Why are there so many iconic cars that have never been kitted ?

[Greg Myers]

No kits for these icons.

[Joe Handley]

Originally I would have said it was because the world just doesn't have enough Depression Era Fords, Tri-5 Chevys, or '69 Camaro kits available yet and those are far more important to bring more mundain kits to market first...............

I agree with the Cheetah, however it should be possible to build the rest with some kit bashing and aftermarket parts and decals. I would rather see more truely rarely kitted subjects being newly kitted or reissued like the Cheetah, more modern workaday cars and trucks, as well as updating the tools of the few modern cars that do get kitted.

[Modelmartin]

Right. The world really needs a 59 Pontiac wagon!

[unclescott58]

The Cheetah and the Manta Ray are the two I don't understand why they have not offered as regular kits.

Scott

[RancheroSteve]

Yes to the Mantaray!

More: http://public.fotki.com/Roullier/cars_cars_cars/mantaray/

If you want to get technical about it, the Cheetah has been done - Cox made a static version of their slot car. But yeah, it would be cool to see a proper contemporary kit.

[slusher]

I have always thought Starsky and Hutch's Zebra 3 Torino should have been Kitted..

Edited July 6, 2014 by slusher

[Speedfreak]

I think they all look pretty cool.

[Joe Handley]

Problem with the Manta Ray (and really most of the cars shown) is that while it is really cool, not that many people know what it is any more. With the exception of the Starsky and Hutch Torino, you'd probably be better off making a kit of the Edsel Wagon from the Doctor Who episode where the Doctor was "killed" by Dr. River Song.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Joe Handley

[Joe Handley]

[1972coronet]

Perhaps it's the *dreaded* licensing issue , but I'd like to see the following icons :

- Baldwin-Motion Phase III Vega ; 1971-1972 Phase III Chevelle .

- 1967-1968 Dana 427 Camaro

- Mr. Norms 1967 Dart GSS 383 / 440 ; 1971 "Tri-Power" Demon 340 ; 1972 Demon GSS 340 with Paxton Supercharger

- Fred Gibb 1969 ZL-1 (really , just a new decal sheet for the existing Revell '69 427 COPO Camaro ... and perhaps a TH-400 with column shift )

- 1978 Little Red Express (not that joke of a kit from MPC !!)

- Randall AMC "XR" Gremlin 401

[Art Anderson]

Some ask why don't model companies do kits of cars that were (or at least seemed to be) legends in their own day, at what they were built to do? For so many potential model car kit subjects, it comes down to the relative certainty of any new model car subject selling profitably in a rather tight time frame. Very few car subjects, particularly cars such as are mentioned above, have a really high visibility today--certainly if they're to be model kits of cars (custom, racing, street rods, dream cars) built and shown almost exclusively here in the USA. That almost sets an upper limit on just how many kits of an America car will get sold--it's popularity, large or small, more than likely will be much less than subjects having at least some serious international recognition.

In addition, if one really looks at the vast majority of new model car kit subjects that have been introduced since just 2000, only a handful of those have been so-called "one hit wonders", meaning a car kit from which only one version is possible--no capability of changing out portions of the tooling to produce what we think of as a "modified reissue". For example, Revell has (and this goes back decades with Monogram Models) done very few model car kits in the past 30 years that were "one version only" products--they having had a practice, going back into the 1960's (as Monogram) of designing from the outset, most all their model car kits with at least a second version in mind (and in some cases, several subsequent versions) from the get-go. So there's one large strike against doing any model kit subject that can be produced in just one version (and that would be more than say, a different set of carbs on the engine)

A second problem, certainly with the "California Kid" in the first post: For a long time (and it may still hold true) the owner(s) of the actual car flatly refused to license it's likeness as a model kit or even a diecast model, for reasons best known only to them. No license (or permission of any sort) means no model--end of statement. A very similar situation existed for nearly 40 years with the 1966 TV Batmobile--and it was a bit more complicated: Three parties would have to have gotten on board, granting permission (licensing) for that car to see the light of day as a scale model (other than the rather crude 1/32 scale kit that Aurora knocked out almost overnight in 1966-67) : George Barris, who (by whatever means) owned the actual TV car, 20th Century Fox (the studio which produced the Batman TV show in the 1960's, and DC Comics, owner of all the rights to Batman, and currently still publishing Batman Comic Books. By the time any model company took interest in doing a decent model kit of that Batmobile, DC Comics had taken a stance against the TV Show, declaring that the show (with its campy, almost sit-com on camera antics) simply did not represent the image they wanted to portray with Batman, and steadfastly refused, until 2003, to license a model of the car to any model or toy company. Barris and 20th Century were OK with licensing it--after all, to both those entities, royalties is royalties is cash in the bank. Finally, in 2003, Mattel acquired all rights to everything Batman for toys, model kits, diecast replicas, and managed to persuade DC Comics to license them to produce a 1/24th scale diecast replica. So, licensing problems can, and have stopped some cars from being replicated in miniature for general sale.

But perhaps the biggest fly in the ointment here is market interest: Seriously, how many model car builders would jump at the chance to buy a kit of the Manta Ray today? How much interest would there SERIOUSLY be in a plastic kit of a Bill Thomas Cheetah? My guess is, such subjects only appealed to a portion of the marketplace back 40-50 years ago, and any model builder under the age of say, 45, more than likely wouldn't know either subject if it hit them in the face (figuratively speaking, of course). Just consider the rather limited interest in the original 60's Ford GT's--it was 50 years ago last month that the first GT-40's sat on the starting grid at LeMans--now how many modelers today would wear a groove in the pavement getting to their hobby shop (or wherever they buy kits) were a new kit of those cars were to come out (or say, The Little Deuce Coupe, Kookie's Kar?) It takes MANY 10's thousands of people to have a at least a passing interest in any proposed model car subject in order for enough people to step forward with money in hand to buy the kit when it comes out.

Just my thoughts, from more than 12 years, both inside the model car kit and diecast production business, including also being involved, on the perimeter in model car kit development to this day.

Art

[blunc]

actually the Little Deuce Coupe was sold as a model kit even though the name "Little Deuce Coupe" or "Silver Sapphire" was not used on the box. The box art clearly shows a model of the Deuce made famous by being on the cover of a Beach Boys album.

Any guesses?

I have been trying to get one off evil-bay for a while but the bids keep going into the "stupid" range.

[RodneyBad]

Stetson hats are cool

[Greg Wann]

I would have thought the Starsky and Hutch car would have sold well back in the day. Should have been as big a hit as that orange thing those Dukes boys were driving around.

[jwrass]

I think Art summed it up very well $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Thank you Art!

[Guest]

Right. The world really needs a 59 Pontiac wagon!

I would be banging down the door of the hobby shop for it!! Most of the cars pictured with the exception of the Manta Ray and the Cheetah I think could be kitbashed from kits either available now or fairly recently available.

[Joe Handley]

I would be banging down the door of the hobby shop for it!! Most of the cars pictured with the exception of the Manta Ray and the Cheetah I think could be kitbashed from kits either available now or fairly recently available.

I'd definately put one of those wagon kits off to the side for myself at work if there were one to become available! Same with the Cheetah, heck, if Tamiya were to revise their M-06 chassis and offer an R/C Cheetah, I would immediately have one on order!

[Greg Myers]

actually the Little Deuce Coupe was sold as a model kit even though the name "Little Deuce Coupe" or "Silver Sapphire" was not used on the box. The box art clearly shows a model of the Deuce made famous by being on the cover of a Beach Boys album.

Any guesses?

I have been trying to get one off evil-bay for a while but the bids keep going into the "stupid" range.

Aurora

[Greg Myers]

Tell me these wont sell, marketed like the Great line of '32 Fords from Revell right now in this market. These being a 1927 roadster series.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Greg Myers

[Matt Bacon]

...well. I'm an _enthusiastic_ car modeller, and I don't recognise any of those "icons", nor do I have any interest in building them...

A decent state of the art kit of an E-Type would be top of MY list, followed by any number of more recent Jaguars and Astons and Maseratis and Alfas and Lotuses and Lancias...

bestest,

M.

[Greg Myers]

...well. I'm an _enthusiastic_ car modeller, and I don't recognise any of those "icons", nor do I have any interest in building them...

A decent state of the art kit of an E-Type would be top of MY list, followed by any number of more recent Jaguars and Astons and Maseratis and Alfas and Lotuses and Lancias...

bestest,

M.

OK ? In for one of these ? 'cause we really need some more Jags, kinda like '57 Chevys.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Greg Myers

[Greg Myers]

and if you can't wait for Revell . . . from Bandit Resin http://www.banditresins.com/27_track_roadster.html

http://www.hobbylinc.com/jimmyflintstone_1927_ford_body_nose_for_amt_model_t_resin_model_vehicle_accessory_1:25_nb175

http://www.rocketfin.com/resin_product.cfm?id=3640

Edited July 6, 2014 by Greg Myers

[1930fordpickup]

!929 Roadster with a track nose. Hard to beat that combo, Greg.

[Matt Bacon]

OK ? In for one of these ? 'cause we really need some more Jags, kinda like '57 Chevys.

Yup... forgot to put Lolas in my list list. And if you know of a kit of any regular street Jaguar that's been designed in the last 30 years... just point me at it...

;-P

bestest,

M.

[Greg Myers]

Yup... forgot to put Lolas in my list list. And if you know of a kit of any regular street Jaguar that's been designed in the last 30 years... just point me at it...

My bad, silly Yank. Jag = XKE Sorry. Here's a present , if you can find one.