tim boyd

I've posted additional pictures of the completed model, including a different set of wheels and tires and some other fine tuning, at the "Under Glass" section of this forum. You can go directly there with this link....TIM

A recently finished mild kitbash of the Revell Hot Rod Model A Roadster, with some of the kit's channeled versions quirks addressed and finished with a vibe of a hot rod you might have seen in Hot Rod, Rod and Custom, or Car Craft magazine between 1962 and 1965. Tweaks from the kit version include a grille shell/radiator relocated rearward, a chopped windshield, rear quarters with the kit's non-stock radiused wheel wells revised to a factory stock condition, dual four-barrel intake/carbs from a 1966 425 Nailhead, open header blockoff plates, and slight forward rake, chromed reversed wheels and different tires front/rear, and more. You can read more details about this project (and see it with an earlier iteration of wheels and tires) at this link in the "On the Workbench" section of this forum....thanks for looking! TIM

As most of you know, Revell's Hot Rod Model A Roadster kit is generally a fine piece of work; allowing the builder to construct either a Highboy roadster with a 1932 Ford frame, or a Channeled Roadster using a "Z'ed" Model A frame. The Highboy version stands well on its own, but the Channeled version, built straight from the box, has a few odd features that slightly detract from the impact of the finished model. The changes needed to correct those are pretty easy. In my On-Line How-To #31 feature at my Fotki site, you can read the details of the changes I made from the box-stock configuration in the background to the revised version in the foreground. Thanks for looking, and good luck with your projects involving this Revell kit....TIM

Yep...that would be me. That sure was a long, long time ago - 53 years! - yet in some ways it seems just like yesterday.....TB

Thanks Steve for weighing in on this one with a proper reality check....TB

Bill...very sharp; especially that paint layout. That was quiet a project in itself, I am sure. I don't recall what I used as a hitch and receiver for the trailer. It was probably just a simple hitch from a model car kit. Next time I get a chance i will check it out and see if I can offer any more details...TIM

Jack...close but not quite. They are "I.C.M.A" (International Model Car Association) decals. This was a group formed in the late 1960s and publicized by Car Model magazine, but supposed to be an independent organization. Tom Woodruff (who watches this forum) was ICMA member #7; I was member #5053. They were instrumental in the early days of the MPC National Model Car Contest series that ran from 196901979. I believe these decals were only distributed to those who joined the club...but i could be mistaken on that. Best...TIM

I've been following this thread with a good deal of interest. For those that do not know that much about how the car kit industry works, there is much to learn here. Good knowledge from informed sources to be had. Having said that, personally I just don't see any overlap between the new Revell Boss 351 and the prior AMT and MPC 1971 Mustang kits as kit subjects. The Revell Boss 351 kit, in my humble opinion, (and it is an opinion, so take that into account), sets a new and very high worldwide standard for 1/24th/1/25th scale kits replicating the original muscle car era. On the other hand, those original AMT and MPC 1971/72 Mustang annual kits were not anywhere near state-of-the-art annual kits, even when they were new back in the day, starting with the fact that none of the engines under the hoods were even remotely factory correct. As for the bodies, all you have to do is start reading Rex's litany of errors in both of those original annual kits posted in this forum over the years. Could those kits be made into a realistic model today? Yes, with a ton of time and effort and considerable kit bashing skills, but even then, I doubt the result would be anywhere near comparable to the new Revell kit built straight from the box with paint detailing only.... So, do all three kits attempt to replicate the original 1/1 subject? Yes, but that is just about all they have in common. Otherwise, they are universes apart. And I respectfully suggest anyone who disagrees to take the time to build the new Revell side by side with either of the original AMT or MPC kits and then revisit the subject.... Meanwhile, I also fully support Round 2's effort to bring to market, via their cloning approach, kits of more specialized topics that would not justify the business case of creating an all-new tool up to the standards of today's leading-edge products. In our enthusiasm for our hobby, we often forget that the kitmakers are businesses. They have limited resources (time, money, personnel) and can only survive and thrive if they make sound business decisions about deploying these resources. And as some of you have commented, today's market for 1/25th scale model kits is a mere fraction of what it was back in the day, and also a mere fraction of all the overall hobby kit universe (military, aircraft, sci-fi, Gundam, et al). Bottom line? It's a very limited volume opportunity, and a very limited business opportunity. With this cloning kit development approach, I would never rule out the possibility of a newly tooled clone of old kits from any manufacturer, but I would also suspect that cloning old Jo-Han tools (irrespective of copyright and licensing issues) or that really mediocre original Revell 1969/1970 annual kit convertible/hardtop, would be well down the list of potential opportunities. Just wait until you see what they have up their sleeve over the next year or two to see what i mean. But the Round 2 team has surprised me before so never say never! Meanwhile, good, respectful and interesting dialogue in this thread...Good job, guys! TB

This was a project I had been planning for a long time and finally began the year I had planned to retire. It was initially discussed and agreed to be an article in the other old model car magazine, but after the Editor saw the length and the content of the competed article, he changed his mind. Fortunately Harry P. and the MCM crew here grabbed it and it ran as a two-parter sometime around 2014 (I can look up the exact issues if anyone needs to know). It included step by step photos showing how to avoid some of the kit issues, as originally described (but not photographed) by Phil Jensen in his "Tidewater Trucker" column in Car Model Magazine, c. 1972-ish. Most of the photos here were taken after completion of the article, and reflect a few refinements "after the fact" including a better job of matching the trailer's wheels to those of the truck. It's been ten years ago now, but I can still attempt to answer any questions you have. A few pictures below; many more at this link. Thanks for checking it out....TB ***** Completed project with Transporter body from the AMT Louisville Liner Richard Petty Kit and the Trailer from a Monogram combo kit (Chevy Van and Trailer) with added upper body (IIRC) o match the transporter body... The decals were commissioned and were a nod to my two best modeling buddies...Ohio's Tom Woodruff and the late Chuck Helppie... Cab with factory sleeper (sourced from the model truck aftermarket) and A/C... That awesome 534 cubic inch Super Duty V8... With a few different "loads".... BW, anybody know what those strange circular white/blck/blue/red decals are???? Thanks for checking these out....as mentioned, many more pix at the link above....TIM

Here's the info I promised earlier on the additional mid-year colors that became available in 1971 1/2 on Mustangs in general.... ********** Four 1972 Ford colors are thought to have been pulled ahead to the 1971 Mustang at mid-year: Bright Lime (Code 4E), Light Yellow Gold/aka “Gold” (Codes 0 & 6B), Medium Bright Yellow (Codes 2 & 6E) and Gold Glow/aka Gold Glamour Metallic (Code 6F). But except for a few Boss 351s built with Gold Glow paint and three Boss 351s reportedly built with specially-ordered 1970 Calypso Coral (Code 1) paint, it is unknown whether any Boss 351s were built with the other three mid-year colors. Any Boss 351s with special (non-regular production) paints had the painted racing mirrors deleted, and replaced with the standard, non-racing mirror(s). For your reference, shown below are bodies painted (L-R) with the above referenced Bright Lime, Medium Bright Yellow, and Calypso Coral colors (though not always on '71/'72 Mustang bodies, obviously... BTW, I built Revell’s kit with Tamiya TS-8 Italian Red over gray primer, a very close match to regular production 1971 Code 3 Bright Red. For those that care about this level of detail (no doubt some would say "needless trivia", instead), recommend you print out this and Rex's earlier post showing the color chip images and file them with Larry Greenberg's review of this kit in the new Model Cars Mag #221. And note that Candy Apple Red was not an available Mustang color that year, at least based on sources that I have learned to trust over the years....TB

Travis....boy does that sound familiar!!!! TB

Dennis.....very, very clever. Surprised that they fit toether so well. Looks like another D>L> project I will need to keep my eyes on! Cheers....TB

Once again, I would really like to thank each of you that posted your comments and thoughts in this thread. It means a great deal to me that you all took the time to respond and write your thoughts in such a gracious manner, especially about condering what are now some very obscure tidbits of the hobby that we all enjoy so much. Cheers to you all....TIM

Travis....any further updates to share? Best....TIM

Daniel....really impressive work there, expecially that polished aluminum cockpit surround. Bravo! TIm

Great job R3! Guys, study the engine on this one....it's a great example of what some extra effort with paint detailing can do to lend an authentic look to a model; especially an open hood drag racer. And did did you notice the cutaway for the headers at the bottom of the cowl and around the scoop along the top of the cowl, and the added molding that surrounds both? So, so cool...! TB

Simply terrific! Love the creativity, Claude. Also, those chassis tins look very impressive....might have to try that stuff myself. Way to go! TIM

Well, I guess I would call the kit a huge success if the biggest complaint (along with the lack of stand-alone underhood ducting) is the size of the turn signal lever....just sayin'. TB

The picture in your post for a automatic transmission shifter. The model replicates a manual transmission shifter which looks much different than the automatic shifter.....TB

Craig...Wondered about that myself....the AMT-Ertl '56 American Graffiti TB is actually a really nice model other than the misshapen Y-block...and as noted above, the Revell '57 Custom Tudor/Wagon kit series can address that issue....TB

One thing we noted in comparing the Longnose to the Mach Won...the Longnose kit never came with a clear shot window unit....I was a bit surprised when I figured that out. Guys, rest assured that Steve and the Round 2 team are well aware of the potential for future spinoffs here. But as always, best thing you can do to assure that happens one day is to buy the current Round 2 "clone" offerings....speaking of which, how many of you have grabbed that sleeper of a kit '68 Coronet R/T convertible kit////just sayin'... Best to you all....TB

Thanks guys for the comments on both the car and the backdrop...TB

Randy, you did this kit proud. Big congrats from this corner. And needless to say, I agree with your conclusions about the kit and its relevance in today's market. Very best...TIM

OK guys, but what about the original Revell 1969 Mustang/1970 Mustang Grande "annual" kits? Personally, I'm not a fan of either of these in terms of being good kits overall, nor their scale authenticity, but they do replicate body styles not seen in the AMT/MPC/modern da Revell kits....TB

Thanks Bill. This truck was inpsired by a Thom Taylor illustration that appeared in Street Rodder magazine in the mid 1980s. My model was not directly a copy of Thom's design, but took some of his thoughts and expanded on them. The front-end treatment with the extended hood and narrow grille shell was inspired, IIRC, by a model car built by Jim Kampmann or one of the other "NNL Tundra" (as Jim and I called it) modelers up in Minnesota back then. Glad you enjoyed checking it out, and very nice to see an update on your own project. Needless to say, big kudos on this end for your ultra-clean build style! Best...TIM