Longbox55

There are a few other variants of that kit, the '84 GMC (ex Fall Guy) was the last reissue. If you want a Chevrolet in the '81-'87 body style, look for the Ground Pounder or Mule Skinner. Both are Stepsides 4x4s. There is also a Hardcastle & McCormick version that has the GMC cab and grille that is a Stepside.

Around here, none of the recently built auto repair shops (say, within the last 30 years), inclusing the one I work at, have any windows in the shop area. The only windows are in the doors, and perhaps the office/customer waiting areas. However, many of the older shops have widows exactly as Ed describes. As Ed said, I'm not wanting to start any arguments, only giving a point of veiw from my own experiences being around the auto repair business. I'm sure that different areas will have different building codes and styles.

The poor fitting glass is one of the several quirks of this kit. Not only does it not quite fit right to how the kit is designed (flush with the cab), it's not prototypically accurate to the 1:1, as the top of the glass is actually about 2" in from the edge of the cab roof. Here's a pic of how it should look.

It also leaves out Truck plates, which in many areas are different from Passenger plates.

Just picked up this kit the other day, so here's a quick reveiw of what's the same, and what's been changed from earlier releases. Here's what's in the box. For those who have built this kit in the past (this will be my 4th one), there's no major suprises. I only saw flash on 1 tree, and it was minor. For those unfamiliar with this kit, it is a reissue of an old Monogram tool. This version is essentially the same as the last few reissues. The chassis is typlical Monogram, simplified, easy assembly, but still reasonably accurate. The suspension is stock transverse spring, with a drop axle and 4 bar setup on the front. Rolling stock are still the same Centerline 10 hole/ARE Outlaw style wheels from the last few reissues, but the tires are no name with smooth sidewalls. The fronts are the tires from the Nova kits, rears appear to be the old Monogram Goodyear Radial GT tires that were used in most of their musclecar kits, but with the sidewall markings removed. The engine is a Flathead V8, with molded on exhaust, starter, distributor, and transmission. The heads are finned aftermaket peices. The intake is a 3 carb, using what appears to possibly be Stomberg 97s, though they may be Holly 94s. The heads and intake system are chrome. Other underhood details include a 2 peice radiator with a 2 peice crhome upper tank, a chrome Beehive oil filter, and 2 chromes upper radiator hoses. The body is now molded in white, rather than the red of the recent issues. Fitment appears to be good. The kit still retains the louvered hood and tailgate. The stakes for the bedsides are also still present. New to this kit is a tonneu cover for the bed, I beleive this part to have been restored to the kit, as I have seen a past issue with the same cover. no changes on the interior, it's still has the diamond pleated seat and door panels, along with the pleated headliner. Engraving looks very good. The decal sheet is all new (sorry for the blurry pic, not sure what happened). Included are a set of flames, wood decals for bed and stakes, separate "chrome" skid strip decals, whitewalls for the tires, Ford and V8 scripts in black and white, guage faces for both round aftermarket style gauges as well as a stock style guage panel, 2 California license plates (1 vintage, 1 current), and a set of door/tailgate/ front license plate decals for "Motor Junkies Speed Shop". Overall, it's nice reissue of an very good kit, possibly one of Monograms best automotive offerings in 1:24 scale. Would have been better if the wheels had been changed to something more in line with current rodding trends (steelies w/baby moons or perhaps vintage Halibrands), and perhaps adding stock type non louvered hood and tailgate.

The brown color is the oils in the rubber oxidizing, which is meant to prevent the rubber itself from degrading. It's also why whitewalls that haven't been cleaned tend to turn a brownish-yellow color. All modern tires will turn brown if not kept clean. Also, most tires are rather flat in their finish, not shiney, when they are new. They're only shiney with application of aftermarket tire shne products. There are exeptions, Falkens and Yokohama tires tend to somewhat glossy, especially their small car sport tires.

Good job on those door handles, major improvement on what the kit provides.

The Stepside kit doesn't have the stock engine parts, mainly the intake system, exhaust system, and rocker covers. It also has a dropped front axle and non stock wheels/tires. The Cameo kit provides all the missing stock components. A tip to pass along about the 1:1 '55-'59 Chevy and GMC trucks, the spare tire carrier that's molded to the frame on the AMT kits is actually a Cameo/Town and County specific part, not used on other trucks. The correct under frame spare tire carrier can be found in the AMT '50 Chevy 3100 or the Revell '64 and '65 Chevy truck kits.

What's a "Camero"?

Yup. Couldn't resist, first thing that popped in my mind after reading the first post.

Clearveiw 2000, makes any plastic transparent.

Harry, you may have hit on part of it being poor sales. I've been in several hobby shops that have boxes of Slixx decals, almos always marked down on clearance. It seems most of them are for Nascar or NHRA race cars, usually for the lesser known drivers/teams. I beleive in this case, it's more of overproducing of a slow/non moving product.

All the kits on the list are currently in production. They're not going to include kits that are either oop or not released/reissued.

I agree with ya George, it's waaaaayyyy too clean! Around my neck of the woods, the only times you see one that clean is at the dealer when it's new, or at the tractor shows after it's long been retired.

Harry, that's the old Ertl kit, last reissued in the '90s by AMT.

Here you go, right from the sales brochures. http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Dodge/1970_Dodge/1970_Dodge_Challenger_Brochure/1970%20Dodge%20Challenger-05.jpg http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Plymouth/1970%20Plymouth/album/1970%20Plymouth%20Barracuda-12.html

http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/GM%20Trucks%20and%20Vans/1976_Trucks_and_Vans/1976_Chevrolet_Blazer_Chalet_Brochure/1976%20Chevy%20Blazer%20Chalet-01.jpg http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/GM%20Trucks%20and%20Vans/1976_Trucks_and_Vans/1976_GMC_Jimmy_Casa_Grande_Brochure/1976%20GMC%20Jimmy%20Casa%20Grande-01.jpg http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Jeep/1970_Jeep/1970_Jeep_Brochure/1970%20Jeep%20Brochure-07.jpg All 3 of these were factory built options.

Now you've found why the call 'em Mo-Pars. It's beacuase you need MOre PARts!

Chevrolet had a bucket seat option in '63, RPO A50, as well as a Bostrum seat option starting in '61.

I guess they do vaguely resemble Clevland heads, especially how the ports are offset on the head.

Those are the heads that come with the AMT '63 'Vette. While they may not be 100% accurate to a 1:1 BBC, they aren't anyhwere close to being Ford FE heads either.

BTW, I saw in your post under RV about the Thunderbolt colors. According to several sites I checked, the first 11 (10 manual transmission, 1 automatic) were painted Vintage Maroon. The rest were Wimbledon White.

There's any number of things you can use, depending onwhat type fo paint you used. For enamels, brake fluid, oven cleaner, or any lye based degreaser (Superclean, Purple Power) will work fine. Of those, the lye cleaners are the least toxic, and are water cleanup. If you used any of the hobby laquers, 91% rubbing alcohol will take it right off. Others will most likely post with their favorites. None are necessarily "wrong", more of personal preference/experence. Sometimes, what works with one brand/color of paint my not work with another as well.

It's every bit as nice as the pix show.

I just dug out a few of those engines I have in my stash. Anthony, yours is from the AMT '63 Coupe, which has the hole in the block. The Convertible lacks that hole. I'm not sure what the hole is actually for, it isn't called out in the instructions, and there's nothing in the kit that would go to or through it.