Mark

Updated through '77, still with the big block engine, in the same imaginary world where MPC had Hemi Challengers and Barracudas in '74. The bodies in the MPC kits were better IMO, the margin got bigger as AMT updated their kit further away from their promo year ('70). I'm pretty sure the chassis, engine, and interior wound up in the Eckler Hatchback kit. The body in that kit looks like it is different and not an alteration of the '77, but who knows for sure.

The one with the bucket seats molded in will be for a T-Bird, '61-63 (most likely '63). The other one is '64 or '65 Falcon, not sure which right now.

Whatever got the roof to that point, I'd go back to that. Two days isn't a lot, especially with three different solutions. Personally, I wouldn't use brake fluid, in my experience it makes the plastic brittle. Too, if you go from one solution to another, I'd make absolutely certain that there is no trace left of Solution #1 on that body before it goes anywhere near Solution #2.

When those kits were first produced (late 1965) they were probably both in production at the same time. So each would have its own engine. Back then it was probably cheaper and easier to do things that way.

It's commercial art, highly collectible. People even collect the end product (the box): this being the first step in the process leading up to that box, is unique and even better. Not everyone bothers with parts of the hobby outside of the building of the models themselves. For those who are into the historical end of it, and are willing to step up and spend what it takes to own something like this, it's an opportunity, and those don't happen very often.

The Modified Stocker bumpers are the least of the problems; they are pretty close to stock. The grille only needs the headlight areas cut out and replaced, rear bumper is fine as-is. The wheel openings could be filled; I've done it on an Olds 88 body (even restored the flares) and intend to do the same on a Skylark and possibly a Fairlane. I attempted it on a '64 Galaxie but was dissatisfied with the front fenders; later, I found a convertible body and stubbed in the MS roof and cowl. I'm after a NASCAR body with that one. For a stock Fairlane, I'd look for a builtup or promo as it will have parts like taillights. A busted roof can be replaced more easily than restoring the MS body.

Those are the actual artwork, one of one. I'd imagine a Tom Daniel piece would outrank the AMT items regardless of who the artist was for those. And those would top my Jo-Han piece, as I couldn't tell you who did their box art. All of them are unique, like the Car Model build article cars that came up a couple of years ago, a couple of us here latched on to some of them. Sure, a '69 Rebel kit or '66 Valiant promo model is rare, but these artwork items are one of one items, "rare" is an inadequate word to describe things like them.

What are you doing for a body? I've messed with the Olds 88 Modified Stocker, got the body close enough to stock for building the 88 that ran in NASCAR that year. Thought about doing the same with the Fairlane, to get it close enough to use the custom parts from the annual kit. Too many other things in front of it...

Well, there is only one of each. They do turn up from time to time. I have one, a side panel illustration for a Jo-Han kit. Didn't pay anywhere near that much for mine...

All of the MPC kits used the same engine, even the Mustang and Barracuda. None of the 1:1 cars (successful ones, anyway) were running Pontiac engines by then.

If you scrounge around, some of the '67 reissue kits include the '70 Endura front fascia piece. Probably not the recent (Round 2) issues though. If you can piece that onto a '72 body, and cut the hood from a '69 funny car body, you're part way there. You still wouldn't have the grille or headlight pieces, or the correct interior pattern.

The only way we'll know for sure, is if the stock '70 reappears at some point. Even then, that could be new again too, if someone at Round 2 came to the conclusion that one would sell in the needed numbers...

The "newer" '72 body looks different from the earlier (pre-'70 backdate) body in some ways. Hard to describe, you'd have to have both within reach to see the differences. It's hard to say just how the body was re-converted back to '72 spec, but my guess is that whoever did it used the earlier version as a template and worked backwards to take it back to the earlier version. I'd also guess that the '70 backdate was done with no thought of going back to the '72, anything not used for the '70 (except maybe the interior bucket) was thrown away and had to be reconstructed for the '72 redux. The newer '72 is somewhat crude compared to the earlier '72, notably around the headlights. The earlier '72, itself restored from the clear body Pearson NASCAR version, is in turn not quite as clean as the annual and pro stock kits that preceded the clear body issue.

Much, much more than that. The Dart has the engine behind the rear wheels, the Barracuda has it behind the driver. The engine and drive train parts are nearly all different including the block. Even the roll cage was altered. That said, the Hemi Under Glass was issued by MPC as both 1968 and 1969 versions. If Round 2 were to tool the parts to bring it back, it would most likely be as the 1969 version.

I'm looking at plumbing in the drivetrain, wheels/tires, and whatever else I can use from the Foose kit. I'm still scrounging a junk builtup to cut up, to fix the front of the body. Don't want to chop another unbuilt kit, don't want to buy anything and have it shipped, the cost will be higher than the junker. I'll scrounge one at a show, when those get going again.

It is one of many ex-Revell kits, the tooling for them was acquired by Atlantis from the "new" Germany based Revell company. It dates back to 1957: unorthodox assembly and parts breakdown, plastic tires, no engine detail, but does have plated trim pieces and clear glass (not all Revell kits had clear parts then). Shape and proportions are generally accurate, the exception being the area forward of the front wheels.

Nothing to add, but I'll repeat it, the Ertl '70 GTO was based on the '72 kit. If you have both, check the inside of the body: both are slicked up on the inside as that is the body that was used in the clear body Pearson/Vallo NASCAR kit. The interior in that one-shot '70 was from the other '70 GTO, the promo/contest promo/Fast Pack snap kit that was turned into the dirt track car. RC2 altered it back into the '72; why, I don't know. MPC did a lot of '70 GTO items in 1970: regular promo, "contest promo" (red, with license plate detail on the rear bumper instead of "1970"), Fast Pack snap kit (sort of a 1/25 scale Hot Wheels car), regular annual kit, and mid-year funny car kit. One tool seems to have been used for closed hood items only. I forget which ones are which, but a number of parts are marked "#1" or "#2" in inconspicuous places, like on the connecting strips between windshield and back glass, or bumpers. I don't have an annual kit but I did check a funny car body, a Fast Pack kit, and a "contest promo" and found parts marked differently. Parts do interchange between all of these items however. The only outlier is the Ertl '70 as the '70 parts were newly tooled for that kit. It has a separate piece for the Endura front bumper while the originals all have it molded as part of the body. '72 reissue kits made after the re-conversion back from the '70 all have some funkiness going on around the headlight areas. Again, if you have one of those and an earlier kit, compare them.

I've been working through this whole Covid mess, if that were not the case I would have thought about selling on eBay again. Until they would attempt to force me to provide bank account information. No way, no how.

I wouldn't bet on seeing it soon, as they just reissued the Ramchargers dragster which uses the same chassis. Round 2 has sometimes released multiple versions of one tool at one time, but those have been color variations like the Prudhomme and McEwen dragsters. Same tool configuration, just different color plastic flowing into the tool, different box/decal sheet in each version. I can't find my GG kit, but as I recall the rear portion of the body is split vertically down the center. If that is the case, you may want to assemble it and cut it apart in different places to make painting easier.

Maybe try the headers from the Revell '69 Z/28? If you have to, swap cylinder heads too, so the headers fit as tightly as they do in the '69 kit.

All of the parts for the turbine engine were likely grouped together in the original kit, so all should be included. I need one or two of those, I picked up the issue of the truck kit a few years back...the turbine engine was the only thing assembled, and very poorly. I can probably get it apart, but the exhaust stacks are on upside down...a whole new engine will fix all that...

The Pinto kit has a more modern vending machine, molded in styrene.

The Infini-T was issued only once way back when, in that packaging. So any nostalgic reissues would logically be in that same packaging. It might be one of those deals where the people at Round 2 figure the kit will sell X number of pieces, no more/no less, regardless of what box it is in. So why do new box art? The new issue does have lettered tires, so there is at least some added content. I've already got one from the last release and won't be getting this one, so I didn't pay attention...will this one have a bigger decal sheet or tinted clear parts also?

If you are starting out, just go for a clean build. I'd concentrate on exterior and interior finish, including applying foil to exterior trim. Wiring, photoetch, and other things can come later.

I purchase manufactured styrene stock in smaller sizes, but something as wide as 1/4" would be easy to cut yourself. A good stainless steel ruler with a non-slip backing, and one of those "box cutters" with a nice sharp edge, and you're good to go.