ranma

Forgive me if I'm wrong but when Lindberg issued the '61 impala in the early 2000's , along with the '66 Chevelle it was produced here in the states, and didn't cost any more than amt. mpc. or revell kit's. The issue of even getting the US owned molds back is as you said China would block it by saying they were owed for or such just to keep them.

It's all about Profit's and nothing more! Labor cost + manufactoring +advertising ect. But lets factor in one complaint about the price of a kit at this time. Min wage in most states is under $9.00 per hour When I started working back in 1987 min wage was $ 5.35 when I stopped to become a 24/7 care taker of my late wife i was just making Min wage of $ 7.35 and that was in 2010. Now Ohio's Min wage went to just $8.80 per hour. and it's 2021! Kit prices have went above $ 30.00 per kit. Now Model companies in the US don't advertise as they once did. Really when was the last time you seen a fall page add in say a comic book? So that cost would not be much for the company, With Round two most everything they put out over the last few years are from molds that were paid for long ago, Sure it cost to make a new mold we all now that. Here's the point that I'm trying to make while the min wage has stayed low the price of a kit keeps going up, and it's not just model's about everything has gone up. The top 10% of the wealth like their profit's to be very high! I read somewhere that in 2017 the cost to build a ford focus was about 10% of the suggested retail price. Now that includes the labor, union, and all which came out to $2,500 per car. There for the profit's for both Factory and dealer are good. How much did Ford pay for those Dealership Brochers About $15.00 per in publising cost. The point of this part is Many of the job's that left the US in the 1970's and beyond have claimed that the cost of making it here was to high, But what they wanted was pennie's per hour workers to increase thier profit margin. These same companies pay their CEO's Multi Million dollar bonuses. If anyone remembers the Hostess down fall The company asked employees to take cut's in pay ect to help save the company, which the employee's did to try and save their jobs. But right after filing for bankruptcy the gave the employee's the pink slip while the CEO got his Multi million dollar bonus. These Companies went to China or Mexico all in the name of profit and nothing more! Think of it cost Nike just over $5.00 to make that nearly $200 pair of tennis shoes!!!

It may have Las Vegas taxi decal set as there some Ford Taxi's in the 007 Diamonds are Forever, So I'm thinking maybe another 007 James Bond tie in kit...

I'd like to get one of those for my '57 Chevy collection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posting it here as all I have left to do is paint and add the mirrors to the pinto. Decals came from the '63 Nova wagon kit.

I added photo's that were taken outside.

I think the reason is 1. it has not been avaliable in stock form for over 40 * years. 2. It's not another model a ford, 57 Chevy, Mustang, Camaro or over produced muscle car kit. 3 This must be bugging the living tar out of those who claimed that it wouldn't sell because it's a lowly four door wagon....

Thanks, all body chrome work was done with Molotow chrome marker, I used it behind both the headlights, and tail lights as well to give it reflectiveness. I found the kit a Hobby Lobby so I bought it as they were 40% off that week.

Your welcome! There are a few of the factory stock copies on ebay for decent price.. Look for the stock red nova on the cover either copy of it .

Paint is Krylon short cuts pepper red with gloss black on the lower body. Corrected the muffler's But I need to fix one pipe from the engine to the muffler. The black on the seats was done with fine line sharpies as well as the black on the Rims.

On the amt '66 chassis the rear wheel well juts out so it got trimmed flush to where the jut started from. The chassis behind the wheel well's also needed to be narrowed down on each side. The fire wall/radiator support trimmed on each side that contacts the body. Leave a little of the transmission tunnel so the firewall can attach to the chassis. On the inside of the chassis plate cut the tunnel off till flat to the chassis plate. Also shave some of the front of the rear wheel well's down so the '63 Interior will fit smoothly. This may take a few times to get the adjustments to fit nicely. Note that the wheel backs will also require trimming to fit the body correctly, and the mounting plate on the inside of the front bumper/grill will need to be cut off as well. I also removed the tab that is on the front of the interior as well.

Need to find the missing drive shaft otherwise here's the bottom. Note I added the spare wheel pan from the '63 nova's chassis to the 66's The '66 Nova chassis is a stock chassis.

This is the second copy of the 1963 Nova wagon I got the other day. This copy has a chassis/engine from a AMT '66 Nova kit. The transmission/drive shaft tunnel was removed just behind where the firewall mounts ( left a small loop to attach the fire wall to). The rear wheel well's had to be trimmed down as did the rear chassis plate. I also had to trim down the fire wall/radiator support to fit into the body. The Bodies engine bay was also cut out to allow the detailed engine bay of the '66 nova. I added the turn signal switch, gear shift, and window cranks to the interior of it. The blue on the windshield was done with a light blue sharpie marker. The body is painted Krylon short cuts rose gold, Krylon short cuts gloss white for the roof. Interior colors are Rose gold, off white, and rose gold mixed with flat black for the floor.

Painted a GM dupli color blue with off white roof.

USPS just dropped off the Two '63 Nova wagons I bought from automodels2 on E-Bay...

So this issue is basically a reverse engenering kit that has some corrected parts of an Original issue kit? As this is what they done to the Mack Cruiseliner. Yes the molds would be new, but are based on the old kit with some of the minor issues fixed. and some parts changed in locations. That being said I'll at least buy one so it can be built to look like the one my older brother got for Christmas in 1973. I did a replica of the 4070 a that I got that Christmas already. Then there is my green and white 4070 a, and my non painted cab 4070 a. Note the Red with white was missing the bumper which had since been replaced ,and added to the truck.

I know it wasn't a factory option, But a dealership could do an engine swap according to a nova data site I seen online. It stated that though all '63 nova's top engine was only the inline six, a buyer could have the dealership install a V-8 for an additional ($1,500)The two popular engines were the 283 and the 327. How many buyers paid for the extra is any ones guess. Yanko done his cars at his dealership, Most with non factory options added.

From all that I seen , I Think the inline six will, because this release don't have a metal axle in the front (axle pins instead). It may take a little alteration but I'll know more when the kit's arrive in my hands. The 283 will likely come from the amt '57 Chevy kit (opening trunk version)..

automodels2 sent me a email via ebay that the two I bought were shipped, so hopefully I get them sometime early next week.. One is getting the six banger from an '60 chevy pickup, I updated the engine to look like one that a nova would have. The second Nova will get a 283 V-8 which I read someplace could be done by the dealership for extra cost..

Ebay seller automodels2 has sold out, Thankfully I ordered mine from them before they sold out. The last buyer bought the last 6 of the '63 Nova wagons.

I just ordered 2 of them from them on ebay..

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang wasn't a Disney movie it was United Artist. That kit was one of my grail kit's that I now have built in my collection. I have two Grail kit's I'd still like to have, even though I have resin copies I'd still would like to have the original issue's MPC 1971 Impala Coupe, and the MPC '72 Impala/Caprice.. Iv'e lucked out and have both MPC '68 Impala's Both MPC 69 Impala's not to mention the '73,74,75,76 MPC Caprice's which were all grail kit's for me.

My top 10 1.1968 mpc Chevrolet Impala 2 1969 mpc Chevrolet Impala 3 1973 mpc Chevrolet Caprice 4.1966 mpc Pontiac Bonneville 5. 1968 mpc Pontiac Bonneville 6.1969 mpc Pontiac Bonneville 7. 1973 Ertl International Transtar 4070 A (3 of them) 8 1973 Ertl International Transtar 4270 (4200) {3 of them} 9 1977 Ertl (amt) International Transtar 4300 10.1977 Ertl Transtar II

L.A. Dodgers Tommy "slim fast" Lasorda passed away, he was 93 years young. The slim fast was put in the middle of his name because he did commercials in the 80's for them....

My Cousin is clearing out her mother's home (my Aunt) and I got Item's that were my Uncle Duane's today. Items include: High school Drafting class book that has drawing that he did for classes, three US Buttons (US ARMY) Marksman cross (US Army) , A pair of his eye glasses, pocket knife, Graduation from basic training book from Ft Knox, His wedding photo of him with his bride, And the Folded US Flag that covered his casket. My Uncle died on January 9,1962 In an accident at FT .Hood Tx. He was one of five men killed that day. The troop transport truck hit a Tank which tore off one of the trucks fuel tanks. the Truck caught fire, and according to my late aunt he was sitting near where the fuel tank was. Four of the men killed that day died before help arrived , My Uncle lived long enough to tell them his name at the Hospital before he died from his burns from the accident. Duane was my Dad's Brother. DUANE E HAINLINE 25 Yrs old..