tim boyd

The two sets of frame rails, interior side panels, firewalls, seats (and several other sets of parts yet to be mentioned) are required to support the two different building versions (Highboy w/ '32 frame and Channeled with Model A frame). It really is surprising how many components change based on these two building alternatives. Pretty much anyone who buys this kit is probably going to want to eventually build both versions...and they're also going to have a ton of very cool leftover parts for the parts box after building the kit twice. TB

Thanks for the feedback, Scott, much appreciated. TIM.

By far the best resource is the Directory mentioned by Scott above. I agree that it is not 100% accurate, but I've been keeping track over the years and I would estimate that it IS about 98% accurate. Easy to use and updated frequently. Co-author Bob Shelton is supposed to be at NNL East this weekend and I'm sure he'll have copies on sale there. Highly, highly recommended. TIM

Chris is correct, photo #7 shows the fuel cell - it's not valve coves and intake molded together. Did you also notice the Battery Box on the lower LH corner of Photo #7? Or the fuel block and individual fuel lines to the Hilborn injection option in Photo #4? Bernard...Revell advised me a month or so ago that they changed the Dana rear diff to a Ford 9" rear axle - still not the Halibrand Quick Change, but more correct for a street-driven traditional style hot rod than the Dana. Norm Veber is still working on a transkit for the HQC.... Jim....thanks for the photos. Most Excellent! TIM

Bob...you are correct, any 440 powered Road Runner also wore "GTX" badging in the 1972, '73, and '74 model years. Funny thing, though, I never noticed this on the Silver Frost 440 powered '74 Road Runner at the Plymouth dealer in Ypsilanti, MI, in the fall of '73. Only became aware of this many, many years later. TIM

In the hopes of being helpful here, this is a link to my online review of the AMT/Ertl reissue of the '68 Road Runner last year. It also includes some comparison photos to the original JoHan '69 Road Runner body. http://public.fotki.com/funman1712/first-look-at-all-n/refreshed-amt-round/ I agree with the apparent majority opinion here, that the best combo (short of an all-new tool, which is unlikely in my view), is the AMT/Ertl kit innards, combined with the JoHan original issue body. Of course, JoHan also did a '70 annual kit in 1/25th which could also be combined with the AMT/Ertl kit innards, but the last time I checked, those were priced way up in the stratosphere.... Best regards...TIM

Good discussion here...as many of you know, both Bill Coulter and I owned new, factory ordered '74 Road Runners, his black with white stripes and the (standard) dual exhaust version of the 318, mine black with red stripes and the new for '74 "E58" hipo 360. First some photos...then some additional info on the kits you really want to track down... For those building a '74...you want either the original MPC annual kit, the Daisy Dukes reissue, or the metal box edition. Only those have the correct dual exhausts and '71-'74 interior instrument panel. The Daisy Dukes version adds the correct bodyside/roof/hood stripes (which were not in the original annual kit) in the factory correct shades of white, black, and what I call "Mopar Tomato Red", but these are missing the Road Runner bird decals on the stripe and the decal sheet also omits the "bird" for the right rear deck. The metal tin edition uses essentially the same decal sheet, but with the correct bird decals added to each of the side stripes (all three colors) and with four stand alone bird decals for the trunk (and extras). Bottom line, the metal tin edition is the one to get, with the added bonus of not paying the "Dukes" premium, offset to a degree by the metal tin edition carrying a higher MSRP when the kit was issued. Hope that helps...TB

Bill and Harry's new book is incredibly well done and highly recommeded. Over 200 full color pages of models and kits? Amazing! TB

Larry....that Lotus is super sharp! Congrats on your build....TIM

Thanks Pete....TIM

top line impressions.... * a beautiful piece of work (as expected), such things as nearly invisible parting lines on the body, and much more accurate side vents, reflect the progress you'd expect vs. the old AMT . Al;so, the center body tucks way under which is not the case (and would have been difficult to accomplish with a one piece body given mid 1960's kit tooling technology). * if your frame of 300 SL model car reference is the AMT 1/25th scale kit (as is mine), your first reaction may be "boy this thing is big" (from looking at the body, and the tube framing assemblies). And after pulling out the AMT to compare, yes it (the Tamiya) really IS big, much moreso than I would have expected between 1/24th and 1/25th scale. (Maybe that AMT kit was a tad smaller than 1/25th??? (without breaking out the ruler to check)). I certainly won't be swapping the AMT Rudge wheels (as I had hoped) onto this Tamiya SL, that's for sure. * there aren't as many trees of parts as I would have expected after having looked over the instructions preview (thanks again for posting that above), but everything looks orderly and well laid out. * there are a couple of parts where two adjacent components are molded together (old Monogram style) rather than separately as I'd prefer, but that's about the only thing I could cite that falls short of expectations. * finally, the kits were securely packaged and arrived perfectly, but the kits themselves were not sealed. Is that normal procedure (e.g. because of customs) for kits mailed overseas? I don't have time right now to do an online preview of the kit, I'm sure some of you who are more familiar with Tamiya kits can do it better justice than I. If I get some time later, though, I may do a "retro" posting of the AMT kit innards. A little busy right now, but best case maybe I can start working on it next week. It's been quite some time since I've done a major Tamiya kit build...should be fun. TB

Just got a package here from HLJ after getting a shipping confirmation ttwo days ago. Ya think it could be? It has to be. The package will be opened momentarily. I'm really excited. TB

The '37 Chevy tool was mostly cleaned up (which it badly needed) with the Model King release mid-last-decade. The only part that seems to have suffered further in the newest issue is the steering wheel for the street rod version, which is now about unusable. The stock seat and other restored parts are well done. When you count the new larger decal sheet, the tires (four pad printed wide whitewalls are a first for this kit), and the overall relatively good condition of the tool, other than that steering wheel, this is probably as close to the original 1967 kit issue as you can get without spending the $60-$80 to actually acquire the original. TB

Had a nice chat with Gary today on an unrelated subject....he reported that the '48 Chev Coupes are in full production in Korea as we speak....so it should only be a few months now until they are here ready for sale. Like many of you....can't wait. TB

Wow...that is one sharp truck. and a way cool kitbash to boot! Congrats....TIM

Andy/Kevin. Unless I'm missing something, the AMT fenders are for a '28'29 Model A, while the R&M of Md body would theoretically fit Revell '30A/'31A Tudor/Woody fenders. Problem is, those Revell fenders seem to have a problem on the rear...one side of the rear fenders doesn't center the rear tires properly. Still...would be a very cool model to build if you could fix the Revell fenders...TB

Excerpts from Post #8 on page 1 of this thread... " * The wheels and brake drums are highly detailed....with studs on the finned Buick-style brake drums and holes in the wheels for the studs....and the wheels include fine valve stems. Backing plates front and rear are the traditional ’40 Ford style." " * The suspension is very traditional up front, with a dropped I-Beam (yes!) and split wishbones." * " And speaking of tires, they're all new tools and appear just about perfect for all our Traditional Hot Rod Builds..." I think the last couple pages of this thread have been diverging into all the kitbashing opportunities afforded by this new Revell kit...including those featuring the '30 Chopped A Five Window bodies in the aftermarket...(R&M of Md, Jimmy Fllntstone, and R&R VacuumCraft...) Hope this helps answer your question and explain the latest posts here..../Cheers...TIM .

I found few more shots of the Chopped Five Window Model A Coupe.... Rear 3/4 passenger side view...note the louvered R&M of Md. trunk lid..and Halibrand quick change peeking out from underneath... Love these low angle shots but maybe I got a bit too carried away on this one...the separate windshield frame on the R&M of Md. body allows you to pose the windshield open, as seen on many Traditional style Model A Coupes....the "camshaft" front frame crossover bar is from the recently reissued AMT Engine Parts Packs...Buick finned brake drums and '40 Ford backing plates are from R&M of Md., the latter wearing Alclad II paint...the "Guide" headlamps are from the latest reissue of the Monogram/Revell '30 Model A Touring/Phaeton kit./..the drilled windshield visor is part of the R&M kit (which also includes a stock, non-drilled visor). Thanks again for all the feedback on this...TB

Skip...a very big "THANKS" for the lead on the Dennis Adler MB 300SL book. Ordered a used copy through Amazon and got it today. Just as you said, a great reference for 300SL modelers! Cheers....TIM

Dave....Greg....Don....Bob.....thanks! Yes, the rear tires are from the Rat Roaster, as are the wheels front and rear. The front tires are from the Revell '62 Corvette Gasser. The backdrop is a photo I took of Lake Michigan from the Bay Harbor Resort south of Petoskey, Michigan. The base is a piece of foamcore that Tom Woodruff painted and detailed and gave to me (THANKS AGAIN. TOM!). The "logs" mask the transition from the "real" background to the "photo" background, and they are simply the dead stems from the Species Daylillies that I grow in my yard during the summer. I posted an image similar to this one on the H>A>M>B> some time ago, and it fooled several people until they looked closer and figured out it was actually a model car instead of a 1/1. I much prefer to present my finished model cars in a "lifelike" setting like this, but that sentiment doesn't seem to be shared by many others in this hobby (or at least, that's what I'm told). Dave., I really like your "Sweep the Bench" phrase. For me, three prior "sweep the bench" kits were the Revell Kurtis Midgets, the Revell '32 Ford Three Window Street Rod kit circa September, 1996, and the original Revell John Buttera '26 T sedan when it first hit the market around 1975. In all three cases, I "swept the bench" and pounded out the new model start to finish without interruption. I have no doubts that the Revell '29 A Roadster, and just as importantly, whatever Revell follows up with using the same basic tool, will also be "sweep the bench" moments for me, and, it sounds like, for you too. Best...TB PS - if any of you need details about the '30 A Highboy build pictured above, send me a PM and I'll link you to a reference with more details.

Here's a chopped '30 Model A Five Window Coupe I built last year using the body from Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland, along with a number of their other parts kits (brakes, suspension, etc.). Thanks for looking...>TIM

Dave...not exactly sure what you are envisioning here....but basically the Model A chassis was consistent across the '28-'31 model years even as the bodies varied quite a bit between '28/'29 and '30/'31 model years. So if you are doing a '31 Model A Sedan on the new Revell kit's Z'ed Model A frame, everything should work. You'll need to notch the '31 A firewall, and hog out the floorboards, to allow the body to sit in a channeled confifguration. Or you could go "highboy" style by putting the body on top of the Model A frame (much as the Vern Tardell/Mike Bishop highboy roadster pictured earlier in this thread); you'd still need to hog out the floorboard in back where the new Revell frame is "Z'ed. Anyway you go with this, though, it's gonna be very cool when you are done with it! TIM

Del...I've always thought that the Revell Buttera '26 T Sedan//faux Sedan Delivery and '27T Touring were properly sized. But the '33/'34 Ford kits based on this same tooling were woefully undersized and misproportioned, as they attempted to compress that body design to fit the much shorter Late T chassis wheelbase (apologizing in advance if you already knew this). Again, maybe I need to compare them....but my recollection is that the AMT and Revell '27 T Tourings were pretty close in size and execution as well, with some detail differences (such as the curvature of the front cowl). Best...TB

I've never directly compared the two (Gee, I should probably do that, huh?!), but the Monogram 1/24th body is not as accurate as the R&M of Co. Md. 1/25th body...i.e. compare the belt moldings underneath the windows... . TIM

Joe....the process to do a hood to fit a '29A Roadster on '32 Ford rails along with a Deuce grill has been covered several times in the mags over the years. These include articles in the other model car magazine around 1983 or so (it was called "Highboy Heaven IIRC) and again in the late 1990's. I can look up the issues if you need them. In both cases, this involved taking a '32 Ford hood, and narrowing it (via removing a V-Shaped section) toward the rear to fit the smaller cowl of the '29A body, then straightening out the forward and rear edges of the hood (which adopt a shallow "V" shape of their own after the narrowing operation). It's not a particularly hard modification, but you do need to have a sturdy mockup with the radiator/grille shell and body in place to make sure you get an accurate length dimension for the hood. TIM