checkmate

Vans are making a comeback, I know plenty that would buy them.

Revell 70's custom van and the earlier issues Convoy, Hardy boys etc had a basic interior lay out, most Monogram and Revell Chev's had nothing to offer and I think MPC offered the best appointed interiors in 1/25 scale. Bigger scale like the MPC 1/20 vans have full interiors and opening doors making them a better option and the 1/16 vans were even better again.

More desireable than vans?????? Noooooooooooooo. I've got 13 different 1/20 MPC van kits I've collected, what I'd love to see if they did reissue it would be a all in one kit. Cool options from all the issues combined, stock grill and custom, multiple interiors, 4x4 option......... I can dream about it I guess and live in hope.

I'm with you there mate, I've got the motor home but the Dodge MPC vans have been harder to get for my collection. I did manage to buy two NOS factory sealed 77 Dodges a few weeks ago. First ones I've got.

She sure is Andy, Max drove a Holden van in MM1, slightly earlier model than mine but the same body shell and shape.

Hey Greg, the front was moulded off a 77/78 Trans Am than modified to fit and moulded in fibreglass.

With the recent spate of reissues over the last few years including some great older kits I wonder what the chances are that we'll see a 1/20 MPC van kit or two make a reappearance or even the Revell 1/16 Big Bad Van? We got the rescue van, Phantom, Vantasy and Revell Chev so maybe some big scale vans? I live in hope.

My daily driver is a 1981 Holden WB panel van. Here she is. And my weekend toy is also a van, although it's currently in a million pieces getting rebuilt again.

The whole "no reserve auction" than they kick off the opening bid at an amount other than 1c drives me up the wall. If he's got the opening bid at $449 than that's his reserve don't list it as no reserve.......... :angry:

Very tidy build.

Yeah but BJ and the Bear has been reissued a few times just minus the decals. The Convoy Mack and it both pop up fairly often on ebay Australia. I agree Danno, not making it into production doesn't count.

Never really got that many kits for Christmas as a kid, the only one I really remember getting was the Monogram 1/16 Kenworth Aerodyne it was moulded in MetalGlow and was a metallic bluey colour. I got my to boys Snaptite 1/32 Mack fire truck and Kenworth T600 this year to get them into the hobby they're only 5 and 7 so hopefully they come onboard with the hobby.

I've got a few sets over the past few years and had a pretty good run with them, Decals are really my nemesis and if I can make them look half alright I think they're a good product. Was on the site the other night looking for some more but I'll hold off as well Jerry till you get it sorted.

One article I read mentioned that after our current Holden Commodore(your Chevrolet SS), the next one will be built in China and in an attempt to make it cool it will be a different shape, front wheel drive and 4 cylinder............ Yep great research there because nothing screams cool to an Australian like a Chinese built, FWD, 4 cylinder.

Pretty sure the mixer ran Torsion bar suspension still not Hendrikson. The Turbine powered GMC Astro's aren't exactly common either.

Harry I was referring to the articles ZTony8 mentions on page 1 of this thread, I tried quoting him but cant quote on here lately for some reason.......

Toyota wont stay in Australia as a manufacturer if Holden closes, they wont be able to get parts off several of the local suppliers who will go under due to the drop in their business by Ford and Holden going. Australia does have a higher minimum hourly rate than the states no doubt there, the estimate of $15-18 is pretty close, the estimate of $26 for a hamburger is miles off. A cheeseburger at McDonalds is about $2.95 and a decent hamburger with the lot at a café will set you back about $6-7. The strength of our dollar has affected our manufacturing industry heaps in recent years, as for the quality issues, well I think our cars are better built and to tighter tolerances the most of the US ones, and the Australian Standards for most products would be higher so whoever wrote the article saying it was low quality obviously didn't have a clue what they were writing about. It'll be sad to see Holden close it's manufacturing plants here, it'll be the end of an Aussie icon.

I think the lawyers killed the Junkyard Dog too didn't they? I think Mack didn't approve of it.

thanks for the replies everyone. I just look at pics of US trucks and notice on some of them behind the sleeper there's enough room to fit another sleeper! Wasn't sure of the reason behind it. We'd never get away with the trucks you run over here, but we run length laws still. Cheers Rob

Loving this build and the old pics too.

Very, very cool.

Just curious if anyone can explain why American trucks have massively long chassis'? Better ride quality? Easier to back? Harder to find a park? What's the reason behind it?

Transit Mixer, Junkyard Dog or the early torsion bar KW's are all getting hard to get or the original green windowed Peterbilt.

Love to get one of these.

I've had a great week for getting model bits, must be Christmas time. First up I managed to score a heap of unbuilt and a few partially started kits.(Plus a huge box of spares) of a guy that has gotten out of the hobby. These included 8 car kits, a Harley bike and a big scale TBird. Than I got a call off a mate that use to build years ago that has also retired so I bought the rest of his collection of him. 15 cars, a garage and another big box of spares!!!