tim boyd

Thanks in advance for looking....link directly below; five sample pictures follow. TIM http://public.fotki.com/funman1712/11-scale-automotive/2014-billetproof-an/

Well I just bought my first kit of this model from The Model Cave in Ypsilanti, Michigan, yesterday. In addition to everything else that's been said above about this kit, I was highly impressed with the presentation of the kit (the box art and especially the sleeve that fits over it), as well as the instruction sheet and the color printing on the last several pages (reminiscent of Moebius' best work here). Prior to any assembly (which is a highly important qualifier), my conclusion so far is that this is a highly impressive first 1/24th scale automotive kit from Meng. It does make me wonder what they will do as a follow-up automotive topic, and it really does raise the bar for the domestic manufacturers in terms of asserting "first to market' positioning for other automotive kit topics that have remained unkitted in recent years. TIM

I believe Jim may be referring to a planned series of 1932 Ford-based Parts Packs This was a very detailed and well thought out proposal, and if I recall correctly, I wrote an article on this stillborn Revell Parts Pack series that appeared in a mind 1990's issue of The Model Car Journal (published by Dennis Doty and Bob Woolley at the time). The article was based on copies of discarded documents that Jim had provided to Mark Gustavson, who then sent them to me. While my article was pretty comprehensive, it would be extremely interesting to hear the story first hand from its inventor and developer. Jim....over to you...! PS - my apologies in advance if this is not what your earlier note refers to! TIM

The first run of the stock '70 'cuda "2 in 1" is essentially sold out from what I understand. The tooling was converted over to the Sox and Martin kit version for the next assembly plant run. When that is done, presumably they will go back and run more of the stock kit version. TB

Still following this thread; interesting comments all. As for Revell in all of this, they appear to me to be targeting multiple markets. The '50 Olds, and '70 'cuda kits, have both sold extremely well from what I understand. Those are clearly targeted at the, ahem, "Mature" market that believes modeling is starting its third "Golden Age". But Revell is also very busy targeting new segments, with their just-announced '15 Mustang GT snap-kit and their simplified Pre-Painted models lines. The shop in Illinois is very, very busy with these projects art the moment, from what I understand. And while some of you may think that the '15 Mustang is targeted at the grey-beards, let me assure you that any '15 Mustang replica or kit will have extraordinarily strong cross-generational appeal. It is one of those truly timeless and classless automotive nameplates.... I'm just glad that we have such a broad range of new kit subjects these days,....from the latest exotics and imports, to newly tooled Bumpside Effies and F250 Super Duties, such longed-for, never before kitted topics as '65 Cyclones and Satellites, and even newly tooled Model T's. Who could have dreamed of all this just a few short years ago? TIM PS - just one more thought on this thread. Some kit topics are tooled and brought to market fairly quickly (in under a year), while others are projects that take multiple years to research, design, tool, go through several rounds of correcting test shots, and bring to market. So in a couple of years from now, when this thread gets resurfaced here, and if one or more of these kit suggestions have actually made it to the market, it would be then be tempting to conclude that this thread was the source of the idea for that kit. Given this variation in "development time to market", depending on the kit topic, that might - or might not - turn out to be the case. In any case, let's hope as there are a number of very good suggestions for kits (and "business cases" to back them up), in this thread. TB PSS - one more suggestion from this end beyond the '57 Ford Styleside, and '61-'63 F100 Unibodies, and '64-'66 F100's I mentioned earlier in this thread, would be the '67 and '68 Chevy pickup. These two model years had a very different, more passenger-car like front end vs. the later '69-'72 pickups. In the 1.1 scale community, the '67 and '68 Chevies are revered for this reason, and have seen countless features in the magazines that cover the aftermarket truck scene. Of course, there are countless reissues of the '72 Chevy and GMC pickups, but the original AMT ('67) and MPC ('68) annual kits reflecting this unigue front end are very hard to find on the collector market and are greatly simplified vs. today's kits. And of course, these would support all the future kit variations (both model years, stepside, fleetside, swb, lwb, cab/chassis w/ light duty wrecker bed, etc.) cited above in other responses to this thread. TB

One of the guys at Detroit Resin Automotive Group offer a resin '66 Valiant with a corrected two door hardtop roofline.... Thanks Mark for filling in the gaps on the Valiant Kit history. TIM

Chuck - that is one sharp kitbash! Way, way cool. TIM

Well stated, Robert. TIM

Scott said..."Valiant? Doubtful to me. Did AMT ever do a Valiant model? I know JoHan, Revell, and possibly MPC. But AMT? I don't remember". ********************** Yes, AMT did 1960(?), '61 (?) and '62 Valiants - the '62's were "Styline" kits - and some (or all) may have been under the sister "SMP" label AMT then the '63-'66 Valiants as promos and at least some of those years also as urbside-type "Craftsman Series" kits. I have the '62 and a couple '63's in my stash. I don't recall JoHan or MPC doing any Valiant kits (by '71, the year of the first MPC Duster, the 1/1 was no longer called a "Valiant Duster" by Plymouth as it was during the 1970 model year). TB

Harry is exactly correct. It was a multiple article series that ran starting in 1969. I used it as one of my references in building the funny car models that won Best Detail at the 1970 MPC contest at the Detroit Cobo Autorama... Tim

Mark,...it's been in scheduled for production overseas since late February....should be here in July/August (latest info as of several months ago from Gary Schmidt). Don't worry...it is coming. TIM p

Yep, Luc, agree fully. The '71 GTO's, particularly the Judge versions, were extremely low production vs. the '70's, but this seems to make them all the more valuable in the 1/1 scale auction world, where I would say they are near to the values for '70 GTO Judge converts. And yes, for a '71, the 455 HO was THE engine to have, and thus would be exactly the right choice for the kit version. TIM

Andy....again, fully agree with you on this. At the top of my pickup list (especially since Moebius is now doing the Bumpside '67-72 series) are the 1957 Ford Styleside and the 1961-63 Unibody F100. These are both iconic body styles, growing in popularity in the 1/1 scale hot rod world, and capable of many kit derivatives. The '57 has never been done as a 1/25th scale kit (though you can get one through Holthaus if memory serves), and the '61-63 Unibody has only been done as a LWB annual kit, and the old AMT '63 (due to having been reissued) is the only one you can realistically actually find (albeit with a 3 digit price tag for an touched kit), so I'd probably further narrow the focus to a SWB '61 or '62 Unibody. The '57 would lend itself (which some clever die design) to later '58, '59, and '60 kit versions, and the '61/'62 could later deliver some Flareside and/or chassis cab (e.g. wrecker) kits although these would be more difficult due to the need for a second body tool (due to the single unibody cab/pickkup design), and a second, longer wheelbase chassis. In that regard, maybe it might be better (from a business case perspective) to do the '64-66 versions, which returned to a separate cab for the Styeside pickup and also have never been done as a 1/25th scale kit. These would more easily support later, derivative kit versions. TIM

Robert...right on, man! Love that '70 LS6, and would also love to see it as an El Camino (ergo my article in the latest Model Cars magazine). Not to mention that '70 GTO Judge convertible you suggest, which would also need to include the first-ever in 1/25th scale correct Ram Air IV engine as well. That one is at the top of my personal "new muscle car model kit list" right at the moment, now that the '70 'cuda has made it to the market ... TIM

Alan, Cheers yourself, mate! Fully agree with you on a '34 Chevy series, although from my point of view, I would be happy with anything from a '33-36 model year vintage, Master or DeLuxe series. I heard a rumor that a kit topic something like this might have been under possible consideration at one point, but that was several years ago and I don't recall where I heard it (it wasn't directly from the model companies, that's for sure, because if it was, I couldn't be mentioning it here!), and I can't remember to what company (if any) the possible development was attributed, either. A few years back I would have said "no way ever on this face of this earth", but what with chopped '49 Merc and early 50's Hudson kits having been developed and selling successfully, these days a more topical statement might be "Never say never". TIM

Jeff...those are actually an early ('28/'29) Model A on the left, and a late ('30/'31) Model A on the right, but I fully agree with you, these would make excellent kit topics and particularly the chopped and channelled '31 A Coupe on the right is about THE hottest subject in the 1/1 scale Hot Rod world right now. I just finished a model build very similar to the one of the right, using the new Replicas and Miniatures body from Norm Veber, and I was extremely pleased with how it turned out. TIM

Chuck....just read your comments about the appropriateness (or more accurately, the inappropriateness) of SBC engines in Ford vehicles in your latest "Inspiration Files" in the new issue of MCM (#185) . Right-on! Interesting car you featured...it appears to be Michigan-based but i don't recall seeing it at any of the hot rod events I've attended in the area....anyway, enjoyed your feature. Sure would make a cool model car! Best regards...TIM

Thanks Ed! Best regards...TIM

Scott is correct here. Several street-legal Mopar engines, including the 1975/76 passenger car E58 360 hi-po, did not use Catalytic Converters in 1975 or 1976. IIRC (and someone needs to double check the following), Chrysler's famous (or perhaps infamous might be a better word???) "Lean Burn" engines during the mid 1970's were a further attempt to provide emissions compliance without the use of a Catalytic Converter. TIM

Wow John...you are quite the craftsman!!! Great to see the scratchbuilding and fabrication coming together so convincingly. Will be looking forward to seeing this one progress, but great work so far! Best Regards...TIM

Ed....multiple trusted sources have documented that Chrysler was planning a 6bbl street version of the 426 Hemi before it was cancelled, but I have never seen an actual photo of such a project. Accordingly, I am wondering what is the background of the full size photo you show in this post? Does it say whether it is a modern-day recreation or does it claim to be a restoration of a test engine that was constructed back in the day? In any case, your 1/25th scale replica looks terrific! Let us know once you decide to put it in a model car body - that ought to be quite the project! Best regards....TIM

Gerry....thanks for setting the record straight on this. Model kits take a LONG time to develop and do correctly. While it makes a great storyline to suggest that the new Meng kit prompted Revell to go ahead with a Raptor, the timelines involved for such a scenario to have taken place just don't meet the realities of kit development today. TIM

Guys....sorry to disappoint you on this, but IMC never made a 1/25th scale model of the original V4 powered mid-engine concept car. One of their very first kits, however, was the Mustang II concept car as pictured in Greg's post above. Best regards...TIM

Chuck,,,,John....James: Thanks, I don't get out so much anymore (my favorite hobby shop is a good half hour drive away)... Nice kit, anyway! TB

(Casey...would have sworn there was already a thread on the new Revell Boss 302 kit but didn't see it when I just looked...if so please move this to the existing thread.) All....maybe I missed the news but today I saw the new Revell '13 Boss 302 kit where I shop for kits - the Model Cave in Ypsilanti, Michigan. I would presume that it is also at other retailers with the special Revell/Hobbico advance distribution scheme. How appropriate; almost 50 years to the exact day that the original Mustang was introduced! ' Best..>TIM