niteowl7710

The '58 Corvette (which spawned the non-P-M '59) was also in the line. But I have to wonder if the P-M line was unsuccessful because people weren't willing to pay a couple of bucks extra for extra content, or the fact that the extra content (with the exception of the Daytona Charger's P-E Grill - which was subsequently included in every reissue of it - so it couldn't be expensive to create) was an expanded set of instructions and a bigger box. While all of the kits are good kits, well engineered, etc, they're hardly a "high-water" mark for Revell and something we all lament the downfall of ever since. Unlike the Fujimi Enthusiast Series where they've never produced a set of kits as detailed and parts-heavy since then. Revell's kits (for all of their various issues) haven't gotten substantially worse since the late-90's when the P-M kits series debuted. The '40 & '48 Ford Convertibles and '69 Charger provided the basis for tooling that as Brett points out have been in the catalog in some form ever since then. The P-M line suffered from "Factory Stock-itis". Now I realize it's how *I* build, but a Factory Stock '40 Ford probably didn't sell as well in it's P-M run as the subsequent Street Machine versions did in theirs. Same thing for the '48 Ford. I bet the pre-chopped "Custom" sold far more kits than the bone stock Convertible did. Still wish they'd do non-chopped Street Machine or something out of that tool so I could build a replica stock coupe, but I digress. The P-M line also spawned right at the time when THE major upheaval in the industry took place. No one can really look at the end of the 1990's and the resulting all but destruction of AMT/MPC and the random floating of Revellogram that took place for the next half decade as a good thing. Revell never seems to tip it's hand as to it's sales figures, but we know that PRICE isn't the be all and end all of things these days. Example 1 - Moebius - They're a bit more transparent, and as a result we know that the first runs for the Hudson, the LoneStar, the Chrysler & Great Dane Trailer all sold out en-route on the boat. Those kits are all more expensive than Revell's price point, even without considering the larger price of Big Truck kits. Example 2 - Aoshima - Again a bit more transparent., and as a result we know the first runs for the Toyota 86/FR-S & BRZ as well as their version of the Aventador all sold out. If you didn't have those kits on Pre-Order directly out of Japan chances are you didn't get one until several months later when the 2nd run was done. The entry point (without shipping/importing) is $8-10 higher than Revell. Bottom line subject matter is what sells. I'd love to know how the Olds & Ford did. From a "second-hand" view I know that I attended one of the first shows that was held after the '50 Olds was shipped out from distributors. I arrived 90 minutes after the doors opened, and it was SOLD OUT of every vendor. Now if Revell included photo-etched scripts, an expanded instruction sheet (since I ESPECIALLY LOATHE the retro box and part number with no paint call out/description they've decided to institute this year), and just corrected all the piddly errors that plague some of these kits would they not have sold out the same kits? Is that extra $3-5 really going to make or break the "correct" subject matter? Rounding this back to this kit. It has "0" appeal to me regardless to how they did it, because I don't care about the subject matter, but it's certainly a kit that destined more about what the shiny bits look like than the dirty underside. That doesn't let Revell off the hook by any means, they should be constantly prodded to produce their best by constructive criticism. They are the #1 company in the U.S. at the moment, and don't think they should be allowed to slide on their laurels. Revell is never going to close their doors and go pout because we critique their kits, there should be a "striving towards excellence" culture there. However the thing that would stop a kid or adult that's new to the hobby from ever building another Revell kit (or perhaps model in general) is long gone from Revell's kits. Pretty much every kit that Revell has produced in recent years (especially after the Hobbico purchase and infusion of operating capital) is reasonably easily built. If you give someone a Rat Roaster, some paint and glue at some point in the future they will have something that resembles a '32 Ford hot rod.

Revell has always done the same thing. The new tools take a year or more to release, the modified reissues will hit during the summer months. I'd expect the '90 Mustang (yes it's been marketed that way now since it's the only year the 10 hole wheels were available on the LX the way the kit is tooled), the Cuda and the '49 Merc Wagon to roll out in rapid succession right before Christmas. The '57 Chevy Convertible & '69 Camaro ZL-1 will more than likely drop in June & July. Because there will be some modified tooling (and the normal pile of reissues) announced this Spring that will also manage to make it onto shelves before the all new tools. Don't believe me go back through the last 5 years and show me when that schedule wasn't met.

You might want to look into the glue reissues of previous Snap-Tite Revell kits. The '94 Impala SS comes to mind. He's also right around that age when most of us got "turned lose" so to speak and started working on kits ourselves. Not saying you should in anyway drop supervision and tutelage, but after a few more builds you might want to take him to the hobby shop and let him pick his own subject matter.

Lee is a Chinese company that has seen itself fit to make cheap copies of other people's kits without permission. Or you'd think it would be without permission seeing as the quality is never up to par with the originals. The M-B is a "Tamiya" kit. I don't know who they ripped off for the F-50 as there were kits of that from Fujimi, Hasegawa, Tamiya & Revell AG.

I will say that I had a Silverado Crew Cab as a rental down in Texas, and that thing got consistent 20MPG even with a decent bit of urban driving tossed in...new trucks aren't the gas pigs they were a decade ago.

Hey look that Cabriolet has a UP-TOP!

I would think the licensing problems wouldn't be expense or whatnot, but rather the various manufacturers refusing to all be lumped into one decal sheet like that.

I have just shy of 129k miles on a Chevrolet Colorado at the moment.

Two things to consider.... First - It's a commonly available kit. The S&H deal is going to kill you until you find a buyer with no local outlet to purchase kits. Second - While yours is the cheapest one up there currently, there are 20 other of the same kits available right now as well. Doesn't seem like this is selling for anyone right now.

Well ya gotta have SOMETHING to do while the paint and glue dries...right?

Ahh right you are, I thought it was a DTR box which they used later which has the AMTish logo, but basically knocked over on it's side...

That's the rub it's NOT the AMT logo, but the one of the company that did these kits (and they did about a half dozen or so of them that I've seen on eBay). I dunno how they got away with it, you'd think there would be a trademark issue, but I guess since AMT/Ertl can never exist again, perhaps there's no "confusion" issue with the logo. Who would sue?

Not nearly as disappointing as the reissue of the '56 DelRay which was advertised as a 2n1 in the original Revell literature, but when it came out was a direct re-pop of the California Wheels kit which has all of the stock parts except the "snap-in" white wall tires. Still I can't believe those tires and the small runner of white-wall inserts cost THAT much that they couldn't include them. But then again I actually like the rims that are part of the California Wheels kit anyway once I looked them over.

Granted it was mis-released under the CA Wheels "sub-brand", nothing on the box or any information about the kit ever said it was anything but a straight reissue of the original.

This kit is where the other two came from. That's why the Street Charger was a "One Run of Fun" reissue, to backdate the tool back to the original NASCAR kit negated the ability to do it again.

I think any potential ticket you might receive would be inconsequential compared to the taxes you'd owe the IRS on your "winning" the Overhaulin' in the first place.

The Ford Courier P/U was last released during the AMT/Ertl days I believe it has a blue truck on the box labeled "Ford Courier". A 5 second check of eBay shows over a dozen Courier kits, but they're not cheap. The Dodge pickup you reference has been issued several times in it's L'il Red Wagon decals, and while it's been awhile since it was reissued, they're not that hard to find. All of the '97 Ford F-150's are particular to their own company. Aka while there's been 4 versions of the Revell tool, it's completely different from the Lindberh, which shares nothing with the AMT.

Price reasonability or lack there-of is going to be directly attached to whether or not they elect to offer one, both, or neither kit in the North American rebox treatment. Otherwise it'll be $32 or so and a LHS/eBay kind of purchase.

There's a reasonably large group of younger guys and gals for whom this would all be second nature. They've been "zModding" cars in Need for Speed, Grand Theft Auto, etc for almost a decade now. The most talented designers can create an entire car from "scratch" into incredibly realistic 3D models. I have to believe those skills would be tangible in this new media as well.

I've put wildly before optimistic too... But at least there's a stock number now,.which means you can pre-order it.

Tooling mock-ups in February? Tower Hobbies seems to think they'll have the entire kit by mid-February...

Well Danno you can bold and add as many colorful fonts as you want, but that's still not going to negate the fact that Revell was asked, and answered in full view if everyone who possesses access to Facebook and the reading level of a 6 year old that actually purchasing a kit was NOT required. This isn't a model contest as much as it is a photography contest. Prove a kid built their entry, prove the model wasn't built last year. Prove I've built less than 10 models in the last xyz # of years. All I'm showing with a receipt is that for that moment in time I had purchased something, then 15 seconds later returned it. I don't think for a second Revell REALLY cares if the rules are necessarily follow the rules to the letter. They get a lot of publicity, marketing and cash flow for what is really next to no investment. They want to attract interest in the hobby (hence picking kits that are on "alternative retailer" shelves), and get the "drop outs" back into the fray. People who used to build, but got real cars, real girls, jobs & a family. Basically ya know...EVERYONE who's older than 25 here, we all left for awhile before coming back with larger amounts of disposable income. People who see this thing on GEARZ and think "Huh...they still make models? I used to do that..." While it might generate honestly NEW interest, that's not the goal. Would you really want to be stuck as the judge in a contest of first time builders. Think back to your first completed model, then think about hundreds of them...put the rusty spork down.

Revell was asked directly last year and said buying a kit during the contest (while in the rules) was not a requirement. If they are going to enforce it this year, then like he pointed out, Wayne's out of luck since the contest doesn't officially start until February 1st making his ACR "illegal" to enter. That's ridiculous regardless of Revell's desire to move some kits this Winter. I own every kit on the list (except the Roth truck, but I own a different issue of the same kit) so I should be penalized for financially supporting Revell when the kits were issued? None of the kits are new, I think the Shelby GT500 and reissue of the Silverado are the freshest things on that list at over 6 months old.

I don't believe Testors has never owned any tools, all of the kits they ever "produced" were sourced from whomever owned the tooling at the time. The Charger kits say "Produced for Testors, by J. Lloyd Inc". A good deal of their import kits are reboxed Fujimi kits. It's actually the easiest and cheapest way to obtain the Enthusiast series of kits as they seem to always sell pretty cheap because of the Testors box.

I'm still wondering how in the world a bus is considered "light" commercial in any form...