tim boyd

Artful....I don't know the specifics of why a kit takes a certain amount of time to come out. A company may have a kit on their "to do list" for many years (I understand that the Revell Midget was in the plans for 10 years before it came out). A model company has to think through their entire kit catalog (not just genres of cars and trucks, but planes, mililtary, special interests, etc.) and make sure they have a balanced portfolio of new ideas each year. Maybe there are other ideas that just plain outrank our chosen topic, until it too eventually makes it to the top of the list. Then there is the availablity of capital, human resources, scheduling at tooling vendors, etc., etc. Once a kit is committed to production, they have to find the correct 1/1 scale car to research (a really important decision for a kit like this), design the kit, commission the tooling, then do several rounds of evaluation and correction of the tooling. Once the kit enters production, they need to complete the production run, get it on the water to the States, and then into the distribution system. Given the expectations of today's marketplace, and especially the expectations around getting the body right on this particular model, it's not too hard for me to understand the amount of time involved between a decision to go ahead and the kit appearing in the hobby store. I want to emphasize that this is my general knowledge of the subject, not a specific recap of any one kit or manufacturer's timing situation. As to why I or anybody else didn't say anything publicly about Revell's new 'cuda until now, I can only vouch for myself. Until I saw the Facebook post on Revell's website a couple of days ago, I didn't know for 100% sure that the kit would be produced. And then there is the matter of confidentiality - in a venture like this, a company has a right to expect confidentiality about future plans when they discuss them with outsiders, and that's something that I and others involved take very seriously. There are any number of instances in the last 50+ years of this hobby where plans of one manufacturer to do a particular kit subject were scuttled when they heard unauthorized news of another manufacturer's plans Sometimes the news was false - and that was the precise reason we didn't get a kit of the '49 or '50 Olds until this month vs. the original plans being made in the mid 1960's by one of our favorite U.S. model companies which were cancelled when they heard - incorrectly it turned out - that another manufacturer planned to product the same topic. Sure didn't want to see that repeated with this topic! Hope that explains at least a little bit of the background, at least as I know it. Best regards...TIM

Great reaction from everyone to the new 'cuda news. I appreciate any credit you want to give me, but all I did was supply information, ideas, and sources. If you talk to the guys at Revell, apparently many others did the same as well. All the credit really belongs to the team at Revell. THEY are the ones that did all the hard work, the planning, the budgeting, the engineering and fabrication, and the like to finally make this idea a reality. Best regards...TIM

The Revell team told me yesterday that all the tires on the Rat Roaster are all new....TIM

Cesar, personally I've had no discussions with Revell about the '71 so I don't know if there are any plans down the road. The level of changes between the '70 and '71 (the entirely different grille setup, the louvered front fenders, the different tailamps, different interior upholstery) would make this a pretty involved project requiring a different front, side and rear tool insert. As for a '70 1/2 AAR, that would be a much more containable project, but at this point it's just speculation as far as I know. Best regards...TIM

Virgil...thanks for the feedback! I do want to make sure everyone understands that I was nothing more than a bit player in this saga (albeit, a bit player with dreams, as accurately suggested by Virgil above)....it's the team at Revell that deserves the major kudos on this endeavour. TIM

Guys....I can't even tell you how happy I am today because as of 3:30pm yesterday, October, 6 2012, Revell has FINALLY gone public with their all-new '70 'cuda kit. Unfortunately I was on the other side of the exhibit hall when Roger Harney and Ed Sexton setup their display at the NNL but I talked with the Revell team extensively last night after the event and learned additional details, most (but not all) that I can share with you now. First, the kit is all-new. Revell understands with extreme clarity the issues with their prior attempts to do a '70 'cuda from existing tooling and they have gone to great lenths on this one to get the body proportions right. As I said above, I was not able to examine the samples, but others who did yesterday told me it looked exactly correct. The first kit out will be a 2 in 1 with multiple stock building options and a Foose-style Pro-Touring version with a dropped suspension and appropriate wheels and tires. The stock version with will include BOTH the chrome front bumper and the optional body-colored version (which are different in execution in the 1/1 scale 'cuda) - GREAT! (I had campaigned for the body color bumper but never dreamed Revell would decide to do both). The body has the correct "gill" rockers (which I also campaigned for). Both the standard dual scoop 'cuda hood and the Air Grabber (which I believe was standard on the 'cuda with a Hemi) are included, so while the kit has the 426 Hemi powertrain, the parts to kitbash several '70 'cuda powertrain variants are already in the box! The kit was designed by the same Revell staffer who did the '32 Street Rod series and Revell's '40 Ford series, along with some 300 Revell/Monogram kits previously. I think the comparison with the '32 Ford series is apt because my belief all along has been that a '70 'cuda kit, done right, could have the potential for the same degree of success and just as many variants down the road. Speaking of variants, I was surprised to learn a few years ago just how "close to stock" a certain '70 'cuda racing car was, and passed that on to the Revell team. Yesterday I was told by someone else (not Roger or Ed), that the very car I had referenced has already been tooled. I did learn that there are ideas for a third kit variant down to road if the first issue sells well, but I cannot share the details at this time. However, apparently the second version referenced above could be out within a year after the stock version hits the street. ************************************************* For those who know the '70 and '71 'cudas well, the '70 presented a pure design ethic, clearly delivered into the marketplace. In my personal and professional (auto industry career) opinion, the '71 'cuda was confused, overwrought with styling gimmicks and tacky graphics (of course, those very elements make it popular now), but the rising auction values for 1/1 scale '70 hemi 'cudas reflects the increased market awareness of its design virtues. There have been several OK and good sources of 1/24th/1/25th '71 'cudas in the intervening years, but up until last night, if you wanted an accurate 1/25th scale '70 'cuda, you paid about $200 for the original MPC annual kit. Now (and this presumes that the body proportions will live up to their billing), we'll be able to get a far more accurate kit, with great building options, for a price point just above 1/10th that price. As we now wait with baited breath (my own forecast is that we'll see the kit on the market next summer or early fall), I would like to thank all those who provided their support for this kit idea, on this message board and others, and all those who provided info to the Revell team. Also, I would like to thank the entire Revell team for their dedication and persistence in bringing this idea to market. Like many of the rest of us, I can hardly wait! Best regards...TIM

Well...actually....at least one of those, if not both (at least in my hope of hopes)...only a few days to go! TIM

IMC, Testors, Union, Revell, or your favorite resin casters....if they're 1946-48 Fords in 1/25th scale and they're serious models (no spoofs for this theme, please), they're welcome. You'll find the Cult Theme along the back of the left wall at the NNL National...come take a look even if you don';t have a model to enter....thanks TIM

************************************************************* I'm with Art on this one. Urban legend, and one of several inaccuracies in the Elapsed Time article (still, overall a good article and eight pages of model in a mainstream car mag is great!) I did box art models, hobby show samples, and models for Sales Staff meetings for AMT over this same period (perhaps starting a little later than Art did), and as he said, I recall the decision to go with box art photographhy came from AMT's management and was administered by their Art Department. However, my experience was somewhat different with respect to Bare-Metal (I used it on all of my box art builds), and I was not given any instructions as to specific chassis/engine/suspension colors. Years ago I contributed an article to the Thomas Voehringer web site recapping the phone call I got after turning in my build of the chopped '53 Stude that was used on the cover of the Salt Flats series kits (circa 1978). They were near apopletic (sp?) over the dechroming of the body and the molding in of the grille blanks, as I recall. My response? "Read your own instruction sheet!" I calmly copied the instruction sheet from the 1964 original release, sent it in the next day, and never heard another word. And the model appeared exactly as I had build it (except for AMT's addition of decals to the body) on the box art. Best regards...TIM

The "Cult Theme" for the 2012 NNL Nationals in a few weeks is "1946-48 Fords". If you have any built 1/25th scale '46-48 Fords from Revell, IMC/Testors/Union, or aftermarket castings, please join our 2012 cult theme display against the far wall near the photography booths. No displays or spoofs, please, as we are trying to create a realistic scale parking lot of rods, woodies, restorations, customs, gassers, or anything else with a '46-'48 Ford theme. Trailers with boats, bikes, drag racers et al are also welcome as long as they are attached to a '46-'48 Ford tow vehicle. With all the builds of the Revell '48 Ford Custom Coupe this year, and all the conversions of other '46-'48 Fords using parts from ths kit, there should be plenty of opportunities for you to display your themed builds along with the rest of us. Any questions, let me know. As for the h istory, this year's NNL Cult Theme is a return to our roots. The first ever NNL Cult theme was a the 1984 NNL Nationals (if memory serves me), and the theme was "Red 1948 Ford convertibles, built in 20 hours or less". The theme was inspired and created when a bunch of us were in Southern California and we went to Boyd Coddington's shop at his home in Stanton, Califorina. It was a standard two car wide garage in his back yard, but probably three cars deep. Inside was parked the prettiest 1948 Ford convertible, blood red with saddle guts. This was obviously years before Boyd became the star/hero most of us remember now. So anyway, we were all so inspired with the car that someone came up with the Cult Theme idea and we all decided to go for it. The first NNL Cult Theme was a success, and they continued on for a number of years, then were reinstated during the second half of the last decade. So...if you have a '46-'48 Ford in your display case, please dig it out and join us at this year's Cult Theme display. Best regards...TIM

John....I remember looking at this car in a 1968 issue of Car Craft (at least I think it was Car Craft) as a 14 year old modeler and thinking what a cool model car replica could be based on it. Now...only 44 years later, you make it a reality. And a spectacular one at that. BRAVO!!!! TIm

Bruno...that is a very, very sharp build of a personal favorite of mine (I don't really care much for Chevies, but that one is a very big exception). Excellent workmanship and paint detailing. Congratulations....TIM

Jason...those are really, REALLY, REALLY nice. Well done; and really sharp paint schemes. TIM

Bernard, I just checked, it has a three part sliding mold (top/left/right) one-piece frame (other than the roll bar and the crossmember that locates the driveshaft, so yes, that means it does not have the round tubing on the inside edges of the frame. Having fought the AMT Garlits and MPC Ramchargers two piece frames for decades, it's an action I can live with. Man, I can't wait for this one...sounds like many of you share the same view. TIM

Nick...you made me laugh out loud with that response. Same thing applies here, btw! TIM

Thanks Pat! TIM

James.....you are entitled to your opinion as I am to mine....and my opinion is that, in total, Revell is putting out the best kits in its history, and when judged in their totality including price and their imported ocmpetition, I believe many of their new kits offer outstanding attention to detail. There are people inside Revell who are very knowledgeable car enthusiasts and modelers. In the past, they have had discussions with aftermarket folks, before kits even hit the shelves, about spinoff aftermarket parts, Heck, from what I hear, in a few cases they've even given pre-production kits to the aftermarket to help expedite aftermarket products that support the kit. Now I have zero insider knowledge on this, but just suppose someone in the aftermarket is preparing a sedan body with Revell's encouragement/ccooperation, and with this knowledge, Revell decided to include the decals to make that conversion an easier to accomplish model? Then what would we say? At this point, to work ourselves up into a rage over something as inconsequential as this just doesn't make sense to me. Maybe to others, but not to me. TIM

\ JB....yeah, if this is just one of a bunch of mistakes that become apparent when the kit finally comes out and we build it, then I think people can justifiably point out this decal situation as an early indication of a flawed kit. On the other hand, If this is the only "mistake" and the rest of the kit is, as someone else remarked, a home run, then it becomes inconsequential in the bigger picture. My point is that we can't reliably assess the importance of this until we actually buy and build the kit. So I'm suggesting that we "hold fire" until we can put the kit together an form an judgment from all the evidence. Then, if justified, have at it. TIM

Andy...I keep forgetting that you are a rail dragster afficianado among your many automotive and modeling interests....needless to say we'd love to see your build/interpretation of this kit....TIM

Yes, that's the one! TIM

... this reissue is on track for a November release. Sounds like they've really put alot of care and attention into the reissue and packaging of the model, even down to securing from Carl Casper a revised, higher quality preiod picture of the car in action for the new box top. This is the model, of course, based on MPC's original circa 1970 tooling of the last Don Garlits front engine rail dragster. The "Young American" version was a spinoff kit added to the MPC line around 1973 IIRC. Since that release, the kit has never been available in this form - a gap of nearly 40 years!!! The frame and engine were reissued once more in the late 1970's as part of a not-too-well-done Fiat Altered kit. Since then, even the frame/engine have never been reissued. Only a couple of months away, and counting.... TIM

Don't want to offend anybody here, but I am pretty much astounded at some of the negative comments in this thread. We haven't even seen the kit yet!!! This is a kit that some of us have wanted for decades. It is a kit topic that was originally planned as long ago as the early 1960's (according to some people who were involved, it was approved as a kit and ready to go into development, then the company falsely heard that another model company was doing the same topic, and they cancelled the kit), and then again in the late 1990's (the RC/AMT-Ertl chapter). Now we are actually getting the kit - in less than a month - and it will undoubtedly have the outstanding attention to detail that we are seeing in many of the new kits coming from Revell these days. So....let's all take a deep breath, chill just a bit, and wait to see what is actually in the box when it comes out. Then if there are things to vent about or criticize, so be it (although my view is that you really can't effectively critique a new kit until you've built and completed it). And yes, I think you can pretty easily conjecture that there will be future spinoffs of this kit with additional parts that are a bit more focused in their subject matter. Revell quizzed me on my ideas on one such variant several years ago when the kit was under consideration, though I do not know if that specific variant is in development or under consideration. Guys, keep in mind, the team at Revell (and the other kit sources as well, I suspect), do read these Forums from time to time. I think our posts here should be informed and encourage them to continue to do the great work they are doing, and expand it even further - not discourage them by venting negative opinions before we've even opened the box top on their new products. Again, this comment is not directed at anyone in particular, rather it is just my overall view of the topic....TIM

Just a quick headsup here...the original Mustang concept vehicle was a midship mounted four cylinder (actually a V4 IIRC), but that was not the vehicle kitted by IMC/Testors/Lingberg. THAT vehicle was the Mustang II Concept, which was a slightly exagerrated version of the real Mustang production car, that was unveiled about six months (roughly) before the production debut. That concept has a very nice 289 Ford with several induction options in the kit, but it is a normal front engine/rear drive configuration. TB PS - if it were me, I'd use the 2004 Ford GT powertrain in yoru Fox buildup. Again, IIRC, the Polar Lights GT kit has a reasonably accurate though simplified engine....someone correct me on this if I;m wrong, please! TB

John...the Dunn and Reath Satellite and the Kenz and Leslie '67 Comet do it for me. Great models! TIM

Ditto! Outstanding....TIM