towtruck Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 I wanna give a big thank you to R-M I just bought the new release of the 'grim reaper' chopper and I noticed on the side panel " packaged in the USA... parts molded in the USA..tires molded in the USA. WOW !! COOL..the only non USA part was box printed in China..3 outa four in the good old USA...that ain't bad !! thank you R-M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 What's the detail like in this kit? It seems large scale is much more hit or miss than 1/25th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 You know what?I'll buy one just for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
towtruck Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 What's the detail like in this kit? It seems large scale is much more hit or miss than 1/25th.compares to the R-M chopper series of a coupla years ago meaning pretty easy assembly.the scale is 1/20 th.....parts are clean with no flash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 What's the detail like in this kit? It seems large scale is much more hit or miss than 1/25th. They are nicely detailed, but still enough room to go full-on detail crazy if you wish. The kit is 1/8 scale: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atmobil Posted February 17, 2017 Share Posted February 17, 2017 Not only R-M but also Round 2. the recently reissued 1:25 Owens Deluxe cruiser and Century Toronado boats (old Palmer kits) are also molded in the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr mopar Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 This is good news for all modeler's . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 Cost of manufacturing in China is getting real close to USA.......add to it the issues around some of China's domestic polices.....USA is viable again..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc Janssens Posted February 23, 2017 Share Posted February 23, 2017 Cost of manufacturing in China is getting real close to USA.......add to it the issues around some of China's domestic polices.....USA is viable again.....add to that shipping and floating time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 24, 2017 Share Posted February 24, 2017 I would bet this kit isn't going to be reissued for another 30+ years, so if true, it's probably more cost effective to produce 5,000(?) kits locally (maybe even in house? IIRC there is a molding machine at Revell's mold storage facility), then put it back into long-term storage again. IIRC the Datsun Off-Road Pickup kit was also molded here in the U.S., too, and maybe the forthcoming Mazda RX7 kit will be similar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robberbaron Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 I believe the currently available "Revell" 1/24 Ramcharger kit was molded in the USA. Of course, with the monumental body warpage problems with that one, it didn't help make the case for American quality control... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Van Posted February 25, 2017 Share Posted February 25, 2017 The R2 Lindberg 1/25 boat kits were 'Made in Michigan'...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socal76 Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Casey, I heard (from a source within Revell) that they only have two molding machines within their facility, but at least that is two! This was a few years ago though, so maybe not as accurate now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socal76 Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Casey, I heard (from a source within Revell) that they only have two molding machines within their facility, but at least that is two! This was a few years ago though, so maybe not as accurate now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 (edited) Casey, I heard (from a source within Revell) that they only have two molding machines within their facility, but at least that is two! This was a few years ago though, so maybe not as accurate now.I remembered incorrectly from what I read in this article...: https://craftsmanship.net/parts-recreation/ ...so it doesn't sound/read like they are set up for any in-house mass production.The R2 Lindberg 1/25 boat kits were 'Made in Michigan'......I'm guessing it's the same Kalkaska, MI facility where the Highjacker Ford Van and the Lindberg '66 Chevelle, '67 Cutlass, Dodge Fever A-100 pickup, etc. were molded, too. I'd love to hear what the story is behind those kits (and presumably other former J. Lloyd kits) being produced (stored?) there...Back to the kit, if anyone has this reissue and a Revell 1/8 scale chopper, do the tore from the Grim Reaper fit the Revell kit's wheels by chance? Edited February 26, 2017 by Casey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RatRod Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 (edited) I picked up one of these kits a week ago, and was a little disappointed in it. First it says right on the box "soft tires" but the tires are molded in a very hard vinyl. The other part is this originally came with three chrome trees, but Revell only seen fit to plate two of the trees, so now with the unplated tree, which includes the forks, several engine pieces, and other "plated" parts, the builder either has to have the tree plated, or will have to strip all the plating, and Alclad everything. The part that gets me, is I was planning on doing a quick weekend build of this kit, but now is going to be a bunch of work. The good part about this kit, is the fact it's only been popped a couple times, and the parts are flash free, and very crisp! I sent Revell a message on their site, but no response! Edited February 28, 2017 by RatRod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niteowl7710 Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Clearly some tools that were presumed to not be run again...like the Datsun P/U, Ramcharger, and this 1/8 bike were never sent to China because nobody expected to run the tooling any time in the future. Gotta admit the Grim Reaper is a niche product at best, there aren't that many 1/8 scale bikes out there to put it with before Round2 ran off several of the old Hondas considering Japanese bikes are in 1/6 & 1/12 scales, and the Italians for some reason chose 1/9. I imagine the Ramcharger was a sales dog last time it was reissued with the boat, as it was an "expensive" kit relative to other kits at the time, and you kinda had to be in to bass fishing to want that boat. Nissan P/U...well furrin' things are evil duh! J. Lloyd probably couldn't afford to send their stuff to China considering they had to "burn down the warehouse" just to release the police version of the Charger 4 years after the fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr mopar Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Dose anybody have a Photo of the New Grim Reaper ,I would like to compare it to the old Revell Germany freedom Chopper ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horsepower Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 add to that shipping and floating time. not to mention the problem with getting everything worked out on new products. It would seem that the time saved in getting all the test shots shipped back and forth along with the accompanying correspondence would be almost worth the difference in costs, and then there's the problem of people who are actually doing the work not having the slightest idea of what the product they're making (or in Revell's case, packaging) is supposed to look like. And we should also remember there is a constant threat of the thing that happened to Danbury(?) Mint happening to a major model producer and them losing ALL of their tooling to an offshore company without an affordable recourse of getting anything back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 J. Lloyd probably couldn't afford to send their stuff to China considering they had to "burn down the warehouse" just to release the police version of the Charger 4 years after the fact.I believe I remember that the Johan and Lindberg molds were odd size and J Lloyd had the proper smaller injection molding machine to use them. We know they sold the Lindberg line to Round 2 but it seems they are still producing the product under contract to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niteowl7710 Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 I believe I remember that the Johan and Lindberg molds were odd size and J Lloyd had the proper smaller injection molding machine to use them. We know they sold the Lindberg line to Round 2 but it seems they are still producing the product under contract to them.Round2 bought the whole thing lock, stock and two smoking toolings as it were because the Made in the USA nature of the Lindberg (and now branded AMT kits in the case of the Craft House era stuff) are being made up in Michigan - whereas J. Lloyd is/was in Iowa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr mopar Posted March 1, 2017 Share Posted March 1, 2017 I sent Mr Sexton an e-mail about the chrome tree that was not chromed , this is real sad Revell should send out new chromed treeto make this right , there GR on there web site shows it with chrome forks ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr mopar Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 Here is the response back from RevellHi,The model on the box and on the internet does not have plated front fork parts. They were painted. There is a paint product called Alclad that gives a very chrome looking finish. This product is available in most hobby shops. Due to cost restrictions we had to make a very difficult decision regarding the plated parts in this kit. We plated as many of them as we could. There are also other chrome paints that work very well. what do you all think about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 what do you all think about this? I think it sounds like a reasonable explanation. With the Molotov chrome pens, no chrome is no big deal anymore. I swear I recall reading a few people here mention they didn't like the square tube forks and planned to change those, too. Does anyone have a picture of the now unplated parts which were plated in previous releases? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr mopar Posted March 3, 2017 Share Posted March 3, 2017 I think it sounds like a reasonable explanation. With the Molotov chrome pens, no chrome is no big deal anymore. I swear I recall reading a few people here mention they didn't like the square tube forks and planned to change those, too. Does anyone have a picture of the now unplated parts which were plated in previous releases? Hey Casey here is the tree chromed ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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