Motor City

I emailed PMC last year to ask if they still had the model car molds, but received no response. I have the '59 Opel and Ranchero, and '52-'54 Chevrolet. The interiors are somewhat simplistic on the convertibles, but like the '52 pictures above, are nice models. The color combinations are interesting, too.

Thanks for another great review, Tim. Like you, I got spoiled by all of the great annual kits that came out in the 1960s. Those days are over, but this proves that the model companies are trying to produce kits that people want to buy today. I hope Round 2 does well with this kit and can continue restoring old tooling as well as producing new kits.

I've seen photos of early AMT and Jo-Han kits on Ebay where the tires and wheels don't fit well together. I'm guessing that the tires shrunk, but don't really know. Has anyone had success softening up tires on old metal promos (Banthrico, National Products, Master Caster) to eliminate flat spots due to the weight of these early models?

As I recall, the original promo kit doesn't have as poor a fit stuffing the interior tub and chassis into the body as the regular original kit. It's not a very good tooling. The comment regarding the hood scoop is correct, too.

Jerry Heasley also published a book in 1979 called something like "Production Figures for U.S. Cars". It covered roughly the 1920s to early 1970s. I have a copy of it at home. What are you looking for specifically as I also have the Standard Catalog of American Cars?

Rangoon Red

Thank you for the information, Chris. I'll make sure to be careful. I did repair the windshield frame, so it is barely noticeable. Jim

Thanks for the great suggestion, Bill! Jim

Hi Steve, The resin wheels looks slightly different than the originals and the resin grille doesn't fit as well as the original, so I'm inclined to replate all of the original parts at this point, or buy a kit that has a bad body. Other than with this car, I've rarely seen a steering wheel in a promo that looked to be molded as part of the dash. There usually is a slight gap that can be seen where the stem would fit into the hole. I am a little reluctant to drill through the existing wheel, but putting in a full steering wheel would probably hold up better than just gluing the rim onto the spokes. I thought maybe running the tires under hot water would soften them up enough to remove them easily? This car has the typical promo wheels with thick, ribbed axles. Thank you for all of the other great tips. Jim

I was eating at a Bob Evans a while ago. They had model cars on display all over the restaurant high up on shelves. I noticed a '63 XL convertible with a broken windshield frame, but it was all there. I told the store manager that someone should repair it before it was broken off. So he gave it to me! I took it home and removed the hand painted silver accents from the cowl vent area (below the windshield). It was quite filthy as you can imagine. While cleaning it up with soap and warm water, most of the chrome came off of the bumpers and wheels. The steering wheel rim was missing, and the glass was missing part of one vent window area. So I ordered chrome, glass and a steering wheel from Modelhaus. How do I safely remove the wheels from the tires, the taillights from the rear bumper (which are heat sealed into the bumper), the top-of-fender ornaments (also heat sealed, and the convertible boot (also heat sealed)? The steering wheel and dashboard appear to be molded as one piece, so instead of drilling out the old column, I expect to snip off the new rim, paint it, and bond it to the original column. Any thought on this? Thank you, everyone!

Customized vans started to become popular as the muscle car era was dying off. You know, shag carpeting inside (including on the walls and ceiling), garish paint jobs, custom wheels, flares, and a pop-up sinroof - errr. sunroof. Then you could order a FACTORY custom van (remember the Pinto Cruising Wagon, and various full-sized vans). These were, and are, lame. I would have preferred spending the money tooling some Rancheros, Cougars, Thunderbirds, Regals, etc. Hopefully we'll eventually see some of the popular cars from the '70s. If not, pimping out a van is the next best thing!

Adam, Hopefully someone will give you a Superfly Grand Prix just to read your humorous review!

a very entertaining review, Adam!

Thanks for the tips, guys. So to get the molded 'Mustang' script I would have to buy the original kit. I wonder if the script is excessively large like MPC's '73 Z-28?

After having read this entire thread, I'm disappointed that it doesn't come with the correct decals to make a '73 Mach 1. Does anyone make the correct 'Mustang' script for the front fenders?

Speaking of mid-engined cars, what about the Pantera or Mangusta, both designed by DeTomaso?

cool ad; I still have the El Camino I ordered years ago

I own '68 and '77 Eldorados, and used to own a '71 Eldorado. All were a black (or brownish where undercoating was) underneath, and the chassis were painted a semi-gloss black. The same goes for the '73 Caprice and '76 Regal I used to own, as well as the '63 Le Sabre, '68 Wildcat, '68 Vista Cruiser my parents used to own. My '87 El Camino is the same way. I don't think any of the GM intermediates from '64-'87 (and '88 Monte Carlo) or full-sized cars from mid-'60s to 1976 used a primer color underneath. I don't know about the Novas, Camaros, Firebirds, Corvettes, etc., since I didn't buy cars that small.

MPC made Firebird Trans Am kits in '69 and '71. There was no '70 kit to my knowledge (aside from the Firebird Formula 400).

forgot to mention Banthrico's '53 Kaiser and Olds 98

FOUR-DOOR SEDANS IN CAST IRON: Arcade did the Ford Model T, as well as Buick, Chevrolet, and Dodge. Other toy companies offered sedans, too. FOUR-DOOR SEDANS IN RUBBER AND TIN: There is a lot to choose from in rubber and tin. Auburn Rubber made Oldsmobiles, Fords, and others prior to WWII. The detail is pretty good. Firestone also made rubber Fords for various expositions and World Fairs. I don't know much about tin cars, but I did see a nice '30s Packard and a '34 Ford recently up for auction. FOUR-DOOR SEDANS IN SLUSH CAST ALUMINUM: Master Caster did Hudson from 1948 to 1955, but only the 1948-49 is common. AMT did the Ford fordor in 1948, its only aluminum model toy. National Products did Studebaker sedans from 1934-1936, and possibly later. They also did a '34 Graham, Hupmobile, Chrysler and DeSoto Airflows. They made Buick sedans from 1939-41 (and possibly earlier), and 1947-1950. The Pontiac four-door fastback was made in 1947-1948, and the conventional sedan (like Chevy Styline) was made in 1949. Banthrico/National Products did the 1949-51 Lincoln and Mercury sedans, some 1949-1956 Chrysler, Dodge and DeSoto sedans, 1953 Mercury, and a Lincoln of the same vintage. Banthrico did Buick 4-door sedans in 1952 and 1953, and Cadillac sedans in 1952, 1954, and 1955. They also did Chevy Styline sedans and Fleetline fastbacks in 1949 and 1950. They also did some Ford sedans through 1956, and 1953 and 1954 Clipper DeLuxe. FOUR-DOOR SEDANS IN PLASTIC: Besides what was already mentioned, the Chevy 150 sedan was made in 1953 by PMC. AMT did the 1951 and 1952 Pontiac Chieftain, and 1954 and 1955 Buick Roadmaster. Ideal/Jo-Han did the 1955 Pontiac, DeSoto, and Plymouth. They also did the DeSoto and Plymouth again in 1956. 1956 was the year many model cars were done in four-door hardtops for the first time (Star Chief, 98, Roadmaster, Ford Victoria, Dodge Lancer). I guess that's enough for now.

Does anyone know a source for touch up paint for old promos? I'm referring to paints originally used on National Products, Master Caster, and Banthrico promos. Some of the Banthrico models have a generic red, blue, or aqua, while others have been stamped in specific factory colors. Thanks. Jim

I have the AMT 4-door sedan, Master Caster 2-door sedan, and the Revell 4-door wagon, so I won't be buying this. But it looks really nice. It's nice to see Revell and Moebius taking chances on some old cars of the '40s and '50s. It should be a good seller. Now if we can only get a '40 LaSalle, '41 Buick, '40 Olds, '41 Cadillac ...

Not bad, but how about a '41 Buick coupe or fastback instead? I grew up in Dearborn, too!

It would be nice to have the wagon with the sliding roof, too!