AMT & Revell Parts Packs Engines

[Mark]

Do a search on eBay; the engine packs from the most recent issue are still floating around and can be had reasonably. They still turn up at shows, along with (if you are lucky) the occasional original one that hasn't been reissued. I tripped over a Buick (one that wasn't reissued) at a show in October, for $10. They're still out there. For some reason, the Chrysler goes for stupid money even though you can pick up a Miss Deal Studebaker kit, which includes that same engine along with Parts Pack wheels, tires, and some chassis parts.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The most recent issues (front-blown SBC, 427 Ford, a mis-labeled 365 Caddy and a Pontiac) are all over ebay, often amazingly cheap ($5) if you buy in multiples. I've paid between $25 and $50 for the Buick and Hemi original issues.

Edited February 12, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy

[Southern Fried]

For me, Super Clean seldom fails to remove both the plating and underlying lacquer base coat. I'm still using the Castrol-branded product, but from what I have heard the newer stuff still does the job. I'll be using Dawn Power Dissolver on most paint (until my closeout store supply runs out), but Super Clean has always been my go-to stuff for plating.

Yep, I use Purple Power...

[59 Buick]

Just to give you an idea of what some of the rarer ones can sell for and I know supply and demand will force the price up.

I understand that this is one of the harder ones to find, but when does a kit reach a point where you either wonder why you paid that amount or that you don't want to use it because as soon as you do it no longer holds the same value?

Does anyone know if the molds still exist for these?

[jbwelda]

that is more than that seems to go for regularly, but it is one of the most desirable of the parts pack as far as actual uses goes.

but just to compare, about 3 months ago I won a set of the dragster speed equipment, even more desirable/useful than the roadster sprue, without the box but wrapped in saran wrap for upteen years, for about 25$, I forget exactly how much. so it just goes to show...that's the way ebay works sometimes.

jb

[Greg Myers]

A comprehensive list : http://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/partspacks.htm

[59 Buick]

It would be nice to see some more of these kits rereleased, especially the suspension and motor bike kits.

It would be interesting to know if any of the other molds that haven't been reissued still exist

[DaveM]

I would buy boatloads of the Bikes. We need some 1/25 bikes! (To put in the beds of pickups) I would probably buy any of the dragster frames or bodies too. I have bought most of the reissued parts packs and collections. (In multiples) I even have the custom van parts and the pickup parts, although they are both missing some items.

In short, I like parts packs!

[Greg Myers]

How many bikes are there?

Four in a box @ $25.00 ?

That would go.

[Sledsel]

The Allison would go nice in the Lindberg Cord or Auburn......

[Snake45]

The Allison would go nice in the Lindberg Cord or Auburn......

Jay Leno, is that you?

[southpier]

A comprehensive list : http://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/partspacks.htm

brought back some memories

[horsepower]

The Allison would go better in the Hemi Hydro kit, it even has the extra length to look like a couple of late '70s drag boats that were around.

[Greg Myers]

It depends on the engine. I've seen the 289 and Ford 427 for $10 at swap meets, but the more desirable hemis/409's and what not can go as high $20-$25.

Who makes the "289" , "409" "Parts Pack " kits ?

[Againmikewins]

Blowing the dust off this old topic; I was lucky enough to get 3 each of the Ford 427, Chevy 283, Cadillac 354 and Pontiac 421 Revell Parts Pak engines for about $15 with shipping. I've only stripped and built done if the Ford 427 so far, but I really like the detail of it. 

These Parts Paka have been great trade fodder amongst my modeling friends around town. 

Here's what I've done to the 427 so far, before other projects stole my interest. 

[Snake45]

I wish I'd bought several of these Ford 427 engines when they were readily available. Is there still a source for them at reasonable prices?

[Sledsel]

I have most of the Revell parts pack engines. Multiples of the 427. My only gripe is the 427's valve covers. I need to get a resin casting kit and make some better ones. The old AMT 64 Ford and the 66 Fairlane 427 have much better covers.

Other than that, I really like the ones I have built

 

 

[GaryR]

I've loved and used the Parts Packs since they came out in the 60's! Both the AMT and Revell are good, though I prefer the Revell for detail.

The interesting thing to me about the Revell packs are that the Double Drag kits that are going for 200 plus bucks ARE the parts packs! I's wager that Revell has the tooling for all of them, IF they's combine them , as the did in 1963 into kits they'd sell some. You could get your roadster speed parts, plus the Bantam body! 

I have been told OVER AND OVER that these kits can't be done, too many "pulls" on the molds. WTF does that mean? same folks that told me NONE of the MPC funny car kits survived.

Don't get it.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I wish I'd bought several of these Ford 427 engines when they were readily available. Is there still a source for them at reasonable prices?

The Revell engine kits do seem to be drying up (I bought bunches of all of 'em when you could buy a 4-pack for $6 plus $2 shipping) but they're still available on Ebay for what I consider reasonable money.

Here's a 427 Ford AND a SB Chevy for $13, free shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-V-8-ENGINE-MODEL-KITS-1-25-FORD-427-CHEVY-283-REVELL-1998-NO-LONGER-MADE-MINT/371842297744?_trksid=p2047675.c100010.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555012%26algo%3DPW.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40791%26meid%3Dfd8963658651479f906f7f646277c7cb%26pid%3D100010%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D122309069636

 

Edited January 21, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[tim boyd]

The interesting thing to me about the Revell packs are that the Double Drag kits that are going for 200 plus bucks ARE the parts packs! I's wager that Revell has the tooling for all of them, IF they's combine them , as the did in 1963 into kits they'd sell some. You could get your roadster speed parts, plus the Bantam body! 

 

Interesting factoid.....the Double Drag kit parts trees do contain some subtle modifications vs the Parts Packs to make the various parts more compatible - e.g. to be able to assemble without having to tweak parts for fits  

I did a Bantam Roadster Fuel Alterned buildup in Model Cars magazine sometime in the early 2000's that uncovered this surprising (to me) situation.  

As to whether that has any impact on seeing the Double Drag kits reissued, I can't say, but parts of the Parts Packs tooling were later re-purposed to other uses (e.g. the Miss Deal Stude, the second version of the Revell '57 Chevy...and so forth).  

TIM 

Edited January 21, 2017 by tim boyd

[Greg Myers]

I've loved and used the Parts Packs since they came out in the 60's! Both the AMT and Revell are good, though I prefer the Revell for detail.

The interesting thing to me about the Revell packs are that the Double Drag kits that are going for 200 plus bucks ARE the parts packs! I's wager that Revell has the tooling for all of them, IF they's combine them , as the did in 1963 into kits they'd sell some. You could get your roadster speed parts, plus the Bantam body! 

I have been told OVER AND OVER that these kits can't be done, too many "pulls" on the molds. WTF does that mean? same folks that told me NONE of the MPC funny car kits survived.

Don't get it.

"Too many pulls on the Mold" ? Those kits weren't  that popular. If they were we'd see em all over the Ebay.

I'm not buyin that either.

Now, as far as popular, I think they'd go now.

and as far as being "repurposed" many have and many have been put back together, that being what a bunch of  now

Edited January 21, 2017 by Greg Myers

[Ace-Garageguy]

"Too many pulls on the Mold" ? Those kits weren't  that popular. If they were we'd see em all over the Ebay.

I'm not buyin that either.

Now, as far as popular, I think they'd go now.

and as far as being "repurposed" many have and many have been put back together, that being what a bunch of  now

Four of the engines were repopped...the Potvin-blown SB Chebby (there is another SB Chebby not reissued), 427 Ford, Pontiac 421 and Caddy gen-one OHV V8 (wrongly labeled a "354"...no such animal). 

The market was apparently flooded with them, and I bought literally dozens when they were cheap and plentiful. Prices are going up now, and the supply seems to be dwindling.

The TOOLING appeared to be in excellent condition, though there were noticeable sink-marks on the reissues, probably more to do with slight short-shotting or lower-pressure molding than old tooling.

The Buick and Hemi kits seem to have been repurposed into the Ivo 4-engine car and the Tony Nancy Buick-engined car, while the Hemi went to the Miss Deal, and were never reissued in stand-alone format (as far as I have been able to ascertain).

The other really excellent frame and accessories kits frequently show up on Ebay, for stupid and stupider money. I stocked up on many of those also, years ago, before the interest in old-timey building styles got going.

The tooling on all of the old kits I have appears to have been in top-notch condition when they were made, and I've never seen ANY evidence to the contrary...though I have several of the (now) very expensive Revell double kits as well.

The success (or lack thereof) of the recent AMT reissues of their also excellent engine kits would be a good indicator as to whether Revell might consider re-releasing any of their parts-pack line...if the tooling even exists.

I'd GLADLY pay $70, or more, for a repop of any of the double-dragster kits made up of the old parts-pack trees, but I believe I'm in a small minority.

 

Edited January 21, 2017 by Ace-Garageguy

[Mark]

Four of the engines were repopped...the Potvin-blown SB Chebby (there is another SB Chebby not reissued), 427 Ford, Pontiac 421 and Caddy gen-one OHV V8 (wrongly labeled a "354"...no such animal). 

The other small-block Chevy was pieced into the old opening-everything '57 Chevy kit in the late Sixties.  If you look at the engine parts tree in that kit, you can see the outline of the Parts Pack.

The Buick and Hemi kits seem to have been repurposed into the Ivo 4-engine car and the Tony Nancy Buick-engined car, while the Hemi went to the Miss Deal, and were never reissued in stand-alone format (as far as I have been able to ascertain).

The Ivo Showboat was issued in '63, the Tony Nancy double kit around the same time.  The Buick engine is similar to those, probably created using some of the same research and masters, but other than the long block there isn't much that is the same between the stand-alone engine and either of the kits.  Revell was consistent with their engines: the early Olds (Orange Crate, S-W-C Willys, and Anglia/Thames), the small-block Chevy ('55-'57 Chevies, parts packs, Roth Tweedy Pie), and so on.

The other really excellent frame and accessories kits frequently show up on Ebay, for stupid and stupider money. I stocked up on many of those also, years ago, before the interest in old-timey building styles got going.

The tooling on all of the old kits I have appears to have been in top-notch condition when they were made, and I've never seen ANY evidence to the contrary...though I have several of the (now) very expensive Revell double kits as well.

I've got half of one of the double kits, tooling and parts fit look good to me.  I'd suspect that the double kits were raided for various parts for other kits later (the Miss Deal is mostly made up of parts pack items).  Had any of the double kits been an easy reissue, we'd probably have seen at least one of them when Revell/Monogram was heavily into the SSP program.  They were cranking out pretty much everything they could at that time, with only a few exceptions. 
 

[GaryR]

The Double kits were available as recently as the 1980's, I recall them in shops at that time.

WHO DO WE EMAIL TO GET THEM BACK???

Tim Boyd, you are "connected" ( sounds Mafia ), and I loved your Bantam.Even those are 50 bucks PLUS now, too rich for me.

I really think Revell could sell this stuff, put several packs together at least, like the AMT. The tire packs MUST be selling, they have been around for quite a while!

I WANT TO BUILD THE DOUBLE KITS AGAIN BEFORE I DIE! LOL By the way, where's Jim Keeler??? Hope all is well!

[Snake45]

The Double kits were available as recently as the 1980's, I recall them in shops at that time.

WHO DO WE EMAIL TO GET THEM BACK???

Tim Boyd, you are "connected" ( sounds Mafia ), and I loved your Bantam.Even those are 50 bucks PLUS now, too rich for me.

I really think Revell could sell this stuff, put several packs together at least, like the AMT. The tire packs MUST be selling, they have been around for quite a while!

I WANT TO BUILD THE DOUBLE KITS AGAIN BEFORE I DIE! LOL By the way, where's Jim Keeler??? Hope all is well!

There were double kits of, say, the Tony Nancy cars available in the '80s, but I'm pretty sure none of the so-called Parts Packs cars--Fiat, T, Bantam--were.