $40 MSRP which makes it fairly inexpensive among Tamiya racing car kits doesn't hurt either. 

I'm not even opposed to the idea of Round 2 using nicely detailed curbside kits as a work-around for more niche subjects. It works for the rest of the world so why not? Heck, I'm even willing to argue in favor of kits of a similar detail level as the "Snapfast Plus" Mako Shark PROVIDED they have a corresponding restraint in price OR adopt similar levels of detail to other modern curbside kits. 

 

[bobthehobbyguy]

Although its not a kit I'm interested in I hope it is a success.

Think the curbside fits the intended audience. However there are many cars that would have to be a full glue kit and honestly I don't think its going to work in many cases. For example I don't think a a Tucker curbside would have that much appeal.

In the current market I think multiple versions are the only way to make the full glue kits work economically.

[Justin Porter]

5 minutes ago, bobthehobbyguy said:

Although its not a kit I'm interested in I hope it is a success.

Think the curbside fits the intended audience. However there are many cars that would have to be a full glue kit and honestly I don't think its going to work in many cases. For example I don't think a a Tucker curbside would have that much appeal.

In the current market I think multiple versions are the only way to make the full glue kits work economically.

Exactly how many versions of the tooling is Ebbro going to get out of their Tyrrell 003? Or NuNu out of their BMW M8 GTE? Or ICM out of their Benz Patent Motorwagen? Or Tamiya out of their Mclaren Senna? 

Don't settle for an excuse that other companies have proven to be entirely false. 

[keyser]

Alan, have you tried decaf??🤣🤣🤣

Lighten up. You’re not target market. Nor does licensing for this allow that kind of stuff. 
More than one issue matters for street cars, especially common ones. Deuce, A’s, 69 Camaros. 
But again, no 1/24 scale done of the BB ever. 1/32 still sells, Aurora tool from ‘60’s. 
Movie in 2011 made 80-100mm. And a reboot is in progress by production company with MCU and DC experience. 
Sorry people don’t like it. Projects like this, sci-fi all pay for esoteric stuff. 
 

Edited June 7, 2022 by keyser

[bobthehobbyguy]

43 minutes ago, Justin Porter said:

Exactly how many versions of the tooling is Ebbro going to get out of their Tyrrell 003? Or NuNu out of their BMW M8 GTE? Or ICM out of their Benz Patent Motorwagen? Or Tamiya out of their Mclaren Senna? 

Don't settle for an excuse that other companies have proven to be entirely false. 

Sorry I completely disagree with you. You are making broad generalizations that are comparing apples and oranges. I doubt the market for a stock imperial is close to the interest in race cars.

[stavanzer]

Yeah Chris, I'm a Mt Dew drinker, so no DeCafe for me....

I've said my piece. 

I do hope this sells! I do Hope this works well,, and given Tom Lowe's track record, it may do so. 

[keyser]

Diet Dew is basic food group. 👍🏼🤣

[Mark]

The BB isn't something you can look at strictly in the "car" category.  The movie/TV items dwarf many car kits.  Round 2 has tooled brand new Space: 1999 items.  I can't say I ever saw the show, or even know it could be seen where I live.  I only remember seeing the original kits in MPC catalogs.  New items from a TV show over forty years old, that to my knowledge hasn't set the world on fire in reruns?  That right there says a lot.

As for curbside, that makes perfect sense.  How often was the car's hood ever shown open on the show?

[bobthehobbyguy]

I agree tv/movie and collectibles(ie coke) are a different market.

Race cars have a world wide market.

However many factory stock cars(imperial for example) such as a factory stock Imperial simply has a limited world wide appeal.

[keyser]

Bruce Lee. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Lee
I’m telling you. Huge star. I’m a marginal fan of martial arts, but big star. Same with DC comics, Marvel. Spider-Man Bug for instance. 

Just like original Batmobile, curbside, the perhaps later more detail. Figures important enough to include. 

Cool car, Apache Mags worth looking at too. 
 

Edited June 7, 2022 by keyser

[Richard Bartrop]

3 hours ago, SteveG said:

 

I suppose you could argue that we missed our window on the Black Beauty, I'm hoping that we didn't and it's a success.  For those who think we should be doing something else, what SiFi and or TV-Movie Movie car or truck would you like to see next? 

As for doing it the BB as a 2n1 kit, there's just too many differences between the Dean Jefferies design and the stock 66 Imperial to make that work.  For what it's worth, the design team was given all the stock Imperial details for future use. 

-Steve

  First off, thanks for responding.  It's nice to know that the companies are listening, and care about what we think.  I'm also one of the people who'd be interested in a stock Imperial, and I hope that one day you can make the numbers work.

Now, since you asked, at the top of my want list for sci fi and TV/Movie cars would probably be the Star Car from The Last Starfighter, and the Spinners (flying cars) from Blade Runner 2049.  There's also the Stutz Bearcat from the show Bearcats.  The show is even more obscure that The Green Hornet, but I'm guessing you still have the moulds kicking around somewhere,  and it would appeal to the vintage car fans as well.

If we're allowed a short diversion into spaceships, I really liked the yacht in The Last Jedi, and if you could so your way clear to doing any of the ships from The Expanse, I would not be unhappy.

14 minutes ago, Mark said:

The BB isn't something you can look at strictly in the "car" category.  The movie/TV items dwarf many car kits.  Round 2 has tooled brand new Space: 1999 items.  I can't say I ever saw the show, or even know it could be seen where I live.  I only remember seeing the original kits in MPC catalogs.  New items from a TV show over forty years old, that to my knowledge hasn't set the world on fire in reruns?  That right there says a lot.

The thing about the people who are fans of Gerry Anderson productions like Space:1999 is that they tend to be REALLY passionate about them, and the effects heavy nature of the show does tend to attract the model builders.  They also have a pretty huge overseas fanbase, especially in England.

However, I think there is more to it than simple idolatry.  The Space;1999 ships are some of the nicest looking spaceships ever made for movies or TV, and unlike a lot of fictional spaceships, look like something that might actually work as a real vehicle.  Aesthetics does play a part, and I do think the Black Beauty is a handsome design, even if you don't know anything about the show.  I have some Japanese robot kits that I bought, where I have no idea what shows they came from, but I just really liked the designs.

 

 

[Plowboy]

Something the folks that are disappointed/not interested (I'm one of them) in this kit need to remember is that we're not the only ones that Round2 produces kits for. How many times have we got that kit we wanted? I honestly hope this kit does well for Round2 so they can keep producing new kits and reissuing those old kits we thought we would never see again. 

[keyser]

They did a Bearcats promo edition Stutz, and Fujimi has done several Blade Runner cars. 
The vid mentioned specifically Thunderbirds as possible topic. Ford even did a 1:1 FAB 1 for Thunderbirds movie. 

[Richard Bartrop]

I know about the Fujimi Spinner, which is why I specified the one from Blade Runner 2049.

Some of the ground vehicles from Gerry Anderson productions would be pretty neat to have, though I think they might be better off going with the original FAB 1

[Luc Janssens]

1 hour ago, Mark said:

The BB isn't something you can look at strictly in the "car" category.  The movie/TV items dwarf many car kits.  Round 2 has tooled brand new Space: 1999 items.  I can't say I ever saw the show, or even know it could be seen where I live.  I only remember seeing the original kits in MPC catalogs.  New items from a TV show over forty years old, that to my knowledge hasn't set the world on fire in reruns?  That right there says a lot.

As for curbside, that makes perfect sense.  How often was the car's hood ever shown open on the show?

Remember space 1999 vaguely from my childhood, I was a Star Trek the original series and the next gen fan, Councillor Troy could've have had me LOL

 

But for me it never translated into building models of SF or fantasy subject matter, but kudos to those who do.

 

Cheers

 

Luc

[keyser]

Missed the 2049. Ford version first I could find. There is a kit out there iirc, 1/32, Aoshima. 1/24 would sell internationally. Obscure for US. 

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Welp, I'm in.

For leading the critics brigade until we started matching the toxicity of all the True Believers, ain't it funny how I'm always on board for these new releases? 🙂

Course, the problem is, this release put the original AMT '64 on my radar and gave me an unbearable itch at exactly the WRONG time.

So if Round2 ever announces they're "cloning" that original '64 kit...

uh, you can probably thank me.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I think it's great, though I have zero interest in movie or TV cars.

What I see in the kit's future if I ever buy one is a cleaned up nose and tail, a heavy chop, slammed...with a turbine-electric hybrid powertrain if I'm feeling really ambitious, and live long enough.  

Anything the manufacturers can generate a profit on floats my boat, as more money means more chance of new or reissued geezermobiles.   

Edited June 7, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[Justin Porter]

1 hour ago, Plowboy said:

Something the folks that are disappointed/not interested (I'm one of them) in this kit need to remember is that we're not the only ones that Round2 produces kits for. How many times have we got that kit we wanted? I honestly hope this kit does well for Round2 so they can keep producing new kits and reissuing those old kits we thought we would never see again. 

Oh I'm fully aware this kit isn't what I personally want. What I personally want is an Austin Healey 3000 MkIII tooled by Tamiya, Ebbro, or Aoshima. That's pretty much diametrically opposed to an AMT kit of a customized Imperial from an old TV show.

[stavanzer]

Your Stutz is here.

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/mpc-instructions/foreign--exotic/mpc-1914-stutz-bear/

MPC Kit.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/mpc-0630-bearcat-tv-hit-bearcats--1319067

 

I have the original TV Boxing in my garage.

[keyser]

Hiya Chuck. 
Elwood Engel did the 61 Conti, Rocket Birds, and 64-66, 67-8 Imperials. Why I’m a sucker for all. 
Make some evil looking Pro Touring cars. Things pretty timeless. 
Fun episode with some customs. Screen shots. Nice highboy, full custom too. 

 

Edited June 7, 2022 by keyser
Linky

[Mark]

I've got the Bearcats kit.  "From the hit TV show!"  

Someone brought a built one to the club meeting a few years ago, along with the DVD "set" containing the entire series.  As I recall, one disc...six episodes...