Chitown

I've gotten kits from all kinds of unexpected places in the Chicago area back in the '70s. The Revell '70 Mustang Grande from Radio Shack for .99 cents with a coupon. An original AMT '29 Ford/Ala Kart kit from a mom & pop convenience store. An original AMT '69 Corvair from another m&p c-store. Used to get various tiny military kits from Walgreens that were packaged in a plastic bag stapled inside what was essentially a large (4-5") matchbook cover with a photo of the finished model on the front. Can't remember who made them. Wasn't particularly into military stuff, but it was all they kept and hey, they were models! Got a few Pyro motorcycle kits from White Hen Pantry convenience stores. Once entered a contest held by a 7-11. Would get car kits regularly from the Osco drug stores that were connected to Jewel grocery stores. They usually were good for surprising me with new releases. Kinda miss that excitement building as I walked down the aisle towards the models.. The interwebs more or less put an end to that. The Plaid Stamps gift books would have a couple of models in them. I remember larger scale sailing ships for the most part. Anyone remember Paid Stamps or S&H Green Stamps? And the one that started it all for me, the original issue Revell '51 Henry J, purchased from a Rexall drugstore about 1970-'71. That box art with the red and white J coming off the line in a giant wheelstand ignited something in my 10 year old gray matter that caught fire. It also taught me early on to look around in any store I was in, which was exciting in itself. Kinda' like a scavenger hunt. Gave me something fun to do while mom was shopping for whatever boring things like food, clothes etc. we needed. I'm sure there's others i can't recall at the moment.

Man that sucks! So sorry to see that happen, just one of those off-guard moments I guess. I've always liked that kit since my older brother and I built one together in the early '70s - I always got to build the motor (not seen so much). Wanted to track down a rebuilder for quite a while now. I think I saw a resin body available a few years ago, but can't find it anymore. Looks like with your skills you'll be able to pull it through. It was definitely beautiful work.

Man that is cool! One of my favorite cars of the era.

Absolutely beautiful! One of the best black paint jobs I've ever seen, ever! Stance and attitude are perfect for street sleeper, so tough! Hats off to you sir, thanks!

Wow, that brings back memories! Had one when it was new.

Nice! Great stance, this one looks like it means business!

Great looking car, love it! I'm in on the injectors coming from an AMT '40 Ford too.

Very Nice! What a clean build. The look of Chrysler products from that era certainly can grow on you.

Wow! John, that is awesome!!

Me too!

Wow, Love it! A buddy of mine drove one just like that some 30-odd years ago. Those slant-sixes sounded like sewing machines but would run forever.

Man that is great! The build is just like the real car, an understated knockout!!

I built everything but the Boss Mustang F/C back in the day when they were new, but I did score an unbuilt one a few years ago for reasonable $$. Picked up the Camaro reissue back in the '90s, probably the best looking out of the F/C bunch, IMO. Will probably do them OTB, just pure nostalgia. I'm not really too keen on the Maverick, probably the weirdest looking attempt at a serious funny car body ever, again IMO. I remember getting the '70 Grande' at Radio Shack for something like .99 w/coupon at Christmastime back in the early '70s. Not really my fav. Mustang body style but hey, it had a drag option!

Paint scheme kinda reminds me of a Dick Landy car.

Man, that's really nice! I always had a problem with the peaked front fenders on that kit, but within the context of your custom they're perfect! Sweet!!

Wow, that's really cool! How else could one get a '74 Cougar down the strip??

Beautiful!

My first was a '66 Dodge Coronet 440 convertible handed down from my mom. Oh, and it was a typical Chicagoland rust bucket with a 225" slant six. Even though the 440 designation referred to trim level, I regularly got what was left of my doors blown off by people thinking it meant what was under the hood.

Wow! Really nice!!

I had all 3 of the 1/32 drag kits back in the day (early '70s). Monogram really nailed it on those in a way that hasn't, IMHO, been equaled yet in any scale. Like what Snake touched on earlier about the Fiat, they all just look prototypically "right". I'm talking stance, proportions, wheel/tire size, engine location, etc. I recall reading somewhere that they were patterned after real cars of the time. The Willys was a take on KS Pittmans' car, the '34 Ford was based on Ron Gerstners' strip/show car, and I can't recall the Fiats' origin. They really captured the look of the subject matter in a satisfying way.

I built one of these, must have been the '25 T as it was a roadster. I think the side pipes are still in the parts box! I just don't recall that hardtop/c-cab(?) option, but it's been about 40 years. I do remember having the Keep On Truckin' '32 Sedan Delivery from the NSRA series along with the Lil' Evil T.

Revell Henry J (my very first kit) first issue with red/white wheel-standing rendition on cover. Monogram T'rantula and Early Iron Series '34 Ford.

Very cool!

Wow, that rust looks real! Great work!

Wow, not only reissuing the kit but including the iron-on too? Awesome! That was one of the very first kits I ever attempted to build. The t-shirt turned out much better than the model.