chriscarroll.ogre

I have a top four or five holy grail models, but two are resin models so I don't know if that counts if you only mean actual kits produced by a major maker. Two are resin kits originally made available from Modelhaus, the 1971 Ford Galaxie 500 sedan and the 1972 Ford Galaxie 2-door hardtop. One is the MPC 1969 Dodge Coronet. Two are the old Johan 1970 Plymouth Road Runner and GTX. I'll probably never find any of these, or if I do find them they'll probably have astronomical prices.

Outstanding work and an outstanding model. Here's hoping others follow your lead and make more hard-to-find engines and other parts, and share them, too. One question: It's nice to see that you used Blender to create the 3D models for your project (for those who do not know the software, it is a free 3D modeling and animation tool that can be downloaded from the Internet). What software did you use to convert the files to a 3D file format? I'm just at the beginning of learning how to use Blender and some other CAD programs, and I hope to get to your level of expertise some day. My goal is to make new or existing 3D models into model cars and parts. For example, there is an excellent, highly detailed 3D model of a 1972 AMC Matador 4-door sedan. It ought to be converted into a model car kit. The AMC 401 V-8 would have to be created in the same fashion as you made your 318 A-engine, as no scale model 401 was ever made. Hopes and dreams. Anyways, excellent work on your engine model, and thanks very much for sharing all of this info with the rest of us!

I just posted this on another, Mopar modeling site, but it fits this topic, too. Have to give a big shoutout to the folks who sold me a nice resin repop of a very rare kit: The body, bumpers, grill and taillights to the classic and hard to find MPC Feverbee 1968 Dodge Coronet R/T. I found it purely by chance, listed on eBay for less than $35, from a vendor called mustang_mom44820. They offered it more than once and I bought the second copy after dithering too long over the first, which sold quickly. So I am assuming that they have more copies to sell yet. Keep an eye on this vendor, because they also offered a similar kit of the old MPC 1969 Dodge Coronet for a similar price. If I see it relisted, you can bet I'm gonna grab one, too! They delivered the item very quickly (two days quicker than eBay estimated), it was packaged extremely carefully, and was in superb condition. It is a very clean casting, very thin-walled, with excellent detail and very little flashing, and absolutely no air bubbles or other casting errors. UPDATE: For anyone interested, the same vendor has right now available the same 68 transkit, now with interior and chassis; and a 69 Coronet R/T body shell with front and rear bumpers, grill and taillight assemblies

Just FYI, I checked some of these out and the bumper stickers site and the blank plates sites are no longer active

What is the most ridiculous model car related thing that you've ever seen auctioned or sold? I just ran across the first most ridiculous thing I've ever seen at auction: Using the box art from a rare kit in order to sell ONE TIRE. Let me repeat that: This is ONE TIRE at auction. One tire. You've gotta be kiddin'! http://www.ebay.com/itm/MPC-76-Road-Runner-Parts-Model-Kit-1-7625-Tire/201696697828?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D38530%26meid%3Df2eab3b594944743a6681a7bc96577d2%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D391660836975 What thing or things have you seen for sale or at auction that made you say WTF?

Another point about modern pricing: I remember buying model car kits in the 1980s, when I built models the most, for an average of about $5.00 - to - 8.00. Going to an online inflation calculator, it says that translated into today's dollars $5 = $14.65 and $8 = $23.43. Just for kicks, average the '80s prices to about $6.50 = $19.04. That's about the price I'm paying for many models online (not including shipping and handling), or it's about the price that I'm paying at Hobby Lobby when I use their 40% off coupon. Sure, the better and newer kits are going for more like $25-30 new. But I think that the numbers suggest that modern prices aren't way, way off traditional prices when you use an inflation calculator.

Good point, Keyser! I wonder what the actual biz model for most model manufacturers is ... what items do they really make money from, that subsidizes lower-selling kits? I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts that companies like Revell make far more money from military models than from model cars. You see far more military and sci fi models being made "All New" than anything else, so does that mean that profits from those markets support, say, model car kits? Someone who writes articles for publication needs to email companies like Round2 and Revell to see if they'd be willing to do an interview, methinks.

Thanks all! Beautiful Impala, Steven

Thanks! That's exactly what I was looking for!

I was doing some window shopping online and ran across several mentions of the Revell 1958 Chevrolet Impala. I never knew this kit existed. I knew about the AMT 1958 Impala, but not the Revell. Does anyone know if there was ever a head-to-head comparison of the two models? That would be interesting. Are they both good kits? Which is better? Is one more accurate than the other? Etc, etc. Thoughts?

Just wow

Two days's soak and some gentle scrubbing with a toothbrush has all the paint off except for minute amounts down in crevices, like the window trim and door panel lines. I think it did weaken the glue a bit, too, because it came apart with only a little bit of effort. LA's Totally Awesome totally works!

That Ruby Red sure is pretty

UPDATE: After an overnight soak (about 21 hours at this point), this is the results of a dip in LA's Totally Awesome general purpose cleaner and degreaser. In picture two you can see how the paint is bubbling up and even coming off as dust into the liquid. In picture three, you can see the results of just a few seconds rubbing with a finger in rubber gloves. I'm pretty darned impressed! The cleaner seems to have no impact on the glue, 'tho. Looks like I'm gonna have to cut my way thru all that glued-together plastic after all.

Great info and tips, Art! Thanks a bunch. None of that work seems to be extreme. I look forward to the challenge of making it work!