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sjordan2

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    70 1/2 Camaro

    in WIP: Model Cars

    Posted

    Tom, this one is looking GREAT! "Hood jewelry"... LOL, I cannot get over that one. :blink:

    Nice build up so far and I am looking forward to the final pics.

    One thing... I noted from the design, and no reflection on your considerable building skills. But the slant of the trunk is weird once the roof is removed. Same thing turned up when Ford started making Mustang convertibles again in the mid 80's. The cars looked like the roof had been cut off instead of looking like a finished design. In other words... the hip-line is incomplete front to rear! A car should have a smooth line front to rear to be visually complete. With the "F" body Camaro and Firebird it was the top of the front fender - to roof - to trunk line. Remove the roof and the line is incomplete!

    Ford figured this out on the 1971 "Bunky" Mustang re-design which had a weird incomplete hip-line that never connected leaving a heavy look to the rear fenders but the strong roof line completed the shape. That is except for the convertible! The convertibles of the day had a crease in the sheetmetal that flowed smoothly between the top of the door and over the rear fender much like it had back in 1969 - '70. So top up or top down the Convertible is a beautiful design in my opinion.

    Is Tom's model flawed? Not in my eyes... but my original art IS (flawed)! I should have spent more time fooling with this design and playing with body lines in order to "smooth out" the look from the rear 3/4 view.

    Or... you could just simply add a set of ski racks like I did! :D

    How about a spoiler?

    Winton Auto

    in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)

    Posted

    Who has even a clue? Tonka Toys as a free-standing company is no more, the brand is now owned by Mattel, and has been for years.

    As for the "Diorama" kits, there were 6: 1903 Winton, 1913 Model T Touring Car (two variants of this--the stock T, and one done in red, as a fire chief's car), 1903 Wright Flyer, Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis", Chicago & Northwestern locomotive "Pioneer" (a 4-2-0 steamer from the 1850's), and the Western& Atlantic "General" (the famed 4-4-2 steam locomotive from the Civil War's "Great Locomotive Chase".

    The kits just didn't sell well at all--they were out for only one or two seasons, and then disappeared into the mists of time.

    Art

    Actually, Tonka is owned by Hasbro, which has been back and forth in talks with Mattel. But I agree with you about a better diorama for the Winton than the Tonka kit's Western street – although I found a painting of the broken-down Winton next to a conestoga wagon, which is probably not very accurate for 1903 either. The 2003 Smithsonian exhibit created a life-size diorama showing the Winton being pulled out of the mud with the aid of the block and tackle they carried along with them, backed by a majestic Southwest panorama that looks just right. Of course, Bud the bulldog is right there.

    http://www.examiner.com/x-2123-Baltimore-Family-Entertainment-Examiner~y2010m2d5-bud

    I would add that the person who originally posted this thread has not returned to the conversation, and further attempts to help him may not be fruitful.

    Winton Auto

    in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)

    Posted · Edited by sjordan2

    That diorama kit looks great. The only difference is that most of the photos I see of the real car (and as displayed at the Smithsonian GM transportation museum) show a wrapped spare tire mounted in front of the radiator. But these diorama kits are nearly impossible to find. I bet Art could suggest some kitbashing/scratchbuilding approaches.

    On the other hand, maybe you could track this guy down and ask if you could borrow his build.

    http://s616.photobucket.com/albums/tt248/Pilgrim_02/1_25%20Models/?action=view&current=1903WintonTouring.jpg&currenttag=Tonka+Diorama

    Monza Sporthatchback Street Machine

    in Model Cars

    Posted · Edited by sjordan2

    On Wikipedia I found this:

    So yeah, it was introduced as the base Monza model. So technically Jimmy is right in calling it a Monza, and I was right on the Monza rear end since it was still used on the higher up fastback models. Of course, we were also right in that it technically is a Vega with a Monza front end. B)

    That's what I found a short while ago. However, I cannot find a single image of the 1:1 car.

    EDIT: AHA! I did find one (and only one with this grille), based on your Wikipedia reference:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Monza_S.jpg

    strawberry smoothie

    in Model Cars

    Posted · Edited by sjordan2

    Very cool build, and this is one with a color I seldom like but looks great here. Very interesting to note that both Boyd Coddington and Chip Foose claimed credit for this one, though it seems Foose designed it while working for Coddington before they split over differences. There's an excellent diecast under the Foose name.

    Monza Sporthatchback Street Machine

    in Model Cars

    Posted · Edited by sjordan2

    Eureka. This must be it. Note the Monza badge on the front fender. That's why it was listed as a Monza at the website that sells it.

    http://thumbweb.com/models/boxart/78monza1-7827-s.jpg

    And this may not be Kosher, but I lifted the following quote from another forum... ;)

    "In response to the original question, the model depicts the 1978 Chevrolet Sportback in a Pro Stock configuration. In essence, the Sportback was a one year vehicle built from left over 1977 Vega rear body sections with Monza Town Coupe front sheet metal added to it so Chevrolet wouldn't have to scrap the extra bodies.

    MPC also released the model in a stock configuration along with the Pro Stock version that is shown in your picture..."

    So it appears that everybody is kindasorta right about what it is or isn't, and Jimmy is probably the most correct.

    Monza Sporthatchback Street Machine

    in Model Cars

    Posted

    Jimmy, can you post a picture of the box that you built this kit from? it looks like the "Twister Vega" kit but slightly different. i'm guessing that MPC may have had a few variations of this one?

    the Twister Vega kit doesn't have any emblems on it that say Vega or Monza. there is a Chevrolet script on the rear taillight panel and then some V8/3.0liter? emblems on the fenders. Maybe the earlier MPC issue has "Monza" on the fenders?

    this is another of those kit's like the AMT re-issue '75 Duster kit that's really a Dart Sport. i believe that kit too was an old MPC that AMT re-issued.

    Dave

    When I was checking out this subject I found an MPC kit with box art that appears to show the same tooling as the AMT, including the big scoop on the hood – which isn't on the hood of the build in question. Optional?

    Monza Sporthatchback Street Machine

    in Model Cars

    Posted · Edited by sjordan2

    The blue fastback is a 1975 and diferent car! Look at this it is a MONZA no a VEGA!

    http://carburetor-manual.com/images/1978-monza-1.JPG

    Loks like a VEGA but is a MONZA to

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/1978_Monza_wagon.jpg

    It says MONZA on the modle body front fender to.

    The Monza on the cover of your 78 brochure example is a Monza Town Coupe. It has a completely different roofline from the Vega; your model has the Vega roofline, among other cues. Scroll down to the Town Coupe:

    http://auto.howstuffworks.com/chevrolet-monza2.htm

    As Dave Zinn mentioned above, your model is a Twister Vega:

    http://thumbweb.com/models/boxart/twistervega-pro-s.jpg

    Regardless of body style, as the editors of Consumer Guide noted, "The Chevrolet Monza, introduced for 1975, was basically a Chevrolet Vega dressed for a night at the disco."

    Winton Auto

    in General Automotive Talk (Trucks and Cars)

    Posted · Edited by sjordan2

    As a museum professional, you probably know about this, while others may not – PBS aired a highly entertaining documentary by Ken Burns on this subject, "Horatio's Drive."

    http://www.pbs.org/horatio/index.html

    The DVD is available from the PBS online store for $24.98.

    PS– Amazon has the companion book to this documentary:

    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Horatio%27s+Drive&x=12&y=15

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