Don Sikora II

I like the Tamiya compounds too.

Nice builds! The mags and wide whites look great, and I like that blue.

You're welcome. If you go the MPC route, I'd recommend looking for the kit in my pictures. It's the 1983 kit, and is molded in dark blue. This kit has clear windows, but MPC went to deep-smoke tinted windows in many 1984 kits, so the "sparkling" red one and the white 20th Anniversary car may have nearly black tinted windows. Agree with Steve M. on price, $80US sounds really, really high for one of these MPC kits. The scoop is included in the blue kit as well (it's separate from the hood), and it's a fairly simple part that shouldn't be too hard to make from sheet plastic if you go the Monogram route. If the racer had a stripped-out interior, the MPC would probably have the advantage there. Looked at the body in my '83 MPC kit, and it is missing the three vertical ribs in the grille as you mentioned. The rear spoiler is a separate three-piece assembly. MPC also has taillights molded in clear red, which will be more difficult to paint....if I remember right they are molded in clear in the Monogram '83 convertible. The Monogram might give you more options for wheels and tires, since there's probably more to choose from in 1/24 scale. Can't remember for sure, but even the 1/25 Revell Mustang GTO racer shown above may have used 1/24-scale tires from an earlier Monogram race car. Both bodies (MPC '83 and Monogram '79 Cobra) have bodyside moldings in place. Looks like the car you want to make didn't run them, so both bodies will need some work to remove them. It's a cool project. From the little I've thought about it, I'm not sure if I'd start with Monogram or MPC. There are good arguments for both.

Dash #2 is Jo-Han '69 Ambassador. It was also included in Jo-Han's 1969 Rebel and 1970 Rebel Machine kits. Think bench seat #1 is Revell '60 Impala. The kit had decals for the upholstery patterns.

You're on the right track. The car in your pictures appears to be a 1983 or 1984 Mustang GT. The only one of the three you've listed that I have is the #2260 Mustang Cobra. Was easy to get at it, so I gave it a quick look. it has two depressions on the outside surface of the rear spoiler. Monogram's inventory-control numbers engraved on the inside of the body indicate the #2250 Pace Car and #2260 Cobra bodies were identical except for molded color. The #2276 Cafe Racer likely has the same body, but my kit was almost certainly made before that one was released so there are no engraved inventory numbers for it on my body. The #2260-style body is molded with an open sunroof, so you'll need to deal with that. There is a clear sunroof piece included, so you should be able to start with that to plug the hole in the body. Don't think Monogram ever made the hood scoop you need, but MPC's '83 and '84 Mustang kits had it. Those are 1/25 scale though.

At least one issue of MPC's Datsun pickup had a cap. This Black Hawk is the 1979 "annual." Revell included a camper top in one version of their Datsun King Cab 4X4 that came with some wet bikes and a trailer. The picture is from Revell's 1983 catalog. And the MPC Branding Iron El Camino had a cap too.

I use Faller Super Expert. It's similar to the Testors, a thickish liquid somewhere between tube glue and a thin liquid cement like Tamiya. This has a metal applicator, and it's very easy to control. Good stuff. I've bought from Walther's, and have seen it at several hobby shops with good model train departments.

Built the BTCC racer when the kit was new....very old picture of it attached. From what I remember, it built up easily with no problems.

I've already ordered a Panamera kit, but like Bob said the Sport Turismo would be my first choice too. Still I'd be much more excited by a current 911. Have several 991.1 and 991.2 diecasts, and even a few 991.2s in 1/87 plastic. Good to hear that Welly has a 1/24-scale GT3 RS in the works. Have Welly's 1/24 Carrera S, and it's BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH nice for a moderately priced diecast.

It's still hard to believe that no one has made a 1/24 plastic kit of a 991-series 911.

Think that patch came in a reissue Rat Fink kit from early 2000s. Can't remember if it appeared in more than one reissue Roth kit, but it's possible.

The Early Iron '32 kit was the last one with the Pontiac engine. The kit was reworked quite a bit for the yellow w/ black flames issue that first came out around 1985, give or take. It picked up the SBC then, along with the wire wheels. A few years later there was another rework with a 3-window coupe body added for a Beach Boy's Little Deuce Coupe kit. That kit is where the steelies wheels and caps originated...they've been in all issues of the roadster since the McDonald's one. Yes, those "Little Deuce" decals were a nod to the kit's origin.

MPC Street Spyder Monza. Built about 10 years ago for the theme at That 70's NNL in Milwaukee.

Good idea!

Loctite here too. Doesn't go bad quickly, and it's inexpensive and easy to get.

Thanks, guys.

Is there a good source for Belkits in the States?

Yes.

There are also curbside versions of the Fujimi Countach kits. Hobby Search usually has pictures that show the plan and parts from Japanese kits. That's where I'd start researching, especially if you know the kit number. http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/list/439/0/1

The MPC SSlasher might be the closest of these to MPC's '72 Chevelle annual. Definitely not the same though. The red MPC issue with yellow stripes came after the SSlasher and think had a few new pieces. The light blue AMT "Street Machines" kit is very close to AMT's '72 Chevelle annual kit. The AMT "Street Customs" kit with the red car and black stripes is based on the AMT kit even though the box shows a built MPC kit. At some point, Ertl retooled the AMT '72 Chevelle to a '70 (same kit that's currently out as the car from Jack Reacher). In the RC2 years, there was another retooling to release this '72 kit. It has some nice clear front turn signal and headlight lenses, but to my eye the grille doesn't look anywhere near as good as the original AMT part. Been a while since I looked at one, but I think the rear bumper might look a bit off as well. I'd agree with Mark and say the light-blue AMT kit is the best of the ones that you have shown if you want to build a '72. Another option is the AMT Red Alert '72 Chevelle kit from the Seventies if you're able to get a deal on one of those....it's basically an earlier issue of the light-blue kit.

Looked at the reissue '63 roadster I have in the "Legendary Classic" box with the red car on it. The body in mine has the Fuel Injection engraving on the front fenders. It's molded in that typical Ertl beige/gray color plastic...my Prestige kits are in white so it should be original to the kit and not swapped out. Possible it was made both ways depending on when the kit was molded.

This one came out about the same time as the Prestige issue. It's hard to remember, but this one might have actually been released shortly before the Prestige kit. Have an AMT/Ertl-era Corvette five-car set that I'm pretty sure includes the '63 roadster. Don't think the roadster version has been out in at least 15 years though. The '63 Corvette split-window was included in AMT's Corvette 50th Anniversary series. If I remember right, that issue included both tops for the roadster, but not the glass that fit them. Think some other issues of the Vette roadster included the glass for the removable hardtop, but not the roof itself. If you get lucky, you can piece it together if you have the right kits.

When the Prestige '63 Roadster was released, I asked about it at AMT/Ertl's booth when I saw them at a show....probably when they set up at the Toledo Toy Show. i was told then that the roadster body was new tooling. Don't remember if we discussed the two roofs, but wouldn't be surprised if they were new along with the body.

Powell's City of Books is worth a stop. Been at least five years since I've been in Portland, but visited the main store (it's big!) a couple different times and remember a good selection of new and used automotive books.

AMT '37 Chevy and '32 Ford Vicky on clearance here too.