Fuzz Duster - Round 2 serves it up LAME!

[randyc]

Great review!  A comment about my experiences with the 1:1 and the kit Volare:

The 1:1: I grew up in the malaise era as well, picking up thrashed out Cudas and Chargers while dissing the new junk coming out of Detroit.  As a gas station mechanic, I disliked Volares and their million miles of (usually leaking) vacuum lines keeping their emissions clean. Then, one day, I found a 76 Volare station wagon, factory equipped with a 318 V8 and an overdrive 4 speed stick. I picked it up to use as a snow car to keep my 70 Cuda out of harms way when the roads got slick. The addition of a 340 cam, ft and rear sway bars off a St. Regis hwy patrol car, and a set of T/A radial 60s really woke the Volare up.  I was really impressed, it drove one heck of a lot better than the muscle era Chargers and Roadrunners I was used to. Of course, its self biodegrading body was a problem, and eventually it died in the line of duty when a 74 Dart rear-ended me on the snow.  In a poof of brown rust dust, pretty much every seam in the back half of the body opened up, and its days were over.  That was almost 30 years ago, the overdrive gearbox lives on today in my 70 Cuda when I want to do some serious highway cruising. But it was a good car.

The kit.  Like the 1:1, its whole concept is a typical of the era. But bashing the concept is like bashing the Flock of Seagulls.  The early '80s pretty much stunk. But, once you start looking at it, its one of the better engineered MPC kits I've made.  I remember as a kid pretty much all my early 1970s MPC annual kits' chassis fell off when you picked them up by the roof. I've been spoiled by new tooling, but for era correct MPC its fit and accuracy are pretty darn good.  The custom parts are a joke, and I kinda think Round 2 included them as a reminder of what a nasty era in which the kit was designed. The custom tires, however are my favorite hot rod setup and my stash was getting thin.  The kit is about half done, its getting built as an '80s boulevard bruiser using the 440+6 and Weld wheels from the MPC 71 Roadrunner reissue.

So, in a nutshell, while both the real car and the Round 2 kit may offend at first site, they both really have a heart of gold and I'm glad I bought both. That said, I'd love to see someone build the kit recreating the entire emissions vacuum line setup for the Evap system, the EGR system, the NOx system, the TCS system....etc ad-nauseam.

Hey I knew a guy named Jack in the late 80s in Boone NC with same story.  You ain't him are you?

[rickcaps55]

That was a great video I'm 65 and I had the pleasure of seeing the Rat Pak in peresion in 72 and do to my uncle I got to meet them it was 15 min's in my life that no matter what happens to me it will be burned in my brain till I die.!!

[MoparLover]

Hey I knew a guy named Jack in the late 80s in Boone NC with same story.  You ain't him are you?

nope, but it's scary to think there might be two of us running around loose out there. :)

[randyc]

nope, but it's scary to think there might be two of us running around loose out there. :)

ok.  just checking.  Freaky how similar your stories are.

[unclescott58]

Two other kits I'd like to see from the "lame performance era." The '79 Chrysler Córdoba with the 300 package. And her sister the Dodge Magmun. No one ever tooled either as a kit that I know of. So I'm not holding my breather for seeing either one of them.

 

[stavanzer]

How About the 1981-83 Chrysler Imperial?  You NEVER see those any more, and they even raced NASCAR.

[MoparLover]

Here's a WiP.

[randyc]

Looks like a late 70s/early 80s common hot rod.  Except the wheels.  I llike it!  Keep going!

 

[Faust]

Man, that looks great, Jack! is that a Targa Roof I see? Any mods under the hood?

The colour scheme reminds me of my EXP. Dark with red is a great and eye catching combo, that's for sure. Is it a Tamiya Metallic Grey or something you used? It's subtle, but strong. Good choice. 

I found a "for sale" listing for an '80 that was spotless. It's black and red, like my beloved Trans Am (Faust). That's how I'm going to do mine, since I want it stock (as stock as possible) and the decals are red. So,  mine will also have a red interior. Sounds like a case of "Great Minds Think Alike". 

Who else has one of these "bad boys" (okay, sad boys is more like it) on the go? I'm working on filling in T-tops at the moment. Darn putty keep sinking...

 

 

[pack rat]

Man, that looks great, Jack! 

Who else has one of these "bad boys" 

 

A couple of pics of the stock version on the box.  

Color is Tamiya TS-8 over grey primer, interior is Tamiya TS-68.  

Round2 chose the color (cause red really pops on the box), but I really like Jack's metallic grey with the period-correct red interior.

[randyc]

You guys keep showing these wonderful builds.  Almost makes me want one.  Almost.  The wheels look good.  Are the slots molded open?  How thick are they?  I'm working on teh revell 71 Cuda and whiel the wheel faces are fine, the back of the wheel is so thick, the slots practically disappear.  I know these have the "chunky" centers and would be wrkng on the Cuda.  But still, wheels go a long way.  

[Faust]

Wow Mike!

That looks fantastic!

What did you do to get the paint so smooth and polished? I stand in awe and amazement. 

I think these builds are indeed making a silk purse out of a sow's ear, quite literally!

[pack rat]

What did you do to get the paint so smooth and polished? I stand in awe and amazement. 

1-Tamiya primer

2-Tamiya lacquer

3-Testors clear lacquer

4-polishing kit

and some luck 

[unclescott58]

I've got to get my buddy's kid to explain how I can get my pictures posted. I'm very impressed with the two shown above. Nice jobs Jack and Mike. The one I'm building is coming near completion and is looking pretty good also. I sanded off the ridges for the t-top. Used Tamiya primer. And then Tamiya Yellow TS-16. With a black interior. The only thing really left to do is paint and assemble the engine. Mount the engine in the chassis. Glue the chassis into the rest of the car and put on the bumpers. It's sitting mocked up. Interior and body done, resting on the loose chassis. And I'm pleased with how it looks so far.

 

Edited October 18, 2016 by unclescott58

[Faust]

Man, I am falling sooo behind on this one! 

I've only go the T-tops filled, the interior bucket and chassis primed and some of the engine together. Of course, I'm also working on a Master Grade Gundam at the same time, but still, your efficiencies blow me away!

I'd love to see yours, too, Scott! I hope your buddy's child can help you out!

[MoparLover]

Man, that looks great, Jack! is that a Targa Roof I see? Any mods under the hood?

The colour scheme reminds me of my EXP. Dark with red is a great and eye catching combo, that's for sure. Is it a Tamiya Metallic Grey or something you used? It's subtle, but strong. Good choice. 

I found a "for sale" listing for an '80 that was spotless. It's black and red, like my beloved Trans Am (Faust). That's how I'm going to do mine, since I want it stock (as stock as possible) and the decals are red. So,  mine will also have a red interior. Sounds like a case of "Great Minds Think Alike". 

Who else has one of these "bad boys" (okay, sad boys is more like it) on the go? I'm working on filling in T-tops at the moment. Darn putty keep sinking...

 

 

Thanks! No targa roof; I'm doing it as a T-Top with the panels off; I just haven't put the cross bar in place yet. The color is Testors Graphite Dust lacquor with Testors Flame Red inside.  Motor will be a 440 six pack, sourced from the same 80's MPC kit that donated the wheels.

[Faust]

Oh, that sounds good!

I'm getting there on mine. I've got a bit of work on the interior done and the T-Tops are filled, filed and integrated as well as they're going to be!

I really do wish the Fuzz Duster had the correct wheels. However, since the '80 wheels were, I believe, unique, I'm not surprised it doesn't. Still, a bit of paint will likely help.

 

Edited November 11, 2016 by Faust