Force Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 One can wonder why MPC decided to use a turbine engine from a competitor, because it looks an awful lot like the Chrysler A-831 Gas Turbine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 What would the alternative look like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 Who knows, a turbine option wasn't available in any GM car and if it had been I don't think they would use a Chrysler developed engine. Several car and truck manufacturers tested turbine engines in the late 50's, 60's and 70's and if you do a google search you will see that there were several different designs of gas turbine engines for cars...even Chrysler had 7 generations of gas turbine engines and the A-831 (3rd generation) was the one in their famous turbine car from 1963. Here are some of the generations of turbine engines Chrysler did. GM did tests with gas turbine engines too and here is one of the GM gas turbines from the Firebird III Concept car. But most of their testing was in large trucks. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 15 hours ago, Force said: One can wonder why MPC decided to use a turbine engine from a competitor, because it looks an awful lot like the Chrysler A-831 Gas Turbine. They probably cribbed the Jo-Han engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Force Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 It looks like they did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisBcritter Posted August 11, 2019 Share Posted August 11, 2019 On 12/13/2018 at 11:36 AM, Casey said: Hopefully one day Round2 will be able to reissue the '69 Firebird hardtop in the original box art: I imagine the driver bailed out as the car vaulted over the speedway wall? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted April 14, 2023 Share Posted April 14, 2023 (edited) On 12/13/2018 at 11:36 AM, Casey said: Hopefully one day Round2 will be able to reissue the '69 Firebird hardtop in the original box art: @SteveG has there been any further consideration regarding re-issuing what remains of this kit? IIRC, the "Sundancer" version was listed on the Stevens Int'l 'site, but didn't stay long. Would be nice to have it back with the OHC 6, warts and all. Edited April 14, 2023 by Casey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted April 15, 2023 Share Posted April 15, 2023 On 4/14/2023 at 12:15 PM, Casey said: @SteveG has there been any further consideration regarding re-issuing what remains of this kit? IIRC, the "Sundancer" version was listed on the Stevens Int'l 'site, but didn't stay long. Would be nice to have it back with the OHC 6, warts and all. It's on my to do list with bunch of other that need the tooling inserts reconfigured in order to make an older version. In this case I believe it shares tooling with one of the Camaro's. -Steve 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stavanzer Posted July 9, 2023 Share Posted July 9, 2023 On 4/15/2023 at 11:55 AM, SteveG said: It's on my to do list with bunch of other that need the tooling inserts reconfigured in order to make an older version. In this case I believe it shares tooling with one of the Camaro's. -Steve Any News on this kit? If it is just "in the Future" that is fine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 On 7/8/2023 at 10:57 PM, stavanzer said: Any News on this kit? If it is just "in the Future" that is fine too. No news, just a future project idea. I'm currently working on bringing back a different MPC kit item that I found the inserts for, this version was last seen in the late 70's. Announcement will be soon. -Steve 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBorg Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 As for why the original contained a turbine? Remember this was the era where the turbines were big at the Indy 500 which ay the time was by far the biggest race in the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Can-Con Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 1 hour ago, iBorg said: As for why the original contained a turbine? Remember this was the era where the turbines were big at the Indy 500 which ay the time was by far the biggest race in the US. Plus most [all?] GMs turbine cars from the '50s and '60s were called Firebirds so the name was associated with turbines at GM. MPC probably thought it was a natural to put a turbine in a car with the Firebird name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted July 13, 2023 Share Posted July 13, 2023 The turbine engine was also included in the MPC 1969 Camaro annual kit. Makes sense, since it did share a lot of tooling with the Firebird kit: interior bucket (both had the Firebird upholstery pattern), chassis, and clear parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1972coronet Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 Turbine engine option in the White Lightening edition of the 1969 Firebird ?!? My copy - unbuilt - has the Pontiac V8 with an optional 250 Sprint Six ; no turbine . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted July 14, 2023 Share Posted July 14, 2023 The turbine was in the annual kit only. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John M. Posted July 15, 2023 Share Posted July 15, 2023 I have two. One's nicely built as a stock 69 Trans Am and the other is part of a small junkyard diorama. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Ellis Posted July 18, 2023 Share Posted July 18, 2023 MPC reissues of 1969 Camaros and Firebirds leave a lot to be desired. The Camaro HT has a Pontiac engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted July 21, 2023 Share Posted July 21, 2023 (edited) On 7/18/2023 at 11:04 AM, Bob Ellis said: MPC reissues of 1969 Camaros and Firebirds leave a lot to be desired. The Camaro HT has a Pontiac engine IIRC both the MOC '69 ("SS") Camaro and Firebird include the Pontiac OHC6 engine...some of us like them. 😁 I will agree with the quality of the MPC '69 F-bodies, however. The new for '90 1/25 Revell '69 Camaro left the MPC version in the dust, and while the Revell '68 Firebird wasn't quite on the same level IMHO, it's a significant improvement over the MPC stuff. That said, a 2'n'1 reissue of the MPC '69 Firebird with both Trans Am and Sprint versions would probably be warmly welcomed by many. Edited July 21, 2023 by Casey 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmustang Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 3 hours ago, Casey said: IIRC both the MOC '69 ("SS") Camaro and Firebird include the Pontiac OHC6 engine...some of us like them. 😁 Bought a new Pontiac Tempest OHC 4 bbl Quadrajet Sprint 6 with a Hurst 3 speed on the floor in the spring of 1967. It was a running dude, scared many a GTO for the first 100 feet. But they never got the head cooling right, burned a valve every summer and melted a hole in the head once. It was fun when it wasn't in the shop. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PintoKING Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 On 7/13/2023 at 9:58 AM, SteveG said: No news, just a future project idea. I'm currently working on bringing back a different MPC kit item that I found the inserts for, this version was last seen in the late 70's. Announcement will be soon. -Steve ...version last seen in the late 70's..... 1978 Chevette? 1978 Pinto? 1957 Corvette "gasser" style (non tilt-front-end)? 1/20 1969 Ford van? Chevrolet Monza? Vette-van? Ford T street-rod? "The Grand Superfly" Pontiac? (that one is YUMMY!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stavanzer Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 11 minutes ago, PintoKING said: "The Grand Superfly" Pontiac? (that one is YUMMY!) Yes! So much "Yes" for this kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 On 7/22/2023 at 12:04 AM, PintoKING said: ...version last seen in the late 70's..... 1978 Chevette? 1978 Pinto? 1957 Corvette "gasser" style (non tilt-front-end)? 1/20 1969 Ford van? Chevrolet Monza? Vette-van? Ford T street-rod? "The Grand Superfly" Pontiac? (that one is YUMMY!) More along the lines of a significant tooling change to something we've run before, like how we brought back the MPC '81 Chevy "Sod Buster" pickup. -Steve 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc Janssens Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 4 hours ago, SteveG said: More along the lines of a significant tooling change to something we've run before, like how we brought back the MPC '81 Chevy "Sod Buster" pickup. -Steve 71-78 Dodge Van? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodgefever Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 8 minutes ago, Luc Janssens said: 71-78 Dodge Van? Beat me to it. I hope so... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc Janssens Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 Just now, dodgefever said: Beat me to it. I hope so... It's a blank canvas waiting for creative designs and IMHO the best looking Van design ever. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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