tim boyd

Just to support James' comment, I also understood from Round 2 that the commonality of the two projects was a key enabler to the project going forward. I also do want to emphasize that the listing of shared parts in my earlier post is, I believe, just about complete or very close to it. The only other shared parts not mentioned above appear to be the rearview mirrors, the small diameter air cleaner, and possibly (but not certain) the front and rear pumpers. These latter parts are on different chrome trees, but appear to be designed based on the same data set. Likewise, the engine block and cylinder heads/intake, fan belt, fan, radiator, battery, firewall insert, and steering wheel also are on separate parts trees but appear to be based on a common design. Other than the parts trees listed in my note above and those listed here, it appears to me that all other parts in the two kits are different. Both kits do appear to share a common approach in terms of overall design and assembly, but the parts in my lists above appear to be the only ones that are identical in both cases. Won't be long now until we know the actual truth rather than just (hopefully informed) speculation (on my part and others as well). TB

Model Cars magazine #221 (corrected - thanks Dan) had an in-depth article on the surprisingly large number of SUVS that have been kitted over the last five decades. As the author of that article, I was surprised...no maybe more like almost shocked....at the number of kits in that category that have been produced, particularly from overseas manufacturers. Granted, most are historical topics now (i.e. kits of 1/1 vehicles no longer produced as new) but there number of relatively current offerings as well. Those of you who have not already read the article should check it out! Best...Tim PS - though the list in the article is extensive, and was cross checked against several reputable sources, I am sure that there are yet more SUV kit tools that were not mentioned in the article...TB

Very interesting; thx for the preview Marcos. Based on the '63 F100 kit I saw a few days ago, one of the chrome trees (the one with the slot mags), the two trees in the image with the open wheels and backing plates, and the tree with the engine block halves appear to be identical and shared between the '60 and '63 kits. The chassis plate also appears the same or close to the same, other than the half-arc cutouts in the outer side rails. The remainder of the overall parts layout also appears similar in philosophy (but not the actual parts) between the two kits. TB

Last I heard, and this was several years ago from a respected industry source, the tooling was safely stored away in South Korea. As to whether than has changed since, or as to who owns it, I do not know. TB

Just got a quick glimpse at the actual kit earlier today. As with Round 2's other recent "clones", my initial impression is that it appears to be a clear improvement over the original annual kit in a number of ways. Like I suspect many of the rest of you, I can't wait to buy the actual kit and get busy with it. Hopefully it should only be a few weeks away now! TB

FWIW, I have heard similar concerns (not specific to this kit, but more to the impact of major retailers' discounting of some new Round 2 kits) privately expressed to me by one of SE Michigan's premier hobby/model kit store owners. As a former businessperson I understand the need to optimize short term financial returns from a project like the Demon 340, but I cringe at the possible longer-term impact on the hobby store and mail order trade that has historically been such a key and loyal partner to Round 2 through most of their corporate existence. Thanks for sharing your POV here, Justin, it needs to heard by the core enthusiast part of the model car kit marketplace that is represented by readers of this forum. TIM .

Last i heard were words to the effect that the company owner had directed the team to take their and make sure everything is to be as correct as is possible. Exact timing was not mentioned, but based on my past observations of how Moebius develops kits, plus as Mike notes they do have several other projects underway that are sequenced ahead of this one, I think sometime in 2025 is probably a reasonable time frame....TB

Richard...that is one sharp looking model. If I were you, I wouldn't touch it with any changes. The level of detail you show on that model (painted chrome trim and nameplates, side marker lilghts, interior detail (headrest posts....) all show a level of detail not often seen on models built back in the day. Not to mention it ll looks "period correct" to my eye. Cool! I remember AMT Surf Green was a very popular color when AMT introduced it in the late 1960s. Back then I was doing some of the MPC National Customizing Contest events, and looking over the contest tables, I recall seeing tons of models painted that AMT color (along with tons of Monogram Bad Man models, but that's another story for another day). Thx for sharing...TIM

Hard to tell for sure, but that is probably 1968 Dodge code TT-1 Medium Green Metallic (the alpha/numeric - i.e. F3/F5/F6/F8/F9 - format did not start until the 1969 Model Year). or possibly Code Code FF-1 Light Green Metallic. MCW Automotive Finishes has offered model car size packaging of both colors in the past and may still do so. Here' a link to the autocolorlibrary paint chip page for 1968 Dodges.... 1968 Dodge (autocolorlibrary.com) TIM...

Looking really sharp so far, Justin. Love those wire wheels! Very much looking forward to seeing it come across the finish line...TIM

Early 1960s IIRC, though not a common install at first. By late 1960s, AM/FM Stereos were starting to become available in some cars (primarily luxury brands and large car near luxury nameplates). By 1970 FM Alternative (aka "underground") FM stations were underway in larger cities, by that point FMs became a must in most cars bought by our generation (often enabled via an underdash hangon as the factory FM radios were priced inordinately high vs the value they delivered compared to accessory installs). Ironically, my Dad's 1971 Fury Sport Suburban had an awesome factory installed five speaker AM/FM Stereo setup, the very same year that MPC introduced the new 1971 Plymouth Road Runner/GTX body (although in fairness to Justin's point earlier, pieces of the underbody gubbins of that kit can be traced back to the 1965 MPC (nee AMT) Coronet annual kit, a point at which FM (but not FM Stereo) radios were just beginning to experience a modest bump in the factory install rate, mostly in middle luxury and luxury nameplates...). TB

Since the window for text edits has expired, this note will have to suffice as a further update to my note above about the rear axle linkages. The technically correct terminology for the rear end "sway bar" is actually "Panhard Bar". For anyone who is into this level of detail, recommend you dig out your copy of MCM #22 and replace the words "Watts Linkage" in the text for the caption at the left center of page 17 with "Panhard Bar". Thanks... Also, if I am remembering correctly, my original article submission mmay have made reference to consideration of a Scatter Shield as becoming a requirement for manual transmission Gassers during the course of the 1960s. (Again, if my memory is correct that I included this mention in the text, it would have been omitted in the final article presentation due to space limitatations.) I didn't find one I liked but considered using the bellhousing/pseudo scatter shield lookalike in the c.1975 tooling of AMT's 1955 Corvette kit, which included a few extra parts for a drag racing themed build version. Also briefly considered but rejected the original Monogram 1969 Z-28 Street Machine kit tooled in the late 1970s. Any of you have better suggestion for a kit-based source of a period correct scatter shield sized to fit a Chevy 283/327 with a four-speed manual tranny? Best and happy 2024 modeling new year to you all...TIM

Should Round 2 choose to eventually reissue (or freshly clone) their '71 GTX/Road Runner tool, this is one way you could build it. This one used the 1987 yellow plastic reissue of the original kit, with the added 1/1 mid-year canopy vinyl roof and kitbashed wheels/tires replicating the (then) hi-buck aftermarket BFG Radial T/As on the optional 15"x7" Rallye wheels. Paint was MCW 1970 1/2 and 1971 Sassy Grass Green single stage (rubbed out and polished, without clearcoat). IIRC the painted dual racing mirrors came from a different Mopar kit that had a more realistic rendition of those parts. Would certainly be nice if we got a chance to build these again from fresh kit releases, either in 1971 and/or 1972 replica form....TB

When my late college/early worklife girlfriend went to work for GM Accounting in downtown Detroit, she needed a reliable car for her daily commute from Ann Arbor to Detroit and back and her semi-restored '66 Mustang I-6 wasn't going to get the job done. We went shopping, and found a real prize at the local Chevy dealer. A year-end leftover 1977 (ex-Nova) Concours four door, white with firethorn (red) velour interior, buckets and console, and 305 V8. It had everything you'd want in a pseudo BMW 5-series at a college graduate's budget, except for the optional full instrumentation/tach package. Great car! Sadly, it was replaced years later in 1983 with a Celebrity four door four cylinder....TB

Here's an example of the properly setup, partially completed rear suspension using the airbag setup referenced in my "supplemental" photo and caption above. This is from Travis Medford and you can see (and you should check out) his entire build in this same forum folder under the "'32 Ford Y-Block Drag Coupe series of at the link below....TB Photo and project credit: Travis Medford Photo and project credit: Travis Medford And here's a link to the entire thread with Travis' Y-Block Project....

Csaba....man this is cool. Sign of a true model car .. prevails over adversity and finishes the model project anyway. And gets a very, very sharp result anyway. Big congrats....TIM

Marcos.....way, way sharp! And really good to know that you liked the kit as much as I did... Congrats, and thanks for sharing....TIM

Thanks for the additional info and backup, Ron. My above referenced file on rear axles and diffs only had Mopar designs. So having done further follow-up using research of 1/1 scale late 1950s to early 1960s Olds axle photography, I now agree with your conclusions. I have updated/corrected the original photo/caption above to reflect your findings. While I would challenge anyone to beat me on identifying 1960s muscle era V8s, I am nowhere near as savvy on rear axles, so your help on this is much appreciated. It is just fascinating to me how we are always finding out new things in this hobby, even all these years later. Why would Revell have used a non-prototypical rear axle/diff design on their original SW& C tooling? Beats me...but the proof is above. And Ron, no need to apologize here for your willingness to deep dive on kit and scale authenticity from this corner. We all learn from this and I find it to be yet one more reason this model car hobby is so interesting and fun. Best regards, and thanks again....TB

This is really interesting; thanks for raising the question, and the follow-up info and picture, Ron. My understanding was always that the original Stone Woods &Cook Willys used a late 1950s Olds rear end. This is confirmed in this excerpt from CarTech discussing the history of both of the SWC Willys of the 1960's... Drag Racing Warriors: Stone, Woods & Cook Willys (cartechbooks.com) . It specifically identifies the Olds rear end in one sentence as of 1957 origin. Next, I checked both the Revell Anglia and Revell SW&C (1963 tooling) rear axles and they are essentially identical...likely certainly based on the same original wood pattern, but with tweaks for the slightly different rear suspension parts breakdown and narrower tread width of the Anglia. The Miss Deal rear also looks the same but (and this is news to me) scaled slightly larger for some reason. I also looked at the Revell 1950 Olds kit, which had an axle/diff that was not quite the same as the earlier mentioned kits, and the AMT/Ertl 1962 Pontiac kits; the latter looked more like the 1/1 scale image you posted above if I am remembering correctly (I was in a bit of a rush at the time). Still need to do some further research on this (somewhere in my files I have a reference of line drawings of popular rear ends from back in the day). (BTW I am not a 1/1 scale automotive mechanic, so I am relying on others to have done their research appropriately here). FWIW the AMT/Ertl 1957 Chevy Pickup and AMT/Ertl 1960 Pickups had somewhat similar appearing rear ends, I recall (I don't have the reference at hand right now) that the Harry Luzader car in its original form used a late 1950s Chevy pickup rear end; would be interesting to see if photo references of the real car look like those kit axles, yes? All this is to say that if...and that is a still a very big IF....the original Revell SW&C kit had an accurate rear axle/diff configuration representing a late 1950s Olds differential/axle, it should be a period correct Gasser correct application for model use as posted in my update photo and caption above. But I emphasize IF as I am not knowledgeable enough on this to say "for certain". I encourage any additional knowledge or comments from Forum members that can add to (or discredit) the info above. Ron, thanks for raising this subject and thanks again for your thanks for my contributions to the hobby. Hope you get your copy of MCM soon and can check out the article in detail. If you see any other article content that seems a bit questionable to you, please post it here. We all learn from this. And it's interesting, too! Very Best...TIM

While admittedly a lot more work, best way to get a fully detailed underbody for an MPC 1971-74 Road Runner (and Charger) is to source the underbody and underhood guts from the AM/Ertl 1971 Charger R//T kit. Here's how that looked on my replica of my 1/1 1974 E58 RR.... You can see all the gory details (err....that would be "fun" kitbashing, right?) involved in pulling this off in a full-length detailed buildup in the 2020 special Muscle Cars, etc. one-off. Apparently, it is still available at this link: Building Muscle Cars - Kalmbach Hobby Store Best...TIM

Thanks everyone for your enthusiastic comments and "likes". A couple of minor updates to the article as presented in the magazine: First, there is a minor correction to the text on the caption at the left center of page 17 of the article in issue #222 of Model Cars magazine. At the end of the second sentence reference is made to a Watts linkage. The application shown in the picture is not a Watts linkage, instead it is a simple sway bar. The original text submission called it a sway bar but somehow during editing process the words were changed to Watts linkage. A Watts linkage provides a similar purpose - preventing the axle from swinging side to side - but is a more complicated design that is also more effective at doing its job. You can see a proper Watts linkage on most of the various funny car model kits that replicate a first generation Logghe funny car chassis. Minor point here, but there are some members of the MCM forum that highly value precise accuracy, and wanted to make sure this correction did not escape their - or your - attention. Second, as a contributor I have a feeling that I often drive my respective editors crazy with too much material that has to be cut back or deleted to meet the available magazine space (and most likely, the continued interest level of its readers(!)). But for those with an extra in-depth interest in the subject presented here, note the image below and its associated caption which didn't make the final cut in the magazine coverage: "Many variations on this basic theme are to be encouraged. (UPDATE #2 - The following has been revised based on Ron Thorne's research per his posts below ). Most Gassers back in the day ran 1950s Oldsmobile or Pontiac differential/axle assemblies, and that is what is contained in the modern-era Revell 1941 Willys Gasser kits (and is what I used in my project). Those desiring a more robust looking rear axle/differential unit can use the equivalent parts found in Revell's 1951 Anglia (as seen here) and the original (1963 tooling) Revell Stone Woods and Cook kits and its reissues. Ron has identified this design as being an "HO 33 Eaton" component. AirHeart early style front disc brakes can be found in the AMT Piranha and Surf Woody kits and would be a correct high-buck setup for the era depicted by this project. Suspension-wise, some builders used large rear coil springs with air bags instead of the more common quarter-elliptic leaf springs, the units shown here are from the modern AMT-Ertl kit of the Barris Ala-Kart." Best,,,TIM

Ron...this is completely appropriate to the subject and big thanks for posting....Best...TB

Having read much of the MCM Forum posts in detail for over ten years now, my take is that many of you do not subscribe to or buy the Model Cars magazine. So the following is for those of you who are in that category... For much of 2023 my major modeling project has been building a period correct (early 1967- ish) 1930 Model A Full Fendered Gasser Coupe, that would have been largely inspired by (but not a copy of) the Harry Luzader '32 Ford Coupe Gasser (if you're not familiar with that one, look it up!). Part of the plan was to find and use a Model A fender unit that fit the Revell body, along with a resin unchopped top.... The entire build process, beginning to end, is covered in a six-page article in the new (#222) issue of Model Cars magazine from our hosts on this forum. Accordingly, it would not be cool (from the MCM Staff's point of view) to show the completed model here at this time, but I will share a few work-in-progress "outake" (unused in the actual article) photos from earlier this year.... First proof of concept mockup Rough mockup after body and engine painted and final wheel/tire choice Chassis and suspension, prior to engine and driveline installation... You can see the final result on the cover (lower rh corner) and in the six-page article in the mag. And if you'll indulge me for a moment in a bit of advice, the MCM staff, even more so over the last couple of years, has really done a great job in making Model Cars a magazine that any serious model builder should be reading. So, I guess what I am saying is, respectfully, is that if you are not reading the mag, you are missing out on a bunch of very cool stuff (I am not referring to my own occasional contributions, but everything inside the covers). Thanks for checking this out...TIM ******************************** UPDATE 12-12-23 & 12-15-23: Scroll down on this forum page to see an update with a minor correction to the text in one of the magazine article images, as well as an extra image and caption that did not make the final cut in the article as presented in the magazine....thanks! TB

As well, hood gaps like this were configured in part to assure proper airflow to/through the radiator. Though apparently not the case here, they also were designed in some cases to prevent the two surfaces (bottom of hood, top of grille panel) to from hitting each other when the hood was shut by the driver (hood jounce). TB

David...I was 100% a Mopar man until the 1975s came out. The Cordoba was cool, but the Charger, Coronet, and so called "Fury: (B-Body) I thought were appalling. I did think the Volare/Aspen were pretty good given the Fed's increasing involvement in the car business, but kept my E58 RR instead. When I graduated college in 1978 I interviewed with Chrysler, but they stopped hiring just after my interview. Meanwhile, took a flyer at Ford (didn't expect much) and just a few weeks later I was working there. That lasted for 35.5 years. The 1979 Fox Mustang (5.0) and 1983 T-Bird were the first two Fords I really, really liked. After that is was Ford all the way... Thanks for the comments on my Duster and for clarifying on the Magnums. And FWIW, if I had bought a Volare or Aspen, it would have had the Magnums....TB