tim boyd

Jonathon, thanks for your comments. As I've always said, the most legitimate verdict on any kit is after you've built it. And on that basis, your conclusion above holds a good deal of validity with me. On the other hand, as someone who has observed your posts over the years here, it seems to me that you may be among those builders who summarily favor import designed kits over those of the domestic manufacturers. As someone who worked for 35 years in the domestic auto industry, I observed many times where foreign-designed cars were favored over domestic-designed cars without adequate justification, and I believe the same bias in favor of imports exists among some in the model building community. As such, I personally reject point blank any statement or inference that Tamiya kits are always superior to domestic-designed kits ( I am not suggesting that you made this statement, but I know some people do feel this way). There are cases, of course, where Tamiya kits are clearly superior, but not all. And so I take any critique such as this with a bit of caution. Still, having not built the kit myself, I find your comments instructional and informative, and in some cases worthy of follow-up should Round 2 pursue additional full detail kits (I will try to make sure they see your observations). Other comments you make - such as suggesting this is nothing more than a snap kit with an engine added, and that the extra rear suspension detail is not desirable, I personally summarily reject. How about others following this thread? Who else has built the Round 2 Full Detail Camaro kit? What is your verdict? Do you agree with Jonathon's conclusion? Thanks.....TIM ************************* PS, personally, I have many Japanese-designed kits, including some from Tamiya, in my own stash. I was also one of the very first in the States to have received two of the 300SL kits, and I am still hopeful that they will decide to do the Ferrari Berlinetta Lusso at some point in the future. TB .

In the April, 2014 issue of Model Cars magazine, I did an in-depth article on the history of 1/25th scale El Camino kits. Now there is a new chapter in that kit history, and all is revealed with 31 images and captions at this link.... and make sure to read the captions for some interesting tidbits along the way, too! And as always, thanks for looking....TIM

Miracles do sometimes happen.....it's amazing what Round 2 has found lurking in the old AMT tooling bank (for example, the original T500 California Hauler and more recently, the Soap Box Derby racer). A few years ago, no one I know of would have thought these tools still existed. If one of these "bonus kit" type things does eventually resurface as a new reissue, my guess is that it would more likely re-appear as a Bonus for some other kit release....e.g. a bonus for one of the old-time AMT or MPC pickup toolings that we already know exists. Similar to what they just did with the Soap Box Derby kit combined with the Mueller-era '68 El Camino SS. Much less likely, IMHO, would be a stand-alone parts pack offering. Bottom line on this one....never say never would be my advice. Time will tell if that advice has any legitimacy in this case......TIM

I've got the same Air-Trax kit too.....hope to build it someday as the '69 300 convertible. My dad bought a '69 Chrysler Town and Country wagon new, and believe it or not, it included the 300 interior components...... As for the color....there was very rare 1971 Mopar C-body factory color called "Mood Indigo". Kind of like Plum Crazy combined with deep midnight blue...yielding a very deep violet color. It was available RPO on the Plymouth Fury/Dodge Monaco-Polara, but was discontinued fairly early in the model run because there were so dealer/customer orders.....under 1,000 across both model lines IIRC. I got my Mood Indigo paint from MCW Automotive Finishes......TIM

Man I like your building style Dennis. Simply superb so far! TIM

Bill......really like that way of mocking up the rear end and placing the crossmember accordingly. Also, heartily endorse the use of "props" (e.g., in this case the scale concrete blocks) in the photos. Best......TIm

X2!!!! TIM

Here is the AMT Triumph Bonneville Salt Flats version and the Go-Kart Salt Flats version as pictured in a cover story of Model Cars magazine a few years back. All the details on these two kits were spilled out in that story.... And here's the "restored stock" version of the AMT Triumph 1962 model year Bonneville bike (these are VERY collectible in the 1/1 scale motorcycle community these days), and also "au-currant" in the Rat Rod/Traditional Hot Rod movement..... And finally, here's the third version of the Triumph (it was pitched as "3 in 1") which is a mildly hopped up stock bike with the racing seat, a different taillight,....and.always grinned that they call the ape-hangers "Crazy Bars" in the instructions posted by Casey above..... Hope that helps build the knowledge base on these kit accessories...TIM

John....that is a really fascinating subject for a model, and a great opportunity for you to demonstrate once again your modeling talent....which you have very convincingly so. In addition to the outstanding model, I really like your low-angle outdoor pictures - they really lend a realistic background that makes the onlooker do a double-take and ask - is that real or a model? Congratulations TIM

Bob..you are correct on the hard badging letters on the trunk lid, as seen in this picture of mine below....I thought you were referring to the birds which I understood to be the trademarked items from Warner Brothers......again, other than the IP badging, I believe all the cartoons were tape graphics. Now...makes me wonder if the road runner letters on the deck are decalized or engraved on the latest release.....TIM PS - for anyone building a 1969-74 Road Runner, the old Testors Light Purple spray is a close match for the purple "voice of the Road Runner" beep-beep horn in the engine compartment..TIM

From what I recall from my own car, the 1/1 scale '74 Road Runner exterior had decals of the Road Runner; there was no 3d RR badging or emblems whatsoever other than perhaps the emblem on the far right/passenger of the instrument panel (I let my 1/1 scale go about 26 years ago so the interior memory is a little vague). Without digging the latest (steel box) issue out of storage, my recollection is that it had all or almost all the (depending on the stripe colors) necessary RR decal/livery to accurately replicate the 1/1 car. So with the engraved RR emblems smoothed off the body as Bob mentions above, that actually makes the most current issue the most accurate one yet. TIM

Guys....as John notes, Round 2 is well aware of this request and they will check out the possibility....but they have many things on their plate and expecting a quick answer or announcement just isn't realistic Important thing is that they now know the interest, and quite frankly, in my view the good, well reasoned, and responsible dialogue in almost this thread goes a long way in making a good case for the possibility. After all, they are in business to make money, and if a way exists to reissue a kit within an affordable affordable capital investment/profitable return on investment scenario, it's in their best interest to look at it as a future business opportunity. I don't know anything more than this....so don't be expecting an announcement or a favorable answer any time soon....but at least it's on their radar screen. TIM

Kevin...cool picture and cool car! Interesting to note that the 5mph bumper blocks and guards have been removed on the rear bumper....something I always wanted to do on my 1.1 but never got the chance.....TIM

OK Randy, here's mine at the three year mark (just before Mopar's patented "swiss cheese" (rustout body integrity) took over..)..with added factory bright moldings ('73-'74 Sebring Plus Rocker Moldings and top of grille opening molding), Mopar B-Body trunklid luggage rack, lowered front suspension (loved those Mopar T-bar adjusting bolts), and the BF Goodrich Radial T/A's (F-60-15 and G-60-15) I won for taking second nationwide in the 1976 MPC National Customizing Championship (I could have never afforded those then-big-buck-tires on my own back then)....inside I was on my second or third FM-Stereo Tape Deck (the others having been ripped off in my college parking lot....grrrr....) and the Utah two-way bass reflex 6x9 speakers (the factory Mopar package shelf steel undershelf had openings for 1 5x7 factory speaker on one side, and a non-factory 6x9 opening on the other side..... I adapted..). The factory E68 360 hi-po (245 net horsepower, which equated to roughly 310 gross horsepower under the pre-'72 rating system) was really the best of both worlds back then - excellent performance including low-end torque, combined with reasonable (for the time) gas mileage as I was commuting to college and work at the time.... The deep black paint was polished with "Classic Car Wax", purported to be the only 100% Carnauba wax available at the time, while the Mopar Tomato Red Roof/hood/side stripes were already starting to fade despite multiple coats of wax and care..... Mechanically the car was excellent (accumulating 145,000 miles over 16 years) but the body rot was, well terminal. If it had not been, I would probably still have the car today.....TIM PS - I see on that rear view the red pinstriping I designed and added (that may have been a little over the top), the Lincoln Mk IV license plate frame I bought from the LM dealership where my friend worked in the new car prep department, and the dealership ID for Highland Chrysler Plymouth in Grand Rapids, where I ordered the car and had it serviced (Highland was just down the street from several muscle car era renowned dealerships for the other brands, and just as famous among the Mopar crowd as those others were for fans of Chevy and the like....) TB

Lovin' it Marc....so good to see you back at the bench! Cheers.....TIM

The '62 Dodge Dart 440 (equivalent to the non-sport Fury) received an optional additional side trim package, based in part on the Polara 500 version, at mid-year. It was not widely advertised (I recall first seeing it in my Dad's Business Week magazine, in an ad targeted at fleet buyers), but it was intended to address the "chopped up" side view that concerned Dodge Dealers and others after seeing the original Exner design. I recall reading that the Plymouth Fury got a similar optional treatment at mid-year, again intended to make the car look longer with a full front to rear side molding. I believe this info may have been conveyed in Collectible Auto magazine. Perhaps the differences in the cars above can be traced to that mid-model-year trim option on the Fury. TIM

From the latest pictures and description, it almost sounds like Testors Sapphire Blue Metalflake, which in reality was less a metalflake than an overly-enthusiastic Metallic. That color, of course, is still in Testors' lineup (though with a much-altered formula, it appears, most likely courtesy of our meddling government bureaucrats....don't get me started on that one!). TIM

Most of the people reading this board already know this, but for those that do not, GSL is the longest continuous running national-level model car contest in the history of the hobby. The first successful one took place in 1981 (the 1980 even was cancelled at the last minute). It ran annually for many years, then in more recent years, moved to a bi-annual format which seems to work well. More than just a contest, it is really a gathering of some of the world's best model car builders, as well as many aspiring and up and coming builders who are treated as equals and welcomed with great respect. You will occasionally read negative comments about GSL from some who attend the first time and don't understand what it is all about, but for many of us this is one of the premier events in the hobby. If you are reading this Board, you owe it to yourself to attend at least one GSL in your lifetime. TIM

Richard....if I am remembering correctly, Pactra had a very dark blue but it was in their "Diamond Flake" line, and it may have been called "Star Blue"???? But I agree with you and Bill that it was mostly likely the AMT dark blue pictured above.....TIM

Walter....as the former owner of a 1/1 scale factory-ordered-to-my-specs E58 (360 hi-po, dual exhausts, Carter Themoquad, et al) '74 Road Runner, I agree that this version of the MPC Road Runner kit is the best one ever, including the original 1974 annual kit. For those who are not as close to the details as Walter and I, this release has the best assortment of factory-correct '74 model year graphics and decals, it includes the correct dual exhaust and no catalyst as per the factory car, and the correct `71`-74 instrument panel. And rest assured, the model companies are well aware of the interest in reissuing the '71 GTX (Monogram and MPC) and '71 Road Runner (MPC). Have fun with the project and I'd love to see it when you are done....TIM

Bernard....just "discovered" this thread due to its location in a forum section that I generally do not visit daily. I better rethink that decision... Anyway....yet another fascinating BK build, I see. Great proportions and really encouraged to see that some builders like yourselves are still way into what I call "extreme kitbashing". And I think the weathering powder was exactly the right step to bringing this one home. Will be checking back for updates....but congratulations so far! TIM

Chuck.....a very cool project, excellent component choices, and an engaging writeup to boot Also like your "real background" photography. Really well done! TIM

I'm no expert on first gen Broncos. However I have first hand experience on how Ford allowed trucks to be ordered in the 1970's. That's because one of my first jobs at Ford was as the Truck Scheduler at the Lansing (Michigan) District Sales Office in 1978. I don't really want to remember much from back then, but let me summarize it quickly. Ford would let customers spec their trucks to almost any configuration, trim levels were not series like they are today but stand-alone options that overlayed other options and equipment. So I am not too surprised to learn that the truck the team at Revell measured might be spec'd the way it is noted in FJ's note directly above. TIM

Bob....that is totally killer! Really sharp. Sorry we missed each other at the NNL Nats....would have been good to catch up....Cheers....TIM

Russell.....now that is outright cool! A 1966 Blazer, ,right in front of our eyes. Somebody needs to build this (including kitbashing the 4x4 drivetrain) with tne Subby kit hits the market. TIM