Casey

Probably in the $30-$40 range, but I would guess closer to $40. It will be interesting to see if the mold the body in white or clear plastic.

Welcome, Michael. I think we understood what you meant, with most of us being fans of some sport ourselves. Here's one of your pics:

The die-cast is a second gen ('00-'05), while the Brookfield Collectors Guild promos are first gen ('95-'99) coupes and sedans, as Bert said. I think Competition Resins also offers a Pro Stock Neon body, but not totally sure.

I don't think it's close to being finished yet, and is still "in the works".

I did some wedge sectioning ("fenders"), shortening (nose) and lots of re-gluing and sanding, and I think it's moving forward in the right direction. The body has lost some of it's Coke-bottle shape (see what I did there ), the front "fenders" most of their arch, and the front overhang has been decreased, so I no longer need to move the wheel arches forward. I will need to move them upward, so they match up better with the height of the rear wheel arches. The front headlights and grille/air intakes will need to be re-shaped and modified, as they now tilt downward and look awkward. I think the cowl will get lowered, too, but the offset blister should remain.

Yes, the decals, plastic color and maybe the wheels and tires are what changed between various issues.

This is something which should be taken up with eBay and PayPal, since they have buyer protection policies for buyers and sellers. Hopefully you'll get your refund, Phil.

There's a topic regarding Hart's Parts here: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=60517

Are they back in business or did they never go out of business? I thought I recalled Dave Zinn mentioning they were OOB for a while now.

I'd like to see some pics of that kit, and some comparison shot of it next to the AMT kit.

They reissued a few in the late '80s, but the usually chromed parts were unchromed that time around...not good. Save for the VW Beetle, Custom Cougar, and GT40, they are not too hard to find for $20 or less.

It's going to be released under the Polar Lights brand?

I finally did a little work on the Avanti body today, so here's what it looks like so far: Here's a view from the top: The red outline is where the driver will sit, the yellow where the turbine engine will be mounted, and the orange where the exhaust will exit, through the original headlight openings. I'm going to try incorporating a bit of each C-pillar when I create the blister/roll bar for the driver (think Beach City Chevrolet 'Vette Funny Car), but there won't be much left of them. Still the C-pillars are one of my favorite design elements of the Avanti, so some part should remain. The offset (former) hood bulge will now be the headrest/rear half of the canopy blister, since this car will have a mostly flat topside. I will probably do some sectioning in the (now front) quarter panels, as they are a little too tall, and raising the wheel arches should help visually thin the front front third of the body. The wheel arches always seemed to be pointing the wrong direction to me, so now they're facing the correct way. I may also add a thin vertical wedge aft of the doors to add a bit more taper to the body and help drop the tail end even further. We'll see how the body looks as the body changes progress.

Jevries is a member here, too, but I don't think he visits here very often. I originally found his blog via the layitlow forum, so maybe he's there more often?

David, you may also want to find the Revell die-cast '77 Trans Am, like the one Jon Cole built: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=60746

Click here: http://www.jevriesblog.com/ , then scroll down.

How 'bout this?:

Someone posted this a few years ago, as I recall thinking I would try it, but never did. The months-long waiting period for the mold to cure was a bit of a deterrent for me.

And what style and diameter(s) of wheel?

A few comments and observations regarding the kit I just picked up. 1) Both of the optional front nerf bars/bumperettes and the front bumper have obvious sink marks, the rear bumper has some really rough/poor chrome on the top edge, and the blower intake manifold is missing the mounting pins for both superchargers. 2) The chassis/floorpan piece has a pretty good twist, but it appear to be the only twisted/warped part. I see nothing short shot. 3) This kit still has some crisp details for being 40+ years old, not to mentioned reissued five times or so? Based on the appearance of the parts, the tooling appears to have held up well. If you're familiar with and a fan of '60s AMT kits, this one will put a smile on your face. 4) The included Avanti booklet is very well done, with plenty of vintage photos from the car's press debut and other events. Including the Studebaker National Museum card/flyer was a nice touch, too. 5) The front seats DO appear to be underscaled, as do the rear seats, but they seem to be true to the 1:1 car's seats. 6) The box is what I would call "extra strong" with double thickness sides, and the box art is definitely retro, but a bit restrained and slightly different from the original Trophy Series box. 7) The doors fit very nicely into the body shell, and there's a hint of a latch at the rear jamb/interior door panel edge, so the door stays closed. 8) All four sets of wheels are nicely molded, with no sink marks. 9) Woo-hoo, no metal axle rod passing through the engine block!

Which Vega, Harold? The Twister Vega kit, with the early Monza S nose on it?

It has a different kit/part number than the '76 kit, but you may be right on the standard size box. I guess we will see in a few months. Maybe Round2 will add some info on their 'site soon?

That Big Block Chevy'll make a Metro move. Looks like Mike is getting near the finish line with his Matador, too.

Joel Dirnberger(sp?) from MN was the person who mastered the Geo Metro in '90 or so, and he may have cast them himself, too.

It's very close in length, and the two wheelbases are almost the same. The Mustang looks much more svelte, though, the Avanti a bit pudgy in comparison.