Mark

I've got a '55 kit that has a 1971 copyright, it has all the parts molded in white. I built another of the very same issue, in 1972 at the latest (we moved that year, and were still in the city). That one had black chassis and engine parts like the first issue, and it also had the slicks and mag wheels that aren't in the one I have now. So even though both had the same box art, running changes were made. I'm not sure when the red taillight lenses were removed, but my "later 1971" issue doesn't have them.

IF Round 2 brought the kit back, it would almost certainly have the '69 body. The original MPC '68 and '69 (there wasn't a '67 version) used the concurrent promo model (closed hood) version of the Barracuda body.

Those hood vents are '61 only, AMT put those in a number of annual kits. I've lost count of the number of little pieces of plastic that I filed to shape, to plug holes cut in hoods for them. As for the '55 Chevy, I remember building one in '71 or '72 that had a black chassis. It wasn't an original issue. I've got another of that issue, will check that one but it has other differences to the one I built long ago.

The Ford pickup is probably a '61 or '62, the trailer came with it. Looks like a '61 based on the hood trim pieces. The Revell '55 Chevy is a fairly early issue with the black chassis, I believe they came with the chassis parts molded in black into the early Seventies. If it has red taillight lenses, it is a first issue kit.

Willy Wonka should be driving it, with My Little Pony pulling it...

None of the van kits had a wheel cover like those in the '73-'75 pickups. The one in the earlier van kits resembled an earlier full size car wheel cover, more like a '69 or '70 piece.

They probably cribbed the Jo-Han engine.

I still use tube cement...not by itself, but mixed with liquid cement. Best of both...doesn't run but is great for body and chassis work, provided you give it time to dry. But I don't remember the last time I actually bought a tube. I've usually got one laying around when needed, pulled out of a parts box or a started kit that I picked up. Same goes for X-Acto knife handles...find those in parts boxes or on "everything for a price" piles at flea markets. Soak the end in oil, get it apart to take out the busted-off blade, and it's good to go...

What's the difference? As long as the cap stays with the can, you're good.

Chrome-Tech

I had that kit, as I remember it did have decals, but not great ones. Depending on your skill level with printing your own decals, you could probably do better.

Around here, the reset has only started. Only two new (to HL) kits so far, AMT Ford Cruising Van and 1/32 scale '60 Thunderbird. And yes, more diecast, cutting into the kit space on the shelves just a bit.

Yes, but that's not a dirt bike.

I believe Academy displayed one or more of the Grand Sport kits at a trade show or IPMS convention earlier this year, which would indicate that they have the tool for those kits.

Only Revell did a trailer for their dirt bikes back in the day. The MPC bikes were always an accessory item in another kit (Dodge pickup and van, '72 Chevy stepside pickup).

You answered your own question. By leaving off the color info, the same label can be used on all of the cans.

The bigger the skull and cross bones are on the package, the better it works!

MPC had a lemon-scented cement. "Smells like lemon, sticks like crazy", they said. "Smells like lemon, sticks like lemon" we said. Even now, if you break apart cemented parts, you can still get a whiff of lemon.

The Phantom Vicky setup may or may not work with stock fenders, if that matters. Look at the Revell/Monogram '37 Ford setup too; it's very close to the aftermarket setup R&D Unique made in cast metal many years ago, and sold for use with their cast metal frames.

The AMT '66 kit was issued first as a funny car, obviously patterned on the Plymouth Dealers '65. Don Emmons was a consultant to AMT around that time, I would bet that he looked back to a model article he wrote for Rod & Custom where he built a mid-engine Barracuda from a stock '65 kit. Those AMT early funny car kits were $1.50 or $1.70 items as opposed to $2.00 for most of their other car kits, hence the simplified construction and plastic tires. The Hemi Under Glass boxing came a bit later, maybe around the time MPC issued the '68 version of their kit.

The AMT '64 Chevelle wagon is a four-door like the '65. Jimmy Flintstone does a nice '65 two-door wagon body. I bought one awhile back, now I know why I bought that Gear Hustler El Camino reissue when Hobby Lobby blew them out. The dashboards are AMT '40 Ford units. Ertl tooled some newer/trendy bits for the coupe and sedan delivery kits. Round 2 took that stuff out of their reissues, I think.

Offy, looks like the one from the Monogram mid-Fifties Indy car. Very simple kit, but very good rendition of a Kurtis Kraft car of that era.

I'd like to see the '71 styling shrunk down a bit and built on the '70 Monte Carlo/Grand Prix platform. That said, the '66-'69 body looks better with that rear window treatment than I would have thought.

If you're waiting to read about it here, you're going to end up reading about what WAS cleared out...

There is an MPC version of that same (Polyglas GT) tire, it is shorter and narrower. The sidewall lettering is larger than that on the bigger tire, so you wouldn't want to paint the lettering anyway. Ertl used the two tires together in a number of kits where big/little tires were needed. The MPC tire is solid, not hollow like the AMT version.