Fabrux

I don't have any of my oldest builds simply because they kept getting rebuilt. I had a tendency to build something and a few weeks later I'd take it apart and repaint and rebuild. Eventually after doing this long enough they would end up completely broken...

Worth noting, however, is that the LRE cab doesn't have any trim on it. The older kits with the long bed were all full-trim Power Wagons and have a lower body trim.

That's a common problem with all of these Monogram kits, actually. They weren't too concerned with detail and accuracy on the chassis those days, its seems.

Here's a group shot of the automotive award winners at the CAMS 2011 show. I'm the one in the middle in the blue shirt with the stunned look and Steve M is the one on the red shirt behind me on my left.

Now Ed, that would be something to see!

Andy:The guy that parts out kits also sells complete ones. $120 for opened ones and $130-40 for sealed ones. Terry: I noticed that on the Mad Mudder kit and was wondering what was up with that...

Wow! I'm amazed at how close that sleeper actually is to the Chinook camper for the Blazer Chalet! One of those would definitely be a good starting point rather than scratch building it.

The High Roller Ramcharger seems to be rare enough that people are buying them from PJ Toys...

Aha, my bad. For some reason I though the most recent reissue was boxed as MPC; just looked and its AMT all the way!

Seems to me like the MPC kit has a chopped roof...?

Well I'll be darned. Never know about the styleside version.

The wrecker was originally a Revell kit and not related to the (far superior) Monogram kits.

There seemed to be some interest in this kit, so I figured I would do this one next. Monogram originally released the Dodge Ramcharger in 1980. The kit was molded in off-white, carried the stock number 2263, and depicted the 1979-1980 body style. This kit depicts a stock, four wheel drive model of the Ramcharger. Options include a CB radio/antenna and a roll bar. Wheels are 5-slot mags with Goodyear Tracker A-Ts. Carrying on with the company-wide High Roller theme, in 1981 the Ramcharger was reissued. Kit 2272, this issue features the raised suspension and Ground Hawg tires common to the High Roller series. Molded in yellow plastic, this version adds aftermarket bumpers, side steps, off-road lights, roof rack, and fender flares. Rims for this version are chrome wagon wheels. After Monogram's acquisition of Revell,, they decided to reissue the Ramcharger again in 1992 as a Revell-branded kit. This issue, 85-7242, was bundled with a trailer and boat, following along with a set of tow-vehicle-trailer-and-boat series Revell was marketing at the time. This version is molded in white plastic and contains all the components of the original 1980 release with the addition of a trailer hitch. This is the last issue of this kit to date.

Rob: Give me an hour and I'll post up what I know about the Ramcharger kit. plowboy: Revell actually made 1:25 scale snap kits of the 80-86 body with regular cabs. There's the Night Rider that's already been mentioned as well as the Six-Wheeler dually. Even though they are snap kits they have opening hood and a low-piece engine. They share the same tooling as the Revell Bronco. They're pretty crude kits, however, with next to no underhood detail and rather boxy cabs.

Casey: time to start researching! Luc: Interesting! Looks like that kit would be a perfect starting point for a JAWS replica as it has the 73-75 roof. That gives me a starting point to try and find box art, thanks.

gray07: The only 1:24 scale Dodge trucks that Monogram produced was the Ramcharger, and I don't think there were too many of them. But I could do some research.

gray07: I don't think any of the paint jobs depicted were ever factory options; seems GM was rather sedate with paint jobs in the '70s, surprisingly. plowboy: I just compared the Mad Mudder set of wheels I have with a set from the F-150 and they're the same with none of the defects you mentioned. Maybe I got lucky?

Yeah, the raised suspension is pretty much just scary shackle extensions. As for the tires, Revell already has quite the track record of just shaving the sidewalls and releasing whatever tires they want.

With tweaking you can actually use the bed from the 87-91 Monogram pickup. I'm in the process of building an '80 regular cab, long bed styleside. The wheel wells have to be changed and its looking like I'm going to have to section the bed sides to match the cab.

Luc, I can't find any pictures of that kit. If you have it, could you post one? Thanks. Casey: that would actually be the first one released, I'd wager, as it would almost be the same as the Mad Mudder. Unless, of course, the tooling for the seats has been lost. The stock hood and bumper can be grabbed from the upcoming GMC K10.

I believe that all three trucks, Chevy, GMC, and Blazer/Jimmy, are all separate toolings that are based off the original Chevy pickup. All three have been available at the same time and reissued after one has been released. The only one that hasn't come back recently is the Chevy pickup. I agree that it would be great to see Revell reissue the High Roller series. I don't think it would be too much of a stretch. They're reissuing the GMC, which was last seen as High Roller so they must've found the pieces for it. I'm actually using a Mad Mudder kit to build the High Roller that never was: Chevy Stepside High Roller.

The High Roller Bronco wheels are a factory item? Whoa! Here is a picture of the seat in the F-150.

Your eBay-fu is clearly far superior to mine; I have never seen these kits listed. You must teach me your ways. I have the images for these two monster trucks and will add them to the list. I'll put the Ground Pounder with the Demolisher as 1990 releases; still trying to find a kit number.

For 1991, Monogram designed a completely new tooling for the eighth generation F-series. The trucks depicted are among the largest trucks on the road at the time. First on store shelves was the 1991 F-250 extended cab, long box, two wheel drive. Kit 2922, molded in blue and charcoal plastic. Wheels are incorrect 5-lug chrome Ford wagon wheels and Goodyear Wrangler R/Ts. Builds as a stock pickup with the only optional parts being cab-mounted clearance lights and a roll bar with lights. This kit was reissued in 2010 as number 85-7212 and molded in white plastic. The same tooling was issued with slight modifications to depict an F-350 duallie. Modifications include duallie bed sides and wheels. Same options as the F-250 kit, however on 1:1 duallies the cab-mounted clearance lights are mandatory in most jurisdictions. Wheels are Ford 8-lug dually steel rims. Kit 2948, molded in red and charcoal plastic. This kit was reissued in 1995 with different box art but same stock number and again in 2005 as kit 85-7212 and molded in white plastic.

Monogram's first entry into this generation of pickup was in 1980 with the issue of Ford's newly redesigned F-150 pickup. Kit 2262, this version builds into a stock flareside four wheel drive pickup. Molded in red/orange plastic. Wheels are Ford chrome wagon wheels with Goodyear Tracker A-Ts. Next in line from Monogram was the companion Bronco to the F-150. Released in 1981, the Bronco borrows heavily from the F-150 tooling, just as the 1:1 vehicles they represent. The chassis is a direct copy from the F-150: shortened to fit the Bronco's wheelbase, the chassis retains the incorrect saddle tank in front of the rear wheels and replaces the F-150s spare tire with the correct fuel tank between the rails. Options include a roof rack with skis and a brush guard. Kit 2271, molded in black plastic. Wheels are the same as the F-150 kit. Continuing the company-wide High Roller theme, the F-150 was reissued in 1981. Modifications include a lifted suspension for bigger wheels, brush guard, hood scoop, roll bar with lights, and entry handles on the B-pillars. Kit 2274, molded in blue plastic. Wheels are 14-hole mags and Ground Hawg tires. The Bronco was also reissued in the High Roller Series. Modified suspension is shared with the F-150 High Roller. Kit 2286, molded in orange plastic. Wheels are unique to the Bronco kit and are a 5-wedge design; tires are Ground Hawg. With a monster truck craze sweeping the nation, the F-150 tooling was converted to depict a monster truck. Modifications include a supercharged engine, hole in hood for supercharger intake, monster truck suspension, roll bar with lights, and the Bronco's brush guard. Kit 2418 was released in 1984 as the Krusher in red and silver plastic. For 1985 the monster truck was released as the Quadzilla as kit 2419 and molded in black and white plastic. The Quadzilla was then reissued in 1991 (with the same stock number) and again in 2002 as kit 85-7702 in black and silver plastic. The Bronco was re-issued in 1992 (kit 2962, orange plastic), 2000 (kit 85-7682, white plastic), and 2011 (kit 85-7214, white plastic). Options were the same as the original 1981 issue, with the exception of the 2000 reissue which included a set of 5-slot mags.