Mark

If the last issue of the retractable was indeed molded in Poland (I don't have that issue so I can't verify) then Revell would still have that tool. From what little is known about the Revell/Atlantis deal, the latter company bought tooling stored in the USA that the new Revell organization had no intention of doing anything with in the future. When thinking about what Revell/Monogram/Aurora/Renwal items could be reissued by Atlantis in the future, the first question should be: "where was the last issue of that kit produced?" If the answer is China, that's a definite "no". USA = "maybe". Until Atlantis announces a particular kit, there's no guarantee.

The most recent (current) reissue of this kit is in replica 1964 packaging. I'd expect the instruction sheet to be that way also, as it indeed is. The instructions illustrate every part in the kit and explain logically how it goes together...what else is there to be expected? In fact, there are only three reissues of this kit. Two were/are in original annual kit style packaging, and the third was done during a time when the (then) people running the AMT brand really didn't care too much about it.

My reply was in error. With the older chassis (originally '66, updated through '69) being the incorrect one, if not swapping to the new-tool '66 piece I'd probably just leave it alone. Using the newer '66 pieces gets you more detail and accuracy all around. You do still have to keep the '69 engine however.

If the older chassis is correct, I'd be inclined to leave the '69 as-is (I've got an original '69 kit). It's not like the chassis was ever the focal point of those cars. I would, however, fix the mistake on the newer '66 kit.

Sometimes not even enamel over enamel, or lacquer over lacquer. One with a "hotter" solvent can still play havoc on whatever it is applied over. With anything not specifically designed to work together (even products from the same manufacturer) the only way to know for sure is: test, test, and test again.

Only real choice is the AMT/Ertl '66 Riviera chassis. Not yet reissued by Round 2, the '66 is newer tooling and has the same level of detail as other kits developed in the same era ('57 Chrysler, '71 Charger, etc). I haven't tried it, nor do I intend to try. You'll have to bring the two kits together to see how everything fits together. You will notice that the asymmetrical fuel tank and spare tire well on the two chassis are mirror images of one another. As I understand, the newer '66 kit is the correct one.

Around here I have never had any luck with garage/yard sales. I have done a few good deals at flea markets, but of the two better known ones around here one shut down about ten years ago, and the other has turned into a lot covered with rental storage spaces occupied by self-styled "pickers". Pro tip: when you go to a flea market or garage sale and see eBay printouts on any of the tables, keep walking...you're not going to buy anything. That leaves the automotive swap meets, which still work out okay every so often. Otherwise I'm waiting for the next local IPMS meet, NNL East, or the Three Rivers show in September.

Getting one aftermarket seller to offer something (conversion parts, decals) for another aftermarket item is a tough sell because the potential market is so small. I know from my own past experience that sales of items for mainstream car kits drop to near zero when the base kit isn't readily available. I can’t imagine depending on another aftermarket item for a sales base for something I'm doing.

'73 is quite a bit different from the (Revell) '69 and (AMT) '71. I've never seen a '73 even in resin, I doubt anyone would make decals for one unless they also offered the body.

Mackey Thompson briefly cataloged Hemi cylinder heads made to fit Pontiac V8 engines. He also offered them for Ford FE series engines. Not too many pairs were sold, as it was probably cheaper to just build a Chrysler mill as opposed to converting something else with parts available from only one source.

Late Sixties/early Seventies funny car/dragster items: fuel pumps, fittings, dry sump oil pumps, distribution blocks, remote oil filters, magnetos, brake calipers...enough items to detail one car per parts pack. With indentations to indicate where holes are to be drilled for lines or wires. First person doing them will sell a bunch of them...

The last issues of the '48 Ford(s) and VW Beetle were by Union of Japan. Apparently Lindberg didn't get those tools, or the IMC Ford GTs. They (Lindberg) would probably have reissued at least some of those kits. The '48 Fords would have been at the top of the list back then, as Revell hadn't released theirs yet.

Not singling anyone out here, but after so many years it still blows my mind that people will just grab the easiest to reach spray cans and start blasting a never-before-tried paint combination on something they have just put a BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH-ton of hours into...

Had some luck at a local automotive swap meet this morning. All complete/unassembled/not even started. The Rambler has red stripe tires (I bought a case of that kit in my early eBay days, those don't have them). Rambler was $15, the others $10 apiece. The Mustang has a straight body; most of those that I see lately has the roof leaning to one side, or crushed altogether. The Petty Talladega is the Round 2 issue; better tires and decals than the original. The Petty Plymouth kits don't sell for crazy money due to the Lindberg '64, but I like the body in the Jo-Han kit a lot better. There were other kits there, either stuff I already have way too many of, stuff I wouldn't be able to resell, or just junk that wasn't worth bothering with.

There were no '70 Coronet promos, hardtop or convertible. For some reason, I can't include the post I'm responding to...

If it's "direct to metal", wonder how it would work for repainting a die-cast as opposed to starting with etching primer?

If the '64 is molded in that dark blue, it's the 98 cent stock-only version. Way tougher to find than the $1.49 four-version annual kit. Not that those are falling out of the trees either...

Doesn't make sense to retool the phone booth for a single issue that will probably sell just as well whether or not it is included. There will be one included in the printed cardstock items. It wouldn't be tough to measure that and trace onto sheet plastic.

That's a Revell 1968.

I like the way the chassis fills out the space inside the body. One thing I can't stand with some kits is when the chassis lacks inner rear wheel houses, letting you see through to the other side of the car around the rear wheels. I picked up a second '68 convertible, I was thinking about swapping as much as possible into a '70 to create a '70 convertible. For a bunch of years I thought there was a '70 Coronet convertible annual kit (there wasn't). I might try to build it the way I imagined it looked like on the box.

The Coronet convertible kit is fantastic. Every time I give it a look, I notice more improvements over the original.

If anyone has a mind to complain about many of the mid-Sixties annual kits having only four tires...that's the way they came originally! (Except when a trailer was included.) No annual kit though 1963 had anything other than stock tires. In 1964 kits, I can only think of the Chevelle wagon having had a pair of slicks included. It wasn't until 1965 that a few more annual kits had extra tires. For '66, AMT threw those plastic "sidewall caps" into some annuals, plastic slicks in others. I'd actually like to try those sidewall pieces on something.

Well, this one first appeared way before the '71 Demon. Round 2 is hoping to get the Demon out this fall according to what they were saying at NNL East last weekend. So, I'd expect to see the Chevelle prior to then.

The extra hood looks like '62 Chrysler from here...

The Demon was never on the Round 2 website, or any print listing from them. It was the USA-1 Vega kit that was shown on the website as "coming soon" for a couple of years early on. Then it disappeared and returned several years later.