tim boyd

Those of you who have read my many ramblings over the years have heard me talk about my recollections of seeing - and being highly surprised about - a 1/10th scale wood master of a Porsche 911 during one of my visits to the AMT headquarters when I was doing work for them as a private contractor. Well now, thanks to the efforts of Tim Rice who was a key member of the AMT Model Shop where the 1/10th scale masters of all AMT model kits were developed, here is visual proof that yes, it wasn't a just figment of my imagination. Check out the whole story here....for more images of the 911 project including detail shots, along with several other AMT projects that never saw the shelves of your local hobby shelf, and until today, we never even knew were under development. Fascinating stuff. And thanks to Tim Rice, his booth assistants, and the DAAM show management for making arrangements to share this history with us....TIM .

Join us here for a great visit with Tim Rice, formerly of AMT's Modeling Shop at the Maple Road factory in Troy, Michigan. Check out the photos and PLEASE read the photo captions too for this new and until now unknown news about one of or favorite model car companies suring the late 1960's to late 1970's. T Thanks Tim, for saving the artifacts and for sharing them now with the world's adult modeling community. ************ 1. The AMT GarWood Refuse body master....and no, it was not cancelled due to warpage during the AMT strike. See the real story as relayed by Tim, in the photo captions.... 2. Have any of you EVER heard of an AMT bottom dump grain hauler trailer for their 1/25th scale truck and trailer lineup? I sure hadn''t. But here's visual proof that not only was such a project underway, but it got much closer to actually happening than anyone would have expected...again, details in the photo captions at the link above.... 3. Another unknown project....a foam tank and boom squirter to be added to AMT's American LaFrance Fire Equipment lineup.... . And finally, images of the cancelled 1/25th scale Porsche 911 (also posted at the Car Kits and Reviews section)....and a whole variety of Star Trek projects.... Thanks to Tim Rice for saving these artifacts, and thanks to Tim and the DAAM management team for all their efforts to arrange and show these projects to us now. Just wow!!!! TIM

The Detroit Area Auto Modelers (DAAM) conducted their Spring 2019 show on March 31 at the Macomb Community College Campus north of Detroit. In photographing these models, the image following each model includes the builder's name, to the best of my ability to photograph it. Directly below, Tom Kasper's 1/25th scale Harley Drag Bike... I have to say, i was tremendously impressed by a number of the models that turned out for the show this year. Not to mention a great collection of work from Vern Heizer of Ohio. Additional highlights included the latest from Dave Metzner and Moebius, including several versions of the 1965-66 F-100 series and a new spread axle flatbed trailer project. And a fascinating display of artifacts from Tim Rice who worked in the AMT Corporation Model Shop - including several heretofore unknown AMT projects that were well into the development process before being cancelled. Check out the images here for the whole story....and thanks to the DAAM management team and to all who participated for an excellent show. TIM

Guys....later today I will post pictures of the following..... 1. 1/10th scale wood masters of the original AMT GarWood Refuse body for the AMT kit truck line.... 2. 1/10th scale wood masters of a to-this-time unknown AMT Semi-Trailer project that was later cancelled - it was (is) a bottom dump grain hauler trailer and the detail on it is spectacular... In all my years I had never heard even a whisper of this project....and I don't think many of you had heard of it either. But there it was....this morning. 3. Dave Metzner formally announced Moebius' plans for a 48 foot spread axle flatbed trailer project. Pictures of all of the above....later today. TIM

This shows the new Dodge D100 hubcaps (right) and a new parts tree, vs. the hub caps in the MPC 1978 Dodge Monaco Police car kits. Clearly the new hub caps come from a different mold. The Police Car kit hubcaps at the left are similar, but look closely and it becomes evident that the pseudo "bolt" details on that parts tree are not anywhere nearly as clearly defined as hey are on the newly tooled hubcaps at right. One more view of the Police Car kit hubcaps at left vs. the newly tooled hub caps ar right. Interestingly, the old MPC Police car hubcaps on the left look more like the information posted by John above from the truck brochure, than do the newly tooled hubcaps on the right.... Thanks guys for the added info.....TIM

Sorry John....no insight from me on this. But like the rest of you, I'd sure like to see this Duster Pro-Stock kit return some day...TIM

Supposedly we are going to see that original 1/10th scale wood master of the Garwood refuse body at the DAAM contest this Sunday near Detroit.....TIM

The AMT Willys/Deuce Sedan Custom double kit was advertised very late in 1963 so from that we could presume it hit the streets around December 1963 or very early in 1964.....TIM

Stick with them, and I suspect that you will see most or all of those (or at least the components to kitbash 'em together) eventually.....but it may be a few years.....and (of course) as long as each of the new kits sell well when they are introduced.....TIM

Correct..... TB

That is a really fine replica of a little-known '74 Mopar B-Body car. Check out the interior - Michael has even recreated the very distinctive cloth upholstery that was unique to the Sundance option.....TIM

Not quite sure exactly what is being referred to here, but wanted to make clear for those that are not familiar with this kit series, it is entirely different than the original AMT 1925 T Trophy Series Double Kit tool. No parts shared, and the buildup strategy is somewhat different too. This applies to this '23T Roadster kit and the other two other Model T kits in this AMT tool, the Depot Hack and Delivery van kits. None of these share anything with the original AMT '25T Double Kit. BTW, the Depot Hack kit has instructions on adapting the street rod version of the '23T kit chassis/engine to the depot hack body. I don't know if the tool configuration would support this, but a cool new kit release would be the '23T Street Rod kit chassis with the remainder of the Depot Hack kit.... TIM

For any of those of you who have joined this thread in progress, I posted a link to a full review (with 38 images and commentary) of the kit release in the first message in this thread. So you don't have to go back there to find it, here's the link.... Here's the decal sheet from that review....the "Dodge decals at the center right also include a white version left of the blue Dodge logo.... Round 2 has prioritized decals of instrument clusters for future releases from what I am told...TIM

x2 on all of Mark's comments. I have been after Round 2 for several years to consider a reissue of this '23 T Roadster kit. Happy to see it is in the works. Just be aware that the kit as it builds is substantially less attractive than the killer box art illustration! TIM PS = and FWIW, I have also counseled against a reissue of that dreadful '34 3 window.....TB

Guys.....my guess is that a factory 4x4 version is quite likely a future possibility. I love the "Macho" idea, and the Simon and Simon idea seems cool too! Round 2 is apparently getting ton of interest in this new release......of course, best thing to do to see future spinoffs is to by the one on the shelf today (or in this case, a month from now), but then again you all already knew that..... Thanks for the comments.....TIM

Wow....I sure don't remember that. Amazing that this stuff is still out there. But as you can tell from the expressions on our faces, great times ensue when model car builders get together! Thanks for posting, George!. TIM

Steven, you have certainly set a new high water mark for "replica stock" model car projects. And I think you've done great justice to one of Ford's best 1960's designs, and you your own modeling skills. Big congrats! TIM

Thanks Bill....both of my "Baja Brute" kits have sealed parts packs that I do not want to break apart, but I'll see if I can locate the parts anyway and see if they - or the Monster Truck kit parts - are the ones in the new kit. BTW, Luc agrees with you on this; he PM'ed me with the same comments.....TIM

I suspect most all of you will have already seen this, but just in case, here's the detailed first look at the kit.....TIM

Here's an advance look at this new kit from Round 2 that has prompted quite a bit of discussion on the various model message boards and forums. Although the tool itself is well known, the components have never been released in this exact form, and it has been a long, long time (almost 40 years IIRC) since the 1972-1979 Dodge pickup kit has been marketed in the LWB Sweptside and 4x2 factory stock form. Not only that, it was never available until now as a showroom stock, 1978 model year, 4x2, and LWB Sweptside pickup box. One example? The newly tooled open wheel rims and hub caps shown here. s Also of note - an all-new decal sheet, with a nod to our generation's leading model car kit historian, Mark Budniewski, all new box art, and a 1/25th scale dirt bike accessory. Take a look below for further details....and be sure to use the Roll View or Full View feature so you can see my comments and info, including number of unexpected surprises lurking in these parts trees, and a look back at the assembly manual from the first ever release of this tool, MPC's 1972 annual "Baja Brute" kit. The current forecast is that the kit is expected to be in stores and available by mail order in early April. See the 38 images and captions at this link...... Thanks for your interest....TIM (Disclosure - this is a sample kit provided to me by Round 2 management without charge to me. From time to time and upon their request, I assist Round 2 with kit development elements, also at no charge to them.)

Alan....thanks for the comments.....and yes, on this one at least, I do tentatively plan to take a close look and at least post some preliminary observations.....TIM

Phil....I gotta agree with you here.....it was also my favorite among all 8 consistently outstanding Ridler finalists this year. The fact that it won the Ridler on Sunday was no surprise to me. It was the clearest winner in my mind since Chip's last two Ridler winners...….TIM

No one has mentioned the old Monogram/Revell 1977 Jeep CJ-7 2 in 1 kit....although it has its foibles, overall it is a much better kit than most modelers would expect it to be. I'll have more to say and show on this in the relatively near term future. TIM

Good input. Mark's comment on the MPC Wildy Willie Borsch Fuel Alternated is spot on. The same basic engine (with different blower hat and valve covers IIFC) in MPC"s Bantam Blast kit is maybe even better. It has working butterflies IIRC. TIM

I hear that it will be available about a month from now. Glad to hear that it is a LWB/long box after all; that is what I understood but some of the feedback here over the last couple of months made me think maybe I was misinformed….. Anxious to see it just like the rest of you....TB