The Red Ranger

What a beautiful build. Wow.

Thanks! Yeah that bodykit was intense. Still have the putty work to do on the right side but the frames are all in place. And you're spot on, attached is the r34 that inspired this bodykit.

Inspired by my father's recent 66 Mustang build I picked up the knife and Putty again and wanted to build a 66 inspired by the Hoonicorn and other autocross Mustangs I've seen. I ended up using the chassis, stretched out from the 97 SuperSnake kit so I could use a more modern suspension, use the modern engine, etc. Hood and front balance from a GT500 heavily modified, had to section the hood to work on the 66. Body work has been the biggest consumption of time as I had to cut the wheel wells and add fender flares. I just have some pinhloles and a couple of low spots and should be ready for paint. This whole build reminded me of the 70 Skyline I started building with a wild hand built wide body kit 10 years ago, so I wanted to picture them together. The skyline is just visual mods, no need to swap the motor on that. It was a massive undertaking back in the day and life got in the way so it got shelved buuut once the Mustang is finished, the Skyline is next.

Is there something wrong with the Forums? It's not letting me view anything, only lets me reply to them.

Man, I would love to have that Baja Racer!!!

Count me in, I am going to build a Mustang II. Don't have the kit yet, but once I do I will get pix up. I may do a second one but only after the Mustang II is built.

I would totally do it, but I would do one from Twisted Metal!!!

So I have a few foreign kits, 70 Skyline, Nissan R34 and a Porsche kit, two of which are curbside, no engine detail at all, I am looking at some Subaru kits and I can't find any with engine detail. Is there an easy way to figure out which kits ARE NOT curbside?

It will be sitting just a tiny bit higher than normal ride height, I was even considering putting a grill guard and bumper guard for a little more All-Terrain attitude. I've always wanted a truck that could tear up the streets and the dirt, so this is going to be that realized.

So I am back to this hobby after some years of being out of it and I am picking up with my pride and joy project. 95 Ford Ranger kustom. Originally it started out as a street truck but I have since turned it into something that would be more on all terrain, on street/off road type deal. So I am going to post progress pictures. Right now I am in the middle of customizing a Shelby grill as the grill of the Ranger, not just because it looks awesome, but I also screwed up the original grill, so it was a happy thing. This is where I left the truck about 4 years go This is the grill before I cut it up and pieced it back together. Now, if I want to use the Lund Razorback I will have to cut into the cab... so before I do that, I would like opinions, keep it or ditch it? Final one for viewing pleasure. So there it is. I am using the Super Stallion Mustang 5.4 with it's supercharger for the power plant. I am modding the front suspension to a control arm set up as opposed to the I-beam, though I am actually going back and forth on that.

You have my curiosity.

Reminds me more of the Scion FR-S.. oh wait

Very nice! I really like this car and this is a very nice rendition of it. I especially love the Gran Turismo license plates

So, that Revell Grave Digger re-issue is a really great kit. I built it as a kid and really loved it. I am picking up a couple of the kits and I want to do a more professional finish on it than I did when I was 13, lol. The decals are adhesive, not water based, but I am curious if I can clear over them? Anyone have any experience and/or luck with that?

^ What he said.

I agree with both of you, Charlie and Mark. It's like when we have a gas "shortage" and people organize those days for people to not buy gas all day, never works. I think the sense of community has been lost, at least here in the Phoenix area. (I lived in Mayfield Kentucky and I can say that for the most part that great sense of community still exists.) The problem is no matter how many of us were to complain about quality and even refuse to buy kits until the products and quality reflect what us, the consumer, want to see, there would still be people who ignore the protest and buy gas or models anyway, thereby making any sort of protest pointless, because obviously someone will still buy the ###### so they keep going. I would say the best thing we could do is start buying kits on ebay from private sellers as opposed to ebay stores or hobby shops. At least that way we could continue building kits, but we aren't contributing to the idea that we are particularly satisfied with whats out there.

I just wish people could either say "I would love truck models cause I could do this this and this with them" or not say anything at all. I don't understand why every place has to have naysayers. Anyway. I was wondering, is it possible to mold a plastic kit from a metal body? Cause Revell does have some Metal body monster trucks, not really sure how that process goes but it's an idea.

That suggestion box is brilliant. Way to go Harry! I'm through with trying to explain my end of the business deal. Between Art and Mark's comments I think I may just be done, here, completely. Apparently some people are so full of themselves that when someone doesn't shut up when they offer hard facts that life is based on, then they are living in a fantasy world. If you guys like modern trucks and want to see them just post a little about it. Not that hard. I don't need to hear an economics lecture about why we wont see them or hear "if there was a market for them, there would be". So if that's all you have to offer, just keep it to yourself. Unfortunately the majority of this thread was spent bickering back and fourth about the business ######. I'm not an idiot. I also don't just sit back and let ###### happen. I make things happen for myself. Honestly, what harm does it do to have a thread discussing the want for kits, that seem like a logical successful idea? Your business knowledge is moderately helpful understanding why there aren't a lot of kits but it's moderate at best. You really have no idea if they have suggested truck kits and they didn't score well, just as I don't know they haven't suggested anything like that at all. Part of suggesting an idea is having support for it. Support in the form of "the trucks in real life do super well so logically the model versions would do really well." That is part of the nature of the discussion. It seems though, Mark, as if you expected to share your knowledge with the thread in hopes that it would put an end to anymore discussion.

So because Revell apparently does no wrong that forbids me from seeing how many people out there are in my boat of wanting a few kits produced that haven't in over 10 years? Apparently I have to be pleased with everything and if there's ever something I want to see happen it's a waste of my time to question and investigate interest or lack thereof because it's the model companies money and I sure cant tell them what I'd like to see them do with that. It blows my mind that people are so dense. When I say my point here is to see if there is a truck market it turns into "Others and myself are adamant that the companies produce what we want". Can I not see for myself if there is or is not a market with out people jumping down throats to defend companies no one really offended in the first place. Perhaps I will start my own model company smart ass but that would require product research which entails asking a model car forum if they want to see modern trucks as much as I do.

I'm glad that there is consumer input put in. I agree, that process makes sense and it's pretty close to what I would do, so no arguments about that. I don't know where the shift was made that turned this into "Revell is cheap" or anything like that. I don't agree with the constant reissues of tired kits but that's more my opinion than anything else. I really didn't want this thread to be about a company ignoring an interest or anything, I wanted to get people who want trucks to speak up so I can, help them, I dunno. I don't have opportunity to go to trade shows or take part in presell tests or anything so this is my way to share my opinion thats all. I never wanted any arguing or anything to go on I just wanted people who want model trucks to speak up, which I did get some, but I never intended to point fingers, or blame anyone or anything like that. Is there harm to try to poll people's interest and see if there are enough people on here that want to see updated trucks so I can at least supply revell with that information? Can that hurt?

Yeah but Mark, your information doesn't make a point as to why building more trucks is a good business decision. I get numbers, by your numbers and what you say it begs the question why bother continuing making models. Even considering the ones they have put out sell, they obviously don't make up the difference in what they have lost over the years. I just fail to see how your numbers support the idea that not making any new model trucks is a good idea. Basically what you say is the industry is in tough shape and it cost proportionately more to tool a new model so there is high risk if it fails. I acknowledge there is risk. There is risk in doing anything. There is risk to stay in business when it's so much harder than it used to be, but they still do it. My point is I KNOW that producing some modern trucks would not only satisfy current modelers, but would also attract the die hard truck enthusiasts. The problem with what we have talked about, with these numbers and hard facts and stuff, it doesn't apply whatsoever. Nothing in the numbers you have mentioned explain why tooling a new truck would lose them money. You have explained really well the stuff they have gone through, and how expensive things are but nothing that only makes tooling something that would sell super well and bring new people to the hobby make more sense. I don't accept that because times are hard, you don't take any chances. There's nothing wrong with reissuing kits with subtle updates to the already tooled kit, as we have decided that doesn't cost a terrible amount of money and makes it back quicker.. so that being the case, why not also tool a new kit for something that would make its money back too? Nothing in your facts and numbers said that Revell can't afford at all to tool a new kit, but merely explained there is risk. Well I am saying that it's a minimal risk because there is a lot of interest in some modern truck models. My point of starting this thread was to draw support, to see how much interest there is for new trucks, so I could show Revell, Lindberg, or Round 2 that it would be a smart business decision to tool a new truck.

I don't think anyone here has said it was easy, but Mark how can you think that not doing something new is good for business? For the short while yeah you see some numbers but 10 years down the road is Revell going to still be a company if they are too scared to do do a completely new model? No. It's not good business strategy to just rely on what worked in the past. It's good to keep it in mind, and sure there is nothing wrong with reissuing the kits since they don't have to put extra expense into making a whole new tool, but in order to progress you have to expand your library to appeal to more people. It's not like they are a small mom and pop modeling company. They are a business. If Hotwheels used the same logic that "man if we make a whole new car and it doesn't sell, then we just screwed ourselves" Then we would never have a yearly collection of first editions. Yes not exactly the clearest comparison, Hotwheels sell more, have more of a following.... however if they did stop putting out first editions, stopped making new cars... I bet you'd see that drop.

Abe, great minds think a like man! Earlier I started crafting my letter to send to Round 2 and Revell and I brought up another point that had yet been brought up here, which is kids only discover this hobby if their parents are in it, otherwise kids have no way or really any reason to seek it out. I look at my two cousins who are 5 and 10 years younger than me and even in that small of an age difference their childhoods are completely different than mine. I think the biggest point between kids getting into models and the lack of modern model trucks is this. When I was a kid I wanted to build cars I actually saw on a regular basis. My first, award winning, model was a 94 Dodge Ram because that was my, at time, dream truck. My second, also award winning, kit was a 94 Camaro, I'd still like to have one of those. Fact is, in general, most younger kids really only associate with cars they see regularly. It really isn't until their early teens they start to develop the respect for old school rides. * I do acknowledge that there are exceptions to every rule, and anyone who has kids on this board has probably raised them with some sense and exposed them to the great old school rides earlier than general parents but the point is we can't expect our offspring to keep the hobby afloat, in order to be successful it has to broaden its audience to getting new people, outsiders, into the hobby. The BEST way to do that is to have a pretty decent modern library of vehicles. Yeah the modern day auto world isn't as identifiable as it was back in the 50's 60's and 70's but the arguably the biggest customizable vehicles are trucks. You can Lower them, Bag them, Sport them, lift them, crawl them, romp them, bog them. Just saying.

To further add to Mustanglover's point, rehashing the same kits over and over will be the downfall of the hobby. As I have said before when I was 8 and modeling was extremely huge, model companies were putting out just as many modern vehicles as they were old school hot rods. Now, the hobby isn't what it was 15 years ago and there aren't many current day kits out there either. Co-relation? Coincidence?

Mark... I understand what you are saying. I acknowledge there is no magical model tree, I understand that things cost money, but isn't that the whole business thing? Why bother doing it if you are too scared to take a chance? That's the thing that doesn't get addressed. Back in 2005 Revell had to make the decision to tool the 2006 Mustang. Why did they bother then? I'm sure the same old kits were selling great then too. Yet they did it. Because that Mustang is arguably, generally, the most popular Mustang since the late 60's. It was clearly a decision made because the 1:1 car was hugely popular. I guess my point is to convince Revell, Lindberg, Round 2, and whoever else that no one would loose money on building any number of trucks. Doesn't have to be all at once, obviously do one at a time and monitor it's progress if you are hesitant. I know for a fact that a Super Duty Ford or 2009 Dodge Ram would sell just as well as the new Mustang. It's not like I am asking for a really obscure vehicle, like a Neon or anything. I am asking them to make a kit of one of three of the highest selling vehicles on the road. I guess I would like to pose a question to Mark or whoever would like to answer. Why did Revell bother making a new Mustang if they didn't know how well it would send. I mean as people have said just because it's popular in 1:1 scale it may not be a popular model. So why take the chance? Why not just update cars that they already have tooled since it costs significantly less?