Luc Janssens

Photo courtesy of Silvio Mager and Modell Laster Forum. For more click on link.... http://www.modell-laster-forum.de/t2669f72-Ford-F-MENG-mit-Beleuchtung.html

It looks like this kit is ready to be sold... Instruction sheet, via link below.... http://www.revell.de/fileadmin/import/images/bau/07008_%23BAU_BMW_I8.PDF more product info.... http://www.revell.de/en/products/model-building/cars/modern-cars/id/07008.html

To me it gets interesting, when they start scanning their back catalog... That way model/toy companies get more bang for their royalty buck.

Thanks, Matthijs!

I'm wondering about the '34 Ford, is it all custom, or is much of the hardware from the OEM, coupled with common, over the counter aftermarket parts?

Art, As you say, single parts will be difficult, but the past has leached us, that clusters of parts were often swapped back and forth different kits. So it's doable, IMHO useable high demand parts, like wheels, engines, etc can be separated from existing complete, but also and maybe a better idea, from mothballed incomplete tooling (Round-2, much more then Revell), which then can be scrapped and recycled. Then put in a mold base, so a number of parts sets can be shot in a single cycle, those parts then can be included in any number of kits, dictated by customer feedback, be it from die-hard modelers or novice builders. I call this tool consolidation.

Compared to their competitors Round-2 kits are expensive, certainly when one takes into account that most of them are re-runs, some resto mods and a few found treasures. IMHO Round 2 should put some (already tooled) extra parts in all of their kits, be it wheels, tires, or maybe even interesting parts that come from incomplete tooling as a bonus, that way one gets more value for your hard earned hobby dollar and hunger for more extra free parts, which can be fed by buying more extra kits, where in parts packs, your hobby dollar mostly goes to packaging and distribution costs. The best helmsmen stand on shore!

When going to a Burger joint, people rather super size then going back for an extra burger or fries. ;^)

I was reading a tread about not being able to swap the wheels/tire combo on a new kit, without some adapting of the mounting system. So I'm wondering if you guys would like the idea, that each brand (Revell/Moebius/Round-2) Offer include more building options in their kits? If yes, what options would you prefer and why? Please be specific and detailed in your reply, I wanna hear the grinding of the collective minds here in my neck of the woods. ;^) To jump start this brainstorm session , I'm gonna list some ideas, which can be used as a base, feel free to add more......ideas, info.. This way we let the manufacturers know our preferences as enthusiasts, which I'm sure also will be appreciated by the novice builders and make them buy and build even more model kits, Ha! -Extra wheel/tire combo, 60s-70s Street Machine look (brands?), Modern pro-Touring? (brands?) -Engine and performance parts (period correct parts 50s, 60s, 70s?....what and brands) crate engines (brand and type) -2 or 4 wheel-drive set ups (for trucks and vans (Marmon-Herrington set-up for 50s Ford pickups?) -Big Rigs, bull/Roo bars, lights, wheel combo's ????

Think the "problem" is that Moebius is too new in the game of automotive kits, thus not enough variety in wheel/tire options. In time this "problem" will vanish as more kits are released, maybe even "super sized" with all kinds of extra's as an incentive to buy re-releases sometime in the future. Give them time, cuz for now they're cranking out some realy magnificent kits!

The concept or idea if you will, still seems to be in the early stages, but you can see via the link below that they're getting in ideas from fellow modelers. http://www.airfix.com/uk-en/forum/kitstarter/

'66 Pontiac Bonneville '68 Dodge Coronet '70 Mercury Cougar '71 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 '72 Plymouth Roadrunner.

Don't worry if the tooling is incomplete or not there anymore, because in this day and age it isn't realy an issue. Just wondering if their current release plan, is following what enthusiasts like you would like to build again. As always thanks, for your cooperation. Luc

Both the strong as weak point will be the support, there are always those who with the use of aliases will try to manipulate it, to push their proposal to the top. Wonder if FB is a better medium then a company website for proposals like this?

Click on link below to learn more..... https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/kitstarter/

I soo much want this kit I can't think straight anymore, not only for the subject ,but to have another time line piece in the development of a model company run by enthusiasts, Q3 & 4 are going to be freaking fantastic. Thank you team Moebius, and thanks Gerry for the photo's. As far to future siblings....where are the times when Monogram already put the product numbers and molding color, on a big tab on one of the runners

Don't have my copy, so don't know how close the parting lines are, in relation to the scrips, but what I usually do when sanding, is to put some black electrical insulation tape over the area which has to be protected.

Time sure flies, was at I-hobby when Okey released this kit, he even went to the Hobby Heaven party Dean and I organized....If I knew then what I know now....

I have the prestige Car Transport edition (Pete & trailer, no cars) the copyright says '82, but I bought new in promotion at a local big box store in '93, for the amount of 1299 Belgian Frank ($35) and it includes chrome wheels for the trailer. Will take pics and post later....

Be my guest Greg, me I'm a bit riffraff of the phone bill

Sound like a great idea, but engines alone don't make a a finished car, so IMHO not very likely to happen. The cycle idea has some merit, certainly when including a trailer, but still a very limited market, I think, otherwise Dave Burket would've done it already..... Anyway, on a tooling level it would make sense to have every popular engine available together with the right options OEM and aftermarket, combined in one versatile small tool. That way the manufacturer can connect that tool,like a sibling to a mother tool, which hold the main parts of a vehicle. In the past we've seen the same engines designed and tooled over and over again for every car model kit which happened to have kind of engine. A big waste of resources IMHO, but at that point in time, kits sold like crazy so intelligent cost cutting was not an issue. Anyway, in the past I tried to start up a brain storm on future engine design (see link) but it only generated a few replies, I guess it's easier to complain to a manufacturer, then to help them by making the Model cars board the place to be to pickup ideas and profit form the knowledge of the participants. If we as a community want to be kept seriously, we better work on our relation with model companies. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=93598&hl= My 2 cents.....

They could add braces (an exta B-pillar if you will) to the side cavity to give the roof more strength and revise the instruction sheet, to remove them prior to painting. Sure it comes at a cost, but in time cheaper then inserting a custom made cardboard support to prevent the roof from caving in.

The problem with parts packs is, that the packaging (materials, art-work and labor), shipping and distribution costs are (nearly) as much as for a standard kit Thus bumping the price to roughly 2/3rd's of a standard model kit (retail) IMHO model companies better offer, more "gazillion option" model kits, and via their instruction sheets and webpages, pin point where to find other kits, with great options to custom build, your model to suit your taste. This MO is also likely the future due to licensing costs, this way you can spread the cost (every OEM wants their share) over more kits and when using the corporate website, as pro-active, in selling an idea (kit) instead of the virtual store front it now is , making people know, what to get where and what is possible, like a standard Lego building pack,which combined with other sets, will offer you a plethora of building options. Just my 2 cents, but my mind is like a parachute ;^)

Large fries and a one gallon drum of soda, while building?