NEW! An advance and detailed look at the final production version of the new Moebius Models 1961 Pontiac Ventura kit....

[niteowl7710]

Mine showed up this morning from Tower Hobbies, and like everyone else that has one I am perplexed and flummuxed as to how all of this styrene fit in this box to begin with...I was even careful unpacking it to not get things out of order, but I'll be darned if it all fits back in though.

All the "bashing" that was done to this one has resulted in Moebius' best effort thus far.

If I look at the 2016 Moebius releases vs. what we know of Revell's (granted the 1Q only), and my limited interest in Round2's reissues,  it certainly looks like the majority of my domestic hobby dollars will be flowing directly to Florida.

With the '65 Comet the only new tool announced kit that hasn't seen it's first variation yet, is it too early to start demanding to know what's next?

I know that there's the '54 Hudson, '61 Catalina, '65 Belvidere, and '71 Ford Custom Sport (Tower Hobbies has it listed for March *snkr*), along with the M.K. '70 Ford Custom, and Mopar Missile coming in 2016, with Sean teasing the Pontiac NASCAR parts a few weeks ago.  I will gleefully absorb all of them short of the drag '65 & Pontiac NASCAR (sorry just not my genres of interest) into my Styrene Mountain, But those are all just variations of existing releases, come on what's NEW from Moebius in 2016/17

[tim boyd]

After all the complaints about "delays" in delivering some of their most recent products, I suspect that the Moebius team may be a little more close to the vest on announcing future new-tool kits and subsequent derivatives.  These complaints, I suspect, are doubly vexing to the Moebius team, as the kits that were in fact "delayed" were due to Moebius taking the extra effort with their team and their suppliers to make last-minute refinements that have measurably improved those kits when they finally hit the market.  

Not criticizing anyone here, and not suggesting that I have inside info about this either, only pointing out some of the unintended consequences of comments made, mostly in good faith, on this and other model car forums.  

TIM 

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Edited December 31, 2015 by tim boyd

[niteowl7710]

I have always been of the school that late and the best possible is always vastly better than quick and rushed. I think we've seen this repeatedly with some of the Illinois based offerings over the past 18-24 months.

[charlie8575]

I have always been of the school that late and the best possible is always vastly better than quick and rushed. I think we've seen this repeatedly with some of the Illinois based offerings over the past 18-24 months.

^ This.

Or, as my 6th-grade educated in a one-room schoolhouse in Nova Scotia great-grandfather, who went on to become one of the most respected home-builders in Greater Boston would say, "measure twice, cut once."

If what Tim has said is true, it's unfortunate. 

Charlie Larkin

[DaveM]

I too would prefer late and correct.  I think the Ventura is the big winner of the year.  I don't have mine, yet, but I was able to grok one a few days ago.  I helped clean up a bunch of the parts and participated in the test fitting of a buddy's kit.  The kit is just that extra step better than the Satellite and Ford Trucks.  Moebius went from hitting solid singles to smacking it out of the park with this kit.  It was cool to see how much tweaking was done after the first test shots were made.  The few changes raised this kit from "meh" to a must have.  The wheels will take a bit of sanding and fitting, but when done, they should really stand out.  The only change I would make (Besides the almost invisible parking lights)  would be a return to more conventional construction on the glass.  Most of us on the board can make it look right, but I can't recommend this model to an inexperienced or intermediate builder because of the glass.  Other than that, this will probably end up being the queen of my shelf when I get it.  This might be the best kit of the Year.  Moebius took the time to listen to the critics, fix the problems and they nailed it.  I can only hope the Comet will be this good.  (Please make the Comet be this good a kit!)

Okay, Dave.  What's next? (so I can start selling family heirlooms to fund my Moebius collection)

[Ace-Garageguy]

Is the exhaust port spacing right? Lol. That cracks me up.

Doesn't much matter on an engine that's going to be under a hood, and when most of GM's engines of this period had similar port-spacing anyway...and they look pretty much alike.

But when it's a Buick nailhead that's completely exposed as a styling element of the car it's installed in, and the exhaust-port-spacing is THE number one identifier of that particular engine, it kinda matters.

But it doesn't have to matter to you. Put Ford heads on a Chevy and call it a Chrysler. It's only plastic toys 

[DaveM]

I have one ordered as well.  Mine will be Arnie Beswick's Bristol Blue Super Stock car as I have a set of decals for that car.  An interesting fact is that Arnie's 1962 SD 421 Catalina was painted the same 1961 color from the factory.   

May I ask who does the 1961 Beswick decals?  I am about to pull the trigger on a '62 Beswick kit, and I would love to build a '61 to go with it.  

[gtx6970]

May I ask who does the 1961 Beswick decals?  I am about to pull the trigger on a '62 Beswick kit, and I would love to build a '61 to go with it.  

Ditto.

I've already done the Beswick 62 .

And have the decals to do the 7-11 Packer Pontiac of 1961 . But to be able to do a Beswick 61 as well would be cool

[johnwitzke]

I got my 1961 Beswick decals from MCW Resin.  I also have Royal Pontiac 1961 decals.  If you are doing the 62 Beswick Catalina, be sure to order a louvered hood from Replicas & Miniatures Company of Maryland.  It is a perfect fit for the AMT kit.  The 62 Beswick car was painted Bristol Blue which was a 1961 color and has been documented with factory build documents.

Other 1962 SD421 Catalina's that I have is a 2 dr. sedan Don Gay Gay Pontiac, Jesse Tryee Bill Barry Pontiac for another hardtop, and Packer Pontiac for another hardtop. 

For 1963 my SD421 Catalina's are the Swiss Cheese hardtop Arlen Vanke Anderson Pontiac and a 2 dr. sedan Edwards Pontiac

I also have Mickey Thompsons 1962 SD421 Tempest and three 1963 SD421 Tempest, Arlen Vanke and Mickey Thompson (prototype) coupes and Beswicks Wagon.   

      

Edited January 2, 2016 by johnwitzke

[Luc Janssens]

Okay, Dave.  What's next? (so I can start selling family heirlooms to fund my Moebius collection)

I'm hoping they will do something like this, just love pre-'70 DeVille's....

It's a '62 I photographed at an open house of Hot Rod Garage, just north of Seatle on I-5, in '99.

 

Edited January 2, 2016 by Luc Janssens

['70 Grande]

I think the main reason the parts won't fit back inside the kit's box is because they wanna be built... right away!  So forget about repacking 'em, start painting, gluing and assembling them instead!

And post some pics as you build, too!

Edited January 2, 2016 by '70 Grande

[niteowl7710]

I think the main reason the parts won't fit back inside the kit's box is because they wanna be built... right away!  So forget about repacking 'em, start painting, gluing and assembling them instead!

And post some pics as you build, too!

This might be the most reasonable and correct explanation we're likely to hear.

[Dave Metzner]

Next is the 65 Plymouth Belvedere I and Melrose Missile followed by the 61 Catalina and 65 Comet -

I should have second test shots of the Comet in hand by end of next week or early the following week. I hope that all the issues from first test shot have been remedied.It would be nice to be able to get this kit into production after Chinese New Year! We'll see how that goes after the test shots get here!

I expect that we'll have a NASCAR Catalina for Model King in Spring / early summer 2016.

For you movie car fans, the "Batman vs. Superman - Dawn of Justice" Batmobile  is ready for production - just waiting for approval of packaging by licensor. we'd like to have this in stores for the opening of the movie in March.

Battlestar Galactica fans - I just got first test shots of the Raptor kit - it looks pretty good and should arrive in Spring / early Summer 2016

There ought to be three new Batman TV figure kits between now and mid year 2016 - Robin, Penguin and Riddler....

Working on about 3 more 60's era car kit projects...and a couple more from the early 70's...

Now that the holidays are over I can start chasing some cars to photograph and measure again.. Hope that winter doesn't set in too bad and make it too tough to get out and travel if I need to..

 

Edited January 2, 2016 by Dave Metzner

[mike 51]

What's up with the other version of the 54 Hudson?    

[MrObsessive]

 

Working on about 3 more 60's era car kit projects...and a couple more from the early 70's...

Now that the holidays are over I can start chasing some cars to photograph and measure again.. Hope that winter doesn't set in too bad and make it too tough to get out and travel if I need to..

 

Oooooooh! I can hardly wait!! 

[towtruck]

got mine yesterday I agree a great kit but has noticed the stinky plastic smell ? weird but it goes sorta fades after a while.

[niteowl7710]

got mine yesterday I agree a great kit but has noticed the stinky plastic smell ? weird but it goes sorta fades after a while.

It smells like the ink from the instructions to me. They are a lot thicker and more robust than the F-Series and Plymouth. Freshly printed, snells good to me.

[Dave Metzner]

Ooops, I forgot the 54 Hudson Special Club sedan - that should be on the boat before the end of January.. in Stores around end of February..

 

 

Edited January 3, 2016 by Dave Metzner

[Bob Ellis]

I would like to see a 1965 Pontiac 2+2 convertible with Tri-Power and a 4 speed. You already have the 8 lug wheels! But the regular Catalina/Bonneville wheel covers would be nice too.

The whitewalls included in the 1965 Plymouth are great. I bough spares to re-do other kits

[charlie8575]

To clarify, Dave, there will also be a regular, street-going Cat, too, or just a NASCAR?

Charlie Larkin

[charlie8575]

I'm hoping they will do something like this, just love pre-'70 DeVille's....

It's a '62 I photographed at an open house of Hot Rod Garage, just north of Seatle on I-5, in '99.

 

I usually can't stand altered stances, big wheels and blackwalls on cars of this vintage, but I have to admit, that looks pretty good.

If it was mine, I'd throw on Diamondback Classics WW radials; that to me would be the finishing touch.

Charlie Larkin

[Brett Barrow]

To clarify, Dave, there will also be a regular, street-going Cat, too, or just a NASCAR?

Charlie Larkin

There will be both. 

[Danno]

Hey, Dave.  

If you need an original, low-mileage '78 Malibu Classic coupe for measurements, mine's available to you!  Just saying.  

 

 

[Porscheman]

Here's my finished 61 Pontiac. It's a Beautiful Kit!!!

Al

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

Edited January 5, 2016 by Porscheman

[Dave Metzner]

both Catalina street car and a NASCAR kit - yes!