Chris V

The rear axle is a somewhat simplified 1957-64 Oldsmobile/Pontiac unit. The best source by far is AMT’s 1962 Pontiac Catalina.

They’re literally the same kit. The body is only completely right for building a 1940 as the windshield wipers are located at the bottom of the windshield frame (the ‘39 had the wipers mounted above the windshield)

Essentially yes - The model started out as a quite accurate replica of "Ohio George" Montgomery's famous Willys gasser as it was run in the 1967 season. Some minor adjustments have been done to the tooling over the years, but apart from the main body and glass, the Coupé and Sedan Delivery kits are identical.

Has the oversized grille script issue from the first production run been permanently addressed?

Though somewhat similar in appearance there’s actuallya number of subtle differences between those engines: Just like the ‘39 Chevies (Coupé and Sedan Delivery), there’s two different versions of the ‘66 Malibu engine: The “red” version with Slot Mags has a nicely detailed blower, whereas all other issues with Centerline style wheels have a dual tunnel-ram intake.

You could possibly use it to cut Tamiya masking sheets into masking templates and spray the graphics on…?

It’s a reissue of a vintage “annual” kit. It’s not bad for its time, but if you want a fully detailed kit I’d recommend AMT’s 1966 Riviera which was originally tooled around 2000.

"Ghosting" is a common phenomenon caused by differences in the density of the plastic from the injection molding process: As the molten plastic cools from the outside, microscopic pores form towards the centre of the part. By trimming/sanding off bodywork details, you expose material that was originally further from the outer surface and thus more porous/vulnerable to solvents in the paint than the immediate surrounding area. By giving the area a gentle wash of liquid cement you essentially saturate the porous plastic with solvent and binders, causing a controlled "collapse" of the area prior to paint. This allows you to fill in any cavities left as the cement evaporates and sets. Always allow the plastic ample time to thoroughly dry and set before proceeding with the surface preparation and paint. The severity of the ghosting varies a great deal depending on the type of plastic and the paint you use. Some automotive type lacquers contain highly volatile solvents, and in some cases ghosting can even happen on surfaces which have been thoroughly prepared: Edit: These images illustrate one of the most extreme cases of ghosting I've ever experienced. The surface had been meticulously prepared, using the liquid cement method described above, and then left to cure for several months. However in this case the unusually "hot" solvents in the lacquer (Zero Paints automotive lacquer basecoat) were able to penetrate the primer and react with the brittle old sixties' plastic underneath.

If you mean the staggered offset Cragar wheels, the answer is no - They’re unique to this kit. Other kits have similar, but not identical mag wheels. If you’re referring to tires, the Firestone Wide Oval front tires are available in a multitude of AMT kits - especially those issued in the mid-late nineties. As another member has alteady pointed out, the Mickey Thompson rear tires have only appeared in one other kit: The “Allison Thunderland” late sixties’ T-bird.

You and me both! Also the dual carb fuel blocks…

The Drag City Casting "flipnose" body you got is based on- and intended for use with Revell’s “New” line of Willys kits, which was originally introduced around 2000. There’s a Pro Street and several different Gasser versions - All with blown 1st. Gen Hemi engines. The Pro Street version has a short tailshaft Chrysler 727 automatic transmission whereas the gasser has a B&M “Hydro Stick” (GM) transmission. The Pro Street has a nicely detailed “tubbed” chassis and modern interior. Some people prefer to modify the suspension in order to drop the car lower to the ground, though. The gassers are all identical parts-wise - Except for the “Big John Mazmanian”-version, which inaccurately has all of the windows and headlights molded in dark red translucent plastic (tinted windshields weren’t allowed per the class rules). Neither of the gassers are truly accurate representations of the actual cars the depict, and all are incorrect in the sense that they only include a single seat (passenger seat was required as well). Don’t let any of these minor flaws keep you from basing your build on either of the new Revell kits, though: Their accuracy and parts fit is miles ahead of both the old AMT kit and Revell’s own old Stone Woods & Cook “Swindler B” Willys kit from the sixties. The new Revell Willys kits also lend themselves very well to kitbashing, and I've even thought of building an improved version of the old Revell SWC Willys based on the body and frame from the new gasser kit and the engine/transmission from Revell's 1950 Oldsmobile Custom.

Though widely regarded as one of Revell's worst kits in terms of bodywork proportions, this one has EXACTLY what you're looking for:

It was never kitted, and to my knowledge the body and decals have never been available from any of the aftermarket suppliers.

Good catch! Looks like the old AMT kit still has some relevance for those of us wanting to build the Jack Chrisman Comet.

It entirely depends on how you want to (re-)build the car. If you’re looking to do a more or less box stock restoration, grab a copy of the fairly recent MPC “Streaker Vette” reissue. It even appears to be based on the same basic tooling as the original “Cosma Ray” kit. If you want to do a full detail build, the Revell ‘67 is your best donor, but be prepared to modify the parts to fit the build.