tim boyd

Yes, I understood that to be a live program, but that was several years back now. I suspect that they ran into some significant issues in making the tool once again production ready, and decided there were other projects requiring the same investment of time and/or money that would have a higher financial return (e.g., 1963 Nova wagon, 1964 Olds Cutlass convertible, IH first Ertl cabover kit redo, et al). I don't know with any certainty, but my guess is that it is still on the list of possible future projects, but ranking below others priority wise. TIM

Mike....I built a Revell 1941 Willys Street Rod kit shortly after it came out in the very early 2000's. It was a terrific kit, other than the front end was not "down in the weeds" as you so right note that it should have been. I dropped the front end on mine, and it made a world of difference. Thought I had a few pix posted in my Fotki folder and planned to copy one here, but looks as though that is not the case. I did do an article on the kit and the mods for Model Cars magazine, again in the early 2000's. There was a cover snipe picture of the model on the cover of that issue. Worth a look if you have a full back issue library....TIM PS - Randy Frost did a resin conversion kit with the front end dropped as it should have been by Revell; again well worth a look but doubt that it is still available new today....TB

At one point a few years ago, there was at least one other early Mustang replica (new tool) under consideration. Whatever chance it had was swept away by the Hobbico debacle. Having said that, the new 1971 Mustang tool kits, if they sell well, might possibly open the door for other first generation new tooled Mustang kits to be considered in the future. TIM

The '64 El Camino was also part of the kit and promo tooling decision.... Still, the 2 door Nomad wagon kit/promo would have shared the same amount of AMT tooling as the 4-door wagon with the El Camino kit/promo. I presume the choice was, as you suggest, Chevrolet's to make. And even back then, 4 door wagons were way outselling 2 door wagon versions of the same topic, so for Chevrolet - looking for the widest possible 1/1 sales benefit from the promos - the choice of the 4 door Chevelle wagon over the 2 door wagon would have seemed the logical one from their point of view....TIM

Guys...I gotta confess here that I did not even remotely anticipate the level of buyer interest in the Nova wagon when the idea was run by me a few years back. Thank goodness the Round 2 guys stuck to their guns and didn't listen to me! Of course, the all-new tooling, and the derivative kits yet to come, were not a part of the discussion back then (as least as I recall it). But even with those enhancements, I was not tuned in to the kit buying preference of you guys at all when it comes to this subject. Really interesting to read the reasons for your positive reactions and interests, and once again, proof that none of us (or at the least, not me) have a sterling record when it comes to picking possible new kit topics. TIM

Another tasty build, thanks for posting Craig. And cool adaptation of what I think is the trailer in the Revell Kurtis Midget kit, including your tie down straps. I presume your crank-mounted blower adaptation came from the AMT Double Dragster kit..or the Revell Orange Crate, or..??? Best....TIM

Dennis...those small changes you did make a world of difference (in my mind) in the accuracy of the completed model. Well done! And thanks for posting your images, too. TIM

This outtake (unused) image from my 2020 "Collecting Drag Racing Model Kits" book project (CarTechBooks.com) of the Bantam bodies shows the difference in scale between the roughly 1/22nd scale Sizzler kit and the 1/25th scale Slingster kit....

Interesting...and the obvious explanation of why the decals intended for the Bantam coupe were too large and why I then had to cut the center scallop apart (while it was wet, no less) and then apply the end portion behind the roof opening on my build as shown below. Also noted the same issue on the buildup on the box side panel, but the instructions sheet showed the decals as fitting the downsized body properly.

As Rob says above, this thread just gets better and better.... Dennis...the wheels up mockup looks really sharp, and a really inspired choice of decal livery and bed accessories, too. The pure fun you are having with this project comes through loud and clear in your updates.....great! Best...TIM

Kurt....good luck with your project. There is an article in the April, 1988 issue of Scale Auto that shows step by step how to kitbash a fully accurate 1930/1931 Model A Pickup Cab. It is not hard to do, and sounds way within your build capabilities. If you can't find the issue on eBay, it may still be available in the Kalmbach back issue department, and it is part of the "Scale Auto first 35 years" CD they produced about five years ago, and that is definitely available now from Kalmbach. And to further clarify some of the comments above, the new Revell '29A Roadster kit that Mark picked for the same kit competition is not only an entirely all-new tool but represents a hot rod version of the '29A. As such, the frame in the kit is "Z'ed" at the rear, and the rear suspension is a modern Ford 9" differential suspended by coil-over shocks. If you want a historically accurate frame on your project, the original Revell kits first dating from the mid 1960's are the way to go. However, you probably need to check the exact wording of the "same kit" category and figure you how to use enough of the new Revell kit to qualify for that class. Perhaps a "hot rod" adaptation of the original concept (oh no, I hear the groans awakening all over the world as I write this...which I do sympathize with...). Anyway, good luck with your project. Below are a couple of photos of the results of that Scale Auto article, as possible inspiration (please forgive the hot rod flavor of the model; but the cab conversion process is the same for a vintage Model A build) ....TIM

Good Point, Hakan....I do recall reading that Tomy had retained the tooling for the IH farm tractor kits, but I was not aware/had not heard that this might also extend as well to the IH Cabover tooling....TIM .

When I did my Scale Auto article a few years ago on all the 1/25th scale Ertl kits before they bought the AMT tooling bank, I did a detailed comparison of the two Ertl IH Cabover kits. The changes between the two kits were far more extensive than I had imagined. Too many to justify changing the existing tool back to the original form. With this new approach, Round 2 will now have two complete kits to sell. Brilliant move, one I never dreamed we would ever see in a million years......TIM

Stress Buster: Build Tutorial and Kit Review: Revell Slingster Dragster - WIP: Drag Racing Models - Model Cars Magazine Forum A little (actually, a lot) late, but thought you might be interested anyway.....personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Revell reissue this one, minor warts and all.....TIM

Whoever did the flames on that Willys absolutely nailed it. One of the best flame jobs I have ever seen! TIM

In this album I am showing my box stock buildup of the Revell Slingster kit that was issued just once in 2013. It was a completely new tool, but based almost entirely on the original Revell Sizzler dragster kit from 1961. The original Sizzler kit was a leading-edge effort at the time, but the somewhat odd, larger scale (thought to be around 1/22nd scale) was a liability, and the AMT Double Dragster kit released one year later quickly eclipsed it in terms of accuracy and scale realism. Still, it remained a highly desired kit in the collector world. Building the new Slingster kit was an interesting experience. The 30+ page instruction manual covers six different building versions, but many more are possible based on how the builder chooses the frame configuration, engine and induction options, front tires, various body options, and decal treatments. I mostly built version "D" with its Bantam Competition Coupe body, but substituted the blown Chevy small block engine in the kit for the Hemi called out in version D. Everything shown here was in the kit box - no additions or kitbashing this time. The kit, to be honest, did not fully meet current Revell quality expectations. The large number of prominent knockout pin (ejection point) marks was very notable, and the parting lines were very visible on many parts. The decals did not fit the body properly. The body alignment pins on the cockpit inner paneling were off by about 1/16". And there were some shortcomings in the kit content too, most notably the lack of brakes on the rear axle and the omission of an idler pulley on the blower drive belt (which carried over from the original Sizzler kit). The overall effort strikes me as more of an "extra credit" project for the company, rather than the fully comprehensive efforts found in most Revell kits of the last 15 years. Still, it was a fun project, comprising less than than a week of casual building effort and yielding a fine looking model when completed. Bottom line, if you like building drag racing kit topics, you might want to grab kit or two of the Revell Slingster, both as a kit topic of its own and as a supply for future kitbashing projects. ***** The box art of Revell's Slingster kit was heavily patterned after the original Monogram Sizzler kit from 1961. I chose to build "The Coupe" pictured at the upper left of the box top, except I substituted the kit's blown small block Chevy engine in place of the early Chrysler Hemi depicted in the coupe illustration. The kit frame is relatively simple but includes several build options: a full width or narrowed front end, and two different styles of roll cages and back frame configurations. I used a jig/plate to insure the frame pieces went together in an aligned manner (the frame here is shown painted after assembly). Other than the valve covers, the engine parts are not plated, which is actually a plus for period-accurate appearance. The blower assembly was brush painted with four different colors of paint. The jars marked with a "C" on the top are custom mixes with various amounts of Tamiya Gold, Silver, Copper, and Flat Black paint colors. The vertex magneto top is brush painted with decanted Tamiya "Hull Red" paint, a perfect match to the rare and desirable 1/1 scale counterpart. The kit assembly process has you assemble the quick change before the frame halves are joined, which comprises authenticity. Instead, I assembled and paint the frame as a unit without the quick change. I then glued the four-part quick change differential and axle together, painted it, and then cut off the axle ends as shown, which let me easily fit the center section of the quick change into the frame locators as shown. The axle ends were later glued in place, using the kit's styrene axle to align them properly. The completed engine shows what can be achieved with paint detailing only. If you have the time and the inclination, ignition wiring and fuel plumbing would only add to the authenticity. I also toned down the plated valve covers with Testors DullCote after detailing the ribs with thinned Flat Black paint. The brightly painted front axle components would have looked out of place with the character of the completed model if they were used as they appeared out of the box. So I sprayed them with a light coat of Tamiya Semi-Gloss clear prior to assembly. At this point the front suspension, wheels and tires, and fuel tank have been added. Although the instructions call for the engine plate to be painted to match the interior cockpit paneling, I painted mine to match the frame as the engine plate was often configured as a structural member of the frame assembly on many of these early dragster era projects. Again note the use of various colors of my custom mix Tamiya bottle paints on the simulated magnesium wheels. Assembly continues with the addition of the completed engine. The steering wheel is located to complete the frame assembly. This view has another look at the paint finishes of the simulated magnesium wheels. They were topcoated with Testors DullCote before assembly. The diminutive Bantam Coupe body is a nice single piece component. I finished it with MCW Automotive Finishes 1957 Chrysler 300 Gaugin Red. The decals are from the kit, though the layout I used was different than the assembly instructions. Note that the center scallop on the rooftop extended beyond the opening and had to be cut and relocated past the opening. This was further indicative of a certain lack of attention to detail that I found on several elements of this Revell kit. Next comes the interior paneling. The molded in alignment pins of the upper cowl do not properly align with the lower cowl and were removed before gluing the components in place. Had the upper and lower paneling shown here in silver been painted body color instead, the assembly as shown would represent one of the other completed versions of the Slingster kit. It certainly has an era-correct configuration and appearance. The two biggest additions - not shown below - for those who are motivated to do so would be (in priority order) 1) rear brake drums and 2) an idler pulley for the blower drive belt. The next level of detail would be to add ignition and fuel plumbing, and perhaps a hydraulic throttle line. Adding the Bantam Coupe body shell completes the project. The next several images shown the finished model from several different angles. For those who are interested, there are several more images of the completed model beyond what is shown below at this link.... Revell's Slingster kit, despite some relatively minor issues, is a fun project and a great modeling "StressBuster" between your more ambitious and detailed tabletop projects. It can be built in a myriad of different configurations with zero kitbashing required, and can be assembled from start to finish with a few evening's worth of work even with the extensive paint detailing shown here. It is a kit well worth searching out for those interested and captivated by the early rail dragster era and the model kits that replicate the same. I'll do my best to answer any questions or respond to any comments you have. Thanks for looking! TIM

....yep....and there it is (far left).... Thx...TIM

Good point, Richard. Of course, those very exact fenders needed for a class legal SR (cycle fenders in front, cut down factory fenders in the rear) are in Revell's '32 Ford "Rat Roaster" kit and are an easy swap for kitbashers....

Just a reminder for those of you who already own the book "Collecting Muscle Car Model Kits", that at the end of most chapters there is a sidebar listing the most blatantly missing model car kits of notable topics covered in that chapter. Some of the posts above capture some of the same ones listed in the book. For those that do not have the book, here's an example. This is the "Missing in Action" sidebar from the chapter that covers all the Pony Car model kits other than the Mustang and Camaro (which are covered in their own separate chapter)... MISSING IN ACTION “Other Ponycars that are yet to appear in a 1/24th-1/25th scale kit * 1967 ½ Firebird Convertible * 1967-69 Barracuda Hardtop and Convertible * 1969 (w/CJ-428); 1971 (w/429); & 1972 (w Cleveland 351 HO) Cougar Convertibles * 1970 ’cuda Convertible w/426 Hemi or 440 3+2 Wedge * 1973-73 Pontiac Firebird Formula or Trans-Am with correct 455 Super Duty V8 Other Ponycars that need a new/modern kit offering * 1964 ½ - 1966 Barracuda * 1967-68 Barracuda Formula S Fastback * 1967-68 Cougar XR-7 and/or GT-E (1968 only) * 1968-70 Javelin w/390 V8 and Go Package * 1970 ½ Firebird Formula or Trans-Am with correct 400 R/A IV V8 * 1971 (R/T), 1972-73 (Rallye) Challenger Hardtop with 340 V8; 1974 Challenger Rallye with E58 HO 360 V8 * 1971 Firebird Formula or Trans-Am with correct 455 HO V8 * 1971-72 Cougar Hardtop w/ GT Appearance Package * 1971-74 Javelin AMX with correct 401 V8 Don't know about you guys, but I would sure like to see some of these make a new appearance in 1/25th... By the way, for those that don't already have it, the book is still available from the usual suspects including CarTechBooks.com and Amazon.com, along with Kalmbach.com, AutoWorldStore.com, Model Roundup, and your local bookseller (probably by advance order).... Cheers TIM

This version of the Deora kit actually included the entire AMT Chrysler Hemi/Corvair engine Pack Hemi. Both which are pretty cool engines. And a very neat writeup on model car builder/journalist Don Emmons as well....TIM

Not to worry....see top center of image below.... Cheers....TIM

Stuart.....great to see you pick this as a modeling subject. These drag racing "Street Roadsters" were actually pretty popular in 1960's drag racing, but didn't get a lot of magazine coverage back then and are thus pretty much unknown topics today. Which makes them all the more interesting as model car subjects. Looks like you are off to a great start; will be watching for your progress. TIM

Great start on a great modeling subject, Travis. And needless to say, I'm totally in favor of your Y-block swap in place of the Luzader SBC. I've got a picture of a '30A Five Window on my board with the same design cues as the Luzader Deuce; considering a build inspired by that if/when the Revell '30A Hot Rod kit gets reissued. Good luck on your project....TIM

Great stuff, Dennis! TIM

Hah! That is, everyone except you, Tim (thank goodness!) and Alan Cozby,. Cheers...TB