tim boyd

Great story, Dennis....and now I better understand why your hot rod model projects and comments on other builds are so spot-on. Both the 1/1 and 1/25th versions totally rock. TIM

Guys...not that he would ever admit it here, but Fred has a very good excuse for not getting some models done...as in he just completed a totally killer, all new 351 Windsor powered 1/1 scale '32 all-steel Highboy Roadster....TIM

Greg...I don't know anything directly from Moebius about this kit. Only broadly that more versions of the basic kit tool are planned, of which this is apparently one of them. I believe I read on another board that the Missile kit is planned for sale early next year. Best regards...TIM

****The MPC Ventura kit in 1975 had a Pontiac engine, but the real 1/1 1975 Ventura (according to several reliable sources) had the Buick 350 small block engine, a much different engine and one that appears much different as well. There was a reason for the MPC kit engine choice, but I will disclose that at a future point in time. It would be interesting to see how that MPC tool Pontiac engine changed (or not) during the evolution of that kit tool. TIM

Bob...I agree about the kit...I have a couple of original ''66 Imperial annual kits I bought over 35 years ago....I think the '64-'66 Imperial was a classic and among the three, the '66 had its own distinctive flavor, captured well in the kit. and of course, there are also the way-cool car/pickup conversion parts in the '66 annual kit as well....TIM

Interesting question, and yes, this is a subject Revell, I suspect, might possibly have some interest in. As for me personally, I like all of your suggestions, particularly the beam axle and Quick Change. One suggestion I'd add for sure - lose the SBC. I mean, could we come up with any more generic of an engine choice??? So many other cool engine choices out there....preferably Ford engines (S.C.o.T Flathead V8, Ardun Ford V8, Y-Block Ford, Y-Block Lincoln, MEL, FE, 335 series Cleveland (a bucks-up choice for hot rods back then), a 385 series 429 Cobra Jet, etc, etc,, even a 289 or 302 Windsor with tri-power or dual quad cross-ram and Shelby Cobra valve covers/tri-y headers), but anything other than an SBC would be a close second choice. ....TIM

Marty....cool build. I've never seen the "Hero" derivative of the '66 Imperial annual kit built up. It's much closer to stock than I realized (I thought that the showroom stock grille had been altered, for instance). Hmmmm...... Best regards TIM

Bill....pretty much the same problem here....what color do I paint it? Yours are both excellent choices. TIM

Bill and Bill...exact same problem here. I'll try the refresh approach....TIM

Snake....last I heard, there is one mold (or enough of it left to make a kit reissue possible) that is actually in Round 2's tentative 2016 release plan. It's a kit that was only ever released once and then was only in production for less than a year. It's one we've heard that was retooled to a much different product, or. alternatively, permanently scrapped. Obviously, I am not authorized to reveal the subject, but assuming the plan to make it production ready plays out as envisioned, it's gong to blow away a lot of people. And if so, like the T500 California Hauler and several others mentioned above, it will once again reinforce the phrase "never say never" when it comes to the Round 2 tooling bank and the team that is harvesting these model tools and making them usable again.... TIM

Fred...looks like a great project underway here. I vote for the S&M Keystones and the big'n'little Goodyear RWL's....this is exactly how a bucks-up new 'cuda owner would have set up his car in "day two" form in the early 1970's.....and from my point of view, nothing looks better than an early 1970's Mopar B or E body with mags on Goodyear RWL Polyglas GT tires (F's or G's on the front, G's or H's on the back) which is of course very close to what the Round 2 AMT Goodyyear RWL parts pack tires represent. Cheers! TIM

Gaute....I agree with Greg's comment above. Will be following along with your updates, and thanks for sharing! TIM

Jairus...thanks for the comments, but Dave M. and the team at Moebius and its suppliers deserve all the credit on this one; I had nothing to do with it other that to say "great choice" when I heard it was in development. Best Regards and Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. TIM .

Gene....just want to add my vote here...this looks terrific and I like others especially like the paint color you choose. Maybe you should build more hot rod models.....! Cheers...TIM

Probably the same ones that are in the soon-to-be released '65 Belvedere kit.... see pictures at this link....TIM

Quoted from the top view of the MPC '65 Custom 880 Convertible box art: "Important Message: You are looking at an unretouched photograph of the 1/25 scale Dodge Custom 880. The new type of Styron plastic comes professionally finished in base Metallic Gold. No paint is necessary...but with a translucent top coat, your model is Best-of-Show." The MPC Monaco kit had a similar box art message. Since MPC's 1966 annual kits omitted this "new type of Stryon plastic", we can assume the idea did not play all that well.....on the other hand...as an 11 year old modeler who had marginal results with spray paints, I liked being able to assemble the Monaco kit without having to worry about paint. Hmmm....TB

All of my 1965 Monaco and Custom 880 convertible kits were molded in a metallic gold color. The 1966 Monaco 500 Hardtop and Polara 500 convertible kits were molded in white. They may have been molded in other colors too, but those above are the only ones I have seen personally. Cheers...TIM

You are correct....the Custom 880 upper door panel insert repeats the brushed vertical "aluminum" trim theme of the instrument panel in lieu of the Monaco's wicker trim, and the seat trim has a different sew style, as well as the bench seat with center fold down armrest i(f I am remembering correctly) vs. the Monaco's buckets. The MPC Custom 880 convertible kit interior nicely matches the 1/1 scale Custom 880 wagon interior my Dad owned (to the extent possible when comparing a convertible to a wagon interior). My comment above about the Monaco & Custom 880 interiors was intended reflect the overall interior treatment, not specific to the door panels and seats. Maybe I should have been more clear about that. Cheers...TB

The images posted just above from Ron and Charlie (via his link) look close to what I remember of the wicker treatment. Some decanted Testors enamel spray paint Base Gold, mixed with a buff or light beige flat paint, should get close to this look. TIM PS - if you study these interior photos (particularly the ones in Charlie's link) they clearly convey the money mother Mopar put into the 1965-1968 C-body interiors. The Monaco shared much of its interior appointments with the Custom 880 series, and my Dad's '65 Custom 880 wagon was one of them. We're talking real metal materials, die cast parts, detailed door panels; soft wrapped parts instead of hard plastics, we're talking real quality and heft. Sadly the finance guys got to the 1969 C-body replacements, and those interiors could not hold a candle to the '65-'68 models. TB

Exact same link as previously posted a few messages earlier above....good info nonetheless....Cheers TB

Bob...yep on that Big Block. The small block didn't return until the late 1980's Prestige Series '63 Roadster, IIRC. TIM

I recall this (the '63 Street Rod issue with the '67 backup lamp) being discussed the first time I visited the team at AMT headquarters on Maple Road in Troy around 1975. They were already aware of the problem, and had plans at that time (IIRC) to fix it. Apparently many 1.1 scale Vette enthusiasts had sent them letters about it. TIM

Just to reconfirm...the Revell 'cuda kit came out in the fourth quarter of 2013 (not 2014). Those of you with a reference library of model mags can see the eight-page article I did on this kit in the other car magazine in late 2013. The Sox and Martin version came along in the summer of 2014 I believe. When I was trying to get Revell to consider this kit, starting in the early 2000's and right through to 2010 or so, I always pitched the '70 Hemi 'cuda convertible as being the most logical choice (based on the 1.1 values and collectibility), so I would love to see one in scale. But alas, I've heard absolutely zero about any future spinoffs of this kit, convertible or otherwise. But contrary to what some of you guys think, i do not know everything that is going on at Revell (in fact, i don't know much of what goes on there in future kit development), so let's hope we are all surprised with another derivative of this kit sometime in the future. TIM n

A vinyl roof was optional on the '65 Monaco, although nearly all '65 Monacos I've seen include this option. Most of them I've seen were black (in fact, not sure I recall seeing any other color than black). Interior trim colors for the Monaco were somewhat restricted. If you go to the Hamtramck Registry website, they have scanned and posted most of the pages fgrom the dealer showroom color and trim manuals, which show the interior color and trim options for Mopars from the early 1960's through mid 1970's. It's an invaluable resource for this type of project. In this case, they are missing the 1965 Dodge Color and Trim Manual, but here's a link to a page that lists (but does not illustrate) the 1965 Monaco interior color choices http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/dealerships/DealershipDataBook/1965/65_Polara_Custom880_Monaco0002.jpg Finally, the '65-'68 Dodge C-body brochures in my library all show with Monaco (in '65) and Monaco 500 ('66-'68) wicker inserts being more goldish in color than beige or tan. But the dealer reference materials posted at the link above claim the inserts are "natural wicker" in color. So go figure...! Here's a photo from the Hamtramck Registry link above... Good luck with this project. TIM