Ragtop Man

Mikey, I needed more of the Apaches for some show car duty and a few factory customs, cast a bunch from a mold that I made. Keep me posted if you need more. IIRC, it was a bit of a trick to cast to get the small windows clean - a lot of tedious back half sanding and delicate work with the frisket knife. Would need to knock the chrome down a peg, too - our vendor really nailed the rack I sent in on my last pass before the move. Too shiny, really, need a coat of clear flat or something to tone them down. I'll post a pic of the mockup - a '68 T-Bird promo body with the kit custom parts, looks surprisingly good.

Thanks for the input - update. I noticed in a '66 Mustang convertible that some parts were attached with what must be a CA type of glue. Is it CA or another glue? Is there a way to trickle in some debonder that might loosen anything with an attitude? Lastly - (for a Maisto 1/18 '62 Bel Air project, but assuming practices are similar) - what do you use to paint the interior parts with for a more realistic finish, they seem almost rubbery (?)

Jaw. On. Keyboard. Easily the best build of ANY Pontiac kit I have ever seen. If a space alient landed and asked, "Hey, what is this Pontiac car I've been hearing about?" I would just show them this build (and try to take credit for it.) Superb.

J/S... but I would bet/hope Revell did all three Mustang yearly grille iterations. We've seen the '71 which is if Ed is reading this OUTSTANDING in finished appearance... and the '73 hiding in the tool somewhere. '72 is the only outlier at this point as far as we know. The grille could be a 3D item from aftermarket, but, Revell adding '72 appearance would expand the range of release possiblities. The Mach 1 was still very popular, we have yet to see a street machine version, and the R/W/B Sprint is a layup.

Roger that. Maybe leasing? Have yet to see any of their great subjects hit the shelf, but if I'm missing a memo and they are out - especially the pylon racing aircraft - please let me know or drop a link on me.

I think this is a winner. Will also be 'that guy' and ask if anyone has had a frosty ale and grokked this with a Revell Foose Cadillac - ?

Mr. Clean! Super crisp build. Worth the wait.

Just getting these back is great - Gary got to do something we've all dreamed about, cutting your own tool of a kit you've always wanted. I managed to miss them all, "eh, wanted something else a little more..." loading up on everything BUT these. I'm particularly interested in the notch coupe version, which was NEVER on the shelves at any of my LHS (#wth?) just the SD and FB. Would be great if Moby landed the AM tools - adding the GS Corvette and McLarens would be a reall win for them.

How much are we talking, price wise? This is an OUTSTANDING piece of work. This type of product is the future of modeling. FWIW: RE: plating - there are as many opinions about it as there are builders. What we call 'chrome' - as in vacuum plated - is really best applicable to only a few items on the typical car model. There is stainless, anodized aluminum, 'plumber' chrome and real triple plated hand buffed. A Cadillac will have mostly triple plate or stainless - relatively little pressed aluminum or anodized. But everyone has their own taste for the level of brightness... the best guys I know strip everything and do it themselves.

Speculation, here, but I will guess that Revell doesn't want to dump all the product at once, and they are still working through the initial allocations of the Boss / 007 boxings. Licenses may be a thing, here, too, as long as they are paying for 007, they will want to run 007 items. At some future point, I can see more iterations that do not require capital investment beyond current ante ... '71 CJ Mach 1, for example, or perhaps a Sprint edition with the flat hood and a 351. They would be done just by swapping inserts and printing new art, which would be very bold and have a lot of shelf 'pop'. Much as I would love to see a convert - I doubt it is in the cards from Revell, but I could EASILY see it from the 3D aftermarket, along with the interior bits to dovetail with the existing kit. Free advice and worth every cent...

I've got the MPC kit as a builder - will not be hard to level up to my 1:1 shown below. But - the DM '67 GTO Convert is gorgeous, and I can easily see it in the PROPER Signet Gold with the redlines . I've peeled some diecast for painting before - a few practically fell apart - but the better quality stuff put up a fight. Any info or experience greatly appreicated.

This was the "yellow box" Mustang I was referring to - the AMT version. A case of classic disinformation, this was not the kit in the box, as far as I recall, think it was a build of the MPC '73. The chassis in this kit - and the Tope Mustang, '71-3 annual, Street Machine/Road Racer etc - with the rather broad front wheelwell aprons was originally the '70 Blue Crescent. The chassis, engine, driveline and underhood are identical. IMO, this is only really worth chasing if you are a stickler for the very original kit, or, if you have a few of these stockpiled from the day. The recent posts here using the Revell '68 FB and the '69 Boss appear far superior in detail. Maybeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee we will see the interior in resin, maybe not. I hope we do, it would simplify the proceedings greatly!

Get some resin Daisy Mags and you have the Ford Drag Team car right there. Agree on the parts hoard, more than enough content to drive an attention deficit modeler straight bonkers. Ditto for the the 90's 'yellow box' issue, too. FWIW, the HL kit shown here is a great donor for the AMT '66 FB, too. Chassis has separate exhaust and driveline, the MPC SBF is still one of the better efforts in scale, although about a squillion years old.

Short answer: Yes. In fact, I can think of a few ways to go - there are a ton of parts in the poorly packaged, but VERY comprehensive 'yellow box' issue.Minilite and Basset wheels, Cragars, a few Stock promo wheels, standard, road race and drag engine options, they just reamed out the gates and let it flow. As you noted, tho, stock interior is MIA, windshield is cut for the blower, and no CJ scoop for the hood. Older iteratations of the MPC kit have a mess of parts, too. The early 80s' "Mach 1" and "Boss 351" issues have a good haul of parts, including a tunnel ram 429 Boss, the big hood scoop (Similar to Ford Drag Team) platform build road race interior with a cage that can be accurized with bits from the MPC Cyclone. I doubt you win very many contests, but when we had a lot of fun doing this with our friends, there would be a ton of wild possiblities. I'm leaning to an SCCA sportsman type A/Sedan build with a Boss 429... but I'm a little loopy that way.

Agree - but it makes a kit much easier to recommend, choose for a 'same subject' club build night, etc. when it's slam on the 1:1. While we are on the subject, how great would it be to have a PE template that would lock in the opening and give a nice clean scribe guide? The GM shapes were very subtle, and replicating them can be a challenge. None of mine are ever symmetrical ...

That turned out to be a narrative with these kits - same issues with my 300 and Starliner. But I enjoyed the heck out of the rest, engineered to be 'built' and detailed along the way.

Are we modelers or assemblers? Hate like hell to have to roof swap, but how hard could it really be to find a proper F body (which was kitted so frequently is was a cliche) to stab in one that is correct, or reshape the one that is already there? The last do-over by GM for this platform is one of the few things from the era that truly holds up in the light of history. (The ugly log bumpers, not so much.) I take issue with the POVs from the fringe: "This [thing] is wrong, therefore it is BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH" and "Take it and like it or we have nothing else." If you feel that way, fine. "Do, or do not," as the great philosopher said. I think the more nuanced take is that had the Z been truly corrrect, more get sold to serious modelers who might not otherwise have had interest in the subject, and could not care less about the series (me, especially). I think they clear the shipment with no problem, and they get shelf space in the 'craft' retailers they never would have otherwise. And it that is the end of the planning rainbow, they made objective. But seeing the really strong entries - the Blazer, in particular - it feels like a miss, and the hobby has more than enough for one lifetime.

Nice kit that doesn't get nearly enough recognition. Super build, clean as new money. How did it go together for you? I have a few but never threw the glue at it, at least not yet.

The Blue Crescent 'guts' went to the '71 - 73' AMT Mach 1/Road Racer/Street Machine/#31 Tope release; body and some of the chrome insert went to Mach Won. Roll pans were scissored off the chassis and included with the FC. Glass permanently altered, and no one is sure about where the louvered glass insert went. Pushing the pieces around to re-release Blue Crescent is not out of the question, but down the road a ways given locations of said molds and need to retool certain bits if the interior cannot be located. Definitely a "juice-to-squeeze ratio" question for current money men. FWIW, seeing the mockups here, I'm fine, there are a few of each donor type already in my stacks.

Annnnddd the need for a Snickers bar before typing is obvious. What interior did you use with the Revell CJ Chassis? That is a great move for more detail without driving yourself crazy with fiddly detail.

Well, damn, son! There it is! ^^^^^^^^^^^^ Digging the hell out of that mockup.

^^^ Welp, there it is! ^^^ Not having a really good '57 Nomad (vs. "it'll do with some bashing" ) is one of the inexplicable gaps in the hobby. I think there were a few other resin conversion, but this one sings.

Picked up a '70s version that was a partial build. Fiddly, but like any kit with this much detail, take your time and get good reference. FWIW, tho, the front clip is 'jowly' (mainly, bumper) and needs rework to use the better AMT Trophy front bumper, or the surprisingly good MPC flipnose bumper. In the mid 60s, when the kit was released, Revell was ready to pressu the button at the priniting plant on the boxes, when someone realized the Skylark wires were NOT in the kit. IIRC, this was a revolutionary bit of merchandising to use a pic of the 1:1 on the cover vs. illustration. (The '62 Revell ChryCo annuals pioneered that idea...) After a mild panic attack, they found a set of chrome reverse and the art department shot what is known as a "match angle strip" in the parking lot, then retouched the wheels into place. Presses rolled, day saved.

Welp, there you have it. More's the pity, but I'm not surprised; the bit about the Fairlane just put those snappers/promos on my radar. The Edsel... ya never know when one turns up in a junk box or FleaBay. So - wide open door for a caster to snag one and send it for a silicone bath. IIRC, the original did NOT fit very well, was a joke-y hokey way to get another run out of the Chevelle / F85 tool. I was rather underwhelmed by the new-tool Eddie vs. being floored by the Starliner / 300. Still, it's about the only game in town until the 3D verse gets to work on one.

MW Elky - need to see more of THAT build, looks really great so far.