Jo-Han Eldorado Rancher?

[PowerPlant]

I am a bit confused as to which production year car this kit is meant to represent? It is not clearly stated anywhere on the box, and most every online source I found says 1976,

but the box art car looks more like a 74... What gives?

Thanks in advance

 

[Rob Hall]

I believe they used that box art for several years...that is a '74 in that version...

[Mark]

Every Jo-Han kit in that box that I have seen was a '76.  Jo-Han played fast and loose with box art illustrations in those days.

[PowerPlant]

Oh, them 70's, man!

Pics of the box contents show the grille with square headlights, not round ones... That would be the 76 then, correct?

 

 

 

 

[oldcarfan]

According to Google image search, 1974 was the last year for the round headlights. 75 and later were the rectangular ones.

[PowerPlant]

So, whichever car is actually in the box, is this a decent kit overall? I know Jo-Hans vary in detail, so I was just wondering how this kit fares in those terms.

[Phirewriter]

I have a number of these kits and found different years with the same box art. Both the '74 and '76 with nothing on the box to distinguish the year of car inside.

[Motor City]

If I recall correctly, the Eldorado Rancher was originally a 1974 kit.  The '71 and '72 box art have a ski motif, and I think the '73 also does.  I don't think there was a '75 kit.  I believe the '76 was also in the Rancher box.  A Snap Kit of the '76 was issued later on.  I had one molded in an ugly blue. 

I have listed the basic differences between years below.

'71: louvered trunk, block ELDORADO letting on trunk, 8.2 litre emblem on front fenders below block ELDORADO emblem, vertical taillights surrounded by chrome bezels 

'72: script Eldorado emblems on front fenders in front of wheels, script emblem on trunk, 8.2 liter emblem on front fender, same taillights as '71, revised grille, chrome eyebrows on hood above headlights

'73: eggcrate grille, wraparound front parking lights, retractable bumpers, new taillights above bumper, round rear side markers, full vinyl top

'74: revised grille, vertical taillights integrated into rear bumper, landau vinyl top

'75: eggcrate grille with large squares, sunroof, no fender skirts, rectangular headlights

'76: eggcrate grille with small squares, slight changes to panel below trunk, slight revisions to front fender ends   

I know quite a bit about Eldorados as I own a '68 and '77 Biarritz, and my first car was a '71 Eldorado. 

 

 

Edited January 29, 2016 by Motor City
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[Ron Hamilton]

If I recall correctly, the Eldorado Rancher was originally a 1974 kit.  The '71 and '72 box art have a ski motif, and I think the '73 also does.  I don't think there was a '75 kit.  I believe the '76 was also in the Rancher box.  A Snap Kit of the '76 was issued later on.  I had one molded in an ugly blue. 

I have listed the basic differences between years below.

'71: louvered trunk, block ELDORADO letting on trunk, 8.2 litre emblem on front fenders below block ELDORADO emblem, vertical taillights surrounded by chrome bezels 

'72: script Eldorado emblems on front fenders in front of wheels, script emblem on trunk, 8.2 liter emblem on front fender, same taillights as '71, revised grille, chrome eyebrows on hood above headlights

'73: eggcrate grille, wraparound front parking lights, retractable bumpers, new taillights above bumper, round rear side markers, full vinyl top

'74: revised grille, vertical taillights integrated into rear bumper, landau vinyl top

'75: eggcrate grille with large squares, sunroof, no fender skirts, rectangular headlights

'76: eggcrate grille with small squares, slight changes to panel below trunk, slight revisions to front fender ends   

I know quite a bit about Eldorados as I own a '68 and '77 Biarritz, and my first car was a '71 Eldorado. 

 

 

What you stated as above is correct. More than likely, there is a '76 in that box. The '74 is quite rare and pricey, and I have never seen a '75 kit, even though I have a set of '75 Promo Bumpers to go on one of mine.

As a fan of Eldorados, I have all of those in kit form, as well as a couple of white '71 promos, one of which I am going to turn into a convertible. One of the ones I have came in the '72 Box, which is kind of weird, as it is a '72, but it does not have any body side louvers, body side mouldings, or scripts on it. From what I have read, It is quite rare. It looks to me that they were trying to anticipate the '73, as the body is close to a '73. I am thinking of building it, painting it Black on Black with no chrome on it whatsoever, except for the wheels. No whitewalls either. It looks like a custom to me.

[PowerPlant]

Either way, I did not win the kit... But the different box art/box contents policy seems a bit flaky...

To paraphrase Forrest Gump: "Jo-Han is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you gonna get!"

[pack rat]

 

One of the ones I have came in the '72 Box, which is kind of weird, as it is a '72, but it does not have any body side louvers, body side mouldings, or scripts on it. From what I have read, It is quite rare.

Hmm...sounds like the '72 I have...almost.  On mine just the bodyside molding and the vertical rear quarter trim are missing.       

[oldcarfan]

As far as the kit itself, regardless of year, it was a decent representation as far as I can recall. I built one of these and one of the Toronado a long time ago and remember them being decent, pretty much on par with the AMT or MPC kits of the time. I think I still have most of one that my dad pirated the drivetrain out of to use in a motorhome that he built in the 80s.

[Bob Ellis]

That box shown is good for the 1974, 1975 and 1975 Eldorado kit. It's like a box of Cracker Jacks. The surprise is which year will you get.

[ss2000]

If you can find one with the :200 after the kit number (I think GC3300) it will be a 1974. I've had 2 over the years, 1 was factory sealed.

[Bob Ellis]

SS2000, you are probably correct , as the :200 stood for $2. After 1974, the kit prices increased. I have to check your theory.