What's considered the 'Honus Wagner' (rarest) of model kits

[Qwit Pushin]

I was just enjoying the 'Stashing Vintage Kits' post and got to thinking, "Baseball card collectors all seem to know which card is the rarest, I mean everybody knows an original 'Honus Wagner' trumps just about any card out there. I wonder what's considered the rarest model car kit?"

Anyone care to weigh in? I have no idea, just curious.

[Mike Kucaba]

The trouble I have with this is do you count only regular production,or just the rarest of them all.Some "kits" were very limited and basically just promotional items for a company or cause. That 1911 Chevy comes to mind.

[Darin Bastedo]

in my collection? A finished one.

[Danno]

in my collection? A finished one.

:lol:

Dittoes, Darin!

[Chuck Most]

I'd have to say the SMP 1911 Chevrolet. It was only made for one year- 1961, Chevrolet's 50th anniversary. At the end of 1961, due to an agreement between SMP and Chevrolet, the tooling was destroyed after only one production run.

Or, maybe the Premiere Studebaker Champ pickup- I actually know people who've had the SMP 1911 Chevy, but I have yet to meet anyone who's even SEEN the Champ.

[Junkman]

I'd have to say the SMP 1911 Chevrolet. It was only made for one year- 1961, Chevrolet's 50th anniversary. At the end of 1961, due to an agreement between SMP and Chevrolet, the tooling was destroyed after only one production run.

Or, maybe the Premiere Studebaker Champ pickup- I actually know people who've had the SMP 1911 Chevy, but I have yet to meet anyone who's even SEEN the Champ.

A friend of mine has a kit of the Studebaker Champ pickup, but I can't remember whether it's a Premier. I'll ask him next time I speak to him so that we can outrule that it's a ghost.

My guess is also 1911 Chevy for being the rarest car kit.

Also rare as hen's teeth is the Frog 1/16 Ambulance kit. I have only seen one once - in the same collection where the Studebaker Champ pickup is.

Oh, and the 1/12 (no, this is NOT a mistake!) Bandai 1968 Mustang.

[Chuck Most]

Strange... at least one of those Champs made it to Europe... but all the Esci Ford Transits seemed to make it over here. (And you still can't find them in the States. )

[Jantrix]

I was thnking the Aurora Mod Squad 51 Merc Woody. I have seen two or three pop up on Ebay, but I have never seen one show up on any forum as a WIP.

[Junkman]

Strange... at least one of those Champs made it to Europe... but all the Esci Ford Transits seemed to make it over here. (And you still can't find them in the States. )

Those ESCI Transits weren't really rare. I had two at some stage and didn't buy more despite you could find them in hobby shops everywhere back then. I guess most Europeans simply didn't buy them, because they were just too 'ordinary'. Vans never enjoyed such a cult in Europe as they did in the States, they always were utility vehicles, nothing more. To build something the plumber drove just didn't appeal to many and the Transit was of no use for the military modellers either (contrary to the VW vans). I'd say most of them ESCI kits got tossed out eventually because they just didn't sell.

[Dr. Cranky]

I would have to add here that probably the rarest kit is the one built that becomes an infamous build because of some new technique or because the builder hit a Grand Slam. A model that becomes an icon in the hobby, etc . . .

[Casey]

Also rare as hen's teeth is the Frog 1/16 Ambulance kit. I have only seen one once - in the same collection where the Studebaker Champ pickup is.

It isn't based on a Vauxhall Victor Estate wagon is it? I saw a 1/16 Frog kit of that model on eBay a decade ago, and haven't seen one since.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Casey

[Greg Myers]

I've never heard of the 1911 Chevy kit, untill a few days ago if it's the same kit we're talking about. Back to the original post, " a kit we are all familliar with like the Honus Wagner base ball card". I think something people want, falls in here somewhere too.I've heard many people speak of the HW base ball card but untill recently no one has brought up the 1911 Chevy. Maybe the Mod Squad Merc would be a better fit. Or maybe something else.

[sjordan2]

Some interesting rarities, and not such rarities, from Dean Milano's Model & Toy Museum...(Including the 1911 Chevy)

http://toys-n-cars.com/unbuilt_kits.htm

[Qwit Pushin]

Great responses, all. As I say, I wouldn't have a clue. Also, interesting were the questions about what criteria dictates the rarest: desirability vs. absolute rarity; stellar craftsmanship in a particular build that gained it icon status among the modeling community - e.g.: any Dave Shuklis model; etc. Anyhow guys thanks for weighing in on this one, good food for thought.

[Junkman]

It isn't based on a Vauxhall Victor Estate wagon is it? I saw a 1/16 Frog kit of that model on eBay a decade ago, and haven't seen one since.

No, the Victor Estate was just another kit in the series, so was a ADO16, a Ford Cortina MKI and a Jag E-Type. The cars have been reissued under the Novo Banner in Russia, but the Ambulance was never seen again.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Junkman

[Qwit Pushin]

Based on the 1911 Chevy answers many of you provided, I googled it and found this: http://books.google.com/books?id=mPAEAcs2ZaIC&pg=PA97&lpg=PA97&dq=1911+Chevy+model+kit&source=bl&ots=IBIbu25zzU&sig=JjwQ5EXbGIehyCqkcQGrLjzeKv0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=6wcfT93YLbO42QWtmKWjDw&ved=0CHcQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=1911%20Chevy%20model%20kit&f=false

[Junkman]

Found it:

[Draggon]

Wow dean had some stuff Ive never seen before. What about the ITC 1940 Mercury Convertible? Ive seen only a few pics online, though someone on the other forum managed to get two of them.

[A.R.C.]

The flash free edition of the AMT General Lee with perfectly fitting bodyparts is also quite rare.

[bbowser]

The flash free edition of the AMT General Lee with perfectly fitting bodyparts is also quite rare.

LOL

[Jon Cole]

The rarest kit, is the one most of us aren't even aware of.

So what is it?

I don't know!

What I do know, is the Corvair Rampside is rare. But rarest? Doubt it.

[slantasaurus]

I'm pretty sure the 3 rarest kits are :

MPC/AMT 69 Dodge Charger, Dukes of Hazzard

MPC/AMT 72 Nova Old Pro

AMT 32 Ford 5 window coupe

or maybe not.......

[Austin T]

If rarity has to do with price wise,It would be that Javelin kit that two Morons with to much money got into a bidding war on.One won it for 700,I think.

[Dave Van]

Don't know if you want to count this one.....But how many out there have a Accurate Miniatures NASCAR Taurus stock car kit??? It never made it to the shelves due to AM going under....but I did some freelance work for them and I got a few kits before they closed. Fantastic kit with bad timing and worse luck!!!

As far as production kits.....My vote is the Pyro 1/16 scale Laramie Stage Ghost kit. Never saw one in a store and they always bring well over $500 on the bay. I have all the other 1/16 kits and a junker Stage but yet to see a mint kit in person.

I also have some regular production kits molded in hot pink. They are test shots of new kits. But these are far from regular production kits.

[Mark]

Here are a few to think about...when was the last time you saw...

SMP: 1911 Chevrolet

AMT: T-57 1957 Thunderbird (first issue Styline kit, in the small box)

AMT: Ohio George '33 Willys with plastic tires

AMT: 1969 Cobra (convertible with separate glue-on hardtop roof)

AMT: 1969 El Camino "Derby Champion" issue

AMT: 1967 Fairlane "Color Me Ford" issue

AMT: 1967 Corvette "Color Me Vette" issue

AMT: 1965 Fairlane "SSS" issue (only reissue with stock parts)

AMT: 1963 Nova "Crew Wagon" issue

AMT: 1965 Galaxie "Jolly Green Gasser" issue

AMT: 1965 Chevelle wagon "Surf Wagon" issue

AMT: any of the Elegance Series kits

AMT: second issue Meyers Manx (no display, and box art is different from the first issue)

Monogram: Deuce Sport Coupe

Jo-Han: 1969 Rebel

Revell: Tweedy Pie with Boss Fink