tim boyd

Alan, I sent an original tool wheel to Norm and he ran some for me, but because as discussed above, the "master" had some flaws in it, I'm not sure Norm wants to offer it to the public per se. Maybe you should email him and find out..... Best...TIM

What John said just above. Blows me away that nobody has ever done a correct RA IV engine in 1/25th, not to mention a redo of the 1970 GTO, the one many consider to be the best 1/1 scale GTO ever....TIM

Dave....I highly regard the original MPC Toyota Supra annual kit from 1982/83 - a picture of the kit is at the link in Carl's post above. One of MPC's best annual kits ever, IMHO. Here's a picture.... .... of my build of the kit....primarily a cleanup of some of the gee-gaws on the original Supra body and some typical early 1980's mods including a California ride/stance.... Here's a link to 16 more pictures of the build for anyone who might be interested.....TIM

Dennis....just saw this. Great job. And love, love, love the choice of a Y-Block for the engine. And yes, Dave, just saw your comment. Yeah, very, very big smile here. Best....TIM .

Bill....can't wait to see your latest update and progress......Cheers....TIM

Heh guys...great to see this thread hoppin' once again. Boy some great work on display here! Congrats to all....TIM

I posted a message with info about the new kit a couple of months back here, perhaps someone can find it and link it to this thread.....TIM

Images of the kit and mostly its new contents at this link; including the instruction sheet. Start at image #08....TIM

Yikes.....someone is very misinformed on this one...... As to your direct question, yes a few fellow model car builders joined me in a trip to Boyd's original backyard shop in Stanton in early 1984.....including (I think) David Dale, Gary Gollehon (sp?), Jim Kampmann, and a few other names you might recognize....TIM

Guys...I've taken up way too much of your time, and space on this thread, regarding this topic. As I said before, I don't expect to change your views on this topic, nor will mine be changed. I just hope we can respect each other's thoughts on this. Thanks for taking the time to express yours. I'm going to sign off on this one now; feel free to continue to respond as you see fit. Over and out....TIM

Chuck....that's not far off how I see this....thanks for putting it in your own words that are perhaps a little more clear than mine were....TIM

OK James, i guess I need to respond to you as well. Apparently I have done a less than stellar job of explaining my position on this so I will try once more. 1) I get in that in today's world the majority of newly tooled kits will omit the engine. I don't personally like this, but as a business person I understand the logic and the need to balance product development costs and product complexity with what the market will accept in terms of pricing. 2) However, as someone who worked in the auto industry for 35 years, I can state with certainty that there are certain automotive products wherein the engine comprises a huge portion of the commercial appeal of the product, and generates much of the enthusiasm around the vehicle. And with those specific automotive topics, a scale representation of the engine becomes a much higher priority in kit design and business case development. Some of these are Ferraris, Lambos, Corvettes, and yes, Aston Martins and 5.0L Mustangs. The new Supra? Not so much, in that (as we all know) it does not use a bespoke Toyota engine. Kinda hard to fault any model company for omitting that one. And yes, much as I don't like it personally, I agree that the other kits you cite (MX-5, Toyoda AA et al) are probably good examples of point #1. So no, I did not criticize those. As for the AMG GT3, I didn't buy that kit but had I, I should have voiced the same concern. And I should have spoken up when I bought the Aoshima Aventador LP700-4 with the understanding it had a complete engine, only to open the box and find something far less than that. 3) Most people in the hobby today seem to believe Tamiya is the world's best kitmaker (overall), and certainly from a business point of view they seem to be the most consistently successful in that criteria as well. Along with that comes higher expectations. Sadly, based on what I see at this point, I don't think we will be seeing newly tooled kits of new automotive introductions from any of the traditionally "domestic" kitmakers any time soon, other than one possible exception involving a future product topic that I do not have a sense of just how seriously is actually being considered. If we are going to get new kits of new cars and trucks, they are probably going to have to come from overseas kitmakers, and for the reasons cited at the beginning of this point #3, Tamiya is the most likely candidate to develop those kits. Now, the point I am trying to make is that if one of those kits is of an automotive topic where the engine represents a large degree of the appeal (such as the Corvette C8), then in my strongly held view the kit must then include a full representation of the engine, not a partial engine or no engine, and not a body that omits an opening hood. And since it appears to me that Tamiya would be the most logical candidate to product such a kit, I just want to do my own little part to express my hope that they will deliver such a kit. I only represent one vote in this matter, others may agree or disagree. But I will continue to express my views on the subject, as do others whether they agree with me or not. As some of you reading this thread have commented, when the kit is of a race car instead of a production car, it is more generally accepted by some that the kit will omit a full detail engine (though that seems a bit perverse to me). In the case of the GT4, because there is no full detail kit of a production S550 Mustang, the Tamiya race car is the closest thing we will ever have to a production S550 kit (sadly) and that is again why personally I am so highly disappointed with the way the kit was produced. If they follow with a full detail kit (as I have heard from some vague rumors), then I will be just as happy then as I am not happy now, and presuming it is done to the standards of the rest of the content of their kits, I will be happy to publicly acknowledge and praise them for their decision. James, I know I will have not changed your perspective. Nor do I willingly attempt to talk down to anyone, as we are all equals in this hobby and on this Forum. I do not agree with some of your comments above, but I do not intend to knowingly disrespect your views on this, as indicated by the time I have taken to draft this response. I do wish you would afford me the same consideration, which seems to me to me a bit missing in the first paragraph of your response above. Best Regards....TIM

I doubt that is the case but does anybody have any definitive proof of this? TB

Chuck, thanks for taking the time to present your point of view, always eloquently too, I might add. As for the thought experiment....I'm not asking for a working engine,,,,just a representation of the engine itself. The commensurate omission in your example would be the complete elimination steering components and the elimination of the door itself. I'm not asking those to be working, either, just be there. Otherwise....oh-oh...it's an incomplete kit (smile). (For those of you who don't know this, Chuck and I have (I hope) good-naturedly spared back and forth on this topic ever since he picked a curbside Chevy Astro kit as kit of the year back over several other really good kits, yes with engines. This was back in the 1990's when he was doing his terrific kit of the year article series for the late great Car MOdeler magazine. ) And come on, now, Chuck, you as the owner of a V8 S197 Mustang know the importance of the engine in the overall appeal of that car....which is one of the reasons this topic remains so near and dear to me. Anyway, thanks again for the response....TIM

Tom. I don't know, this happened after I retired at Ford. I've heard that there was cooperation between the two companies, but to what extent other than that the toy was ready at the global Mustang launch events, I do not know. TIM

Keep those comments coming..... I'm tied up right now and can't reply right at this moment, but I will tonight or tomorrow morning. Meanwhile, one thing we can all agree on is that Round 2 and Revell are both sorely lacking in their decision to forego development of S550 Mustang full detail kits (i have commented on this topic a number of times in the past, too). Had they done so, we would not be having this disagreement on the Tamiya kit. Also, I do not consider the Revell S550 snap-toy to be a kit at all, which is why I have not commented negatively on it to date. TIM

Guys, you can dismiss it and/or rationalize it all you want (and let me say, I fully acknowledge and respect your right to do so), but the fact remains, it's an incomplete effort as currently presented. Shame too, as from what I have seen so far, this could have easily been kit of the year had it had the full engine included. If there were other S550 generation Mustang full detail kits on the market, this would really not be an issue. But we are where we are. And yes, there are many modelers out there who still expect - and demand - a model kit to represent a complete miniaturization of the real thing, and for the construction of same to represent (within reason) what one would experience if he/she were doing a build of the real car. It is very evident from this and other conversations on this board that most of you feel otherwise, but trust me, out there in the broad word of model car kit buyers and builders, there are many that feel my way even - if they are not present here. Bottom line, huge missed opportunity from my point of view. Most of you here feel otherwise. I get it. But I'm not changing my view on this, nor do I expect you to. TIM

NIck...don't recall seeing pix of your boat models beore but I am sure liking this one. Cool paint fade and matching tow vehicle, too. And for others reading this thread, take note of Nick's comments about the Rayson-Craft kit; completely agree with them. Several of mine I built from partial build-ups sold on eBay.com, was able to piece them together using some of the carryover kit parts from the later c. 1968 AMT "Hull Raiser" Kindsvater hull kit, most recently available in the Model King 1970 Pontiac Bonneville/Drag Boat combo of the mid 2000's. TIM

David....a great looking boat! Congrats and thanks for posting the image, too. TIM

Pat and Keyser....thanks for the comments! TIM

Good news for Tamiya. NOW, just imagine where the kit would rank if it actually had a full detail engine. and compartment in the box …. TIM

Luc...the Fox generation of Mustangs, when equipped with the 5.0L OHV V-8, is considered by many here in the states as the "Modern Day 1955 Chevy" due to its affordability, diminutive size, comparatively light weight and simplified construction, and the ability to achieve noteworthy performance increases with relatively affordable expenditures for aftermarket parts. Still, between the Round 2/MPC kit and the "Kit that must not be mentioned...." (err....Revell LX 5,0), what we have is what we get. I personally don't see a business opportunity for a new, start from scratch kit range based on the this generation fo Mustang. Now as to the current generation S550 Mustang, which has been the world's best selling Sports Car for the last five years running, the lack of a complete full detail showroom stock kit of this Mustang carline is beyond any reasonable explanation - it is a great business opportunity for one of the world's kitmakers - but only if it includes a fully realized engine and engine compartment as part of the kit contents. I have talked to the major domestic kitmakers about this omission, and without divulging confidential information, due to an unfortunate set of circumstances I sort of understand why this occurred, even if I strongly disagree with the result. I don't have direct contacts with the Asian and European kitmakers, but if any of you do, i would only emphasize (again) the crucial importance of a complete and definitive treatment of the underhood area - any shortcuts here would largely tank such a kit for many (not all, but many) who would consider purchasing such a kit. Plans for the next upcoming generation of Mustangs were not defined when I retired from Ford so I don't know the product cadence or timing for the world of future Mustangs. Some media report a 2022/2023 time frame for such a product, but it is not known whether such information comes from reliable sources. as Ford does not publicly reveal future product plans. If and when the next generation of Mustang appears, one hopes that one or more of the model companies develops plan for a series of full detail kits of that product range. As for my personal role in researching and defining a parts and tool design for such a kit, Luc, no actions planned here, I am retired these days and plan to stay that way!!!! Cheers....TIM

Thanks Jon,...I have updated the kit commentary at my Fotki album to point out the tailamp issues. Jon, Roger, and others - I had already mentioned the plated headlamp lenses as a shortfall vs. contemporary kit expectations. Thanks all for your comments....TIM

Here's an overview of three Round 2 reissues that are hitting the market in May-June 2020. First up is the AMT 1965 Fairlane Late Model Stocker. It includes what appears to be a mostly redesigned decal sheet. Alan, I am pretty sure the guys at Round 2 read your complaints about the carryover decal sheet in the 1965 Chevelle Modified Stocker a few months ago, as to whether that is the explanation for what appears to be a partially updated decal sheet in this case is not known to me.... Next up is the AMT 1960 (Falcon-based) Ranchero. It is essentially the Ohio George Ranchero with a new and extensive Coke-based decal sheet, a set of two tinted clear coke bottle cases, and a Coke chest. As was the case with the Ohio George issue, also included is a newly tooled 1960 Falcon grille and hubcaps, vs. the original 1961 Falcon grille from the mid-1970 reissue of the original annual kit. Last up is the AMT 1963 Galaxie 500 Advanced Custom kit. This one has several past reissues (some are shown in the last image), in my case the most recent one dates from twenty years go. A welcome reissue with terrific new box art, the kit has the usual early 1960's tradeoffs in terms of an excellent body paired with a very basic chassis and an engine with a huge hole through the crankcase for the metal rod axle. The engine and chassis from the John Mueller era AMT-Ertl 1960 Starliner would be a great place to start for projects requiring a more accurate/contemporary engine and chassis. Builders will also need to find about five minutes with a file and sandpaper to refine the windshield opening trim at the top of the driver's side A-Pillar. Finally, an all new and very creative decal sheet is included. I've also included photos of the assembly manual for those that are not familiar with the original kit, particularly the "Advanced Custom" parts that are included. Check out 34 detailed images of the three kits focusing primarily on what's new or different at this link....and thanks for looking. (These kits were sent to me by Round 2 at their discretion; I did not ask for the kits nor did I make any promises as to whether I would show them in model car forums or make comments one way or the other regarding the kits).