stavanzer

One of Mine will be a 2WD M-100 Mercury Wrecker from Dog River, Saskatchewan. The other will be a 4x4 Wrecker from California. And I like the Plow instead of the push bar. I might try that. Would be something you'd have seen in Mammoth Lake, Bishop, or Mt. Shasta.

Great. I need to find one myself, someday.

Doug, our own Member "Faust" (Adam Rehorn) has a couple of pages about these kits. Might be helpful. https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/revell-1-25-1978-monza-street-spyder-oob/ https://adamrehorn.wordpress.com/model-kits/out-of-box-reviews/mpc-monza-parts-comparison/ HTH.

Here is the Restored Original Chrome Tree from the 2016 Mod Rod version of this kit. You can see the windscreen in the upper right corner. This Tree has not been plated in many years.

Here are the Instructions for the Bel Aire. Typical of the Mueller Era Custom Kits, it is a Straight Jacket Kit. You get enough parts to Build ONE KIT, ONE WAY! No Options, No Deviations! Round2 Has added in Two Kinds of Custom Decals, so you at least have a choice that way. I Would guess, that the Custom Wheels from the all of the recent "Kustom Kruiser" series will swap between the 4 kits released so far. All were tooled about the same time, although the '70 Monte Carlo is more Low Rider than Kustom. They are: 1. '57 Chrysler 300 Hemi Custom. 2. '61 Chevy Apache Pickup 3. '57 Chevy Bel Aire 4. '70 Monte Carlo https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/chevrolet/1951-1960/amt-57-chevy-bel-ai/?view=roll#1

I can't wait to see it, Tim.

I thought so too. I wonder if the Firth Folks have seen and read about the Jiggler. As obscure as the Smith Engine is, it is not totally Unknown. Seems that somebody could take inspiration from it.

Of Course, but interesting to me that Convergent Evolution seems to have caused these two engines to look similar. I wonder how old the Firth Engine is?

As Mark B. said it looks like the Smith Jiggler. https://myflatheadford.com/the-famous-jiggler/ https://www.motortrend.com/news/hrxp-1111-tiny-smith-flathead-ford-jiggler-v8-60/ A neat Little Engine. I wonder what connection it has to the Firth Conversion?

And, Here is the Engine Bay Photo I've never seen. Thanks , Mike 1017

I suspect that you are correct, Mark. I had not thought of that angle.

And, I wonder how many remain? Got to be rarer than Hen's Teeth now. I've never even seen a photo of a slant six in a Charger.

I have about a Dozen of this kit in various versions. From a pair of the OG Ala-Kart kits to the Mod Rod you have to the Avenger Kit, to the Checkerboard Box Model A kit from Walmart. And the 1970's 25th Anniversary Kit in the Yellow box. The Walmart Version had 90% of the Ala-Kart in the box. Missing only two or three (significant) parts. Namely the Grille Shell and A Body Part. (Bed or Body Tub) All Round2 had to do was retool the parts. Not impossible because they managed to Freshly re-tool an axle and some wheels, that were not really wanted. I remember asking a question about this on the Old Round2 blog, in 2015(or so) when this Mod Rod kit was announced. I wondered then exactly 'who' determined that those parts were what Modelers were asking for on that kit. I never got answer. Maybe it was a Legal thing and Round2 did not want to bring it up. Oh Well, maybe when it comes time to bring this kit back, they will get the Ala-Kart Licensing, so they can re-tool the parts needed for that, or Kill the Mod Rod foolishness and just go back to a 2'n'1 Model A Roadster kit. Lastly if they do ever restore the rest of the Ala-Kart parts, then they can scrap the 1990's abortion, never to return. Golly that kit is awful!

As Russ, says above, "So Close, Round2" The parts that Round2 chose to re-tool, are not the parts needed. The could have done the Ala-Kart missing parts, but chose not. I maintain that this kit would have sold far better, if the Ala-Kart parts had been added back in, with fresh tooling, even if they could not be mentioned on the box. When this kit was announced as coming back, I had the Time and Budget to buy a case of them. But, I got the kit home saw what was (or wasn't) in it, and got only the one. I always felt that nobody really wanted the Mod Rod, and that may have been despite the Hype 8 years ago, it sort of lingered for a bit and then vanished without a trace.

That P-61, is an Uncompleted Aurora Kit, that Monogram got in the famous buy-out in the 1970's. Monogram finished the tooling, and brought it out under their name. It seems tricky, because it is tricky. It has never been an easy kit to assemble. But, it looks Great when done. Many of the Olive Drab P-61's in the ETO, had White Paint on the forward part of the Radome. Good Luck with the build. You are doing a great job so far. (and, Yes, the Cowl flaps on the engines have always been that Way. One Opened and One Closed)

I like the Roadster too. The Black looks good. As far as the Windscreen Frame, that Roadster started life as half of the Ala-Kart Kit. The Frame is on a tree that is sometimes plated in the older kits, and plain in the Newer Ones. This tooling was last run as the Mod Rod by Round2 in 2016. The Windscreen is back on the chrome tree again. You little Rod, is perfect for the Back Story you've created. Fresh Paint, and Re-caps are all staples of Backyard Rodding, back in the day.

That Green really Pops! Great Choice!

Yeah, but it was nice to see some of the history of our Members.

Back in the 1980's Scale Auto did an article on a "Plodge" a Canadian, Dodge/Plymouth Mash up done with Johan Kits, IIRC. Involved cutting the front end off one Promo, and transplanting on the another Kit. It was an Excellent Conversion, and I wanted to due one, but I had no budget to buy two (even for the time) expensive Johan Kits to cut up.

Bringing this back to the Top. Great Reading about Many Forum Members. Some of them still post here. It was fun to read the Life Stories of our members.

I'll Chime In, about Model Roundup. I have had nothing but Great Service from them. And Spotlight Hobbies. Only one deal with them, but When a Kit Body was broken, they replaced it. {1960 Johan Plymouth Wagon, no less. And Tom sent me a spare body for it, no problem} But, Spotlight has "Improved" their Sales Listings Pages, and I find the new layout they use makes it very hard for me to browse the kits for sale the way the webpage is now set up. Your experience may be much different than mine.

I've never seen a steel 4 Lug Rim. 4 Lug Mags, but that is all.

Oh, Yeah. We were even promised one of these back in the 1990s. AMT, I think.

I agree with you completely.

Decals from Original Mach Won.