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History of MPC's Fifth Generation El Camino Kits


Fabrux

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I just looked at my collection of promos.  The '79 is Camel with buckets and rally wheels.  The '80 is Cinnabar with buckets and rally wheels.  The '81 came in Brown and Silver, with buckets and wheel covers.  The '82 is Dark Redwood with bench seat and wheel covers.  They are quite affordable and a lot easier to find than the earlier kits.  It took me about 10 years to find the '82 kit at Toledo before the Internet was popular.  I almost bought the kit new, but I didn't buy a real El Camino until I ordered my '87, which I still have.  I will use the '82 and '86 SS kits to build a replica of '87.

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I picked up a complete Monogram El Camino model yesterday at a swap meet. I haven't compared it to my other Elky kits but it is the odd version with the custom hood and turbo charged motor along with a camper top. It is molded in red and cannot be built stock, but I am sure if I was to try I could find a stock hood and interior.

My first new vehicle almost was an 81 El Camino, until the dealer realized I had beaten him down on the price so far he wasn't going to make any money! 

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28 minutes ago, mikemodeler said:

I picked up a complete Monogram El Camino model yesterday at a swap meet. I haven't compared it to my other Elky kits but it is the odd version with the custom hood and turbo charged motor along with a camper top. It is molded in red and cannot be built stock, but I am sure if I was to try I could find a stock hood and interior.

My first new vehicle almost was an 81 El Camino, until the dealer realized I had beaten him down on the price so far he wasn't going to make any money! 

 

This is the one you needed if you wanted to build a stock one, I'm sure there are plenty of them on the secondary market, IIRC Revell also re-issued this one in a combo box, with trailer and speed boat.

Think this kit is far superior to the Mpc offering, only for some the scale is a no no

Afbeeldingsresultaat voor Monogram el camino black

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10 hours ago, Luc Janssens said:

 

 

Think this kit is far superior to the Mpc offering, only for some the scale is a no no

Afbeeldingsresultaat voor Monogram el camino black

This kit is an ok kit except for the rear bumper don't seem to fit flush as there seems to be a gap between the top of bumper and the body compared to the MPC El Camino where the rear bumper sits flush with the body.  I also don't care for Monogram's offering of the engine as it don't have a lot of detail and seems like it has V6 to where the MPC El Camino has a better detailed engine and looks to be like a 305 V8. I have a MPC Nightmoves 80 El Camino unbuilt and I like the detailing better than the Monogram.  That's just my opinion..

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  • 7 months later...
On 2/18/2018 at 8:03 PM, MyBradKeselowski said:

This kit is an ok kit except for the rear bumper don't seem to fit flush as there seems to be a gap between the top of bumper and the body compared to the MPC El Camino where the rear bumper sits flush with the body.  I also don't care for Monogram's offering of the engine as it don't have a lot of detail and seems like it has V6 to where the MPC El Camino has a better detailed engine and looks to be like a 305 V8. I have a MPC Nightmoves 80 El Camino unbuilt and I like the detailing better than the Monogram.  That's just my opinion..

The Monogram kit IS a V6a  A 3.3 liter I believe.  You are correct that the MPC kits have the 305 V8.  Also available for the 1978 model year of the Monogram kit was a 3.8 liter V6 for California and a 350 V8.  1979 was the last year for the 350 in the El Camino (according to the dealer brochures).  The Monogram inside door panels leave a LOT to be desired, that is for sure, but everything else is pretty well done. 

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12 hours ago, fomocomav said:

The Monogram kit IS a V6a  A 3.3 liter I believe.  You are correct that the MPC kits have the 305 V8.  Also available for the 1978 model year of the Monogram kit was a 3.8 liter V6 for California and a 350 V8.  1979 was the last year for the 350 in the El Camino (according to the dealer brochures).  The Monogram inside door panels leave a LOT to be desired, that is for sure, but everything else is pretty well done. 

El Camino's were available with V-6 and V-8 engines. The V-6's were either 3.8L or 4.3L, depending on model year. The V-8's ranged from 267 to a 305 ci (4.3L or 5.0L). This would apply to the last body style they were manufactured in (78-86 model years).

 

 

 

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I was only talking about the 1978-79 model years.  Here is a small section of one page showing what were available in 1978: 3.3 and 3.8 liter V6s and a 5.0 and 5.7 liter V8.  I admit I missed the 4.4 liter V8, but we don't have a model of a 1979 El Camino available, so I was focused on just the 1978 brochure.  Sorry for the incomplete information.

1978 Chevrolet El Camino-04-05.jpg

1979 Chevrolet El Camino-03-04-05.jpg

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On 10/2/2018 at 2:22 PM, Len Woodruff said:

I had any early 1979 El Camino Super Sport that had the 350 and automatic. It also had a split bench seat. I like to build a replica of the car. I have the Revell 78 low rider which I think can be built stock. Did any release have a bench seat?

The MPC ‘82 kit (Red Light Bandit) had a bench seat. Pretty sure it was in the monster truck too. Don’t have a ‘82 promo, but it probably did as well and one of those might be the cheapest way to get one these days. 

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6 hours ago, Don Sikora II said:

The MPC ‘82 kit (Red Light Bandit) had a bench seat. Pretty sure it was in the monster truck too. Don’t have a ‘82 promo, but it probably did as well and one of those might be the cheapest way to get one these days. 

Thanks Don. I will see if I can find one of those 82 kits.

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On 10/2/2018 at 11:42 AM, fomocomav said:

I was only talking about the 1978-79 model years.  Here is a small section of one page showing what were available in 1978: 3.3 and 3.8 liter V6s and a 5.0 and 5.7 liter V8.  I admit I missed the 4.4 liter V8, but we don't have a model of a 1979 El Camino available, so I was focused on just the 1978 brochure.  Sorry for the incomplete information.

1978 Chevrolet El Camino-04-05.jpg

1979 Chevrolet El Camino-03-04-05.jpg

I stand corrected, forgot about the early year 3.3 ltr V-6 and 5.7 ltr (350) V-8 engines. I found it interesting that they had a 7,500 mile oil change interval back then considering the oils available at that time.

 

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