Mark

I just saw a story on Allpar...Stellantis has issued a "stop sale" order on 2022 Grand Cherokees. Vehicle breaks communication with the key fob, and when the owner attempts to use an actual key, misreads that as attempted theft...

For a separate everything underbody, the AMT '67 Mustang/Shelby would be the way to go.

The '66 convertible kit was later altered into the Sonny and Cher car (could be built as either). I've got a couple of those, haven't looked at them in a long while but I believe it still had the single exhaust setup. The duals were tooled when that chassis was used in the Mach I concept (the one that looks like a '67 fastback with a chopped top). The other three variations on that kit had duals too, and that's the chassis that is in the coupe reissue, as well as the upcoming fastback. The promo chassis had single exhaust, and to my knowledge that chassis was never used in anything else.

The Flower Series Mustang kit was an unassembled promo. The two annual kits were the 2+2 and a convertible with a separate, glue-on coupe roof with vinyl texture (so adding it wouldn't create a seam). The coupe kits with engine detail are basically the unassembled promo with the body altered for a separate hood, combined with the annual kit's engine and chassis.

Never had the '78 van, but I did/do have the '71 and '72 passenger versions, the only other issues with that dual engine setup. Those kits had the tall/hollow M&H Racemaster dragster slicks. They of course predated the other kits I mentioned, which started appearing in '74. And, now that I think of it, the '78 Monza annual may have had them too.

Guessing here, as I haven't got the kit. AMT '67 Impala street machine version...

By the way, if someone trips over a blue tint Elegance Series '57 Chevy rear window they don't need, let me know what part(s) you are looking for.

No '57 Ford in the Elegance Series. Drop that window in the strip tank, the blue will in all likelihood come off.

Maybe look for the instruction sheet from one of the turbo variants...all of the needed parts may, or may not, already be in the box.

Ford probably shouldn't put a cover on the thing until they figure out how to make it reliable. Otherwise, that's one more part the tech has to remove in order to get to anything...

There is one...it just happens to be open for the picture...

No, that's the same width. That cheater slick was tooled in only that one size. There is a styrene version of it too, same size. I have a pair of those, but don't know which kit had that version.

I'm reasonably sure the Continental tire is from an IMC VW Beetle. The M/T cheater slick was in a few MPC annual kits between 1974 and about 1976, also the silver '67 Charger street machine version. The Dunlop tire is IMC also, pretty sure their issue of the Cougar II has them.

Agreed...reliability isn't in question, only manufacturers' efforts to make perfectly good, still serviceable products obsolete by not providing support or parts, and trying to prevent others from doing so.

I don't think the scale difference amounts to much in any event. Has anyone measured the trailer? I'm wary when it comes to diecast, as many of them are smaller than advertised in order to fit a specific package, which takes up only so much space on a store shelf...

The Rambler is 1/24 scale also. Jo-Han called the AMC items 1/25 on the kit boxes, but 1/24 on the promo specific boxes (not to be confused with the generic "toy store friction car" boxes). AMC would have had more "say" over the promos, also every Jo-Han AMC item I ever put a ruler to measured out to 1/24 scale in critical areas like wheelbase and overall width.

The Shifty Seven is the last issue with all of those neat Stylizing parts, including those Edsel taillights. Next up was the original Flashback issue, which eliminated those parts but added drag version parts, including a set of injectors that aren't correct for the Y-block engine. (The paired tubes need to be "clocked" 90 degrees.) The Round 2 redux Flashback issue has some of the Stylizing items back (vertical quad headlamp pods) but not the Edsel taillight pieces. The injector tubes for the drag version are in the space on the parts tree where the taillight bezels used to be.

The top doesn't look too different from a stock one (to my eyes, anyway) other than the sides being more closed in. The back looks like it leans forward a bit also. So some degree of alteration will be needed with whatever you start with. If you are working with a Revell '32 highboy (or Rat Roaster) body, you might try the ex-Monogram "on the small side of 1/24 scale" roadster kit's top. This is the ex-Little Deuce, with the fenders and chassis molded as a unit. It isn't very much bigger than other '32 Ford kits known to be 1/25 scale. I haven't got one of the more recent reissues of that kit, but I am led to believe that some of them do not include the raised top. Based on that, I wouldn't buy any issue of that kit unless it is specifically shown on the box. If you are working with an AMT roadster, the very first issue (only) had a raised top. No other issues I am aware of had it. Seeing as how you will have to modify it anyway, you might try a Model A roadster top. One of those ought to be easier to find.

Used to be too, the average guy could do a fair amount of maintenance and repairs on a car. You really want to see that today, when a lot of people can't even fix a sandwich?

I won't mention brands, but my current driver is sneaking up on 55,000 miles. I had the rear brakes done last fall...pads, rotors. Other than that, and oil changes...nothing. My two previous vehicles (both from the same manufacturer, but not the same as the car I have now) on the other hand, had the brakes done on all four wheels, twice, by the time they got to 55,000. If anything, the current vehicle gets more stop-and-go driving than the previous two. It would appear that some manufacturers are better than others when it comes to customer satisfaction and getting their products to last beyond the warranty period.

It's heading towards a per month (maybe per mile) cost...vehicle, maintenance...only separate items will be insurance and fuel...maybe they'll figure out how to fold those in too. How much car do you want, how much are you willing to pay? Everyone is trying to sink their hooks in with "automatic, per month" charges. I ran my car through the car wash the other day, to knock the road salt off...they were pushing unlimited car washes for $20 per month.

Newer cars aren't designed to be taken apart, they are designed to be assembled as quickly as possible (fewer labor hours). They simply don't care how long it takes to get at something. Once it's out of the assembly plant, no longer their problem.

I have always thought that, if you can't afford a particular car new, you probably can't afford it used either. A high-end car (any car, for that matter) with 50,000 miles on it is just 50,000 miles nearer to needing something major taken care of. I have bought all of my daily driver vehicles new (four of them between 1979 and 2017), and have leaned towards mid-price vehicles, avoiding radically new technology. The gap in quality and longevity between lower and higher priced vehicles is probably narrower than ever right now.

It might not even be parts. The president of General Motors has already stated that you may own the car, but they own the software needed to operate it. Right now I'm wearing a three year old Fitbit that no longer connects with my phone or computer. They chose to make it obsolete by not supporting the software. It still gives the time and counts my steps, but that's it. I can see that happening with appliances and cars just as easily.

Yeah, the '66 Thunderbirds are pretty much the same, except the top/tonneau. I have an unbuilt annual convertible but not a hardtop (might have a box lid for one though). I haven't compared them but I'm pretty sure both had the same optional parts. The SMP/AMT pre-'63 Corvettes are the same deal. Same kit except for the hardtop. The '59-'62 hardtops were one piece, molded in clear. The '62 hardtop included only a custom fastback roof. When you built the "hardtop" kit stock, you had a convertible! The hardtop in the recent reissue '62 Corvette kit was added for the first reissue.