Accurate Miniatures NASCAR Taurus test shot.

[Dave Van]

OK Folks

 

Edited April 19, 2018 by Dave Van

[afx]

Curious how the engine block would build up?

[Mark]

Curious how the engine block would build up?

Doesn't look too different from a Monogram or AMT NASCAR engine in parts breakdown, except for the bottom part of the bellhousing molded along with the oil pan.  The parts breakdown of the kit overall doesn't look too different from a Monogram kit, though this one appears to have a couple of extra parts in each sub-assembly.  With AM's earlier kits having sold at higher-than-average prices (and being worth it), if this kit followed that pricing strategy I wonder how it would have sold compared to the equivalent Monogram kit at a few bucks' difference.

[afx]

Yea my bad, shields on the valve cover through me off.

[Dave Van]

Doesn't look too different from a Monogram or AMT NASCAR engine in parts breakdown, except for the bottom part of the bellhousing molded along with the oil pan.  The parts breakdown of the kit overall doesn't look too different from a Monogram kit, though this one appears to have a couple of extra parts in each sub-assembly.  With AM's earlier kits having sold at higher-than-average prices (and being worth it), if this kit followed that pricing strategy I wonder how it would have sold compared to the equivalent Monogram kit at a few bucks' difference.

Monogram and AM Taurus = same designer........

The AM kit has much finer details. Kinda what a next generation Monogram kit could have been. The MSRP target was the same as Monogram....in order to compete......and the body, tires and glass were to be shared with a Testors version that was pre-painted and much simplified.  That is how they planned to keep the cost down.....duel purpose kit.  I have drawings for the Testors version but not test shot....not sure any were done. 

[iBorg]

This looks so much better detailed than a Monogram version of the kit. Curious questions, do the molds still exist?

 

Have you thought about making a set of detail up parts as resin castings for some of the parts to be added to the Mono kits?

[RancheroSteve]

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to post this, Dave. Now we know! Even if the subject matter was done before, it looks like it would have been a very fine kit, with all the state of the art (for the time) updates.

The one I was really excited for was the FIA Cobra - too bad that never made it.

[Merkur XR4Ti]

Why did they kill off the kit?

[Luc Janssens]

Thanks for posting what might have been, Dave.

A pity that the tool is gone, but...then again the market isn't there anymore

[Dave Van]

Why did they kill off the kit?

They closed shop before kit was ready. 

[kitbash1]

Thanks for posting this Dave. I've always been curious as to what the AM kit would have looked like. I would have bought a few of them if offered. How many of these test shots do you have in your collection?

Edited February 27, 2017 by kitbash1

[horsepower]

I'd personally love to see the engine and associated parts offered as a stand alone super detail kit, that would still make a good engine for building an asphalt late model or add to one of the R/M kits for better detailing.

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Wonder where the tooling is, and what would be lost just running some plastic through it now if it's in a decent state.  I'd happily snatch up a few of these for curiosity's sake.

[Luc Janssens]

Wonder where the tooling is, and what would be lost just running some plastic through it now if it's in a decent state.  I'd happily snatch up a few of these for curiosity's sake.

Approval by the OEM and licensing cost of the product itself.

and then you can sell bagged shots, cuz designing decals and box will add costs, not only in the design, but again needs approval and licensing from all the sponsors mentioned..

just sayin'

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Yup, youbetcha.  Allowed myself to forget all that steaming scat for a minute.

Still 'n all, I'd be happy to shell out a bit over current retail, cover Ford's (and NASCAR's) basic fees for a few baggies and then go and find some liveries on my own...

[horsepower]

Approval by the OEM and licensing cost of the product itself.

and then you can sell bagged shots, cuz designing decals and box will add costs, not only in the design, but again needs approval and licensing from all the sponsors mentioned..

just sayin'

You don't think you could get away with what the R/C guys are doing with their molded bodies? You can get a C type, or a T type, or F type, you can clearly see the style of car it's meant to be but I haven't heard of any copyright lawsuits yet so they must be doing something right. ?

[BDSchindler]

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to post this, Dave. Now we know! Even if the subject matter was done before, it looks like it would have been a very fine kit, with all the state of the art (for the time) updates.

The one I was really excited for was the FIA Cobra - too bad that never made it.

I talked to Bob Johnson a while back (He was also part of Accurate Miniatures) and he said the funding just dried up on the Cobra.  Bob also worked for Revell-Monogram for a number of years so it is very possible that a starting point for many of the works-in-progress had their roots from R-M.  I am not saying that was definitely the case, just offering it up as a suggestion. 

In diecast arenas, it was so commonplace to use kits as a base for diecast models that some kit designers from various manufactures starting putting specific identifying tool marks into the kit patterns that the average person would never notice.  The Designers knew the tool marks were there but the architects wouldn't realize it and included the tool marks into the pattern.  I don't know what the kit manufactures ever did with that info, if anything...but I do know that in one case, it became bragging rights for a designer with regard to the diecast derivative that resulted.

[Mikey56]

ya know one thing that I would like to see is a plain ole box with the model name on top along with what's included....nothing else....no pictures...no three hundred different languages (like we really speak any of them)....and no decals....a plain jane white box with black lettering...means that they don't have to aquire all the rights for having a thousand little decals or proprietary names other than "Chevrolet" or "Ford".....let us decide what decals to use....ain't like there aren't a thousand companies producing anything you want...what we call it....what we want to do with it....and then cut costs to us, the ones that are buying the kits....there are numerous ways to cut costs in anything on the market today....but then, they don't want to pass any savings on to us because it cuts into their profit margin.  I remember when model companies kept us happy.....

[Dave Van]

It's still not that easy.....there is a thing called 'Trade Dress' that is protected by the person or company that invented aid item. So if you were to issue the Taurus stock car without OK from Ford they could come after you for infringement......weather you use 'FORD' or not. 

Todays NASCAR race cars are owned by NASCAR rather than Ford, Chevy or Toyota. They can, and did, give permission to Revell for the snap kits and coming glue kits. Revell still needs OK from Ford but that is being coordinated by NASCAR.

Nothing is easy today. Don't even open the 'consumer protection Act' and what it requires on packaging. thx