Chuck Kourouklis

Well technically, Hakan, if the chief comparison is the Trumpeter kit, Meng does clear that low bar. Trumpeter's body may have the edge, but most everything under that skin is such a wreck as to put it at a net disadvantage - particularly the engine. Bring in Fujimi and some GMP diecasts and yep, the accuracy claim gets more problematic.

I'm seeing about the same slight proportional funk carry straight down from the 1/12. Still looks intriguing enough to me to get one - good guts for a Fujimi if the body doesn't present quite right. Lines thither and yon are a bit crazy in the 1/12, but I gotta say I'm a little taken with how clever the design and engineering is, otherwise. Some parts warpage here and there on mine, but the fit is really good when you straighten that out. And hey, Meng's own literature goes on about the importance of a complete engine and poseable steering, so it looks like Tim B and I will be happy... ?

As brilliant as your reviews always are, Adam, I gotta engage in some light record-sorting on this one. It's entirely correct for you to catch the odor of whiffed opportunity here - but the whole endeavor is an order of magnitude more cynical even than it first appears. It wasn't just the Monkees concept that was "phoned in". The whole kit was "phoned in". Monogram updated the body and the wheels and absolutely NOTHING ELSE to the '87+/ "AeroFox" standards this kit is supposed to represent. Everything in the box is redolent of "just swirl up the plastic and they'll never notice the rest". You could judge for yourself the merits of some odd proportioning here and there, and of pressing 16" wheels into service where 15s would have been correct; but there's no disputing the untouched interior and carbureted engine were obsolete and bitterly inaccurate for this body style. At least Monogram warned the cognoscenti with those model pictures on the side panel. That's why the 1992 convertible is different - 16" wheels were correct by then, properly updated to the five-spoke design, and there was at least a good faith attempt to get the interior and the fuel injected 302 up to post '87 spec. None of which should be such bad news, in the end - if you're looking for a "loser kit" standard-bearer, this may just be the most comprehensively overqualified offering ever from Monogram. ?

"nitpicking trolls", pfffft... Those A-pillars will need a few file swipes, not that I'm not delighted with this - it's far and away the best of their '70s subjects. Salvinos can send a card to thank you for my rush-to-Ebay purchase.

Didn't even bother with it till now. "Joe Massa-Puzj" - tried saying that name aloud... and yup, you're right. ?

Sweet. LOVE me a new flat-back 'Stang. With the Revell AG/Carrera Slots angle, I wouldn't be surprised if we got a C8.R first this time, if ANYTHING for the new 'Vette in plastic. S550 got short shrift for years, and seeing how difficult GM apparently was about the C7, looks like the most deserving Corvette in history will now follow suit.

Kinda. Ain't too sure about them dirty bits, m'self.

Ah. That where the Zonda mighta gone? Been wondering about that one...

Welp, it's intriguing - but it seems to be doubling down on that smashed-in transition between the door and the front fender from the full-detail Huracans. Fender flares 'n all, I know. Still looks like a missed opportunity to smooth that area some.

Awesome! I'll just hafta whet the ol' appetite with the ragtop in the meantime.

Not gonna lie, that caught my eye immediately too, especially after such a nice job on the Nova. Still, gonna tip to the other side of "to buy or not to buy". Wouldn't mind more '64-'65 A-bodies at all.

Yup. Or, putting straight pin segments into those holes so you have something more substantial to seat the vinyl tubing on? HATED those as a kid. Gave me FITS. These days I'd use the kit tubing as boots and find actual wire close as possible to 1/16.

Pretty happy about the street SLC, VERY happy about the street M1. Cruiser, Rover and 190 look tasty too

I'd bet Tamiya will follow with a non-ZG version soon thereafter. Got the full line of Tamiya Zs, and this'll be a nifty fill for the gap left up front. Then there's that new Z too...

Understand perfectly why the Hirohata is so iconic and trendsetting. But Sam's apparent personal tastes - especially as compared to his brother's - were way more my speed. I'd take his basic green Merc over just about anything other than the Polynesian, and that Buick above shows the same simple elegance.

Figures I built the Hase kit already - still pretty exciting to me. ? Not for nothin', this bein' a car website 'n all, but I'm digging that new 1/48 Phantom too...

Oooh, that IS sweet! Always like to see a military kit manufacturer's take on a car, and judging from both the precision and the way the front quarters are broken down, there's clearly an expectation grown-ups will be building this one. Imho - and here's a rare qualification from me that this is indeed strictly an opinion - scale bigotry is simply immaterial. Long as it's accurate and detailed (and especially an early '40s Packard Clipper!), I'll take it. That machine has one of the most beautiful profiles ever stamped in steel. ?

Okay, I think I'm understanding what you're after a bit more now. Revell does have a '12 Model T, but it's 1/16 and a pretty ancient tool of Japanese origin I believe - first got that kit in an Entex box in 1973, if memory serves. Still have a Minicraft reissue. Don't have color charts, but the scheme on this one is based on some research of restored Model Ts (and this is the roadster version of that 1/24 ICM 1910 kit, new as of 5 years ago):

Now that I've recovered from the whole jumping-the-shark bit... ?? pretty impressed they went with all-new tooling this time! That engine bay detail rivals what took four separate parts in the '66 - really begs you to skip the fill plate and drop something in there. So yeah, I'll just file those A-pillars a little, have this now and the more detailed one later, please. ?️

W?W. WAY more than I was expecting. This T2 has gone from "eh, okay" to must-have. Nice tractor, btw, Les!

Little just-off-boiling water and some strategic bending fixed mine. Still 'n all...

'SPECIALLY not if you got a body warped like a pretzel. Good times. ?

Thing is, I think they did. The way I recall the chrome trees from earlier previews gone since, there were two of them - one, with wheels, valve covers, maybe bumpers, parts common to both the roadster and coupe; and then the other, with parts specific to the coupe. The windshield frame was on that second coupe-specific tree, if I'm not mistaken.

First thing to hit me was a bit thick around the A-pillars maybe. Easily fixed and really don't care. Very nice work, Mike!

LORDY, is that Senna so ugly. And man oh man, do I have to have that Tamiya kit. ?