1972coronet

Ostensibly , I didn't pay that close attention to that detail . Similar to the background cars in The Blues Brothers --- some of them seen in the parking lot of the ( Dixie Square ) mall were also seen later parked in driveways , on the streets , etc .

Quite like that (sans the ridiculous wheels and rubber band tyres) , though its roof was considerably taller . Frankly , I was surprised to see perched headlamps on a post-1938 Ford Light-Duty truck . I wonder how the 'contemporary' (i.e. , not split-rim) wheels were adapted ? They still had the 8-retainer arrangement , but were wrapped with radial tyres ( Load range "E" ) .

Likely EPA and safety standards . Well , at least the 1974 film The Seven-Ups made liberal "use" of Opal Kadette wagons in the infamous chase scene !

EXACTLY ! That's it ! It has the same mirrors and emblems as the 2nd photo , too ! For the life of me , I cannot find a thing on the internet about these things --- even the go-to Wikipedia didn't show anything on them . I wanted to ask the owner of the one that I saw some questions about it , but he was in a hurry to get back to his store . I could ascertain that it wasn't completely stock ; I saw an aftermarket trans cooler , steel wheels , and what looked like a V8 under that ornate bonnet . Thanks much , Jon and Dan ! I hope to find out more about these ...

Around town here ( Murrieta , Ca. ) , a local merchant has a "1941" Ford panel van . I put the alleged year in quotes because that's they year he told me the vehicle was ---- but it didn't look like a 1939-1941 model ! Instead , it had "perched" headlamps like the pre-1939 models . I have no idea what the heck this thing is ! It's definitely a heavy duty model ; 8-lug wheel retainers (with more modern , plain steel wheels -- no split-rim wheels) ; looks as though it's based upon an F2 or F3 chassis (yes , I realise that that nomenclature wasn't applied until the 1946 model year ) ; one-piece hood , etc. , etc. The main body looks like a raised-roof version of the typical sedan delivery , and definitely looks factory-produced . An internet search has turned up absolutely nothing about this vehicle ! Unfortunately , I couldn't take an photos of it as my phone was dead , otherwise I'd post some pics of this "mysterious" sedan-panel-delivery-van . Anyone have any idea what that model is called ?

I was surprised to realise that he was still with us ! I thought that he'd passed some years ago ! At least he left a great legacy behind , starting with , but not limited to , his tenure at Ford , and the venerable Mustang . Bringing Shelby aboard to spice-up the factory offerings was another brilliant move ! He definitely came from the old school . That was no small feat turning Chrysler around ; he did it in record time ! While I was no huge fan of Chrysler's ad nauseam K-Platform derivatives , I do admire just how much the organisation squeezed out of that platform , esp. the Caravan ( I always thought that the Dodge Ram Caravan was so cool ! A contemporary panel van for work use --- haven't seen one in over 30 years ) . My parents bought a 1986 Plymouth Horizon at the end of the '86 model year ( Sept. 1986 ) . It was charcoal grey metallic with two-tone grey interior , and a full-compliment of options , except one : it was equipped with a 5-speed manual ! Me mum was a bit perturbed about that one , but she "re-learnt" how to operate a manual trans in quick order . That car lasted a good while , with only its clutch needing replacing at ~35,000 miles (again , mum practising via trial-by-fire how to get a feel for the function of the clutch ) , and new tyres at ~41,000 (the original Good Year Vectors -- remember those ? -- performed well ) . Godspeed , Mr. Iacocca !

Lettuce hope that it's a reworked c.1998 ( ad seq. ) version , and not that chunk of cow dung , butchered-up , backdated MPC dinosaur . Would be nice to see a proper SS-396 Camaro of 1970-1972 vintage . EDIT : I recognise that it's marked as the Z/28 (still worry-some ) , but at least if it's the good version , its body will be a (hopefully) great starting point for a 350hp 396 ( with A/C --- like the engine / TH-400 in the '68 El Camino ) or L-78 . Besides , I can always use another LT-1 350 for pending projects .

Long lead-time on vehicle development was also an issue . The Pinto was in R&D in c.1968 ; the Vega in c.1968 as well ---- a good 4-5 years before escalating gasoline prices . Add the component of the ever-moving target of then-new EPA standards (esp. California ! ) , and the annual safety update / upgrade standards , and the death mask was cast . Chrysler's 'problem' was with the "right car at the wrong time" all-new 1974 C-bodies ( Monaco , Newport , et al. ) being introduced mere months before the 21st October 1973 OPEC Embargo , and the recipe for disaster was boiling on the burners ... "Badge Engineering" was bourne-out of this (e.g. , the Royal Monaco vs. the B-Body 'Monaco' [ formerly badged as a Coronet through 1974] , and the Fury vs. Gran Fury [ formerly "Satellite" through 1974] ). The Vega and its companion "H-Special" models were destined for failure because they were rushed-into production ---- at a tremendous cost of line workers ! The edict of "One [Vega] Built Every Minute" caused the plants to go-through employees like I go through Marlboros ! I worked with a couple of guys whom worked at the South Gate ( Ca. ) Plant when the then-new Monza ( H-Special ) was slated for production at that facility (whose mainstay was full-sized cars) . The tales they would regale us with ; everyone was on , shall we say , "second-party-performance-enhancers" just to get through the insane amount of energy required to slap those cars together . More than one time the line was stopped because the guy whose job it was to drop the engine-transmission assemblies into the cars was so "performance-enhanced" that he had slung the engine-trans combos straight-into the windshields ! As far as the Pinto fuel tank ; from what I'd heard through the years was that a 'simple' TSB was issued to the dealerships , as a fix had been devised ( I could swear that I'd seen bags of those 'fixes' around in the parts department --- their part number was to the effect of "D3TZ ---" or perhaps "D5TZ --- " ) , but no Recall notices were sent to the consumers .

Considering that the AAR and the T/A Challenger were built on the regular production line with 'regular' Barracuda and Challenger models in the Hamtramck Plant (e.g. , they weren't "batch-built" like the 440 Dart , etc.) , there were mistakes made ( antenna placement ; trim mix-ups ; etc. , etc. ) . The only way to tell whether or not an AAR received the bright embellishments is by finding an original , untouched example , or by finding vintage photographic evidence that supports the presence (or lack thereof ) of the grille's brightwork . In the end , we're building scale replicas of fill-in-the-blank vehicles --- build your kit your way .

Definitely an FE engine (352-360-390-406-427-428) and not a 385 (429-460) .

I watched Chris' review / build of the new AAR and was largely impressed with the outcome --- but I didn't notice that the decals (graphics) are that far off ! Revised decals shouldn't --in theory-- cost that much for Revell (please correct me if I'm wrong) versus expen$ive tooling changes (Dana 60 notwithstanding ) . In spite of any proportional issues with the body , these much-welcomed 1970 'Cuda kits certainly look wonderful in-so-far-as the final build-up is concerned . Either that , or perhaps I'm not as 'picky' as others ** ** = I'm not calling anyone out by making that statement ; just stating my opinion . If my fellow enthusiasts wish to address / modify any maladies , then by all means please do ! Additionally ; thank you to those of you whom have taken the time to exhibit the shortcomings and how to rectify them .

I feel ridiculous and petty for publicising my disappointment in the lack of a correct differential ; however , I must make a point regarding the whole "The finished model is displayed chassis-side-down..." or "No one will notice nor care..." (neither are verbatim quotes) contention . I know that the Dana is 'there' . I cannot live with the incorrect Dana . I will change the Dana out for a proper differential . Oddly (or not) I take less *offence* to the chided rear wheel wells' exaggerated lip than I do an incorrect differential . There've been enough tutorials on fixing that wheel lip --- total non-issue to me . I was just hoping that Revell would've seen fit to tool-up an 8 3/4 for their 1970 'Cuda , if for nothing else , for potential future releases : - 340 'Cuda (non-AAR) - 383 'Cuda - 440 / auto 'Cuda - 440+6 / auto 'Cuda (note that I'm not going to delve-into a correct exhaust system for that combo as seen with N97 Noise Reduction Package ) There are my opinions , nothing more . That's what a forum is supposed to invite : discussions , sharing of opinions , and respectful debate .

If nothing else , the c.1995 and c.2007 issues ( botched attempts ) are good for their better engine compartment pieces for use in the 1971 Hemi 'Cuda . Same goes for its unfettered chassis (borrowed from the Monogram 1970 Challenger T/A from c.1983) --- no moulded-in exhaust with the undersized mufflers !

Don't get me wrong , my fellow plastic fanatics --- I LOVE this new version of the '70 'Cuda ! Its strong points vastly outweigh any of its oversights ; that 340+6 looks simply gorgeous ! I suppose that my ire with the wrong differential is based upon my arthritis : I simply cannot modify smaller parts without my fingers either giving-up ( losing my grip ) or my wrists and hands cramping like I just wrestled a 440 into a '65 Dart ! If the springs / axle assembly from the 1968-1969 Dart , 1967 GTX , etc. , etc. , fit with little-to-no massaging , then I'm good . Additionally , I apologise if I implied any ad hom. attacks .

Those otherwise nicely executed 1967 B-bodies from Revell have that incorrect-after-1965 Hemi-4-speed-8 3/4 combo that's always bothered me . Quite a few years ago ( probably around 25 years ago ) I wrote to Revell and asked if they were going to correct that problem or offer a TorqueFlite option... ... quarter-century later , no luck . And , mind you that this was during the time when there were numerous production problems with the then-new Sox & Martin "GTX" (truly , an RO23J7 with 'GTX' emblems) . Certainly , new bodies were sent out --- and those were equally as tweaked as the in-the-box originals ! But , I digress... $30.00 for a kit in today's money is a far cry from the $6.00 kits from ~20 years ago ---- especially since the kits are made in China !

I agree regarding the easy-to-find-correct-differential ; however , paying as much as these kits cost makes that *oversight* tough to swallow . Besides , I was looking forward to the correct diff being included ; would've made a 440 Super Commando / Torqueflite / Air Conditioning-equipped (from the AMT 1971 Charger ) conversion easier ---- the Dana 60 couldn't be had in conjunction with air conditioning (even the 3.54 geared version) .

My sincere condolences . My first feline companion (and his mum) succumbed to F.I.V. ; still hurts 26 years later .

I just watched Chris' ( hpi guy) review and build-up of the AAR , and am disappointed to see a Dana 60 instead of the correct 8 3/4 . C'mon , guys ! Newly-tooled 340 engine , AAR hood , etc. , etc. , then drop the ball with the incorrect differential ! Yes , the new AAR-specific parts look great (decals and all) , but...

Haha ! What is it with felines and toilet tissue ? ( " I'll sing you a song with no words and no tune / to sing in the Khazi while you suss out the moon... " ) . Great looking companion !

How's it going , Mike ? I hope that all's well outside of this '61 Imp giving you fits . May I suggest another approach to the strip-and-respray ? I realise that you use oven cleaner as a stripper ( nothing wrong with that --- whatever works ) but how about Purple Power (et al.) ? Should strip that paint in short order ; I've always had the best luck with Purple Power . After stripping then washing , perhaps a bit of time in the dehydrator -- sans primer or paint ; just bare plastic -- then a few light coats of Kilz (or whatever that aerosol barrier is called) with sanding between coats ? See how that reacts to clean (relatively speaking) plastic ; a satisfactory reaction (e.g. , no crazing) could then be primered in light coats with wet sanding between coats . Personally , I use alternating colours of primer whenever I perform body work ; grey-red oxide-grey-black ( you get the idea ) . It works as a guide coat as well as indicating "burn-through" to the plastic . Best of luck , my friend !

Or even a Hemi conversion of a Barracuda ( "BH23" ) , perhaps even an M/P competitor . For 1971 Plymouth "fudged" the shipping weight for the 'Cuda (more so the convertible) so that it could be campaigned in the highly-competitive SS/E(A) class . I've seen images of "1970" models with "1970" grille , and a decal covering the 1971's gills .

Ah , the ill-fated F-bodies . What's really *interesting* about the F-body Road Runner (relegated to a package option after the 1975 model year) in its for two years is that the top engine was the E57 two barrel 360 ! Even the 1976 Duster (and Dart Sport) had a 220hp E58 360 with true dual exhaust --- sans catalytic converters ! Certainly that poached some sales from the F-bodies... ...until the A-bodies were discontinued by mid-1976 .

A correct Marlin would be awesome ! Even the JoHan kit would "suffice" (not that it's bad by any stretch--- just that its tooling is likely gone forever) . Didn't the '66 & up JoHan AMC's still have the old Nash 287 / 327 V8 in them ?