Faust

I think I'll have to do a comparison sometime of the MPC and the AMT, just to see what's what. You're right, that AMT didn't have the IMSA madness as bad, but the Sirocco and Capri II both have a pretty horrible "custom" version! They're nice kits too. I think the cars are lame, in the context of their day. They definitely had, and still have, their merits. They're much cooler now than when they were made; the rose-coloured glasses work wonders on cars, eh? Man, if there was a K, or even a normal L kit, I would be ALL OVER that. Fresh Cherries did make a die cast L hatchback (2 door, I think) in a couple of scales, including a big one, maybe 1/24? My brother has one. Wish I had one to gut and kit!

Loser cars. If there’s one thing I love to get kits of, it’s loser cars. Most people like muscle cars, Ferraris and other exotics or classic cruisers. Not me. If you’ve seen anything else I’ve built or reviewed, you know I love to hate to love my loser cars. What’s more amazing that having a great selection of these things as kits? Finding out there’s a model of a loser car I didn’t even know about! Recently, it was brought to my attention that there was a kit of a Plymouth Horizon TC3. AWESOME! I knew about, and have several, of the Omni 024, it’s Dodge stablemate, but I was amazed and intrigued to learn of the Horizon. I hoped to find one, one day. Then, thanks to the power of the internet, I was contacted by someone with one, and I was able to swiftly acquire one of these gems! It’s rare to have such a short turn around between discovery and purchase, at least for me, since I try to always avoid ebay! I was very excited to get it, so I had to review it quickly. So here, then, is an out of box review for a long-forgotten leader among the losers, the almost kinda cool, but still intrinsically lame, Horizon TC3. Many thanks to F-J for his help and passing this one on to me. You rock, man! Check it out to see how bad things got; don’t forget, there were MULTIPLE companies kitting this thing! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/amt-125-plymouth-horizon-tc3-oob/

Loser cars. If there’s one thing I love to get kits of, it’s loser cars. Most people like muscle cars, Ferraris and other exotics or classic cruisers. Not me. If you’ve seen anything else I’ve built or reviewed, you know I love to hate to love my loser cars. What’s more amazing that having a great selection of these things as kits? Finding out there’s a model of a loser car I didn’t even know about! Recently, it was brought to my attention that there was a kit of a Plymouth Horizon TC3. AWESOME! I knew about, and have several, of the Omni 024, it’s Dodge stablemate, but I was amazed and intrigued to learn of the Horizon. I hoped to find one, one day. Then, thanks to the power of the internet, I was contacted by someone with one, and I was able to swiftly acquire one of these gems! It’s rare to have such a short turn around between discovery and purchase, at least for me, since I try to always avoid ebay! I was very excited to get it, so I had to review it quickly. So here, then, is an out of box review for a long-forgotten leader among the losers, the almost kinda cool, but still intrinsically lame, Horizon TC3. Many thanks to F-J for his help and passing this one on to me. You rock, man! Check it out to see how bad things got; don’t forget, there were MULTIPLE companies kitting this thing! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/amt-125-plymouth-horizon-tc3-oob/

Loser cars. If there’s one thing I love to get kits of, it’s loser cars. Most people like muscle cars, Ferraris and other exotics or classic cruisers. Not me. If you’ve seen anything else I’ve built or reviewed, you know I love to hate to love my loser cars. What’s more amazing that having a great selection of these things as kits? Finding out there’s a model of a loser car I didn’t even know about! Recently, it was brought to my attention that there was a kit of a Plymouth Horizon TC3. AWESOME! I knew about, and have several, of the Omni 024, it’s Dodge stablemate, but I was amazed and intrigued to learn of the Horizon. I hoped to find one, one day. Then, thanks to the power of the internet, I was contacted by someone with one, and I was able to swiftly acquire one of these gems! It’s rare to have such a short turn around between discovery and purchase, at least for me, since I try to always avoid ebay! I was very excited to get it, so I had to review it quickly. So here, then, is an out of box review for a long-forgotten leader among the losers, the almost kinda cool, but still intrinsically lame, Horizon TC3. Many thanks to F-J for his help and passing this one on to me. You rock, man! Check it out to see how bad things got; don’t forget, there were MULTIPLE companies kitting this thing! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/amt-125-plymouth-horizon-tc3-oob/

One of the things I like most about aircraft, well any vehicle actually, is the ways in which the various models of it can vary. I am a huge fan of variants, and there’s little I like more than the two-seater of a one-seater aircraft. This is almost a universal thing for me, and it’s not a surprise that if there’s a trainer version of a given plane I have gone out of my way to get my hands on it. I’ll often turn down the one-seater until I have gotten the two-seater! A perfect example of this is the mighty Su-17/20/22 “Fitter” family of swing wings. I particularly like this one, since it’s a massively re-eingineered swing-wing variant of the fixed wing Su-7. Of course, that’s only the start. Given that there’s also a two-seater of this plane, you can imagine how eager I was to find a kit of one of THOSE. Now, there is a nice Bilek out there, but there’s also the old Hobbycraft. Not as many people know about that one, and it’s not as sought after. Of course, that’s the one I was able to find! Check out this oddly Canadian kit, made in China, of a Russian export-model airplane below. P.S. Bring your aftermarket decals! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/hobbycraft-su-22u-oob

DW: I love your car! Man, that looks so sharp. I can remember a lot of these rotting away (mostly 4-door and wagon beaters) when I was a kid. I never saw one quite as nice as this! I think that shape is a lot mor "Old Skool Muscle" than the "blocky cyber-Euro" of the '80 cars. I can see you winning shows with that! Keep 'er looking great, man. Definitely a good one to be proud of! As for the engines, I apologize if I'm wrong. However, the sales literature I have (both Canadian and American) doesn't mention the 360 anywhere for 1980. They only mention the 255 (Slant 6) and 318. Wikipedia (for what it's worth...) also says the 360 was discontinued in '80. So, that's why I wrote what I did. If I'm wrong, then at least I'm not alone! I can see your car being faster than a '77 Vette. I can't find conclusive times for the '80 cars, though. I'm sure both were leaden by the, though. My Turbo T/A is no rocket off the line, although he does hustle once he's rolling. Interesting about the manifold. Not being a Mopar guy, I'd have never known. I am glad to know now, though! As someone who loves to see the late '70s and early '80s stuff preserved, you have my utmost respect. Rock on, man!

Thanks, guys! Given the age of the kit originally, I'm amazed at how well things fit together on the kit! I just wish the interior was right. Still, it looks pretty good in red, and that's all that matters!

If there’s one thing the cold and snowy winter weather is good for, it’s finding some time and excuse to go hibernate in the modelling room! I’ve been hard at work on the Fuzz Duster, and I’ve gotten the interior and engine/chassis done. There’s still a lot of work to do on the body, but it’s coming along! Check out what I’ve got at the link below and let me know what you think! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/volare-mid-build-update-sit-down-and-feel-the-lean-burn/

I don't ever recall getting models from a drug store! We had a few good hobby shops in town, but Zellers was always a good place to go. It was a a Canadian department store, and was basically equivalent to K-mart (RIP). K-mart too was good for that kind of thing. Back when I was young you could still buy the paint and tube glue right off the shelf, although you had to make sure you didn't get a glue that had been opened and sniffed. Man, getting the Ironside van at a drug store would be awesome!

I misread "Sav On" as "Savlon", which was an old topical ointment. That was very confusing... I'd love to see the Datsun reissued not as a monster tow truck, but in normal form. Wasn't there a version with big swoopy custom decals? California Sunshine, I think it was called. I'd like one of the older ones, too, like "Lil Hustler".

Oh man! I've never seen that TC-3 kit before! That's awesome! I'd definitely buy a repop of that to go with my Omnis!

I definitely hope the AMC Madator coupe comes back. That would be awesome, and I know my brother and I would get several between us. I wouldn't mind an earlier Chevette, that's for sure (since I have Bear Bait, the 1980). As for Omnis, I have the Red one, the "Silver bullet" one and the early Daytona Charger one. Still, can never have too many Omnis. I do wish they'd have brought the MPC Monza out instead of the AMT one, though. I have an AMT Monza, and it's a crappy kit. Typical AMT in that it's dodgy on detail and quality. I feel the MPC would be amazing, though. Who knows, we did get two flavours of Pacer, right?

This might sound sacreligious to a bunch of folks, but those '77-'78 Pinto front ends reminded me of the late 2nd Gen Camaros. Maybe it was the lights in the grille? I don't know, but I always got a Camaro vibe out of them. Being a Firebird guy, I didn't mind that in the least.

Sometimes, getting what you wished for isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. While I’m not a hardcore armour modeller in the sense that I go out and get all kinds of fancy aftermarket stuff, I still like my tanks to at least be half-decent kits to start with. I also like them in small scale, so that’s why I’ve gravitated towards the old Matchbox and Fujimi 1/76 models. They’re small, well-detailed enough and simple enough to be fun. However, I was hoping I’d be able to find a Flakpanzer IV for my collection. I hadn’t been able to find a record of such a kit in 1/76, so you can imagine how pleased I was to find out that there was indeed a model of it in this old scale! The kit I found was made in Japan by Arii, and it was even a “diorama set” as it proclaimed on the box! The problem is that the kit is not quite up to the standards I’m used to on armour, and as you have read, my standards aren’t particularly high. Follow the link below to see what this kit is like, and why you should never buy one, given the chance! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/arii-176-flakpanzer-iv-wirbelwind-oob/

Yeah, it's the least-loved of all the Pinto front ends. The first one was the best, in my opinion. That's why it's SOOOO great that Round 2 rescued this one! Not only do you get the sweaty man-horse option of "Pony Express", you also get to have a kit of the least-attractive, most unusual and shortest-lived Pinto! That is Loser Car Nirvana.

If there’s one thing I like, it’s Street Vans. I love them in all their forms, too, not just model kits (although I DO love those). I also like die cast replicas, and sometimes, you can get a die cast van that’s different enough to make it worth talking about. Just in time for Christmas, should you celebrate it, comes a van replete with Stars and Angels, but not likely in the way you’re thinking. If you like oddball die cast semi-knock offs, Street Vans or just want to check out something out of the ordinary, then click on the link below. I’ll let this Hong Kong oddity do the rest of the speaking for me! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/sze-toys-star-angels-die-cast-custom-van/

I don’t know about you, but when I think of submarines, even WWII submarines, I think of relatively large ships designed to prowl the ocean depths like sharks stalking their prey. I don’t really think of costal patrol submarines; small boats with short range and limited armament. However, that’s exactly what the German Type XXIII was; a ‘brown water’ sub designed for shorter duration patrols in coastal waters. I was quite pleased to find a kit of this interesting craft a few years ago on a trip to a local shop. Since then, it seems like there’s been more interest in the Type XXIII, as now I see that Revell has repopped the ICM offering! However, the one I have is the Trumpeter 1/144. This is a neat kit because it has three different bridge options, compared to the ICM’s one. Of course, this led to a confusing search for information, but it was quite enlightening as well. My problem is colouration. The box shows all grey, but most photos show black on bottom and grey on top. Unfortunately, they’re all black and white pictures, so I can’t tell if the sub’s “underwater” part should be black or anti-fouling red. Any ideas, or proof, of why one or the other? Check out this fairly recent offering “out of the box” here: https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/trumpeter-1144-type-xxiii-submarine-oob/

Ah ha! Well, that makes it clear. the blue is waaay to dark to represent the toy, but then again, red and yellow aren't at all close either. It's a shame it doesn't have "Moulded in Midnight Blue or....." on the side of the box. Is it me, or does the picture make it look like the stripes are only red and yellow? The stripes on my kit are definitely red-orange-yellow. Interesting. I noticed that MPC reissued the Dirt Digger and Piston Pusher as "Snap Chromes" or something as well. I wonder if they still have the Fast 111's "wedge" in there?

That's awesome! I wonder if the "Ice Blue" also comes moulded in an other colour on the box? After all, my Evil Eye says "red or yellow", so I wonder if it's "white or blue" or "black or blue". Blue and white were the correct colours for the toy.

Sometimes, it’s nice to take a trip back in time to when kits were supposed to be simple, fun entertainment for kids. Yes, there was a time like that, and many of us remember it. There were, to be sure, big expensive kits, but for those just starting out there were simpler kits with fewer parts, and even a snap fit if we hadn’t got our gluing skills up to par. A great example of kits of this type are the MPC “Fast 111’s” snap fit kits of the early ‘80s. These were roughly 1/32 replicas of, if you can believe it, 1/64 Diecast cars! The Kenner Fast 111’s line was invented as a competitor to Hot Wheels. While it never took off like Hot Wheels did, the toys were cool, and Kenner asked MPC to make some kits of key designs. The idea was to capture a market that Hot Wheels wasn’t tapping; young modellers. I don’t think it was successful, but there were four kits made! Check out the most radical of them, the Evil Eye racing rig, out of box at the link below. If you remember these kits, it’ll be a fun trip down memory lane. If not, then it’ll be something new to look for at swap meets! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/mpc-fast-111s-evil-eye-racing-rig-oob

I do, actually! For some reason, I don't have any chassis pics, because it was, quite frankly, a pretty boring chassis. However, here are some engine pics, including how I made the turbo unit into a stock one! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/2015/01/29/citation-update-ii-engine-trouble/ Hope you enjoy them! Thanks! Yeah, I was too. However, they're both supposed to be 1/24, so I guess that's how it was. I really do think the Citation is a much better car, style wise. It's a shame that they couldn't get Honda mechanicals into a Citation body. Well, they kinda did, I guess, with the Accord!

Yeah, I can see why. It's a cool tank and they used it quite a bit, didn't they? I also like the IV and it's derivatives, but sadly, the Wirbelwind kit that I picked up a few weeks ago (an old Arii) is about as terrible as they come. I was really excited to find a Flakpanzer IV, but alas, it's so bad I may never build it. I'll likely review it, though!

Thanks! That's a great compliment to me. I love building cars that are a bit different, but still very "everyday". They are't all that way, of course, but when I can, I do like to get that reaction.

Wow! Those wheels are very interesting... not sure I like them, but not sure I don't. They really suit the pacer, too; they're quirky and a bit chubby but not terrible. I can see Modelhaus might have made some once, but aren't they defunct?

When it comes to armour kits, I will admit that I’m not as hardcore as some people. I like my tanks small, simple and cool looking. Of course, if the kit is a Matchbox then it doesn’t matter at all WHAT the subject is, I’m buying it. I LOVE the little old Matchbox 1/76 armour kits, and find they tick all the right boxes. They’re small and easy to display. They build up fairly simply and they are, almost to a one, all of vehicles I think are cool looking. Even if I’m only “meh” on the vehicle, usually the diorama base sells me! One of the collection I picked up a while ago was the old Matchbox Jagdpanzer IV/L70. I did know the Jagdpanzer IV, and thought it was a cool “sports-car”-looking tank destroyer. It has low lines and is very aggressive. No surprised I jumped at it when I saw it! I’m not sure if it’s been repopped by Revell Germany, but if it hasn’t been, it should be. Check out my out of box review of this little old gem at the link below. I seriously cannot get enough of these little guys! https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/matchbox-176-jagdpanzer-iv-l70-oob/