Mark

The 1:1 truck pictured has an early Eighties front clip (similar to the MPC Deserter GMC; note the marker holes on the front fender), and a different wrecker bed (similar to the Revell Midnight Cowboy). One of the Moebius Ford wreckers (either the currently available one, or the next one coming) should also have a wrecker bed like that.

I'd suspect that the convertible sells better, so the hardtop isn't in the catalog as long, or as often.

Safe to say, we can probably rule out a 1/35 scale Jack Russell Terrier...

The extended cab was never used in a full detail kit, only in promos. The stepside bed was used in full detail and promo versions. Ertl did not tool the promo-only variations like the extended cab, so that's part of the story behind the slight mismatch between cabs and beds. The fact that Ertl subcontracted some of the promos means that they didn't have the tooling for them when production ended. That's why Round 2 had to recreate the stock versions of the OBS trucks that they have issued so far. If they decide to do any more variations, those would be new also and would probably interchange with the items they have already done.

Gas class cars could not have altered wheelbase. That would move the car to Altered class.

The white Milliput is the only way to go with that particular brand IMO. The green "standard" variety is on the coarse side, and takes a lot more work to get smooth, and even then doesn't approach the smoothness of the white variety. That, plus I prefer to have everything (plastic and putty) in one color whenever possible, as I try to use a minimum of primer while bodywork is in process.

If you use it to build up the thickness of a part (or on joints between parts), rough up the area where it is to be applied, and make sure those areas are clean (no mold release) before applying the putty.

Aurora's was a '34 five-window coupe. Got any pictures, we should be able to figure out what you have...

Besides routing out panel lines, I like to rout out seams between different parts that are being joined (especially when joining resin to plastic). Ideally, you don't want the seam between those parts right at the surface. You want a thin "stripe" of putty at the seam: plastic, putty, then the adjoining part. The two-part putty is also great for filling those cut lines on the underside of hoods, so they don't appear as ghost lines on the finished and painted panel.

I'm surprised about Ridgid tools having gone downhill. The first time I worked in construction (in the office), they were the go-to for things like pumps for dewatering trenches. I've got one of their submersible sump pumps in my house, I bought it about 25 years ago and it's been great. A while back, I thought about getting another one for backup, but Lowe's and Home Depot don't stock Ridgid in the stores, they're pushing their own in-house brands. Ridgid had nice calendars back in the Eighties though.

I believe the Black & Decker brand is being phased out; it was bought out along with several other brands, and the new owner already owns a couple of other tool brands. I have been seeing other B&D branded items (spray paint, sandpaper) at closeout stores.

All of the glass in the 1:1 Willys is flat. No side glass is included, you have to cut that anyway, so why not do all of it? Headlight lenses can be scrounged from another kit. The old opening-doors Revell Willys kit never included molded glass; clear stock was included and had to be cut using templates printed on the instruction sheet, and the headlamp lens detail was on the plated bezels.

Really, they're both about the same as both are based on the same kit design. Both have interiors with the seats molded as a unit, both have chassis with the exhaust detail molded in. One being better than the other might boil down to which one has the better grille detail, and that will be the one made by the company that had the promo deal that year.

There's plenty here to mix and match with the newer '29 roadster and '30 coupe kits. Even if you build this one out of the box, you'll have an extra cab left over (you will have to either make a couple of hinge pieces for the doors, or attach them to the second body).

The currently available '72 pickup is largely based on this kit, but with the interior from the MPC kit and more recently tooled small-block engine and chassis from the rear of the cab back. The grille and bumpers are retooled also.

That kit was issued again later in 1969. The annual kit has a Y-prefix stock number, this one is T-330. Same parts, same decal sheet, same "blueprint" instruction sheet. The camper is the same one as was included in a 1968 reissue of the '63 Ford pickup.

That's the first issue of the (then) new tool. AMT tooled the '67 pickup kit, which somehow went to MPC for '68 (along with the Barracuda). AMT tooled another Chevy pickup for '69--this is it. The "first" tool had a single exhaust chassis and a small-block engine, this one had duals and a big-block. Both have the same (incorrect) inner front fenders (they should resemble the ones in the Blazer/Jimmy kit). AMT converted theirs to a GMC for '71-'72.

Another T-57 '57 Thunderbird kit. I'm a sucker for these...I've had several, as of now I have four unbuilt (two mint, two-including today's-have one split corner on the box lid but are unbuilt and complete). T-57 is the first run, in the smaller of the two boxes AMT used for 3-in-1 kits in 1962. Though a trophy is included, nowhere on the box is this one called a Trophy Series kit. That came with the next issue, around 1965-66. It's in the smaller box despite its $2.00 retail price suffix. Every other $2 kit I can think of came in the larger box. The smaller box was for the $1.49 retail kits. Later production runs of this kit were put in the larger box, with box art similar to this, and a new product number (T-2257). Not looking at the 1962 catalog where this kit was announced, I think it shows the T-57 style box. Same parts content in both, same $2 retail price. I've got one mint T-2257 just for comparison, also a few in lesser condition for building. Neither version of this original issue T-Bird kit has the stock hardtop. That was added for the second issue.

Old car/truck owner's manuals often include instructions on how to change bulbs and fuses. New vehicle owner's manuals instruct you to not drink antifreeze. Just sayin'...

George Toteff seems to be the main guy who championed the Styline concept. Budd Anderson was on the other side of the fence; he went in for things like the chopped top piece for the '36 Ford (because when you chopped the top on one, there was basically one way it would look when finished). He didn’t care for the Styline extensions because they predetermined the styling of the front or rear. I remember reading about a bet between Anderson and Toteff regarding the '49 versus '50 Ford kits which hit store shelves at the same time. Budd won that one, but in part because the '49 coupe had a racing version and was half a buck cheaper to boot. Anyway, Toteff left AMT during '63 to start up MPC with Dick Branstner, so there probably wasn't anyone else picking up the Styline/Advanced Custom flag. AMT did do some more, heavier custom stuff anyway, including the '65 Impala annual kits which went even beyond the Styline concept (the advanced version required the front clip being cut off and replaced). Back to the Merc...hobby show coverage of the day suggested that Ertl might have been preparing to tool some new parts for the late Eighties Customizing Series issue, including maybe a front end extension. In the end, that issue was a straight reissue of the two or three previous ones, with Ertl adding a few parts in the issue after the Customizing Series one.

Are the cast items the wrong type, or not accurate enough?

X2 on keeping CA away from anything clear. I do use CA on some parts. I prefer Loctite's product, not so much for the glue as for the bottle. Its cap seals quite well, stretching the life of the glue once opened. As you use it, though, there's more air taking the space of the already used glue, accelerating the demise of the unused portion. Some guys just buy the small/cheap one-time-use CA tubes and throw away what's left at the end of a building session.

If you are going to seek out better wheels, think about searching for a set with tires included. Then you won't have to worry about saving the kit tires.

Same parts other than the red "glass" in the Mazmanian version. The SWC kit is the black one only, the blue one is of course the 1963 vintage kit with the Oldsmobile engine and opening everything. The newer kit has only one seat, illegal for NHRA Gas class. But these cars were frequently match raced, and in those instances the rule book got tossed out the window.

It'd be ironic if something STILL got crushed in there. Maybe Revell hired a package designer who previously worked for a high-end candy maker, or a cosmetics company...