Luc Janssens

Dear hobby friends, Remember January 1st?... Wishing your loved ones and friends all the best, in this which we thought would be a great new year! Now we know better, in fact, the roller-coaster ride is still not over, but in these uncanny times, we find comfort with family and friends and keep our sanity through our hobby, in this case, the love of building/collecting plastic scale models. Through this pandemic model kit building together with other "classic pastimes" gained momentum, and I'm thinking maybe a good time for us ambassadors of this Great Hobby here on the Model Cars Magazine Forum to help trying to find out the definition of that perfect kit in whatever segment. So here goes... What makes you decide to buy a certain model kit, is it? -subject matter/theme; muscle cars, sports rally, cars, pickups, hotrods, racing, classics, boat, plane, other...? -does the box art sometimes make you purchase something you really didn't plan to, if so, give an example of such a kit? -does the manufacturer brand influence your buying choice, and if so, which is your preferred and least preferred and why? -what do you love about building a model kit and what's the least favorite part of the process? -does a high parts count scare you as too much of a challenge, or does a low parts count make you feel the product could be toylike? -what type of kit do you prefer (glue, snap, full detail, curbside)? -do you like building options, and if so, what (engine upgrade, choice of wheels, decals, other)? -if you wish to give manufacturers a "non-subject matter" suggestion what would it be? Now, something totally different, let's assume you had all the money in the world, a very understanding wife, thus no boundaries whatsoever and would like to start up an automotive collection, which 7 (real, NOT model kits!!!) vehicles, one for each day of the week, would you like to own, operate, have on display in your exuberant mancave... whatever...like, for instance, a replica of the Chrysler Norseman! Thank you for participating in this little survey! Luc

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Very interesting, put in an engine of your choice, and vroom vroom! I'm buying!

and maybe...the measurements are way off model vs OEM due to massaging it to that non Mack chassis, dunno....

From the press release of USA-1 4x4 Inc. USA-1 modeling fans, I am very excited to be able to announce the new and updated release of the '88 National Champion USA-1 truck model. The kit is supposed to be released in December, 2020. Which would make a great Christmas gift! ( I'm a bit biased). I am excited that this kit contains new features. Including an optional set of chrome rims! As well as an optional set of decals, the "Eagle" graphics from the Roger Gauger USA-1 race truck so a modeler can create a custom version of the ‘88 USA-1! As you can see the box art alone will make this a collector item. Everett W. Jasmer • FEATURE PACKED: The USA-1 Chevy Silverado Monster Truck kit features details like supercharged engine, opening hood, 16 shock suspension, double rollbar with lights, gigantic monster truck tires and bonus chrome rim option. Kit also includes ALL-NEW remastered original and new style USA-1 decals.

Sinse Revell Germany took over the European distribution for Revell-Monogram kits (somewhere in the late '80s), it became a story of hit and miss, sometimes you'll find them easy enough and sometimes you'll have to resort to parallel import or North American vendors. this past year was an exception tho, most likely due to the implosion of Hobbico, cuz suddenly Revell USA kits popped up at local hobby stores and reasonably cheap too (€20). My guess is, that because of the vacuum in the North American operations, all merchandise headed to the US was diverted to Revell's headquarters in Bünde Germany. But no worries, the Roadster has been re-popped, and don't see a reason why the coup can't follow......

Revell Germany has a history of buying bagged shots and selling them in their own wrapper, they did the same with the Moebius trucks but not the trailers cuz IIRC they didn't have a box suitable for these. IIRC before all the re-boxing, Klaus Lassen of Lassen Projects did a lot work for Revell Germany designing truck and trailer kits, some all new...other based on Revell Venice designs

A co-development of all new kit truck kits could address much of these issues as they will be designed according to specs set by both parties so that they will do well on both the European as well as the north American market. The only hurdle I see, is the scale thingy, dunno if the American market would accept the 1/24th scale and vice versa.

If one looks at the re-issue of the roadster kit, you'll notice it's a complete retool from the original 3D files, and if there are other planned variations made up from different parts from what has been released previously, they too needed to be retooled, but since I never heard Tim mentioning other variations, I doubt it.

Dunno about you guys, but personally I won't mind them tooling up new and maybe some retooling of parts of this kit to create this.....

I kinda wonder if these re-boxed Italeri kits are some sort of market testing by the folks of Round-2, to see if later models of trucks sell, in what numbers and if the MSRP and non 1/25th scale, is accepted by the end-user, be it the die hard or weekend model-builder. As I'm sure that everyone here is well aware of the investment costs in this type of kit, one needs deep pockets, so wonder if a partnership with Italeri for co-developing an all new North American truck is in the stars, and if so what scale it would be in?

Thanks! Looks workable, for a better end result one has to cut the FR & RR valance from the chassis and blend it into the body, no biggie tho, did the same with the front valance of their Opel GT.

Yes please post pics, cuz I'm contemplating to buy one or not. the idea is to put it beside my 1/32 scale F4J

And then it probably comes with bad chrome and a tiremark on the clear shot.

I'ts cheaper to tool that way and...IIRC a heritage kit to commemorate the 50th birthday of Revell and the original multi piece kit.

Here a 1965 Opel Rekord....(once a GM brand)

If you add a black vinyl top and change the interior to beige to this Opel Rekord, it is just like the our family car from 1980 up to '89, it was our first brand new car and still remember my parents choosing all the options they wanted.

Nothing in life is fair, in this case it's buying power which cuts the middle man, read distributor...big box stores order from the manufacturer and take care of the distribution themselves, and.... they can even do it cheaper, if they would do the boxing under their own brand name, something that is common good with many other consumer products.

The reason I ask is, that the amt logging trailer comes with plastic logs and H beams too IIRC

Does it come with a load?

Here are the instructions to build this kit https://downloads.revell.de/Manuals-Modelkits/07669.pdf

Like the Monogram better, especially the 4x4 version... Pic courtesy of the builder who can be identified via link below which leads you to more pics of his built https://coffincorner.proboards.com/thread/20201/monogram-desert-rat-van

Neat indeed, remember when these were first released by Monogram, back in the '80s, neat kit then and still is!

need to finish mine, think the paint should've gassed out after 15 years....

One person gives you criticism, but how many like you post? So post away...wanna see more more, much more, cuz I'm a plasticholic