Radretireddad

Go for it! Stick it under anything it’ll fit. The ‘69 Torino is one kit that really needs a better chassis.

A box of old MPC Chevy square body truck parts I scored at a swap meet back in the ‘90’s for the princely sum of $1.00 turned out to be a treasure trove of enough rare, intact, pre tooling change major components to build what I have mocked up here. Inside I found a ‘78 annual full 2wd chassis with both f&r suspensions, wheel inners and retaining caps, cab and bed with the original bed cover and the grille and bumpers. The box also contained enough major components to build the ‘79 4wd version on the box. Everything needed only an overnight dip in the purple pool to bring them to the condition pictured here. I had to raid an old unbuilt Fall Guy kit for the f&r 4wd springs and axles along with the engine for the 2wd. I’m planning on bashing a current sod buster kit with the Fall Guy GMC cab and bed in the future so it won’t go to waste. So far the only missing parts I’ve had to fabricate are the shocks with new improved lower mounts. I’ve also fabricated rear lower cab corner fillers and one bed bar down tube. The sunroof opening on the 2wd cab had been cut through on two sides so I filled in and sanded them. I’m definitely going to finish these two in the weeks ahead so I’ll post updates as they are completed.

Has anyone ever seen this?

Another Stroppe offspring being raced in the UK. How great it is to be getting a new kit of a subject whose storied history can be chronicled in so many different ways.

You’re being too kind. I wouldn’t wish those wheels on my worst enemy.

If this is a straight reissue of this kit, the box art is a bit misleading because the wheel diameter on the originally released kits of this and the GT versions I have are way too small. They make the finished build look more like the base V6 model but otherwise overall they’re pretty good. I think the Monogram versions were better executed. Onward with the 90’s nostalgia!

Pro touring kit versions like this is evidence that the tastes of your age group are showing up in the kit manufacturers marketing data. There are also other round 2 attempts and the Chip Foose and California wheels versions that have been around a while. While they’re not my cup of tea, I’m still happy they’re being offered because it’s a smart strategy on the kit manufacturers part to tailor their product line to attract a wide demographic to the hobby. Ultimately everyone benefits from it. I’m very happy you’re a participant in the hobby and I hope more in your age group pick it up. Don’t forget to post pics of your builds.

The only nit I have to pick with the ‘65 Comet is the same raised drag race front suspension lower control arms molded in to the chassis on all the versions. I’m hoping the ‘64 won’t share the same chassis and feature the appropriate height suspension parts for the various versions.

Breathing sighs of relief.

Hear, hear Stef! I too have come to enjoy spending time carefully correcting and building vintage kits. I was once on a tear to kit bash every vintage kit I could match with a modern donor, but with the current price of kits, the careful building of a vintage kit to preserve its historicity has become more important to me. Rebuilding the old kits I had in my youth is like having an old friend returned to me.

Me too, me too! It’s frustrating knowing I’ll have to pay almost $40 for a kit I already have just to get the decals and tires. I wish Round2 sold them all individually.

Let me guess. Those 18” wheels and tube chassis go along with a Coyote or LS swap, right.🙄 I’m really happy a new tool of this subject is being offered as an alternative to the ancient AMT kit but please, please, please give us a stock or near stock version. The Pro touring shtick is one giant dead horse that was beaten to a bloody pulp long, long ago.

You’ll also need to buy a 1970 1/2 ton 4x4 kit because you’re going to need the FE engine and trans from it. That 1972 2wd Sport custom kit only comes with a 302 and a three speed. The 4x4 kit also only comes with a Borg Warner three speed manual and a Ford top loader trans, neither of which are correct for that truck. It should be an NP435 but If you’re not a stickler for details, it’s no big deal.

According to the original sales brochure, the wide spears and tailgate appliqué are Ranger XLT trim pieces. The interiors differ as well.

According to the original Ford sales brochures, that wide side trim and an anodized tailgate panel were exclusive to the Ranger XLT trim level. They are in both XLT trim level kits but you’ll have to shorten the bed trim strips.

If you want BFG all terrains, you’ll have to look to the aftermarket because as far as I know, no one has ever kitted them.

That 1970 box art image is an altered picture of an F250 from the original Ford sales brochure. The steel wheels in the 1970 F100 4x4 kit will be the correct 5 lug with the 4wd front hubs for your application. You’ll need to contact Erik Solie at Moebius customer service to purchase a set of the corrected center caps to replace the incorrect ones that came with the kit. The tires in the 1970 kit are the same generic on road radials found in all the other 1/2 ton kits. Round 2 Firestone all terrains and Formula desert dogs fit the wheels in the kit.

The narrow strip for custom and sport custom trim levels is molded in. The wide chrome spears for the ranger XLT trim levels are separate chrome pieces found only in the ‘72 plow truck and ‘71 Long bed 2wd kits. You can use them on the short bed if you cut them down. Erik Solie at Moebius customer service has spares and will sell you just the pieces you need so you don’t have to buy a whole additional kit just for a few parts. If you’re building a Ranger XLT you’ll also need the correct tailgate shown here and decal sheet.

Yes. Moebius left those off the short bed and the long beds. You could pretty easily foil cast a pair of strips to add there.

That’s a shorty. That’s the one I used in the picture.

Super simple Bill. Combine the 1/2 ton 4WD suspension and drivetrain from the 1970 lwb F100 4x4 with the frame and bed from the 1972 1/2 ton swb 2wd kit. Everything glues together. This is a 1972 sport custom 4x4 shorty. The wheels are from the 1966 4wd long bed and the tires are Round 2 Firestone all terrains. It also makes a cool 4th gen conversion. You’ll need the NP435 trans from one of the F250 4x4 kits because the transmissions that come in the 1/2 ton kits are not accurate for a 4x4. Heads up, all the Moebius 1/2 ton kits need to have the rear ride height corrected like the one shown here because they sit to low. I can do a simple tutorial for anyone that’s interested.

Successfully resin cast some extra Moebius F series truck transmissions. Now three of my planned builds will have the correct transmissions that actually came in the real truck.

Twenty something Europa owners are something we definitely need more of. Cheers and good hunting to you!

To the guy who made this video: Thanks captain obvious. I’ll chime in with what everyone else is saying. A Mustang that weighs as much, or more than a 70’s Country Squire has at some point in its past been betrayed by its product development team. I’ll leave it up to the individual enthusiast to pinpoint exactly when that happened. I’ll also send back a hearty hear, hear to what Bainford and others are claiming. A well balanced, lightweight GT car with a properly sorted drivetrain will bring down the lumber on uninformed modern lead sled owners in environments where actual driving skills need to be summoned. My E-type weighs about 2400 pounds and was factory rated in the neighborhood of 260 hp upstream from a factory installed 3.56 r&p and big discs at all 4 corners. I don’t believe it’s happenstance that these cars were endowed with the most perfectly matched horsepower and torque curve to gearing and weight of anything I’ve ever driven. The most frustrating part of ownership is not having anywhere nearby to drive her the way she begs and pleads to be driven. A future SCCA track day confirmation event is definitely in the cards. I'm betting the chances of anything like them ever being affordably mass produced again are slim and none and slim just left town.

The Europa is my very favorite Lotus, especially the JPS twin cams. Although at 6’2” they may be a bit snug on me. I’ll trade you a spin in my E Type for a spin in your Europa.😁