tim boyd

Nice, clean and a simple but effective modeling statement. The interior and the detailing you did on that difficult to execute grille engraving are engaging to these eyes. Congrats Ron! TB

Don't they just! You are so right, Dave! If anyone attempts this conversion using the Revell '30A Five Window Coupe kit, here's a link to a bunch of reference photos I took on '30A Roadster bodies a few years ago... https://public.fotki.com/funman1712/correcting-or-kitba/193031-model-a-roadster/ 11 more reference pictures including closeups at the link above....TB

That Supra is one of the very best efforts of the MPC team before they were absorbed in the AMT-Ertl acquisition. Highly recommended on this end. As far as the Monte Carlo kit, that subject is not appealing to me, but Honda four cylinder and trailer are first class additions that justify the purchase of the kit if you are interested in this topic. The Honda four could be further accessorized with the parts from the Honda fours in the MPC Trikes kit series, as they have been reissued in recent years, and provide plated parts and greater detail in several of the components. Here's a look at that late 1970's style Coffin-tank Chopper, assembled box stock....TB

Guys. I can't go into details here (you'd need to reference the FineScale.com review for that), but broadly, this kit (and at least partly, the Rat Roaster kit too) are both a notable improvement in several ways over the original Revell 1997 Highboy Roadster kit. (The only area where it is a step backwards is the use of an SBC instead of a Ford V8 powertrain, but as we've discussed previously, some might view that as an improvement rather than a degradation. And while I haven't checked it out yet, I suspect that Ford V8 could be easily swapped in with no more changes than perhaps a minor adjustment to the engine mounts location on the frame rails, and the use of appropriate over-the-frame headers from either the AMT-Ertl '32 Ford Vicky Phaeton (just being reissued now by Round 2) or the same parts form Norm at Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland.) For me, I will be using this kit's frame/chassis/suspension and other parts for all future '32 Ford projects (not just Highboy Roadsters) as I see it being that superior to justify the expense on an extra kit to get the higher quality parts in this kit. Best....TIM

Roger, I'm not going to engage on this. Of course the chassis was adapted from the Buttera tool. My comments referred to the body of the box art model. But thanks for your response. TB

You bet, Jim. Glad to be able to help out....TB

The gas tank location is an iconic feature of the original Tom McMullen '32 Roadster, arguably one of the most iconic of all '32 Highboys. In reality, these tanks were only used on the drag strip. Many people copy the design cue these days in contemporary 1/1 scale builds, but I'm not aware of any of them actually using the tank for fuel. I read somewhere that someone plumbed it as a radiator overflow tank or coolant reserve ; others use faux plumbing to make it look realistic. I believe I mentioned somewhere earlier in this thread that when Revell asked me (as I'm sure they did others) with ideas for updating the RR tool, I suggested to Revell that they make this kit an actual replica of the McMullen roadster, which was restored a few years back by Roy Brizio's team. The idea never got off the ground, probably due in part to the amount of tooling revisions that would have been required, not to mention trying to sort out any copyright issues with the McMullen estate....TB

I'm the wife, and all I can say is "au contraire". I studied this very closely back in the day before I made that statement in print. The box art on on that kit looks nothing like the Revell body in the kit, and at the time the Monogram '34 was the only accurate basis for a heavily kitbashed box art model conversion. In retrospect, about 45 years later, always the chance I could have been wrong, but I don't think so. TB

As Stuart says, the notches are still there. And the roll pan extensions are also there. I found that I had to file a vertical notch in the roll pan to clear the gas tank cap, otherwise the body sat too for forward on the frame. About a 30 second modification. The RR hood has been replaced with a smooth hood. All the RR interior is still there, although the instrument panel (unchanged) is used in building the new kit. Even the whatever it is shifter is still there. Hope that helps....TB PS -there is one picture of the build on the FineScale site before the firewall if you want to see what it looks like assembled and painted..

These F150 kits came out (if I recall correctly) just as the real trucks were introduced. Finding factory photography of the specific real truck depicted in the kit at the time the box art was being prepared was probably an issue that dictated doing some adaptation. I fully agree that the box art should fully depict what is inside, but the logistics in this case probably did not allow that. At least it wasn't like the original Revell 1934 Ford 3W Coupe Buttera series kit, where they cobbled together a 1/24th Scale Monogram kit and photographed it for all the box art....TB

While not shown on the box art or on the instructions, many of the original Rat Roaster parts are still in the new kit, even including that Guitar from the original issue. They might not (in totality) necessarily be the extra parts we'd ideally like to have, but they are good for kitbashing or stuffing the parts box. TB

Sweet! TB

I recall using the Model Car Garage chopped Deuce Grill on this model based on this heavily kitbashed Revell '29A Roadster....hope that helps....TB

I also owned (leased) several Mk VII LSC's....an '85 (dark blue metallic), a '90 (ice blue metallic), and a '92 (dark red metallic). Liked them all....a lot. The '90 is probably one of my two or three all-time favorite cars. I also had 2 Mk VIII's (a '93 and a '98 LSC)....did not like them as well. Somehow the magic was gone.... TB .

......sounds like a factoid to remember someday.......TB

Also correct..TB

Correct in this house, and among many (probably nearly all) 1/1 rod builders as well....tB

A few of comments....hopefully more to the core of this thread.... 1) Mustang Mach E is now selling faster and in bigger volumes than any other other Electric Vehicle than the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y in the US market, and reportedly has a huge backlog of unfilled orders. It's also doing very well in certain European markets (e.g. Norway), and I believe it is now selling in China as well. Must be pretty appealing to some... 2) Comments about model kit topics appealing to young people is as valid today as it has ever been. My hope is that the new tool AMT 2021 Bronco 2-door kit will tap a bit of relevance to this market, at least in the States/Canada'Mexico. As would a Generation 7 2024 Mustang Dark Horse or any of the C8 mid-ehgine Corvettes. But I'm (relatively) old now; what would I know about this subject? 3) The AMT article copied above is worth a read for anyone interested in how the model car market works. The AMT National Sales Manager quoted throughout the article, Tom Valmassei, was the guy I dealt with in doing contract projects for AMT in 1975-78. Nice guy, and I learned a lot about the kit business from him and his AMT colleagues. But note the comments predicting the Budweiser Clydesdale team still being in the catalog ten year into the future. Nope (at least not that I recall). '32 Fords, '57 Chevies, Peterbilts and Kenworths, still cranking it out 40+ years later, and especially Star Trek subjects. But scale horses...not so much. TB

That's the one....thx Kit....TB

Del....not to derail this thread but I did build an Allison-powered 1/25th scale boat some years ago....I think I did a how-to on this one for Model Cars mag back in the day. too....it was loosely based on the Rudy Ramos boat that ran in the Salton Sea 500 c. 1965 or so TB

Bob....in a simple answer, exactly, yes. And the section thickness of the ramp deck part (#420) is relatively thin for such a large part; that probably makes it more susceptible to this type of damage as well. TB

Robert, good question! For one, there is an entirely different street exhaust system, most of which can be already found among the extra (unused) parts in the '63 Nova SS kit...If I am remembering correctly (check the link to the pix at the beginning of this thread) I recall a separate set of cylinder heads as well.....TB

OK guys, here is my report. On the ramp back proportion, parts #419 and 420 are warped. #419 (the bottom of the ramp truck assembly becomes properly aligned when asseembled into the tabs/slots on the two side panels. Part #420 (the top deck of the ramp back) is notably warped along the driver's side and at the front. I believe I will be able to rectify this by holding the part in position against the side panel with some CA++ glue in place from underneath. Not as sure about the very front portion. Sadly, the hood is badly warped and not usable, and i don't think hot water will be able to fix. I will be applying for replacements for part #420 and the hood. Best...TB

Ron...gotta start a project somewhere and that is as good a place as any to get underway. I do not recall whether I used Tamiya Gray or Tamiya White fine spray primer. Probably white, Sorry about the number mixup! Best...TB

FWIW, I visited with the owners of one of the best hobby shops in Michigan today. He's sold a ton of the kits, he said, and he has also asked his regular customers who've bought the kit whether they've encountered the issues that have been raised in this thread and elsewhere. Sounds like most have not, from what he told me. I bought one of the kits today myself; haven't opened it yet but will do so soon. I will check on the issues you all have mentioned and report my own experience here soon.... TB mhyso