AMT Piranha Spy Car question

[regular guy]

Modelcar Builders

Does the Metallic blue version include the drag car parts? yes/no?

Appreciate it!

Regular Guy

[tim boyd]

Nope....no drag parts.......here's a detailed look at the Piranha Spy Car kit......TIM 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2016 by tim boyd

[RatRod]

The Drag car is a completely different kit!

[stavanzer]

Hobby Lobby was blowing these out last week for $17.00 each.

I did not get one. Based on Tim's excellent review, I decided that after having built models for Thirty Years without this kit, I could continue to live without it. Not Knocking the kit or Tim's review, just sharing on how valuable Tim's work is for driving purchase decisions.

[Snake45]

The Drag car is a completely different kit!

Yup. I don't think there are ANY parts interchangeable between the two kits.

[regular guy]

Modelcar builders

an online hobby store has this in the description:

'Build your choice of stock, custom or drag versions.'

I think the solution is:

order your kit to your spec's

they could call it the 'Professional Modeler Series'

Regular Guy

[Snake45]

You can probably build SOME kind of "drag version" out of it, of course, but it is NOT the semi-famous Hemi-powered Piranha drag car.

Maybe they meant to say "stock, custom, or spy" versions.

[Mark]

I don't know where that online store got that description...the kit builds only one way, as the U.N.C.L.E. version with all of the spy gear.  As I understand it, the "stock" version had a shorter body (less overhang behind the rear wheels).  It's an interesting kit, I picked one up with the thought of building it without the spy stuff.

[Chuck Most]

I paid zero attention to this kit when it came out, and I'm not even sure why I went into this thread or clicked on Tim's link, but I did and.... twin-turbo Corvair power????!

Know what? I just might need to nab a couple of these kits. 

I really hate this place sometimes... 

Edited August 30, 2016 by Chuck Most

[Daddyfink]

OK, Stock looks like this, but in racing trim

Spy Version

And Drag 

 

 

 

[Misha]

Actually all three cars are very distinctive. The road racing version, included with the UNCLE car requires some surgery on the rear end body, as it is truncated, whereas the UNCLE vehicle is longer and has the turbo exhaust flaps in the rear valence. 

This modification would not be beyond the more accomplished builder, it's certainly on my build list. 

[Vince Nemanic]

The road racer also has a shorter nose like the drag car, so it is a pretty major conversion.

[Daddyfink]

Here are the kit bodies, this is from a pic I took when they re released the U.N.C.L.E car. 

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2016 by Daddyfink

[aurfalien]

Another review.  Seems like a cool kit;

[unclescott58]

I've got both the new Spy Car version, and the Buyer's Choice drag version from the early 2000's. Here's my delema with these two kits. Matching exterior paint colors. I only paint with rattle cans. So I'm wondering what comes close in a rattle cans to match the color of each car? The Spy Car not as tough I believe as matching the color of the drag car. The drag car is an odd very light yellow/gold. Anybody out there with any suggestions on this.

The Buyer's Choice version of the drag car came with terrible decals. I bought some aftermarket replacements. But, it looks like spy version has most, if not all the correct decals for the drag car. Thanks Round 2. They always go that extra mile with their reissues. Something Ertl did not do, even with their Buyer's Choice kits.

Two very cool cars in real life. And two very cool models representing them.

[Snake45]

I'm planning to polish my spy car, but if you're painting it, Testor Nassau Blue in the rattlecan should be darn close.

I too am baffled as to the best rattlecan (or bottle, for that matter) would match the drag car. In the old days both AMT and Pactra had "Candy Pagan Gold" that might look good over a white pearl base. Dunno of anything like that available now. Does Tamiya do a "clear yellow" in rattlecan?

[slusher]

I'm planning to polish my spy car, but if you're painting it, Testor Nassau Blue in the rattlecan should be darn close.

I too am baffled as to the best rattlecan (or bottle, for that matter) would match the drag car. In the old days both AMT and Pactra had "Candy Pagan Gold" that might look good over a white pearl base. Dunno of anything like that available now. Does Tamiya do a "clear yellow" in rattlecan?

Snake i was thinking that a polished plastic in the color its molded in would look really good. I don't know if I have ever seen one of these built.

[pack rat]

 I don't know if I have ever seen one of these built.

Here's the built-up Round2 display kit.

Re the spy car color...when this was being built Gene Winfield was asked what color he used on the original.  He could only recall that it was a "1966 Impala color".  After studying various pics of the car I decided on 1966 Mist Blue Poly.  Nassau Blue had been rumored as the color used, but it just didn't look like a match.  (Nassau Blue was a Corvette-only shade in '66, not available on the Impala).  The road race version pictured in the above posts looks like it might be Nassau Blue,

I'm not aware of a straight out-of-the-can shade that would match.  On this one, I decanted Testors (now discontinued) Silver Blue and GTS Blue Pearl lacquers and mixed them at approximately 60/40.  (polishing wasn't an option...it was molded in white).  Yes...I know it looks a little off in my pics.

The drag version??   Pearl clear over yellow maybe???     

Edited September 5, 2016 by pack rat

[Snake45]

Great model, Packrat!

[tim boyd]

Great model, Packrat!

x2!  Wow.....nicely done!   TIM

[pack rat]

Great model, Packrat!

Thanks, Snake.

If you plan on tackling one of these, be prepared.  The door/window/roof assembly requires patience..... 

[aurfalien]

Here's the built-up Round2 display kit.

Re the spy car color...when this was being built Gene Winfield was asked what color he used on the original.  He could only recall that it was a "1966 Impala color".  After studying various pics of the car I decided on 1966 Mist Blue Poly.  Nassau Blue had been rumored as the color used, but it just didn't look like a match.  (Nassau Blue was a Corvette-only shade in '66, not available on the Impala).  The road race version pictured in the above posts looks like it might be Nassau Blue,

I'm not aware of a straight out-of-the-can shade that would match.  On this one, I decanted Testors (now discontinued) Silver Blue and GTS Blue Pearl lacquers and mixed them at approximately 60/40.  (polishing wasn't an option...it was molded in white).  Yes...I know it looks a little off in my pics.

The drag version??   Pearl clear over yellow maybe???     

Very very cool.

So the engine is indeed a twin turbo of sorts.

 

[slusher]

Thanks, Snake.

If you plan on tackling one of these, be prepared.  The door/window/roof assembly requires patience..... 

Thanks Mike for posting your fantastic build. I believe I have a can of the Testors Silver Blue...

[pack rat]

x2!  Wow.....nicely done!   TIM

Thank You too Tim.

[pack rat]

Very very cool.

So the engine is indeed a twin turbo of sorts.

 

Thanks again.

Yes... a twin turbo of sorts

Note that AMT didn't include the characteristic Corvair back/forth/up/down serpentine belt; the cooling fan just sits there..

If you Google the AMT Piranha kit, chances are you'll see pics of the beautiful built-up by Nick Whitlow.  Nick is THE Piranha expert; I believe he owns (or owned) the UNCLE car.  Nick built his version using a four-carb engine from the oft-issued '69 annual...probably what I'll do if I ever get around to building one for myself  

Edited September 5, 2016 by pack rat