Best kits revisited

[sjordan2]

I don't know what happened to the original post on this thread.  However, here's my nomination for the best kit I own, plus a reissue to be wary of.  The original Gold Cup version is nearly flawless, made from measurements of the original car and molded in the exact maroon color. The reissue contains more flash and poor chrome coverage, and is molded in the dreaded red plastic.

 

ORIGINAL GOLD CUP: SUPERB.                                                              REISSUE: NOT SUPERB

[BIGTRUCK]

Ive hunted some kits for awhile , but this never built 63 Pontiac was the most elusive one for me. Its mint except the price change on the box.

[GaryR]

Not sure if this fits your topic, but my favorites are the old, completely inaccurate AMT funny car kits.

I remember when they came out, I was totally shocked and elated to see them on the shelves of the local Safeway. They had up to date slicks, cool engines and great choice of bodies! Also that era (65-66) was a great one in real drag racing, arguably the best. It certainly was for funny cars. They went from modified stockers to crazy nitro burners very quickly with ET's dropping almost weekly and speeds climbing. Those kits brought that excitement to me! To my basement model room! They are just as I remember them. Simple yet intense and cool!

 

Edited September 25, 2015 by GaryR

[Richard Bartrop]

I've owned all the jo-Han classic kits, and I'd say that even with all the flaws, the reissues are still pretty nice.  Of the ones I currently own, the best one would have to be an original issue Jo-Han 1931 Cadillac Sport Phaeton.   The finish on the pieces is almost too nice to paint.  However, I had to think long and hard about whether It's better than Heller's Blower Bentley.   In the end, the Cadillac wins points for finish.

   However, the absolute best kit I ever owned would have to be the 1/12 Tamiya John Player Special that's still at my parent's house.

[Snake45]

Not sure if this fits your topic, but my favorites are the old, completely inaccurate AMT funny car kits.

I remember when they came out, I was totally shocked and elated to see them on the shelves of the local Safeway. They had up to date slicks, cool engines and great choice of bodies! Also that era (65-66) was a great one in real drag racing, arguably the best. It certainly was for funny cars. They went from modified stockers to crazy nitro burners very quickly with ET's dropping almost weekly and speeds climbing. Those kits brought that excitement to me! To my basement model room! They are just as I remember them. Simple yet intense and cool!

 

IIRC those appeared in "model year" 1967, and pretty much depicted 1965-66 era cars, as you mentioned. By the time those kits hit the shelves, the first-rank real funny cars had moved on to tube space frames and "flopper" bodies. IIRC the first kits of that type of funny were MPC's Mr Unswitchable GTO and Color Me Gone Charger.

[GaryR]

True! But they were relatively up to date. There were still lots of real race cars similar to those kits running. Just the non pie crust 11 inch slicks were worth the buy! It's true the MPC Logghe chassis cars were the first of their kind, notably the Cougar and Color Me Gone kits. Drag racing changed so fast there was no way for model companies to keep up.

[Greg Myers]

I was thinking about those JO-HAN Classic kits the other day, wondering how a company could put out such crisp detailed kits then turn around and dump those "promo" chassis turds on us ?

And to be fair JO-HAN's engine detail was still hard to beat in their "flat box" kits. 

[Greg Myers]

 

Edited September 25, 2015 by Greg Myers

[GaryR]

All the manufacturers have been inconsistent. Revell put out super accurate and detailed cars in the 60's, the tooled up that awful 427 SOHC they put in everything. They blew the Henry J and Austin gasser kits with not much detail and that cammer! They ALL did ( and still do ) similar things.

[Howard Cohen]

Some of the best kits I have ever seen and built are:

JoHan Chrysler Turbine Car, full kit. With all of the working features, amazing detail and flawless molding, this kits is a treasure! I built one in the 60s and now have a fresh kit to build. However, having seen the build by Mr. Obsession, I may leave mine in the box

IMC Chaparral 2E. I have built 4 of these over the years and still have one of my original builds from 1966, plus another few parts kits  Another kit with many working features, great detail and it's a 2E  

Monogram Orange Hauler. For a simple custom kit, this is well detailed, the parts fit together with no problem, it's very well molded in colour and it is a great representation of 60s show cars. I once showed Darryl Starbird two of my builds and they are now in his collection  

AMT 57 Chevy. This kits has more custom parts than modern kits have parts in total  Custom front and rear ends, multiple choices, engine options, interior options, great box art, great instructions, more fun than a barrel of monkeys (typical 60s expression)  

Monogram 1955 Chevy. Build it stock. Built is custom. Build it as a futuristic bubble top. Molded in red or teal. Excellent fit of all parts.