tim boyd

Steve....exactly right. What's so cool about these dealer data books at this site is that they include just this type of info....for the rest of you, here's the applicable page with the answer to Steve's question... From what I recall (and what I've seen in magazine articles in years since on '68 Coronet R/T's), most of them were equipped with the console even though it was optional. Steve is building a 4-speed, but if the car was an automatic without a console, the shifter would move to the steering column i/l/o being located on the trans tunnel....TIM

Steven....as Mr. Spencer mentions above, the Hamtramck Registry is "the bible" for factory-correct Mopar 1960's-1970's projects. At the Coronet resource link, there should be a page that is a detailed chart showing interior/exterior/stripe/vinyl roof compatibility, and many of the model-specific resources at the Registry also include copies of the Dealership Color and Trim manuals with actual upholstery samples and illustrations of the interiors, door panels, and seat sew styles. As for the 1968 Coronet, from memory here, the interiors were also available in "white with" red, green, and blue components., in addition to the fairly common white with black. These color combos are very rarely seen these days, but they were available. For example, the seats and door trim panels would be white, paired with Blue carpets, console, instrument panel, etc. There was also a restriction with the Road Runner that year that made the carpets only available in black when a manual transmission was ordered; I don't recall if that carried over to the Coronet line or not. Another excellent resource is the 1/1 scale restoration industry; they have catalogs with reproduction interior components and often these include detailed references on interior colors and so forth. I am using the Legendary Interiors online pages right now as a reference in my build of the new AMT '64 Cutlass kit. I presume they have similar pages for 1960's Mopars... If you run into difficulties finding the exact info you need please email me and I try to help out. Enjoying your build of this kit, by the way. Cheers...TIM

Alan.....that is one sharp piece of work. Narrowing the hull makes such a difference in providing a realistic look to the boat, too. How did you do the trailer? Is it the Revell trailer (also narrowed) with the fenders from the Revell-Monogram 1990's F1 race boats trailer? Whatever it is it sure looks good here...TIM

All very interesting....but I do not recall any sort of the Saleen/Ford linkage regarding the Mystic paint as described above, not at all. Timing wise, I started in the SVT Team Leader job in March of 1995 and the Mystic Cobra had already been in the plans at that point (in other words, it had become agreed with BASF prior to my arrival on the job). Further, in the backgrounders for the media reveals there was no mention of a role of Saleen being involved in the planning between Ford and BASF. Again, as pointed out above, this took place 26 years ago and memories are not always reliable (mine as well), but add this to the other info above and form your own opinions....TIM PS - Rex, your '96 SVT Mystic Cobra rocks! Cheers...TB

Me too, Tony, me too! Cheers....TIM

OK....let's keep this one going. Since Alan asked for others, here's two more from me...who else has a '27T Tub or kitbash based on that kit to post in this thread? Best....TIM This one was built in the late 1980's after Revell did a modest freshening of the original Buttera Touring kit. It was inspired by a Brian Bordon illustration in the Revell new kits catalog that made promises that were not captured in the updated kit when it appeared. I showed the changes in one of my Modeler's Corner columns in Street Rodder, appearing probably in a 1988 or 1989 issue. This one was built around 1975 or so. It has a Pinto engine ( a big trend in the street rod world back then, but one that didn't last long!), wire wheels from the AMT '65 Riviera, MPC big'n;'littles, and Testors Candy Green over silver paint on the main body. If anyone is interested, many more pix of all my Tubs at this link.... Boyd Phaeton/Touring, Cabriolet, and Convertible Hot Rods album | Funman1712 | Fotki.com, photo and video sharing made easy. Now let's see more of yours! And again, all credit to Alan for getting us started on this one...TIM

Admittedly shameless plug....but since you asked, this subject is discussed and box art is shown for many annual kits are shown in the book pictured below.....it's available now from the Publisher cartechbooks.com, Amazon.com, ModelRoundup.com, Autoworldstore.com, kalmbachhobbystore.com, the Model Cave in Ypsi, MI, Pasteiner's in Birmingham, MI, and the other usual book retailers.... Your question was also discussed and illustrated in even more depth in my book "Collecting Model Car and Truck Kits" (MBI Publishing, 2001) but that one is long since out of print and pretty pricey in the resale market these days... TIM

Russell - way nicely done, Man. Great tweaks on the engine and the roof bows. And thank goodness you built your kit instead of hoarding it or trying to sell it for big $$ on the Bay. The real one looks like one of the "Angry A's" coming from Ross Racing Engines and the affiliated builder (whose name escapes me). Several of these Angry A's (and possibly this one among the four) were featured in an article in Rodders Journal six years ago or so. Here's a photo of what I think is the same car, from my 2016 Detroit Cobo Autorama event coverage...sorry for the dark image. Again, congratulations big time! TIM

Certainly possible....particularly given the supporting detail in the earlier thread. On the other hand, back in the early-mid 1960's much if not most of the AMT gang on Maple Rd were hard-core auto enthusiasts and Woodward Ave warriors from what I have been told by those who were there at the time. I think I could understand a certain lack of realism in the size and spacing of the blower ribs, but the question about the vertical mountings of the Weber carbs sounds to me is a bit puzzling to me. The AMT team would not usually (but not 100% of the time) miss the memo on this type of thing. Perhaps the 45 degree inclination of the dual blower layout was a special case somehow? And I'm not an expert on Weber carbs....is it that they simply do not function properly at a 45 degree angle (vs. straight horizontal or vertical inclination?) Anyway, it would be a quick fix to mount them vertically if desired....TIM

Also wanted to add some clarification to the timeline here. The following is based on my best recollection, but I did not go back into my library to verify the exact timing, so consider this directionally correct but subject to further clarity if anyone wants to do further detailed research. The original "AMT" 1928 Model A Tudor, as designed and manufactured by MPC, debuted sometime in 1964 (without going back and looking at AMT ads in the model mags back then, I'm guessing later that earlier in the year) as a one-time only production run. The follow-on "Wild Ones" Woody/Roadster Model A pickup, this time under MPC branding, followed sometime in 1965. Then for 1966, the tool was re-run for two separate, stand alone kits, a Roadster pickup and a Woody. These shared the new box art merchandising theme that was also found on MPC's 1966 annual kits. Finally, just want to concur with Mark's comment above that the original issue AMT '28A Tudor body fits the MPC 1929 Pickup/Woody fender/frame units just fine. In fact, I built one this way (as illustrated below) for an old Street Rodder Modeler's Corner column (c. 1983 or 84) using the 1978 Roadster Pickup kit underbody including the Corvette IRS. Hope that helps a bit...TIM

Danno....good question! You are clearly correct - I double checked just to be sure - there is no hood clip in the new kit. In the annual kit, the hood clip is installed in the body assembly (step #4 - last section on the first page of the instruction sheet). In the new same section of the new instruction sheet there is no mention of the hood clip, only a statement (at the very bottom center) to install the hood as the last step of the assembly process. I wouldn't claim this will work for everyone, but given the tight fit of the new body to the old hood, I think in many cases it will stay put on its own, particularly after some modest paint thickness buildup. Hadn't noticed the new chassis screws - thx for pointing that out. Cheers...TIM

Interesting.....Ed Sexton has told me the same thing several times. I hope with the new Olds convert kit, they are proven wrong.....Round 2 needs good sales of this kit to justify finishing the development of the derivative kit(s) they have been discussing....TIM

Just in case you are wondering what that Judson supercharger setup looks like when built and paint detailed, here's a photo of a Fad-Olds Bucket (body from the 1922 Olds in the MPC Beverly Hilllbillies kit) with that Judson installation from the original '64 Olds annual kit. I built the blower on the 394 Olds from the AMT flip-front Willys kit so I could keep the stock 330 V8 in the annual kit, but the install would look the same on that engine that is in the original - and now the Round 2 reissue - of the original annual kit. Wonder who is going to be the first one to do a new project using this Judson setup? (Instruction sheet photo from my full kit review....) - TIM PS - looks like I used some parts box air cleaners (perhaps from the old Monogram RX-7 race version kit) on top of the Weber carbs...TB

First Detailed Look - Round 2's AMT 1964 Olds Cutlass Convertible 3 in 1 The team at Round 2 continues to break new ground. Who ever have expected that we would ever see a factory stock 1964 Olds Cutlass kit return to the market, especially after the original tool was heavily modified in 1967 to produce a one-time run of a not-very-accurate funny car kit? Yet here we are. Amazing. Not only is the original factory stock kit content restored, but almost all of the 3 in 1 race and custom version content remains. Newly tooled parts are the convertible body, front and rear plated bumpers, and the clear and transparent red parts trees. At this link you'll see 60 photos and captions with closer look - the easiest and quickest way to do this is to use the "Scroll" button to your lower left. You'll see the full new kit contents, box art, instruction sheet, and decal sheet, along with a detailed look at the new body casting, and comparison shots of the newly tooled parts vs. the original 1964 annual kit counterparts. As of this date (13 February 2021), apparently the Round 2 team expects the kits to appear in retail distribution channels within a few weeks. So you should be able to grab your copy (copies?) very shortly now. I'll do my best to answer any questions you have, and thanks for looking! ****** Full Disclosure: This production kit was sent to me by Round 2 at their initiative. I did not ask for the kit, nor were there any promises made regarding possible coverage here or the tonality of my review and comments. ****** Update 15 Feb 2021 - see new slides #46 and 47 at the link above for more info on the decal sheets in the original and reissue kits...TB ****** Update 3-20-23 - on page 5 of this thread, there is a new post with a link to a full kit review and buildup on this kit posted elsewhere on the internet and now available to all without a subscription to the website's associated publication....TB The team at Round 2 continues to break new ground. Who ever expected that we would ever see a factory stock 1964 Olds Cutlass kit return to the market, especially after the original tool was heavily modified in 1967 to produce a one-time run of a not-very-accurate funny car kit? Yet here we are. Amazing. Not only is the original factory stock kit content restored, but almost all of the 3 in 1 race and custom version content remains. Newly tooled parts are the convertible body, front and rear plated bumpers, and the clear and transparent red parts trees. Read on for a closer look and make sure to check out the captions for each image. The easiest and quickest way to do this is to use the "Scroll" button to your lower left. As of this date (13 February 2021), apparently the Round 2 team expects the kits to appear in retail distribution channels within a few weeks. So you should be able to grab your copy (copies?) very shortly now. I'll do my best to answer any questions you have, and thanks for looking! ****** Full Disclosure: This production kit was sent to me by Round 2 at their initiative. I did not ask for the kit, nor were there any promises made regarding possible coverage here or the tonality of my review and comments.

More on the new front and rear bumpers....with images.....hopefully later today. Update...and here's the link to the (hopefully) whole story...TIM

Years ago there was a continuing and long running article series in Model Car Mags using a similar approach to the image in the first post here....in fact, makes me wonder if it was that exact model car??? Anyway, the series had some really innovative modeling and ideas and was really well done.....well worth a look back through your issues archive....TIM

Hope to be able to post some images of a look inside the new kit along with commentary sometime this weekend....TIM

Steve.....great to see one of those in fine, finished form. Kinda makes me want to dig mine back out and get busy....,thanks...TIM

Good points. For the 400/455, I think you may be entirely correct. My reticence in sighting it as the very best was that I was thinking of the entire family of Pontiac V8's. The AMT-Ertl 1962 Catalina 421 Super Duty kit has the very best one overall, in my view. I haven't built the Moebius 1961 Ventura/Catalina but I would suspect that they are close to the AMT-Ertl in accuracy. The other one I would view highly is the Revell 1966 GTO 389. Best....TIM

Correct....probably not the best scale replica of a big block Pontiac, but certainly among the better ones, at least in my view....TIM

Dave....would be very cool to see your interpretation of this kit. Really interesting survivor, too, in that he used the hot rod tub radiator with the full fendered configuration. That radiator/shell piece sure is nice...although the plating was damaged in some way in every one of the five kits I've acquired over the years.....TIM

Alan had previously privately shown me his latest tub, but I've got to say, looking at these pictures, it looks even better than I recall. Leaving out the two crossmembers to lower the body works really well, too! This tub breaks a bit from the above ones with its ground hugging stance, but still is close enough to the theme to warrant a quick pic.... And then there is this one which had the body painted five years ago (for an article in MCM on historically correct traditional hot rod paint colors), but was provoked to be finally completed after seeing Alan's preview of his above project, as well as Jim's Tub above with the cool bottom-originating flames. It's basically the same kit, but with a hot rodded Model A four banger, a Model A banjo rear axle, different wheels/tires, the factory stock radiator/grille shell, and several other minor mods. Thx for the inspiration, guys!

Casey said "The '55+ Pontic V8 architecture is the same, differing in bore, stroke, and accessories, so an early 287 block, heads, etc will look much the same as the largest 455 V8. No idea if the Monogram '80/'81 Turbo 301 T/A's engine was accurate in the first place, but the base is accurate for a '70. Good info here: https://www.enginebuildermag.com/2018/01/history-lesson-pontiac-v8-power/" Casey, you are of course totally correct about the overall architecture and appearance of all the Pontiac V8's. However, the 301 engine had changes vs. the earlier V8's that did result in some visible exterior changes between the two. Those changes (not big ones, but noticeable upon close inspection) do manifest themselves in the 1970 T/A kit engine being a copy of the 301 rather than the 400 that was in the actual car....TIM

I haven't checked the entire kit but I believe Steve is correct here. What I can tell you for sure is that the same engine is used in both kits, which is of course entirely incorrect as the Turbo 305 had significant external appearance differences vs. 400 RA III and RA IV used in the real1970 Trans-Am, yet the basic Turbo 305 engine tooling was carried over, incorrectly, in the 1970 T/A kit. I discovered this when I was doing the engine buildups for the old "Muscle V8" article series for the other mag. And as I pointed out in the "Collecting Muscle Car Model Kits" book a couple of years ago, one of the most glaring omissions in the 1/24th - 1/25th scale world is that to this day, we STILL do not have an accurate scale replica of the Pontiac RA-IV engine! Cheers...TIM