Casey

Here's an image of what appears to be a slightly altered Aurora Racing Scene mechanic and tools set box from Wonderfest in June, which Round2 shared on their facebook page: Earlier image, also from Round2's fb page: Original 1/16 Aurora box for comparison: Maybe Tom West had something to do with this before he passed away last year? Not sure is he did the drawings for the figures, tools, etc like he did for the other Racing Scenes F/C parts, though, much less how that works with the rights to the Aurora products.

Related:

Same here. I'd rather see the time and money go toward reissuing the AMT Subaru B.R.A.T.

Most people either don't know or don't care about value and quality. Cost always seems to be the most important factor for the majority, and while I won't deny cost is important, understanding value and why it's even important is a hard thing to teach people who regularly shop at Wal-Mart, where the idea of paying less falsely equates to "better". That's all that needs to be said. No other company nor people had any input on the design of this kit, so nobody else factors in when it comes time to dish out the credit and criticism.

What matters for the sake of this discussion (and what most people have stuck to discussing) is this particular Grey Ghost kit. It's more than capable of being judged on its own merits, just like any other kit. No need to bring in other kits, a long defunct manufacturer of (mostly) turd kits (Palmer), and even die cast models. If the kit is well designed an the final product well executed, we'll heap on the praise. If it's sub-par and ill-designed, it deserves harsh criticism, and this kit certainly has a great number of problems. It helps nobody to make excuses and use distraction techniques in an attempt to cover up a lack of quality and planning on the designer's part. Where is Chuck K, BTW?

So, someone once made a '70(?) Oldsmobile Cutlass convertible, and it looks like it was long before Revell released their '71/2: I see "MCR" (I think) molded into the hood flash area-- was this Model Car World or another company? I don't see how those three letters could stand for Motorsports Miniatures, so I'm assuming, perhaps incorrectly, MM was not the creator but a seller in this case.

Back to the Sedan, did anyone pick one of these kits up yet? I'm wondering if the decal sheet is similar to or the same as the original issue, like so?:

Clearly so. The explanation helps us understand why the finished product is so messed up design-wise, but using the "we should be thankful..." line as an excuse for poor quality never was, isn't, nor never will be acceptable. Yes, let's threaten the potential customer base while you're at it. Oh, there's a sympathy card being played, too, now? And, he's a "modeler", too, one who isn't looking to make a profit in his business venture? That's garbage.

You'll fit right in here. Welcome aboard, Justin.

I don't recall if these were mentioned or not, but my guess is they are related to the Aurora Racing Scenes mechanic and tools set Round displayed at one of the trade shows early this year. Maybe that particular box was just for show, and the contents are either parts from an older mold insert, now packaged as new Parts Pack offering? Mike W, can you offer any info on this? AMT PP15 - 1/25 Garage Accessory Set #1 AMT PP16 - 1/25 Garage Accessory Set #2 And there's this, too, for the kiddies/beginners:

Bob, check out this eBay listing for a good look at what's inside: https://www.ebay.com/itm/AMT-ERTL-CORVETTE-SET-WITH-3-KITS-53-57-63-1-25-Scale/232060666135?hash=item3607e4c117%3Ag%3AcNwAAOSwMtxXv9Kz&_sacat=2580&_nkw=amt+3+corvette+set&_from=R40&rt=nc&LH_TitleDesc=0 Looks like brown, white, and grey plastic: Optional '53 parts are the four Kelsey Hayes "Stripper" wheels, four Goodyear Rally GT tires, custom valve cover, headlight covers, grille, and steering wheel.

You've got all the info you need to be honest. It's a tedious process, and getting the belt between the pulley lips recessed just enough (and evenly) is the really tricky part, but that detail really makes all the difference. Most of the recommended methods gloss over this important and very visible detail, so I think it's very much worth the extra time and effort to get it right. Just make sure you don't break the (now) super-fragile belt. I've only made it one-third of the way through thinning this one, so we'll see who finished first.

Look here: http://modelkitreviews.proboards.com/thread/61/1-25-amt-53-corvette And here:

Yes, look at the kit number...it falls right in line with something due within the next few months.

And we got chrome plated seats.

Sadly, I think that's entirely accurate. Worse still is that the "meh, good enough for me" crowd may have been their target audience from the get-go.

No, not factory, but most definitely a one of a kind paint job, making it rare indeed.

I would suggest investing in a polishing kit, like so: https://modelempireusa.com/?product=lmg-2200-professional-polishing-kit Unless you have massive orange peel, 800 is way too coarse for the first pass. See the grits provided in the above kit and start with something finer. There are different ways to do it, but some good advice in these two links from some folks who have "put up" so to speak, when it comes to great paintwork: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/perfect-paint/

Helpful, maybe...?:

I knew I should have used a word less absolute than "nothing".

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm shocked they are that bad. This kit is awful in the details. That engine/trans looks like it was cribbed from a cheap diecast model.

If they have valid points of criticism, isn't that valuable? We've all seen and read (even here in this very topic) people cheerleading for both this kit and company, and while I hope they become a successful model maker, there is no value in praising something which most people can see isn't accurate, nor well designed. Plus, since this kit was touted as being designed in the U.S., the Chinese are ineligible for use as a scapegoat this time around. If a kit is a masterpiece and knocks 99.5% of the model buying public's socks off, heap it with praise. If it's a turd and doesn't look the part of the real car, in all areas, bring on the criticism. If the manufacturer is smart, they'll heed all the criticism and sort through those comments which will make their next effort better, or end up like Trumpeter's automotive lineup in short order.