tim boyd

Interesting conversations.... The original 1968 Coronet annual kit chassis did not come from the MPC 1965/66 Dodge C-body (Monaco/Monaco 500/Custom 880/Polara 500/Magnum II) tool, but it has been widely accepted that it was reused from the 1966/67 Charger annual kit tool, which itself was sourced from the "AMT" (but really designed and tooled by MPC) 1965 Coronet 500 annual kit. Maybe I (or someone else) need to dig out the above kits and do an updated comparison? I was also under the impression (but not clear understanding) that the MPC 1971 Charger annual kit had a fresh underbody tooling. More detective work needed? Finally, I am in the camp that says I doubt Round 2 will try another project adapting or cloning original annual kit body tooling to 1990s/early 2000s AMT/Ertl underbody content. Just like the 1/1 scale automotive world, sounds plausible on the surface but so many unknown/unexpected issues to actually deliver. Cool and creative idea, though, I must admit. TB

I have expressed to Round 2 my support for a reissue of both the Don Nicholson and (especially) the Gapp and Roush Pinto Pro Stock kits for at least 10 years now. especially since those two kits are by far (in my judgement) the most accurate of all the MPC pro-stock kits. Round 2 is very aware of the interest in reissuing their Pro Stock kits, and has been so for quite some time, but in this particular case doing so would apparently be far more difficult than it sounds on the surface and is probably not a viable option. As for the factory stock versions of the '73 and '74 Charger, I'd love to see that, however IIRC the 1980s modified reissue did not have an accurate rendition of the 1/1 surface/trim around the wheel openings (perhaps a remnant of the prior Petty Nascar kit?) and would not in my opinion satisfy the expectations of today's modeling community. I don't know the status of that tooling, nor if it would be possible to modify that tooling back to the original factory configuration, but I am guessing (no insider info here. mind you) that there are probably higher priority/much more viable projects on Round 2's current possibilities iist....TB

Just a heads-up that a full, in-depth kit review and buildup has just been posted at the online forum of the magazine that covers all types of scale models. It includes issues to watch out for when building the kit. If you are thinking of buying the kit, or you have bought it and have it in your personal build cue, recommend you take a minute and check it out... Best....TIM

Personally, I find it way cool when we find out that some of today's best and most notable builders (err...Wes that would include you...) actually have a prior history of notable success in our hobby. This whole story is neat in every sense of the word...TB

Turns out the issue, at least for me, may have been that my own images in my Fotki album were not loading properly, including when accessed from a site like MCM. So at least for me, on Sunday morning, Fotki was the issue, not the MCM Forum... TB

To all who have read this post, whether you posted comments or not, thanks for taking a look! Very much appreciated....TIM

Thanks Alan. Sometimes in spite of our best (not) intentions, things actually come out right after all. All part of the fun of modeling, yes? best...tB

Thanks Jeff - I always like to use real wood in my models if there is a credible application possibility. Best...TIM

Steve....I saw your post a few days ago and thought that it is a really cool and creative way to use that kit. The very things that make the kit undesirable on its own - primarily the undersized scale and proportions of the body - are instead used to accentuate the treatment and theme of your model. I thought "what a cool idea!". And even if you have what you call a wandering mind, I think the overall treatment of your model lends itself to a very coherent theme and delivery. "Well done" in my book. One question i had looking at your project, the side panel flame graphics, which look very cool here - did you paint those ore was it a very skillful use of kit decals, and if it was kit based, which kit? Thx for your comments! Cheers...TIM

On the bottom right of page 17 of the new (#226) issue of Model Cars mag are two side view (profile) shots of the car in nearly completed form, with and without the splash aprons....TB

Same here on Sunday morning....TB

Bill....I remember the stir created by the clone at the Detroit Autorama a few years ago...a totally first class effort. And believe it or not there was a model car event a few weeks ago at the Galpin Motorsports facility in LA where the original is to be restored....you can see the UT in the background of a photo of the model car table (along with many others like the Hirohata Merc....) Best...TB

Wow....just wow! Thx for this post! TB

Noel....I recall it being a combo of two of the Testors Model Masters "One Coat" metalflake lacquers....one of the colors being the "Fiery Orange" (IIRCC) and maybe a coat or two in the middle of the "Revin' Red" color....TB

Bob....glad you finally found this....TB

OK...finally(!!!) you can see the result/finished project posted elsewhere on this MCM forum here as well as in the current (May/June 2025) issue of the magazine that covers all genres of scale modeling (as a how-to assembly story). Thanks all for yor ongoing interest and patience in waiting to see the final outcome...TIM

Dan and Larry...thanks for the comments! Cheers....TIM

Charles...a comparison to a Don Mongomery book is very high praise in my book....thanks for that. Mr. Montgomery once wrote me a very nice note after reading one of my Gasser Kit History articles in (I think it was) SA, A real gentleman and incredibly influential author, it turns out....TB

Hi Claude....thanks for the comments. As for Santa Barbara and a TROG PG....don't I just wish!!! TB PS - my original thought was to use the aprons but during final assembly I almost dropped them. IIRC the MCM article shows the mockup in both forms....if not, I will find and post a picture of that stage in the build. The original R&C feature car that partially inspired this one had the aprons, and in the end, I decided to keep them. But it was a close call as which way to go....TB

This is a completion of a model project idea I've been carrying around in my mind for about 45 years now, for a scale replica of a mildly updated Ford 1963 F100 Unibody pickup. It was started several years before the newly tooled Round 2 version of the 1963 F100 became available, though I was able to use a few parts from the new kit (grille, bumpers, hub caps) during the final completion of the project. The rest of the parts (chassis/suspension/engine/floorboard) came from the "Bumpside" series of Moebius kits, which also enabled a change in the front suspension to the later "Twin I Beam" design. The buildup details of the project can be found in the current (May/June 2025) issue of the other model magazine that covers all genres of scale kits. You can check out the details there (but only after you view the "New Build 1 of 2" project in the current Model Cars magazine Issue #226 please and read more about that one in the "Model Cars" section of the Under Glass Forum heading). In the magazine article, there was only room for one photo of the completed model so shown below are some other views/outtake images of the project. Thanks for checking this out, and happy to answer any questions you have. Best....TIM The next two photos show the nearly completed project next to a box stock build of the Round2 newly tooled 1963 F100 kit... ******

For those that do not read Model Cars magazine, here are some photos of a recently completed fairly major kitbash project. It was inspired by the discovery of a very, very cool set of tall/n/taller post-WWI racing tires in an old Heller Talbot Lago Grand Prix racer kit, as well as a fairly similar 1/1 scale build featured in Rod and Custom magazine before it stopped publishing. I started with the Round 2 AMT "mod rod" reissue of a few year ago of most (but not quite all) of the original c.1962 AMT Ala-Kart/'29 Model A Roadster Trophy Series Double Kit. Much of the engine came from the Navarro Flathead in the Revell 1948 Ford Chopped Custom Coupe with headers from VCG Resins by Reese. The front and rear suspension are from the new Moebius Keeler's Kustom Model T and Fiat Altered kits. The paint is a matte finish aerosol from the Tamiya TS paint catalog. The complete buildup with more info on the overall inspiration for the project as well is in the current Model Cars Magazine Issue #226. ***** For those that have seen the magazine issue, below are some of the unused/cutting room floor images from the article submission (MCM Art Director Tim K. had already devoted eight pages of the mag to the subject so there just wasn't room in the mag for any more images of the finished model). ***** Hope you like it...or....more importantly, that you might be inspired to try one of your own along somewhat similar lines... Happy to have answer any questions you might have...TIM PS - will be posting images of the new build #2 in the Pickups section of Under Glass... BTW I fixed the white resin inside the exhaust headers visible in the images below....many of the photos here are of the car before its last-minute refinements for the final MCM photo session.... *****

Very, very tasty, Phil. Needless to say, this is exactly my kind of model building....Best....TIM

I did a "Classic kits" column in the all-genre model magazine a year or so ago, about the Accurate Miniatures McLaren. It included a summary of assembly critiques from several respected modelers and some of the inside story on the kit development from one of the Accurate Miniatures principals. Might be worth searching out for those deeply interested in the kit... TB

The only two 1/24th-1/25th kits with fully accurate showroom stock 351 Clevelands are the Revell 1970 Mustang Mach 1 from about 15 years ago, and the new Revell 1971 Boss 351 Mustang kits. The others listed above worked as 351 Cleveland stand-ins (to varying degrees) until we finally got the fully accurate representations in these two kits listed here. Good luck with your project! TIM

As one who has long called out the kit on these subjects, the 1971 Charger R/T was not available with the split bench seat as provided in the AMT-Ertl kit. It is theoretically possible that someone might have been able to get one on a special-order basis, but it was not a regular production option. The exterior rearview mirror in the AMT-Ertl kit was standard equipment spec for a 1971 Charger R/T, so the kit represented the way a car that year could be ordered. But the dual sport racing mirrors, either in plated chrome form or with matching body color paint, was the way the vast majority of 1971 Charger R/Ts were spec'd (either by the ordering dealer or by a retail customer order) and delivered. Hope that clarifies the topic....TIM