If I Ran Revell....

[Snake45]

If I ran Revell, I'd start a new line of 1/25 snappers--actually, a continuation of their current snapper line, but done like their '69 Camaro with separate hoods. These would have accurate bodies, basic but accurate interiors, and 1-piece chassis with wire axles, and would retail for @ $20. Here's the twist: They would be set up so they could be transformed into full-detail kits using an already existing Revell full kit chassis and engine and whatnot. Instructions on how to do this would be included (for the "advanced modeler"). 

The first two I'd release would be '65 and '67 GTOs set up to fit on the '66 GTO chassis. Next would be a '69 Firebird that could use the guts of their '68 Firebird kit. Then would be a '67 El Camino that used the chassis from the '66 Elky or wagon or '67 Chevelle. How about a '71 or '72 Chevelle using the new '68 Chevelle mechanicals. '68 and/or '69 Impalas for the '65-'66 chassis? Surely something can be done with the '72 Cutlass--maybe a '68 or '70 or '71 4-4-2 coupe. I'm sure there are many other possibilities as well.

I think they'd sell a lot of such kits, and they'd also sell a bunch of "donor" kits, too. I know I'd buy 'em. 

Discuss.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Hey Snake...GM needs some help too. They pay good, about $22 million a year to drive the company into the toilet.

Imagine what they'd pay for somebody actually competent to run it.   

[vamach1]

I'd add to that having either the bodies molded in color (or white for the kit bashers) or even prepainted.  My guess is even if a kid build a model these days they want to finish it in about an hour.

[1972coronet]

12 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Hey Snake...GM needs some help too. They pay good, about $22 million a year to drive the company into the toilet.

Imagine what they'd pay for somebody actually competent to run it.   

One would need a college degree ( I buy mine by-the-roll ) in order to abscond with $22B . That's the problem : too many college kids 'running' things !

Okay... back to our regularly scheduled programme...

[Ace-Garageguy]

9 minutes ago, vamach1 said:

I'd add to that having either the bodies molded in color (or white for the kit bashers) or even prepainted.  My guess is even if a kid build a model these days they want to finish it in about an hour.

Need to make all the assembly pins spaced so they only go in one way, fit kinda loosely, and are magnetized to match magnetic holes. Literally the proverbial "shake the box" kit. Zero skill, thought, or attention span required

[Snake45]

15 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Hey Snake...GM needs some help too. They pay good, about $22 million a year to drive the company into the toilet.

Imagine what they'd pay for somebody actually competent to run it.   

Are you saying this is such a bad idea that I could be running GM into the toilet? Or such a GOOD idea that I SHOULD be running it instead of whoever's tanking it now? 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Just now, Snake45 said:

Are you saying this is such a bad idea that I could be running GM into the toilet? Or such a GOOD idea that I SHOULD be running it instead of whoever's tanking it now? 

The latter, naturally.  

[1972coronet]

I rather like your idea , Herr Snake . I've always "overthought" the concept of interchangeability of kits ; I've always thought about ( for example ) :

- 'Generic' 1970-1976 Chrysler A-body fastback . The builder chooses which year Duster , Demon , or Dart Sport they desire to build by purchasing a separate set of fenders , tail panels , interior , etc. , etc. Not very cost-effective from a manufacturing standpoint ( and , equally , price point ) .

Your idea sounds better and certainly more effective from engineering , tooling , and pricing points .

[Snake45]

3 minutes ago, 1972coronet said:

One would need a college degree ( I buy mine by-the-roll ) in order to abscond with $22B . That's the problem : too many college kids 'running' things !

For some reason you just reminded me of my #1 favorite quote from The Godfather:  "A lawyer with a briefcase can steal more than a hundred men with guns."

Snake's Corollary: A lawyer who gets elected to public office can steal more than a hundred lawyers in private practice. 

[MrObsessive]

I'd like an honest to goodness '69 Trans Am to go over that '68 Firebird, or a neat '67. Either one I'd buy as a snapper and then buy the glue kit to finish it off.........or build as is as a slump buster.

[Richard Bartrop]

Oh, if I ran Revell, I'd try to run off some of the Monogram Classic kits, and see about making some new ones.  Of course, as they were auctioning what was left of the company, people would be going, "Okay, who's brilliant idea was it to do a Cord L-29 kit?"

Now, if I were actually running it to actualy make money, things would go a little differently.

Muscle cars are fine, but let's not forget that we are talking about cars that were built over half a century ago.  It would be like a model company exec back in the day going, "You know what the kids really want?  Stutz Bearcats!".  Now, kudos to MPC for doing a Stutz Bearcat kit , but they also did modern stuff like muscle cars too.

So if I were in charge, I'd be doing a little market research, and find out what kinds of cars the kids are interested in now.  What are they buying posters of, what they like in the games, and see about making some of those.

Edited December 29, 2018 by Richard Bartrop

[mod3l Lover]

   I think that would be great!  Many older modelers like

to have kits as slump busters also. Make a cool build

in the curbside realm!?!

   The '69 Impala has been a kit that I have only dreamed

about ever owning, so using a even AMT '67 as a donor

would still be mighty fine!

  But there still are Ford fans out there too!  LOL!!  Also a

few cool old Ramblers and AMC kits would need to make

the list, I would think? 

  Soooooo?  .  .  .  .  .  .  . Have you applied for the job yet?

          David S.

 

[Richard Bartrop]

11 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Need to make all the assembly pins spaced so they only go in one way, fit kinda loosely, and are magnetized to match magnetic holes. Literally the proverbial "shake the box" kit. Zero skill, thought, or attention span required

They made the same complaints about plastic kits when they first came out.  You have to start somewhere.

And if you want something with absolutely no effort, there's no shortage of preassembled models out there.

[Snake45]

Just now, Richard Bartrop said:

Muscle cars are fine, but let's not forget that we are talking about cars that were built over half a century ago. 

WWII was 75 years ago, but it remains the single biggest area of interest in Model Airplane World, with at least 50% of the market and possibly a lot more. Musclecars remain a BIG part of Model Car World. 

[Snake45]

2 minutes ago, mod3l Lover said:

   I think that would be great!  Many older modelers like

to have kits as slump busters also. Make a cool build

in the curbside realm!?!

   The '69 Impala has been a kit that I have only dreamed

about ever owning, so using a even AMT '67 as a donor

would still be mighty fine!

  But there still are Ford fans out there too!  LOL!!  Also a

few cool old Ramblers and AMC kits would need to make

the list, I would think? 

  Soooooo?  .  .  .  .  .  .  . Have you applied for the job yet?

          David S.

 

Revell doesn't have any AMC full kits in their line. I have no objection to Fords or Mopars. '66 Belvedere and Coronet, maybe? What could be done with the Fords in their line? '67-'68 Mustang hardtop? 

[Richard Bartrop]

Just now, Snake45 said:

WWII was 75 years ago, but it remains the single biggest area of interest in Model Airplane World, with at least 50% of the market and possibly a lot more. Musclecars remain a BIG part of Model Car World. 

I'm going to suggest that maybe our childhood might not be as momentous an event as the biggest war in human history, and as you've seen they make kits of modern planes too.

I'm just saying that the interests expressed on this board may not necessarily represent the alpha and omega of car modeling.

[Snake45]

3 minutes ago, Richard Bartrop said:

I'm going to suggest that maybe our childhood might not be as momentous an event as the biggest war in human history, and as you've seen they make kits of modern planes too.

I'm just saying that the interests expressed on this board may not necessarily represent the alpha and omega of car modeling.

Go check out what car kits fill the shelves at your local Hobby Lobby (and HL wouldn't stock them if they weren't selling them). I'm willing to bet that 50% of them are good old American Muscle. It's not "the alpha and omega" of car modeling, but it is a HUGE part of it. 

[Richard Bartrop]

1 minute ago, Snake45 said:

Go check out what car kits fill the shelves at your local Hobby Lobby (and HL wouldn't stock them if they weren't selling them). I'm willing to bet that 50% of them are good old American Muscle. It's not "the alpha and omega" of car modeling, but it is a HUGE part of it. 

And the industry is also catering to the same people who built model cars when they were kids.  Companies like Round 2 are trying to recreate the 1960s as much as possible.  You don't have to be Nostradamus to see that this isn't going to last.  If they want to stay in business, they are going to have to attract some new blood.

Muscle cars are just the flavour of the month.  Back in the 90s and early 2000s, it was all about the 50s.  Monogram an Heller both released a bunch of 30s classics in the 70s and 80s, and back in the 50s, it was all about the brass era.  Don't be too surprised if the malaise era becomes the next big thing.

[MrObsessive]

12 minutes ago, Richard Bartrop said:

Don't be too surprised if the malaise era becomes the next big thing.

Yup..........look no further than your 1:1 car shows. I see more and more '70's and '80's cars showing up all the time. I gotta agree------time marches on and 30 years from now, there won't be too many interested in the stuff we like now. The simple reason being it's not going to be relatable to most and the reality is our generation of folks will be quickly checking out. 

Just like today, I have a hard time relating to cars made in the '30's and '40's. Many of them were already off the road by the time I came along.

Still, I like the whole concept of making simple and fun to build cars for younger ones to get into the hobby. Judging by how successful the Mustang kits were when they came out, this is not a bad idea at all. My only issue with that particular car is they never followed up (yet) with a full detail glue kit for whatever reason.

[1930fordpickup]

25 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

Go check out what car kits fill the shelves at your local Hobby Lobby (and HL wouldn't stock them if they weren't selling them). I'm willing to bet that 50% of them are good old American Muscle. It's not "the alpha and omega" of car modeling, but it is a HUGE part of it. 

What you say is somewhat true. The other way to look at it is what are the alternatives? They can only fill the shelves with what they can get.

In your post you said you wanted to spend a ton of company money on a large group of GM branded cars. Not that it is a bad thing but expand on how you could save money, Like use the same engine tooling on the Chebby brand as they are the same. One small mold only paying for the tooling cost and getting more bang for your buck. If it gets a big block throw that sprue in. If it gets the small block throw that one in. Exhaust and intake could have many options on the same "molded part".  Wheels could be dealt with the same way. Just put the correct wheel covers on the body sprue. Why do they constantly repay for what they already have. A smaller machine takes up less space and square footage is expensive. 

[Eshaver]

Snake , I am TOTALLY on board with this concept ! The rest of you folks who responded with Chrysler and Ford cars , well, I applaud ya'all too . GREAT suggestions ..

[Richard Bartrop]

13 minutes ago, MrObsessive said:

Yup..........look no further than your 1:1 car shows. I see more and more '70's and '80's cars showing up all the time. I gotta agree------time marches on and 30 years from now, there won't be too many interested in the stuff we like now. The simple reason being it's not going to be relatable to most and the reality is our generation of folks will be quickly checking out. 

Just like today, I have a hard time relating to cars made in the '30's and '40's. Many of them were already off the road by the time I came along.

Still, I like the whole concept of making simple and fun to build cars for younger ones to get into the hobby. Judging by how successful the Mustang kits were when they came out, this is not a bad idea at all. My only issue with that particular car is they never followed up (yet) with a full detail glue kit for whatever reason.

I loved the Monogram classics when I was a kid precisely because they weren't like anything on the road.  What was the point of building a model of something you could see on the street every day?  Personally, the idea that you should only be interested in what happened in your childhood strikes me as a very limited way to live your life, but a lot of people do just this.  There are plenty of adults walking around today who's happy childhood happened in the '70s, '80s, and even '90s.

I think a line of easy to build kits aimed at kids is a fantastic idea, but I do think it would be a good idea to do some research to be sure they're subjects that kids would actually be interested in.

[Ace-Garageguy]

In all seriousness, this sounds fine as far as it goes.

But the real overarching question I'd ask if I ran Revell would be "what percentages of what age groups have any interest in building ANYTHING that requires manual skills and effort?"

Trying to create a market for something that your target demographic has no general interest in is an exercise in futility unless you have the strongest marketing imaginable...and car model companies seem to have about the worst. Most people outside the hobby have no idea it even exists.

A lot has been written about younger people having much less interest in cars overall, seeing them as nothing but transportation appliances, and wholly lacking the sense of romance and freedom we old geezers attach to them.

When I was a kid, I would have had very little interest in building models of refrigerators and washers, and if that's really the way cars are perceived by most of an entire generation, then significant downsizing might be the smart order of business for any model car company (before the market evaporates completely, as it did while GM and others were snoozing)...or at least focus primarily on the group immediately following the rapidly dying-off "boomers".

I'm not being negative, or bashing young people.

What I AM saying is that hard, cold reality needs to be the central pillar of any business plan...not a warped perception of it, or wishful thinking.

[Renegade]

2 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Revell doesn't have any AMC full kits in their line. I have no objection to Fords or Mopars. '66 Belvedere and Coronet, maybe? What could be done with the Fords in their line? '67-'68 Mustang hardtop? 

I would like to see Rancheros based on the 70-71 and 73-76 Torinos. Don't know how well they would sell but I know I would be good for a few. Seems like the El Caminos are better represented and I have quite a few of those but the only Rancheros I have are the 57 chopped top and the 60 Falcon. Maybe also a stock 57.

[martinfan5]

3 hours ago, Snake45 said:

WWII was 75 years ago, but it remains the single biggest area of interest in Model Airplane World, with at least 50% of the market and possibly a lot more. Musclecars remain a BIG part of Model Car Hobby in America. 

Had to correct your statement, now its more factual.

Your idea isnt all that bad and I have no idea if will actually have an impact, maybe if the subjects were a bit newer, something they can relate too, that is the part you totally ignored,  you listed subjects that you can relate too, don't you think that is going to apply to kids , they might have more interest in stuff that they can relate too ?( and who says some wont relate to older stuff)  I mean, that is what got me into model building as a kid, probably for you too.

 

Edited December 29, 2018 by martinfan5