¿Monza

[1972coronet]

Has anyone bought the reissue c.1978 Monza? Curious about its contents ...

[Mark]

Haven't seen the reissue yet, but it will be a '77 because that's what it was when the original AMT company set it aside.  But it will have the optional parts from the '75 and '76 kits (custom front and rear end caps, wheels, window louvers).  Those parts weren't in the original '77 annual kit.  I've got an original '75 so will pass on this reissue.  As far as the stock version goes, '75 and '77 differ only in minor trim like emblems, maybe side markers.   

[Don Sikora II]

Mark, was there a '75 annual, or was the original box that the new one is based on the '75 kit?

I did buy the new one. I also have the original kit that used the box art the new one is based on (T434), the 1976 annual (T469), and the Monza SS (2214). The parts in the new one do not exactly match T434. I haven't carefully compared all my kits yet, but I've noticed that the new kit is missing the chrome taillight, front turn signal, and driving light lenses for the custom front and rear ends (the area on the tree was revised for the SS kit and those parts are present in the new one), but they have been replaced with decals that honestly might look better than the old chrome parts. The chrome side pipes in the new kit are the two-piece units from the Monza SS, which are different than the originals too.

The new kit also has a tree of what must be retooled pieces. These include a dashboard like the one in T434 (the other kits I have use a different dash, and it is included in the new kit too), a two-spoke (stock???) steering wheel (there's two other steering wheels in the kit too, one of which looks stock to me), and four inner wheel halves. 

Stock tires in the new kit are vinyl BFGoodrich (I think originally made for the 1970 Monte Carlo lowrider) that are very similar in size to the original kit's two-piece hard-plastic Goodyears. Custom tires are four of the larger-size Goodyears that Round 2 tooled a few years ago, but in this kit they have white tampo-printed Goodyear Rally GT lettering.

[stavanzer]

Oh, Drat!

Don, you just sold me on the Monza kit. Now I gotta have one. Any Pics yet? How are the decals?

[Mark]

The reissue box art is based on the first issue...there was no '75 annual as such.

[Casey]

Any Pics yet? How are the decals?

http://www.collectormodel.com/round2-models/3353-coming-of-the-shelf-a-little-monza-madness/#sthash.hpWLi1kQ.dpbs

 

[Don Sikora II]

The reissue box art is based on the first issue...there was no '75 annual as such.

Thanks, Mark. The only AMT Monza kit I had as a kid was the '77 annual, but don't have one now.

Here are quick snapshots of the contents.

 

 

[Casey]

Are the new Goodyear Rally GT tires 15" in diameter? I think the 4-slot wheel are 14", though, aren't they?

Nice to see the 13" BFG Advantage T/A tires re-appear, too. 

[Don Sikora II]

Are the new Goodyear Rally GT tires 15" in diameter? I think the 4-slot wheel are 14", though, aren't they?

Nice to see the 13" BFG Advantage T/A tires re-appear, too. 

The 4-slot mags measure approximately .600 inches in diameter where they fit in the tire, so they are 15 inch too.

[Rob Hall]

Should get mine today.  I think the different dashes represent model year changes from 75 to 76-77.  The one in the lower right of the photo above looks like the 75 dash to me, the one in the lower left is the 76-77 style dash.  Likely similar for the steering wheel differences.  

Edit: got mine today.  Not a fan of the large box and the ghastly box top art, but the kit looks like it should build up nicely.   This is the first AMT Monza I've had, have 3 different years ('75, '78, '79) of the MPC Monza and also the MPC Skyhawk in my stash. 

Edited January 4, 2017 by Rob Hall

[1972coronet]

Casey,  Don , Rob,  et al. - Thanks much for the links , photos , and year-to-year nuances ! Looks like I'm going to have to step up production at my weekend job as a Regional Lemonade Stand Manager in order to fund my investment in this beauty ?.

Thanks again , all. Let's keep this thread going here ?

[stavanzer]

 After going over Don's helpful pics, this just moved to the top of the purchase list. I'm gonna have to get this one.

[W-409]

Well this was a surprise for me, I never thought this kit would be reissued, but now I'm really happy! I have that original issue in progress, but I'll definitely need to buy another one as Monza has lots of potential to be built as a Street & Strip car. Several years ago we had a '79 Skyhawk in our family so it's always nice to see these GM H-Bodies.

[Snake45]

Inspired by another member's current Monza build, I dug out an original MPC '77 (kit 1-7716) that I started back in the '80s. Was pleasantly surprised to find several desirable goodies in the box, including nice exhaust headers and side pipes, Keystone wheels, "fly eye" air cleaner, and a pre-'65 Corvette fuel injection setup. Came here to look for a review of the reissue to see if these parts were in the new one. Alas, it seems to be based on a different kit (AMT vs MPC). What a shame. 

On a related topic, I have a damaged '77 Monza promo I'm gonna try to restore. Haven't gotten into it yet but just judging from the bumpers (molded separately in black plastic), it looks like it might be a different model. Who had the promo contract that year, AMT or MPC? 

ETA: Just took another look at that distressed promo. It says 1976 on the plates, and I do believe it's of MPC origin. 

Edited April 15, 2018 by Snake45

[Don Sikora II]

All Monza 2+2 promos are from MPC.