"Holy Grail" Models?

[Jordan White]

On 6/1/2021 at 1:22 PM, Casey said:

Still hunting for this one, but just have to be patient:

It's a great kit and I wish they would re-issue it, but alas the molds are most likely permanently in monster truck mode and won't be reverted back at all. I was lucky to find the weird "camper" High Sierra version of the kit at a hobby shop for $75, as well as find the stock grille and rollbar. I guess I would have considered this one of my "holy grail" kits before I found my kit since I love this generation of C/K, and being in 1/16 scale means I can have even more fun with the detailing.

[Sledsel]

Mine would be a 58 Ford.... One day I will find one reasonably priced.

 

[Brandon17]

This would be on of my holy grail kits. The california charger rear engine dragster. All of their cars were gorgeous. I know I can get another revell dragster kit and buy the correct parts and decals to build the car but the box art is pretty sweet and nostalgic.

[Tom Geiger]

Tis a funny thing.. the term “Holy Grail” meant that ONE kit that would make your life complete! 

Me thinks the term has become diluted! In threads on past boards, guys would put up a list of kits easily bought at Hobby Lobby, and would comment, “Got paid on Friday, went to HL and bought another two of my Holy Grail kits!

What ever happened to that one and only kit that would be life changing?

[HomerS]

I was never a 'group hug' kinda kid but I did have a favorite uncle who lived in Florida.  I remember Uncle Buddy (real name was August) took us on a neighborhood tour in his Bonneville.  It was virtually the same as the promo as shown except had the rally wheels.   Buddy was good for driving it like he stole it.

[keyser]

3 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

What ever happened to that one and only kit that would be life changing?

It’s in the vault with the rest of them. 🤣

[peteski]

9 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

Tis a funny thing.. the term “Holy Grail” meant that ONE kit that would make your life complete! 

Me thinks the term has become diluted! In threads on past boards, guys would put up a list of kits easily bought at Hobby Lobby, and would comment, “Got paid on Friday, went to HL and bought another two of my Holy Grail kits!

What ever happened to that one and only kit that would be life changing?

Maybe we should be using the term Xcalibur  instead?

[TooOld]

Over the years I've become friends with a collector (he doesn't build anything) and always ask when he'll sell me one of his kits and the answer has always been "not gonna happen" , then I ran into him a week ago and he said to come over and we'd talk about it .  We made the deal and I finally had my Holy Grail !

It cost me big time but I figured I'd get over it , then as I was leaving he came out and handed me this kit as a bonus . I got over it ! 

[Mike999]

Found one of mine at the SCMA show on May 15, the Jo-Han '66 Marlin.  I would have settled for a "USA Oldies" re-issue.  But many of those re-issues on eBay cost more than what I paid for this one.  Sometimes a lot more. 

If you wonder about the "chrome trim" mentioned on the box, it's a sheet of stuff like Bare Metal Foil, only thicker.

[Snake45]

6 minutes ago, Mike999 said:

If you wonder about the "chrome trim" mentioned on the box, it's a sheet of stuff like Bare Metal Foil, only thicker.

Yeah, it's very similar to common aluminum tape, which you can get for about $8 a roll at Walmart. 

[slusher]

5 hours ago, TooOld said:

Over the years I've become friends with a collector (he doesn't build anything) and always ask when he'll sell me one of his kits and the answer has always been "not gonna happen" , then I ran into him a week ago and he said to come over and we'd talk about it .  We made the deal and I finally had my Holy Grail !

It cost me big time but I figured I'd get over it , then as I was leaving he came out and handed me this kit as a bonus . I got over it ! 

Going too build one or both Bob?

[slusher]

2 hours ago, Mike999 said:

Found one of mine at the SCMA show on May 15, the Jo-Han '66 Marlin.  I would have settled for a "USA Oldies" re-issue.  But many of those re-issues on eBay cost more than what I paid for this one.  Sometimes a lot more. 

If you wonder about the "chrome trim" mentioned on the box, it's a sheet of stuff like Bare Metal Foil, only thicker.

Glad you found one, Mike. 

[TooOld]

1 hour ago, slusher said:

Going too build one or both Bob?

I plan on building them both ! They don't do me any good just sitting in the box .

[Brudda]

On 6/4/2021 at 4:45 AM, TooOld said:

Over the years I've become friends with a collector (he doesn't build anything) and always ask when he'll sell me one of his kits and the answer has always been "not gonna happen" , then I ran into him a week ago and he said to come over and we'd talk about it .  We made the deal and I finally had my Holy Grail !

It cost me big time but I figured I'd get over it , then as I was leaving he came out and handed me this kit as a bonus . I got over it ! 

Beautiful find! I remember this kit and always wanted one but could not afford it back then. Great score!

[LDO]

I got one of mine. It wasn’t cheap, but I did negotiate it down 20%. I want to get a real one of these. I think it’s a really cool car. Maybe go for a Tim Taylor Edition (more power). 
 

Internet photo. Mine is on its way to me. 

[iamsuperdan]

1 hour ago, LDO said:

I got one of mine. It wasn’t cheap, but I did negotiate it down 20%. I want to get a real one of these. I think it’s a really cool car. Maybe go for a Tim Taylor Edition (more power). 
 

Internet photo. Mine is on its way to me. 

I've been hunting one of those (or the Revell version) for quite a while. Can't find anything near my pricing comfort zone!

[Can-Con]

1 hour ago, LDO said:

I got one of mine. It wasn’t cheap, but I did negotiate it down 20%. I want to get a real one of these. I think it’s a really cool car. Maybe go for a Tim Taylor Edition (more power). 
 

Internet photo. Mine is on its way to me. 

I think I'd rather have the AMG edition, 

IIRC, the Tim Taylor edition keeps breaking down and in the end has a steel beam dropped on it. 🤨

[Snake45]

56 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

IIRC, the Tim Taylor edition keeps breaking down and in the end has a steel beam dropped on it. 🤨

If you look carefully, that's not a 230TE the steel beam falls on, it's a clapped-out old Taurus station wagon. 

[Can-Con]

41 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

If you look carefully, that's not a 230TE the steel beam falls on, it's a clapped-out old Taurus station wagon. 

Man, I missed that, I thought it was an old Jetta wagon. 😉

[Mike999]

Revell also did the Mercedes wagon as a German Fire Chief's ride.  Maybe my third strike for this kit will be the winner...

Strike 1: When I was working in Saudi Arabia, I often overnighted in Zurich, Switzerland.  There was a toy and hobby shop right down the street from my hotel, and it had this kit on the shelf.  Don't know why I didn't get it right then.  

Strike 2:  at the big KCI swap meet in Buena Park, CA years ago, somebody was selling this kit in a bundle with the Tamiya stock Volvo wagon. Before I could throw my money at the seller, somebody else grabbed them.

I hope Strike 3 happens at a flea market, and the kit is priced at around $2.00...

[Dragonhawk1066]

As things sit right now, this is my "Holy Grail" kit! I would take either, but the black one is the one I built, and pretty well glue-bombed, as a teen in the early 80's. These are going for $100+ on ebay, so it will probably stay a Grail kit for quite some time. Round 2, are you paying attention, this would probably make a killing if it were to be re-issued, LOL!!!

[BlackSheep214]

17 hours ago, Dragonhawk1066 said:

As things sit right now, this is my "Holy Grail" kit! I would take either, but the black one is the one I built, and pretty well glue-bombed, as a teen in the early 80's. These are going for $100+ on ebay, so it will probably stay a Grail kit for quite some time. Round 2, are you paying attention, this would probably make a killing if it were to be re-issued, LOL!!!

I remember doing the Black Street Charger kit back in my teen years. Fun kit to do especially working the wires for the distributor. 😆 I wouldn't mind having that one again.

[magicmustang]

22 hours ago, Dragonhawk1066 said:

As things sit right now, this is my "Holy Grail" kit! I would take either, but the black one is the one I built, and pretty well glue-bombed, as a teen in the early 80's. These are going for $100+ on ebay, so it will probably stay a Grail kit for quite some time. Round 2, are you paying attention, this would probably make a killing if it were to be re-issued, LOL!!!

I converted a Black one into a Buddy Baker NASCAR Charger many years ago, before they released a kit of one, of course.  I kept all the stock parts (interior, bucket seats, and console). My plan is to take my current Petty Charger (that I bought with a coupon from Hobby Lobby) and convert it to a stockish , (What if they ran out of '69 Chargers and had to use Gen. III Chargers), '74 Dukes of Hazzard Charger.   

Edited July 10, 2021 by magicmustang

[LDO]

On 7/9/2021 at 6:42 PM, Mike999 said:

Revell also did the Mercedes wagon as a German Fire Chief's ride.  Maybe my third strike for this kit will be the winner...

Strike 1: When I was working in Saudi Arabia, I often overnighted in Zurich, Switzerland.  There was a toy and hobby shop right down the street from my hotel, and it had this kit on the shelf.  Don't know why I didn't get it right then.  

Strike 2:  at the big KCI swap meet in Buena Park, CA years ago, somebody was selling this kit in a bundle with the Tamiya stock Volvo wagon. Before I could throw my money at the seller, somebody else grabbed them.

I hope Strike 3 happens at a flea market, and the kit is priced at around $2.00...

Oh my. That front end. It looks so much better on the Aoshima box. In the artist’s rendering. Yikes. 

[Mark]

On 6/4/2021 at 10:20 AM, Mike999 said:

Found one of mine at the SCMA show on May 15, the Jo-Han '66 Marlin.  I would have settled for a "USA Oldies" re-issue.  But many of those re-issues on eBay cost more than what I paid for this one.  Sometimes a lot more. 

If you wonder about the "chrome trim" mentioned on the box, it's a sheet of stuff like Bare Metal Foil, only thicker.

I've got a couple of pieces of that stuff, I always thought it was Mylar or something similar.  Definitely not BMF or anything in the same neighborhood.

The original Marlin has the 1966 upholstery pattern on the seats, USA Oldies kits have a different pattern, possibly from one of the later Ambassador kits.  Jo-Han recycled a lot of parts from earlier kits into later ones.

They tooled that chassis and engine for the '66 Marlin kit (there was a '65 promo but no '65 kit).  Jo-Han reused both in several later AMC kits, but they are correct only for the Marlin!  AMC phased in a new engine during '66 and introduced a new Unibody in '67.