vamach1

Let’s hope they do not get a hold of the LS kit like they did the Sunny 289 Cobra and try to pass it off as a GT40. As others have said it will probably be a Re-box of the Fujumi MKI which isn’t a bad kit. The rebox of first MKII was a farce as they did not even try to make any changes to the Fujumi kit except the decals even though it was supposed to be the Daytona MKII. With the insane prices of many of the Fujumi kits any reasonably priced version will be welcome since Indycals and v-r-m and Starfighter have decals to do many different versions.

That kit was basest on the Monroe Handler which had a pretty radical chassis. Here are a few pictures from two Ebay listings. THe 351 Cleveland (which never came in a real Mustang II) does not look very close to which it should look like. The valve covers look more they belong on a FE big block. Nonetheless these kits seem to sell for a decent amount on Ebay. Nice job on your build and I like those over those aero hubcaps on the box art.

Don’t forget that “optional” Boss 429 engine. ?

God Bless the USA

Great inspirational story and photographs.

I was glad R&MofMD made one available (from Larry Boothe’s patttern) to add to one of the 67’s I built about 20 years ago. He did a vented hood as well.

Looks like a very good start.

A ribbed panel in the back would be cool but you’re right as it is was a very good kit.

I’m just trying to figure if there are any differences from previous releases of this kit besides maybe the tires. Anyone know?

Amen. ?

It came out very nice. Well done Gil.

Good news all the way around. Something we need a lot more of this year.

I’ll step into this minefield. Generally speaking I think the #1 issue is most of these kits many of us remember and keep buying were developed decades ago and have only seen some minor improvements. The cost of developing a new kit is always cited as the reason we do not see may new automobile or truck or motorcycle kits when there are still plenty of old molds that can be reused over and over again. Some of the kits that came out twenty or so years ago were a great improvement over the fifty year old ones but I cannot recall a lot of all new kits in a long time time. I’m sure the companies have to decide if they will get their investment back if they produce an all new kit that would be vastly improved but be in the same price range. That is a tough call unless it is an all new subject matter that would be popular with the casual and diehard builder alike. For older kits they could at least upgrade things like tires and decals which Round2 seems to be doing on some older kits.

I suppose they could but here’s why they haven’t (licensing issues aside). They would have to mold the standard hood to pass it off as an Eleanor and include the 73 grille. Once again I’m gonna hold my breath. You’ll notice the word Mustang is nowhere to be found on the Halicki cars. We all know what car it is but the only horse is in the grille. ?

Sorry for the information overload. The ISO (In Search of Mustangs) website have done some thorough research. ?

You’re welcome. Glad I could help with the parts.

Fantastic build. I hope when I finally build some of the embarrassing number of Fujumi MKI and MKII kits I have that they come out looking half as good as yours.

Thanks for posting the closeup of the decal sheet. The air cleaner decal is for a 351 Cleveland M code engine. See more on that below. The 385 series 429 engine Non ram-air C code engine with a C-6 automatic is pretty unusual which looks like what powered the hero red Mach1. So rare that only Mach1 Mustangs were made with that combo. So naturally more 429 sportroofs were made with ram-air (J code) and a C6 automatic (833) that it is very hard to find a picture online of a C code that someone has not later added the ram-air system except for one dirty one I found. So Round2 perhaps the next version will be a Ram-Air SCJ with the correct engine, air cleaner and under hood plenum or a non-Ram air 351C M code. The article I attached does mention the 302 2v was available in a Mach1 but those are pretty rare also because who would buy one except maybe a rental car company or a movie studio that wanted to roll a few doing movie stunts. ? So enough about engines and transmissions, how about the grille. The chrome portion on the real grille is four separate pieces and is no thicker than 1/4 of an inch that are crimped on to the black grille. So to replicate that only the very edge of part 103 should be left chrome. It should also not come to nearly as much as a “point” in the middle. I like the side marker lights decals, the turn signal decals, the gauges and the trunk decal stripe and Mach1 fender and trunk decals. Not sure if decal #3 is for the grille as this would not be applicable anywhere else on a Mach1. Not sure what decal #8 is for - maybe the grille sportlamps but that would look silly laid over part #6. So, a few improvements have been made but the 1960’s FE and Windsor engines, hood vents and engine compartment are still a big letdown. The high and low horns also should be mounted on the inner fender panel near the non-existent windshield washer reservoir. Borrow a fan shroud from another kit as of course there isn’t one in the kit but I could go on. I guess this beats paying $50-$150 for a “vintage” version AMT kit. One thing to note about the NACA hood and ram-air. Both were standard on the Boss 351. The same hood on the Mach1 was not synonymous the ram-air system, in other words you can have a NACA hood without Ram-Air but you cannot have Ram-Air without the NACA hood. None of the 302 powered Mach1’s had the ram-air setup and it’s even hard to find a picture anywhere of a 71 Mach1 with a 302 2v but they were made. None were made with a 351 Windsor. In looking for more pictures I can across more information about the Bond movie cars. One source says the Hero car was a 429 J code (with ram air). The reason I have trouble accepting this as fact is that my understanding has been that every Mustang in 1971 that had Ram-Air (Boss 351 or 429CJ or SCJ) would have had the black or silver painted on the hood with the twist locks. So this contradicts the appearance of the 429 Hero car. As for the stunt cars, it appears the one used in Vegas was a 351 4v (with dual exhaust). I suppose they could have painted the hoods all red if they did not match the other ones used in filming if they came with the two tone. Anyway, so with the AMT kit you can build a 302 stunt car (and actually have the correct kit engine) and convert the exhaust to single, or build the 351 4v car by supplying your own 351 Cleveland engine and oval mufflers with perhaps a non-ram air system, or build a 429 (with your own 385 series block) with or without ram air under the hood but of course the kit never had the under hood plenum or correct air cleaner (similar to the real Boss 351) so you are own your own to recreate it too. Happy building.

Well - cannot say It am surprised. The vents in the hood are the worst. Since it is molded in red filling those in will be a $%&* because then you have to sand it perfectly smooth and cover with primer and then hope it does not show through. How do the decals look? Prior to this only Keith Marks and Rayskits has the correct stripe on the trunk. It would have cost maybe two cents more to include the optional “hockey stick” stripes to do a Mach1 since the “Boss 351” version years ago only had them in silver. How well - there’s alway Revell since I already I already built my 007 Mach1. Happy Holiday’s to all.

Email him at Mofobow@hotmail.com for pricing. All of Keith’s decals are on his Fotki page. Rays kits has them too and is starting to list some decals for sale on Ebay.

I had not noticed that in the Boss version but it makes sense in an odd way because the kit uses the Shelby interior. If you swap the Mach1 interior in the Boss it isn’t a perfect fit so that’s probably why they went that route.

Looks very good. I hear the stripes for this kit can be a bear to work with. Nice job on both.

Very nice. I always liked 1/43 because of the smaller size and variations of makes and models.

Probably not as I’m sure the CMA one will be a lot more accurate but the price differential will keep most to pass on such an expensive kit.

At least there’s someplace to get supplies as Michael’s is pretty worthless. Even the large retailers can bite the dust - the old ToysRus was closed a few years ago and had not sold models in years (just diecast) and a HL opened up in the same location right when COVID started. Most of the hobby shops closed up decades ago because the owners got older, rents went up, online competition and less customers (overall) as kids want to build something in an hour, not days or weeks of months. I’m sure a lot of us have price tags on models were bought 30 years ago from the Hobby shops that were around then.