PeterLepold Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Hi First something to my person: I'm Peter Lepold from Germany, some people here at the board knowing me and/or some my models. I'm building a long time - maybe more than 20 years - model kits. I'm living in Germany and I'm a coach of a successful hand ball youth crew. That's it...! If you want knowing something more, ask me...! A good boy invited me to write here at the Model Cars board about the Trumpeters 1978 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Landau Coupe. So I do that now. Ah, I want to still say that I am not the best in English language. Therefore please be pardon me if I'm not understandably enough. Here is something of Trumpeters '78 MC...! First is, many parts of that kit are are not correct and are made very dearless. - the floor have no carpet structure (you have to fix it with flocking material) - headers, intake manifold, enginemount and all the other bigger engine parts have no casting structures like on the original parts (make a comparison with Revell, AMT or old MPC parts) - no screws and no rivets and bolts at the engine parts (is the engine completely welded together?) - the front cover with the water pump is missing - instead two long "amusing" pins coming out form the enginemount on which you have to glue the wheels for the belt drive - carbuartor is missing, or is this briquette on the intake manifold the carburetor? - breather cap is missing - distributor is missing - the cluster on the instrument panel does not fit - the hood and the trunk have big dents on the surface, that happens, because Trumpeter did not build enough casting channels at this big parts - Signatures (like Monte Carlo or Landau) are to filigran - the roof have no vinyl structures, but it is a Landau Coupe with a half vinyl roof.... - the wheel chrome stripes and the rear window chrome stripes are missing - the front axle is developed too complicated and is also still wrong from the design - the rear axle the same (both axles and the completely suspension looked like Trumpeter have measure the original car on the lifting platform, because the axles do not work loaded if a car on the wheels stand), the car is looking like an Off Roader... ...and and and. Result: The model is not worth its money. You must improve much, so that you really get a good model. Now some pictures: The hood and the trunk with dents The filled parts Chromestripes build from sheet some other modifications Now the suspension, it is too high (the tires also wrong, they are too small) Suspension with other tires, but still too high, it is looking like a Offroader I have shortened the rear shocks (on the right side the new one) The rear axle/suspension I have corrected After I have corrected the rear and front suspension Chassis with new exhaust (from aluminium tube) The interior is finished, the steering wheel I took from the old MPC Monte Carlo kit (reissue AMT). I build some details in like belts and some photo eatched parts form Detail Master. Now the engine...you see the arrow, that is showing you what I meant with the cover of the water pump. This big part is missing, I took it also from the old MPC kit. I had plumped and wired the engine, took a carburator and a breather cap from the spare parts and what I have forgotten to tell, the cooling ventilator in the Trumpeter kit is too big, it does not fit into the opening from the radiator... Hope I was understandable enough. In my opinion the kit is not worth its money. Trumpeter built a very dearless model. It is even still worse than the '60 Bonneville. The '60 Bonneville has more love for the detail in the comparison to the MC, although the roof is perfectly wrong. If you want to see more, please wait a little. I have to sand the hood and trunk again and than I will prime it. I will paint the car white with brwon vinyl roof (like the interior). Many greetings from Germany Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoom Zoom Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Peter, welcome! Great and inspiring work on the Monte Carlo 8) I saw the kit up-close and came to the same conclusions you have; I expect better if they want the market they aim for to take them seriously. Your work to improve the kit is inspiring; I didn't buy the Trumpeter Bonneville until I saw your writeup. Your interior/engine details look very realistic. Keep us posted with the progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Welcome, welcome, welcome Peter! Your review was very informative! I don't know how such glaring problems could have been overlooked..............didn't someone at Trumpeter build this ahead of time and see all of this?? :x Just the same, this is unacceptable for a kit that costs 35 BUCKS!! :evil: One thought about the wheels and tires.............American cars out of the '70's typically had wheels and tires that seemed undersized for their respective wheelwell shapes. My Dad had a '79 and I always thought that its wheels were a bit small and too "tucked in" for the size of the vehicle. That kind of styling would be unacceptable today as some of your compacts are running 16 inchers or better, and the wheels and tires (for the most part) are flush with the bodywork of the fenders Anyway, keep up the excellent work, and keep us posted!!..............And your english is just fine! :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LT Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 I enjoyed viewing your photos of the body repairs and of the meticulous and well done detailing you did to the engine and interior. Very informative and well laid out. Looking forward to seeing this completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonoPed Posted July 22, 2006 Share Posted July 22, 2006 Peter, First, welcome aboard! You've done all modellers a great service pointing out the flaws in this kit, and you have shown that they can be overcome. I'm looking forward to seeing this model completed, you've done some really nice work on it so far! Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterLepold Posted July 23, 2006 Author Share Posted July 23, 2006 Good morning to all A small update on the '78 MC before I will to prime and paint the body. You'll see at the pictures the filled and sanded hood an trunk about the dents. The vinyl structure I made with ethyl acetate and a bristle brush. Here are some pictures from the making of vinyl structure what I did on my '67 Charger (the Revell kit). This kit also have no vinyl roof but it is not a mistake, Chargers are build with and without vinyl roof. But I want to have a Charger with it because I build my best friends original car (it is a "White Hat Special Charger" Edition). You need ethyl acetate and a bristle brush Then you coat the roof with ethyl acetate step by step, and with the old bristle brush you presses the structure into the softened plastic, repeat it until the structure is real. The next pictures are looking "wild".... After painting with semi gloss black the vinyl is looking like this... The same way I did it with the '78 MC. I tested the vinyl structure with a little of the brown color if the structure is okay. I will remove the color before I prime and paint it. The headlighst are not good. Too many careless edges and the chrome is not good also. Besides the turn signals are not correct, in the original exist the turn signal glass of a piece, at the model are secondarydivided it. I will paint the headlights with Alclad chrome, therefore the parts are painted black at the moment. Greetings from Germany Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuffy's Garage Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Welcome to the board. The work you are showing is great. Do you have anymore Dale Earnhardt cars in the works? He was my favorite also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FASTBACK340 Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Welcome to the board Peter! Your review of the Monte Carlo is exactly what this board needs more of! THAT'S good modeling reference. And your build-up....it looks beautiful! I can't wait to see it finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyle Willits Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Love the interior and engine work. You are doing a fantastic job with a kit that needs a lot of help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Peterson Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 Thanks for the analysis of the kit's flaws. I would be irritated having to correct all these problems on a $10 kit, but on a $35 (or more!) item, I'd be furious! Don't do too good a job on it! I'd hate for Trumpeter to see it and think they did a fantastic job on the kit!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterLepold Posted July 23, 2006 Author Share Posted July 23, 2006 Hi Thanks to all for the welcome $35 (or more!) is definitely too much for this kit. I would buy this kit never for $35, perhaps for $10 or less. I want to be honest: I did not pay anything for this kit, that kit I build for the German model magazine "Modell Fan". It was the same with the '60 Bonneville. Never I would buy this bad kit, but I build it as conception for the German model building magazine. This magazine (Modell Fan) shows its customer which is wrong at the models. And I'm the man for very "heavy cases" like with the Bonneville and as now with the '78 Monte Carlo. None wants to build so a "muck", I do it....! :wink: Sometimes I love it to build models like the Trumpeter kits because they are a challenge...! 8) Greetings from Germany Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbwelda Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 i guess im the only one in the world with this question: huh? a monte carlo? why? i guess they are popular with low riders just because they are cheap and no one else ever wanted one but thats just it: no one else ever wanted one. like i said, i guess its just me but its beyond my comprehension how any company thinks they are gonna sell these. and thats if it were truly a good replica which it appears it is not. funny world aint it. edit: dont mean to discourage or insult those who may think this is a great design or your father had one or something like that, i realize there are various reasons for wanting a model of a car. but from a manufacturers perspective, does anyone think there is a market for this particular vehicle? and the reason for any potential market? it sure aint the most elegant car ever to come off GMs design boards! so dont take it the wrong way, im just wondering the motivation for a release like this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc @ MPC Motorsports Posted July 24, 2006 Share Posted July 24, 2006 i guess im the only one in the world with this question: huh? a monte carlo? why? Urban legend has it that the person who helped finance the Trumpeter car kits owned a '78 MC, and unless they made the MC, the Nova and Bonneville would not happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterLepold Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 Hi A small update. Before I prime and paint the body, I build something for a charge. I took the parts (boat and trailer) out of the '70 Bonneville (the reissue from Model King) and detailed the boat. Thus it looks.... I changed the seats to a benachseat and detailed the dashboard. The engine I didn't use, I build a cover from sheet with a scoop. Also I increased the trunk of the boat by three millimeters - the white sheet. The interior is ready. Greetings Peter @ Marc @ MPC Motorsports: This "story" I heared also...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemoose Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Peter, Greetings from the USA! Thanks for the excellent review and for posting your progress photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Thanks for the review Peter. Very factual and well illustrated. I also enjoyed your review of the '60 Bonneville that you posted a long time ago on another board. Would it be possible to post your Bonneville review and repairs on this board for the benefit of those people who didn't see it before? A word on subject matter and kit flaws. For my $$ it's all about subject matter. I don't mind making some corrections on kits if I like the subject matter. I bought the Trumpeter Bonneville because I like '60 Pontiacs despite its high price and the many flaws the kit has. The Monte Carlo will not be coming home with me, and that's all I'll say about it. I hope this Monte kit sells well so that Trumpeter will continue to bring out more American car kits. I really hope that their choice of subject matter combined with the many flaws of this kit will not kill the chances of more future releases. The downside of this is that if the kit does indeed sell well it may turn off future customers who were not expecting all these problems on a premium kit. I also hope that somebody from Trumpeter reads this board so that they will understand the need to pull up their socks a little in the future. I don't like to trash a kit or manufacturer, but they have to realize that people just will not shell out premium $$ for a kit with so many serious flaws... those are the facts as I see it. Just my 2¢... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterLepold Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 Hi I also enjoyed your review of the '60 Bonneville that you posted a long time ago on another board. Would it be possible to post your Bonneville review and repairs on this board for the benefit of those people who didn't see it before? @ Mark: Oh, I will try it an article to publish here. It will be difficult and I'm not the best in English language. But I try it. Greetings from Germany Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoom Zoom Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Those modifications to the boat are great! Very cool subject, nice combo w/the Monte Carlo...or any suitable tow car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Thanks, Peter. I can appreciate the language difficulty for you. (By the way, I could easily understand your review of the Monte Carlo.) I think a lot of members could benefit from your excellent work for the Bonneville. Sorry for asking you to do something so difficult! :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayVee Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 That detail work is so eye-catching, and I really like the way the interiors look on both of these. Super! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterLepold Posted August 9, 2006 Author Share Posted August 9, 2006 Hi there Here I have a small update, but it is not the MC, it is an update on the boat. The MC needs some time again for drying the filler, a lot of points on the hood and trunk I have to fill and sand. The boat is nearly finished, some smaller detail works I have to do. I will build a windshild scratch and I will put a name on it - perhaps I will named it "Monte Carlo"..! All the "wooden" is painted, first I painted with airbrush a base color (dark brwon) and than I painted the wooden structure with drybrushing and detail painting with different brushes and different brown colors. It needs a lot of time, but i think it is looking nearly like real wooden. At the "hood" I put a photo eatched part with the signature "SS 454"...! The rear view (with the real US-flag :wink: ). The “ornament†on the sides, on the back and at the hood are decals from the Revell '70 Custom Van. The top side of the boat was chromium-plated with BMF aluminum. Now the trailer..! The small tail lamps and the “rubbers†were supplemented on the rails, because the bottom of the boat would not to be scratched when the loading and unloading! The rims are Monte Carlo rims of the MPC Monte Carlo! Painted in aluminium. Greetings Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted August 9, 2006 Share Posted August 9, 2006 :shock: :shock: That's painted wood??? You coulda fooled me..........you got that grain of the wood so perfect!! Excellent job as usual Peter! That boat will be a great compliment to the Monte! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildrice Posted August 13, 2006 Share Posted August 13, 2006 That boat is awesome. Beautiful workmanship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterLepold Posted January 24, 2007 Author Share Posted January 24, 2007 Hello to all I'm sorry that I was not present here the last time. Now the '78 Monte Carlo is finished. Her some pics. First some pics of the last progress: Finished (without hood). I'm add some water skis on the trunk. Here you'll see a little of the vinyl structure. Flashlights are not correct at the kit, first look at the original car. Trumpeter made a chrome prop between the front and the side flasher . Here are the completely finished car (without trailer/boat). I have to make pics of it (of all, boat and car) when the weather is more better. We have very heavy snow and it is not good to make good pics with the lighting conditions at the moment. Cheers from Germany Peter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFFA Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 i guess im the only one in the world with this question: huh? a monte carlo? why? it sure aint the most elegant car ever to come off GMs design boards! Hell, the hummer rolled out o GMs factories, the monte aint that bad lookin, in fact IMO it looks pretty damned good!, compare it with european and asian cars from the same time!! and those that followed duuring the 80's, european and asian cars during the 80's looked like ###### 4REAL, did anyone ACTUALLY even design them?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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