Scott - Elm City Hobbies

Like I said, unless things change in the release schedule (which I posted above) the '62 Corvette won't be out in August. There is a Corvette coming out in August, but it's not the '62, maybe that is where your LHS was confused.

I wouldn't put a whole lot of faith in that Omni listing. I am on the Preferred Partner's program with Revell USA, and the Corvette isn't on any of the release lists for the next 3 months. Here is what the release list looks like out to September, but keep in mind, all the releases but the July ones aren't set in stone and can change (and usually do) anytime: July SSP 1:16 359 PETERBILT® CONVENTIONAL TRUCKS 1:24 GMC® PICKUP W/ SNOW PLOW August SNAPTITE® 1:32 FORD AEROMAX DREAM RIDES 1:24 SHELBY® COBRA 427 S/C® DREAM RIDES 1:25 '04 CORVETTE® Z06™ DREAM RIDES 1:24 '70 BUICK GSX™ TOM DANIEL 1:24 '55™CHEVY® BADMAN® September DREAM RIDES 1:25 DODGE VIPER RT/10 DREAM RIDES 1:24 '93 MUSTANG SVT COBRA DREAM RIDES 1:24 '71 PLYMOUTH GTX SPECIAL EDITION 1:25 '50 OLDSMOBILE CLUB COUPE 2N1 MUSCLE 1:25 '69 DODGE CHARGER DAYTONA

As far as Nascar and NHRA cars, I have no doubt that companies would sell oodles of them, however the licensing that the racing bodies want to replicate their cars is just too much. Revell got out of Nascar long ago, and the only ones that Round 2 are producing are simple snap cars...and oh btw, you have to like building a Chevy, because that is all they do. And the Snap Round 2 cars are around the $30 mark, for a snap kit. Even the re-issued Hendrick cars from before the COT era that they said they were going to re-release, are going to fetch north of $30, which I have a feeling is why they haven't seen the light of day yet, because they likely aren't going to sell many. And it is all down to the cost of licensing. With the cars that Round 2 have out, they are getting hit double for licensing, because NASCAR is taking a cut, as well Hendrick Motorsports are getting a cut. I would love to see some new Nascar kits out to reflect the changes, but I am not going to give them $30+ for them.

Between the licensing cost that the car manufacturers want to produce a likeness of their vehicle, and the cost to go from concept to a mold cut and ready to pump out models, stuff like Don't sell enough copies to even think about producing. The only exception in that list is the Mustang, as it would be an easy mod for Revell to do since they already have the basis for the kit. There is a reason that we haven't seen a new pick up truck since the '99/2000 model year....they just don't sell enough of them to cover the costs. Unless the car says Mustang, Camaro, Challenger or Corvette, I doubt very much we will see other modern vehicles kitted again.

And he is a kid...lighten up!

I don't suppose anyone would have a photo of inside the car, and/or under the hood? Just to get the colors right. I am thinking grey for the chassis, and a green to match the gatorade green for the roll cage? Firewall body color? Green cage color? Aluminum?

Nice build Bruce! Well considering DW only drove the Gatorade Laguna in '76 and '77....slicks it is! But I will use the advise about the Monogram wheels, they do look much better.

Got the Powerslide Decals for the kit already. Not worried about the chassis not matching the the car make....no real concern for that kind of accuracy, was just wondering if there were any pit falls I should watch out for in the building of the kit. I could tell from the outset that it was just a generic chassis since it comes in 2 pieces, and you have to determine the length based on what body is in the kit. I don't know if the tires that come in the Model King kits are the same as the MPC ones....the instructions show cutting the center of the tires out (as per usual for MPC kits), but the tires that came with it aren't on any sprue and have no center to cut out (nor even a hint of one). Gotta decide if it is going to be worth going to the effort of shaving them down, or leaving as is, but they just don't look right as they are. Will have to find a bolt, nut and some washers and chuck them into a drill.

Starting on a build of the '76/'77 Gatorade Laguna driven by Darrell Waltrip, and of course using one of the Model King kits. Looking at the tires, they aren't slicks, but have little tiny grooves in them. I was under the impression that they raced on slicks. Are these tires period correct? Anything else to watch out for with these Model King kits?

No new pick up trucks for a couple of reasons. Licensing from the manufacturers, coupled with the newer ones haven't sold well, means Revell and Round 2 aren't going to put their money into it, if they aren't going to get a decent return on it. Sad but true. Why do you think the Revell tires in all their kits have no manufacturing logos and names on them? Licensing costs too much. No new NASCAR kits....licensing. All comes down to greed on the part of the car and tire manufactures. Instead of looking at it as an opportunity for free advertising, they look at it as a way to make a quick buck

Guys, don't be too hard on Jesse, he is just 13, I have met him a few times and seen some of his work and he has been into my shop a few times. Yes there are lots he can improve on, but he is just young and will learn. He had some kits at our local show this past weekend, here is one you guys can appreciated I am sure:

How about this one..... http://youtu.be/qaMkT1Dk6xQ 2011 Targa Newfoundland Rally, wipes out an Enzo into the bay.

I ship everything within Canada using Expedited, but then again I have a CP account with gives me Expedited (which includes tracking, and insurance) for less than what someone without an account would pay using regular parcel post. To the US....usually the customer dictates how it is sent, most pick the cheapest, which is Surface, some pick Air which is slightly faster and only a few bucks more (in most cases), however where it gets tricky is when the parcel exceeds 1kg, or 2.2lbs, then Canada Post requires it to go US Expedited, which includes insurance and tracking, but you pay through the nose for it. One thing I was told by a CP employee, is the biggest thing that makes the price jump up is the thickness of the parcel, more so than even the weight of the parcel, you can have a parcel that weighs 2lbs, but is only 2inches thick, cost less than something that weighs 1lb, but is 5 inches thick. Doesn't make much sense to me, but something about it being easier to pack into a plane or something.

Canada Post is no better. But a little explanation on why it went to NY. All US Parcels bound for Canada go through the USPS/US Customs in NY, and enter Canada through the Canada Post/Canada Customs location in St. Laurent, Quebec. Same happens from up here, if we send it from Canada to the US, it does the opposite, to St. Laurent, to NY, and then on to the destination, despite the destination being the other side of the country. This is for tracked parcels.....regular air or surface parcels, I am not 100% sure if they do the same or not....because of course they can't be tracked.

Just a quick announcement inviting all to come on out to the Capital Area Modeler's Society 24th Annual Spring Classic Model Show, taking place on May 26th, 2012, at the Kinsman Center in Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada. Lots of fun and prizes to be had, largest model show in Canada east of Toronto! For more information check out our website: http://www.capitalareamodellers.ca/

I have a fair amount into my shop. A good portion of them because they are children of customers and have watched their parents build them. Few and far between for just kids out of the blue that have had no parental figure that has built them, unless they are a friend of a kid that is. Nice bright spot I had the other day, kid was into the shop and doing a school project on the Titanic. His Mom was looking for a kit, but when her son saw the kit (100th anniversary Revell edition with lots of extra reproduction stuff pertinent to the Titanic), his eyes lit up. He and his mother were back in the next day to buy some paint (even though she said he needed to do some building before getting to the paint stage), at the same time gave him a flyer to our local show coming up end of May, and again his eyes lit up....nice to bring a new one into the fold!

Not a Jesse James fan....so I will skip it.

The $600 MSRP isn't irrelevant, as that is what the Dealer Cost is based from, generally 40% off the MSRP, which makes the dealer cost $360 (from US suppliers), and that is what US retailers will base their markup on. While it has always been a little cheaper retail wise to buy kits from Asia, it gets a little ridiculous when you can buy a kit at retail, with the shipping, from Japan, cheaper than a dealer can buy it from their US or CDN suppliers. I want one myself, my choice is to buy it at my dealer cost of $360 from one of my suppliers, or about $330 retail (including the shipping) from HLJ, (of course they are out of stock now, so it might be a moot point if the one run is already OOS and there may not be a 2nd run). I just don't get why Tamiya jacked the MSRP on it so much for the US/CDN market, sure, I expect it to be more than on the Asian market, but double?

Problem is, Tamiya has set the price for the US, MSRP is $600, and dealer cost on them from US suppliers are in the $360 range, so if US mail order is buying them from US suppliers, they won't be anywhere near the $300 range selling them, probably bottom line would be $399, and even then they aren't making much on. I want one....badly, but even at a $360US dealer cost, I can still buy it "retail" from HLJ with the shipping and it comes in cheaper (mind you not much) than getting it from my suppliers. Might have to "activate" my dealer account with HLJ that they offered me and see if I can get it even cheaper....although I see that they are now sold out!

Not many manufacturers that do clay prototypes anymore, I would say that 99% of them do everything on CAD now. Take measurments, take pictures, plug it all into CAD, lay out the parts, and then send it to a CnC machine to cut the molds. However manufacturers retool other company's kits all the time, and is nothing new.

Don't look for any of the new kits before the last half, to last quarter of the year. I have seen the Revell new releases out to including June, and they aren't on there. Here are the prospective releases up to the June releases: April 85-4914 1/25 1956 Ford F-100 Pick-Up 85-4922 1/25 Ed Roth "Tweedy Pie" 85-4923 1/25 1967 Chevelle Pro Street 85-4932 1/25 1929 Ford Rat Rod 85-4991 1/25 Cadillac Custom Lowrider May 85-2500 1/16 Peterbilt 359 SSP 85-4937 1/24 Bad Medicine 85-4948 1/24 Lamborghini Countach June 85-4259 1/25 1931 Ford Model A Rat Rod 85-4933 1/25 1965 Chevy Impala Convertible 85-4993 1/25 1940 Ford Coupe Street Rod As well, Revell Germany is releasing these 2 in June as well 07086 1/24 Audi DTM 2011 M. Rockenfeller 07087 1/24 Mercedes-Benz Bank AMG C-Class DTM 2011 July releases haven't been released as of yet.

For what it is worth, if anyone is looking for the Tim Flock Hudson Hornet, I still have 2 in stock. Click on the link in my sig. Please, that is awfully close to selling, which is a no-no on the board. You guy can use PMs if need be. -- Moderator

Oh....why did I click on this thread!!!! I was under the impression that this was a mostly diecast, mostly already put together kit, now I see it is a full kit?? This one is going to hurt. US Dealer cost on this is north of $300....where are you getting them for that price??

Yes there were 3 or 4 that Academy released recently.....they are all Italeri reboxes. Coincidentally, Italeri is re-releasing the California as well...not sure if they are going to re-release the others or not. One of my suppliers announced that they had come in, but were gone as quick as they came...don't know if they ever had them or not.