tim boyd

GREAT TIMING!!!! Cheers Richard....TIM\\\

I am very pleased to announce the arrival of my latest book project, "Collecting Drag Racing Model Kits", published by CarTech Books and available now for pre-order at CarTechBooks.com and Amazon.com. The book's printing is now complete and it is expected to be available at book retailers in late August or September, 2020. The book features 350 full color images and 175 pages of text covering the vast world of styrene assembly kits of drag racing cars. Twelve chapters are arranged by kit subject (Super Stocks, Gassers, Funny Cars, et al). There's also a bonus chapter showing built up drag racing models from experts like Guy Beaudette, Steve Perry, the late Bud LeFevre, Bill Coulter, Don Emmons, and others. Compared to my most recent previous book, "Collecting Muscle Car Model Kits" (also from CarTech Publishing), this new book covers each individual drag racing kit in considerably greater detail, and it also includes many reissues along with the many other kits derived from each set of set of kit "tools:. As before, I've included insights and stories from kit industry insiders. I added a list of ill-fated drag racing kits that were planned, but never actually brought to market, some of which are well known but some others that may surprise you! The text and images were fact-checked by Mark Budniewski who is among the most knowledgeable model kit experts in the world, and I consulted drag racing experts Tom Carter, Guy Beaudette, Jim Kampmann, and Mark for their input and additions to a list of "The Very Best Drag Racing Kits" of all time. The 22 images at this link show snippets from the book and each chapter therein, to give you a better flavor of what it contains. If this sounds like a topic you'd like, please consider ordering the book from your favorite on-line book or model kit source, or your favorite model car hobby store or book store. Thanks for your interest, and Best Regards, all! TIM

This subject ('71/'72 Mustang Mach 1/'71 Boss 351) was reportedly on the new tool list of one of the domestic kitmakers as of about 15 years ago. Apparently never made it high enough on the list for tooling. Too bad, this generation (the '71/-72, not so much the '73) is on my list of all time favorite Mustangs....TIM

Marty...somehow I missed this one. Very cool, a simple project for others to try, and most of all, I bet you had a whole lot of fun putting this one together! TIM

In spite of continued negative speculation about the future of our hobby....see the attached article from the Chicago Tribune about the resurgence of model kit sales during the Covid 19 pandemic. Includes a number of quotes from the President of Revell USA... A tip of the Tim Boyd hat to Don Graham and Doane Yawger for the link posted above....TIM

Thanks Steve....I agree....unlike some kit with major body proportions errors, this one should be a pretty easy fix for anyone who is experienced with doing model car body work....TIM

Full story will be forthcoming in just a few weeks, when the book becomes available for sale....thanks in advance for your interest! TIM

Steve,,,,I recall from years ago a view that the body had accuracy issues of some sort, perhaps it was what you are seeing. Can you remind me (us?) of what your issue is with the rear quarters? Thanks....TIM

Richard....I have no idea. Not familiar with the differences between the 1972 and 1974 Toys....but if they are superficial (at least from an exterior point of view; I expect there were numerous underbody changes in the ral cars) this would seem like a logical move down the road....TIM

Good points, Mike....TIM PS - also to your point about derivatives and mainstream pickups, if it were my cash on the line, I'd do a new series of '67-72 Chevy pickups (starting with the '67/'68 versions first) before I'd invest in the 1961-71 Dodge D/W pickups....TB

Sam....the picture is on the box art of the new Jenkins Vega. See the image in my Fotki album on this subject at this link....see picture #36 (DSC 1142)....kit number has been assigned and timing is stated as "Coming Soon" TIM

Mark is correct. The work has been done on this B/FX project and the results are equally impressive to the A/FX kit, in my opinion - e.g. no corners cut in authenticity. There will be more details on this subject in a new book that will soon be available....TIM

Don;t have most recent info, but last I heard the Nova project was NOT scrapped, but needed licensing sorted and finalized. I think a new Dodge pickup kit sounds remote at this time; I'm not aware of any work on such a project (doesn't mean it isn't happening, just that I haven't heard anything about it). Still, pickup kits are the hottest single topic right now in the model car hobby trade, from what I've been told. In my model car files somewhere is a note from 20 or so years ago that a complete measuring session had been done on a post WWII type 1946-1968 Dodge Power Wagon 4x4 (the adaptation of the WWII truck), along with several other projects that at the time never saw the light of day back then. This was back when Lindberg, AMT-Ertl, and Revell were all introducing several new kits a year. In more recent times, the results of several of those other measuring session projects .have subsequently been produced by other kitmakers than those who originally did the measuring sessions, so the Power Wagon would seem to me a possible topic if there indeed was a Dodge pickup kit in progress. Now how's that for starting a rumor!!! :) TIM

Sadly....the Aurora Drag Parts Kits tools no longer exist. This topic is briefly touched on in a new book that will be coming out in a few weeks.... TIM

Bill....you bet.... Thx for the note....TIM

Claude....highly imaginative and outstanding quality/finish too. This would have easily been a hands down "Best Originality" winner at any of the MPC Customizing Contest series back in the day....very, very cool. TIM

Thanks everyone for your comments and feedback. I just added some additional photos of these two; thesewere unused photos from the "Scale Showroom" section of my book "Collecting Muscle Car Model Kits" published by CarTechBooks and available at their website and Amazon.... Best regards....TIM

Thanks James for doing the research and helping us resolve the question....TIM

We should take a closer look there....the parts tree with the COPO spoiler may be a tool insert for the Baldwin Motion kit that exchanges with parts that are essential to the Z-28, in which case this approach wouldn't work. I'm not near my kits to check it out...can anybody else check this out and weigh in? TB

These two 1970 1-2 AMT-Ertl kit Camaro models represent my all time favorite 1/1 scale Camaros. With the interest in the new Round 2 "Full Bumper" (non-RS) 1970 1/2 Z-28 kit, it prompted me to pull out these two builds based on the original AMT/Ertl RS "Split Bumper" kit that forms the basis of the new kit. The yellow Z-28 was constructed as a late 1970 model year factory build, with the COPO 9796 large rear spoiler which became available for special order in April, 1970. The paint was also a late model year addition, in effect a pull-ahead of 1971 Code 52 Sunflower Yellow. It replaced Code 51 Daytona Yellow late in the production run (compare it the color to the 1969 Vette painted in Daytona Yellow pictured at the link below). Other than those tweaks, and some more accurate tires, the model was built from AMT-Ertl's 1970 1/2 Z-28 kit first introduced around 2000. The orange SS 396 was a kitbash conversion of the above-referenced AMT-Ertl kit. The 1970 1/2 SS 396 was mostly overshadowed by the Z-28 that year, but that makes the SS 396 an even more interesting model car topic. The model was painted with Code 65 Hugger Orange, paired with a Sandalwood interior. Both of these were covered in two in-depth articles in Scale Auto magazine back in the day; the applicable back issues are most likely available as back issues at the other model car magazine's web site. . By the way, yes, the Z-28 hood doesn't fit exactly right; it warped after the model was completed. A bit of after-the-fact advice is that when using real automotive paints on styrene models with thinly molded hoods, be sure to paint the body color on both sides of the hood or you risk the same sort of warping seen here. Click this link for 24 overall and detail photos of both models if you want to take a closer look. Thanks for looking! TIM

Thanks Mark...before typing the caption, I checked my original kit release and there was no side glass, and it was also missing the instruction sheet. I'll make the change in the applicable captions....Best...TIM

The following 48 photos and commentary/captions at the link below show the new kit contents, including many extra parts and the newly tooled body, then provides a definitive confirmation of the extensive rumors of what will come next from the revised kit tooling. Finally, a series of images compares the new kit to the original early 1970's original issue kit. In its entirety, this kit update and revision thoroughly exceeded my own expectations. Check it out and form your own opinion! And thanks for looking! TIM

Dennis...this model is a poster child for the "period attention to detail" school of model car building that I respect so much. Very innovative approach to the frame and suspension. Love the fine engine detail. And as Alan says, "Pink is the new Black", at least in our world of period hot rods! Congrats on another great addition to the Lacy hot rod model collection. TIM

Thanks James....so if I understand you correctly, this suggests that the option of reissuing the old RS/Split Bumper versions remains, by simply substituting back the old core piece for the new one? Makes sense to me...and I hope you are correct. Thx again...TIM

David...thanks....check out the caption below that picture for an explanation of what those missing parts were....TIM