HOBOY! HOT NEWS! 1974 Dodge Monaco Police Cars Coming!!!!

[57peppershaker]

[57peppershaker]

Bottom pic has kit steels placed in front. Not that clear tho

[CapSat 6]

I got mine today.  Here are my observations: 

The good: 

- the body shape and details seem right. This is very important. It looks like a Monaco. When the model doesn't resemble the subject (koffkoffRevell70Cuda), that's a huge problem. 

- the scale seems right. I was concerned because it looked undersized to me, but putting it next to some 1/24 Mopar B-bodies, it looks huge- as it should. I didn't put ruler to it, however. 

- 

[CapSat 6]

The bad: 

- PAINTED BUMPERS??? Most cheapo diecasts get chromed (vacuum plated) bumpers. These bother me. Maybe it's not so bad on the Bluesmobile, as it's supposed to be a dirty car, but it bothers me more on the Chicago PD car. 

-wheels: the Bluesmobile has hubcaps, where it should have bare steel wheels. I see an upside to this though: it's a great excuse to use Fireball Modelworks' beautiful 1/25 15x7 set wheels as replacements. 

[Rob Hall]

The bad: 

- PAINTED BUMPERS??? Most cheapo diecasts get chromed (vacuum plated) bumpers. These bother me. Maybe it's not so bad on the Bluesmobile, as it's supposed to be a dirty car, but it bothers me more on the Chicago PD car. 

-wheels: the Bluesmobile has hubcaps, where it should have bare steel wheels. I see an upside to this though: it's a great excuse to use Fireball Modelworks' beautiful 1/25 15x7 set wheels as replacements. 

i was thinking the same for mine, but Fireball 1/24th wheels since these are 1/24th diecasts.  I was dissapointed by the painted bumpers also, and the front bumper seems undersized to me.

[CapSat 6]

i was thinking the same for mine, but Fireball 1/24th wheels since these are 1/24th diecasts.  I was dissapointed by the painted bumpers also, and the front bumper seems undersized to me.

Rob- I meant to type 1/24. I'm going to get both sets and see which look better. 

 This brings me to another interesting observation: 

- the wheels and tires look pretty shrimpy on this car, but that might be caused by the car itself being so big. The tires on this one are actually the same outside diameter as the ones that come in a lot of the classic Monogram muscle cars (Goodyear Radial GT's in the '71 Hemi Cuda & Buick GSX; Goodyear Steel Belted Radials in the '70 Road Runner & '69 Super Bee). The tires that come with the car are actually wider than the Steel Belted Radials, and about the same width as the GT's. I'm going to try to find a tire that is a bit taller if that's possible, but there do not seem to be a lot of options. I might have to see what Fireball Modelworks has in  their BF Goodrich TA's. They do 5 sizes now- I have two sizes (both 1/25 sizes) - one size is too small and the other is tall enough, but too wide. 

[Rob Hall]

The tires do look a bit small... something in bigger diameter/taller would look better.   Thinking of getting another one and stripping the paint and doing it some other style, either a stock plain jane sedan or as a beater...

[CapSat 6]

The tires do look a bit small... something in bigger diameter/taller would look better.   Thinking of getting another one and stripping the paint and doing it some other style, either a stock plain jane sedan or as a beater...

That's my plan with at least one of these. My Mom had a '74 Custom Sedan (mid level trim, with door window frames), in Starlight Blue metallic and a white vinyl top...and factory road wheels. It was a demonstrator at my Uncle's dealership when she bought it. I saw Star Wars at the drive-in in this car. ?We ran that for about 8 years- so I have to build that one. 

My Dad had a '76 ex-Philadelphia Highway patrol unit (unmarked). It was dark green with a plain black (taxicab style, no pleats in the seats) interior, and a block off plate where the radio would have been. It had a 440, and dog dish wheel covers. He bought it at auction for about $200, and replaced the battery & tires. It was the closest thing to a real hot rod my Dad ever owned. I wish he had it when I would have been old enough to drive it. I'd love for Greenlight to follow up with the later hidden-headlight grille so I could do that one. 

I'd say go "Hunter"/ undercover style with the build, I think that would look good. If you go the route of a mainstreamer, if you could come up with the stock hubcaps from a '72-'74 Dodge Pickup, they're the same style as the stock deluxe caps for this car. I'm going to be using the stock wheels from the recent '75 AMC Gremlin kit, they're not 100% like the old C-Body Road Wheels, but if I separate the trim rings from them, section them and reattach them (or use trim rings from other wheels), I think I can get close enough to that look.

 

 

[GLMFAA1]

Just to post with the 'Blues Bothers' figures,

Police figures from American Diorama

greg

[1967RMP]

Is it me, or do the doors look a little stunted? If you compare the space between the ridge and the bottom of the door with the 1:1 it looks like it's been "cut off" from the bottom.

 

Edited December 14, 2016 by 1967RMP
found better pic

[NYLIBUD]

Ah,I always liked police cars,And of course u gotta love the The Blues Brothers Great cars,great chases,and some Damm good music....And in the immortal words of Elwood,It's 106 miles to Chicago,we got a full tank of gas,half a pack of cigarettes.Its dark out,and we're wearing sunglasses....Hit it!! 

[Junkman]

Let's see. The moment I buy the diecast, Revell will do this:

 

Correct?

[NYLIBUD]

Oh,but wouldn't it be very cool,if Revell was to do that?Also,I really like your choice of box art.It looks fantastic.

[Junkman]

It would be terminally cool.

Oh, and thanks!
I love doing "phantom" box art.

[gray07]

I like these, would like one and take all the police stuff off, and make a stock one.

[Junkman]

I'd like to do that with a 1/18 scale one and make it into a 4 door hardtop at the same time.

[Rob Hall]

Oh,but wouldn't it be very cool,if Revell was to do that?Also,I really like your choice of box art.It looks fantastic.

Of course if Revell did it, the body would suffer from multiple inaccuracies, given their recent track record...

[Rob Hall]

I like these, would like one and take all the police stuff off, and make a stock one.

When I bought the Greenlight 1/24th, I bought an extra with plans to do a stock one...maybe in a typical mid 70s green or brown...