Maybe reissue some cheaper easy " Entry Level" kits ?

[Greg Myers]

Back in the day,  , they had a bunch of cheaper entry level kits. I think something like this would  help the hobby. Something a little  more than snap kits. 

[stavanzer]

I agree with you, Greg, but Those particular kits would have to have Chrome Parts to see in todays world., IMHO.  But They would be very good choices for 'entry level' kits.

[Ace-Garageguy]

If those were all 1/25 (the dragster at top is, but the others are 1/32), I'd buy 'em.

[Greg Myers]

A few build ups from Google  . . .

[Snake45]

I'd love to buy the 1/32 dragsters, and maybe even the F1 cars if they were available again. Problem is, these wouldn't be 50c or 99c models anymore, they'd have to ask at least $10 for them, and probably more like $15. At that price point, how many of us would buy them?

[bobthehobbyguy]

If the molds still exist I wonder if they ended up at Atlantis.  I would love a chance to build them again those were the first models that I built.

[CapSat 6]

Monogram had a nice series of better-detailed 1/32 kits in the 80's: a '69 Charger, Nova, '70 Firebird, an '82-ish Camaro, and a Ford EXP (those are the ones I remember, maybe there were more?). There were two variants of each: stock and street machine. I know the Charger's Street Machine version came with a blower and pro stock hood scoop (and REALLY nice Cragars)! They had chrome parts, basic but good looking engines, nice rubber tires and a nice overall level of detail. Lastly, they were glue construction.   

I know many of us want to see those old 1/32 drag kits, but with their bodies in two halves (?!?) and no chrome, while they would have some nostalgia value, I'm not sure they would really be a good building experience for newer modelers. Still, I could see where these would be right up Atlantis's alley. They'd probably sell a ton of them.

Wouldn't the later kits (with their chrome parts, relatively modern but simple tool design, and greater detail) offer a better building experience all around?  

While we're at it, MPC had some nice 1/32 kits back then: a Dodge Van, Chevy Pickup, Dodge Monaco Police car (remember that one???), and a Buick Stock Car. They were snap together kits, but had some nice details, too.  

Now that Round 2 has the Lindberg tooling bank, we need them to put out that old 1/32 Chrysler Cordoba. That one actually looks pretty good compared to some of their other 1/32 efforts. You would have thought that Lindberg reissued just about everything about 20 years ago, but that's one I can think of that we have never again seen...  

[Richard Bartrop]

A good idea for sure, but I think some more contemporary subjects would also help.

[Tom Geiger]

I believe that Playing Mantis was onto something with the best of both worlds with the new Polar Lights kits they did, the most memorable to me were the VW Beetle Herbie and then current GTO. Those kits had a detailed snap technique that also lended itself to more detailed builds by the likes of our herd.

That style kit would serve the market well today.

 

Edited May 10, 2019 by Tom Geiger

[Rodent]

The Revell "Build and Play" kits like the Mustangs, Raptor, and Ford GT are simple enough that a child can assemble them, but respond well to a little paint and detailing if one of us old folks wants a slump-buster.

[Mike999]

2 hours ago, CapSat 6 said:

Monogram had a nice series of better-detailed 1/32 kits in the 80's: a '69 Charger, Nova, '70 Firebird, an '82-ish Camaro, and a Ford EXP (those are the ones I remember, maybe there were more?).

Yes, at least one more!  The 1/32 scale '81 Malibu Police Car...which meant military modelers (or anybody) could build the legendary "IraqiBu."

In 1981, Saddam Hussein's govt. ordered 25,000 specially-built Malibus from GM-Canada, to be used as taxicabs in Iraq.  Their equipment included the 3.8 liter V6 engine, hooked to a floor-mounted Saginaw 3-speed manual transmission.  They also had air conditioning, AM-FM stereo radios with cassette decks, a heavy-duty cooling package and stout tweed upholstery.

After 12,500 IraqiBus were delivered, Iraq suddenly cancelled the contract.  Depending on who you believe, either because Iraqi drivers had trouble with those manual shifters, or because Saddam had trouble with money due to the Iran-Iraq War.  GM-Canada sold the other half of the order in Canada at knockdown prices.

 

[Can-Con]

9 minutes ago, Mike999 said:

Yes, at least one more!  The 1/32 scale '81 Malibu Police Car...which meant military modelers (or anybody) could build the legendary "IraqiBu."

In 1981, Saddam Hussein's govt. ordered 25,000 specially-built Malibus from GM-Canada, to be used as taxicabs in Iraq.  Their equipment included the 3.8 liter V6 engine, hooked to a floor-mounted Saginaw 3-speed manual transmission.  They also had air conditioning, AM-FM stereo radios with cassette decks, a heavy-duty cooling package and stout tweed upholstery.

After 12,500 IraqiBus were delivered, Iraq suddenly cancelled the contract.  Depending on who you believe, either because Iraqi drivers had trouble with those manual shifters, or because Saddam had trouble with money due to the Iran-Iraq War.  GM-Canada sold the other half of the order in Canada at knockdown prices.

 

Known here in Canada as "Irqui-taxis" 

I've never heard them referred to as "Iraquibus" before.

The kit's not quite right for that anyway. They're '78s, not '81s. and not in the same series as the ones Bill's refering to. 

Edited May 10, 2019 by Can-Con

[Toner283]

7 hours ago, Mike999 said:

Yes, at least one more!  The 1/32 scale '81 Malibu Police Car...which meant military modelers (or anybody) could build the legendary "IraqiBu."

In 1981, Saddam Hussein's govt. ordered 25,000 specially-built Malibus from GM-Canada, to be used as taxicabs in Iraq.  Their equipment included the 3.8 liter V6 engine, hooked to a floor-mounted Saginaw 3-speed manual transmission.  They also had air conditioning, AM-FM stereo radios with cassette decks, a heavy-duty cooling package and stout tweed upholstery.

After 12,500 IraqiBus were delivered, Iraq suddenly cancelled the contract.  Depending on who you believe, either because Iraqi drivers had trouble with those manual shifters, or because Saddam had trouble with money due to the Iran-Iraq War.  GM-Canada sold the other half of the order in Canada at knockdown prices.

 

Like to see this one back. 

The Iraqi taxis were all 1981s and the kit is a 78/79. Biggest difference was the roofline. The 1978-1980 Malibu's had the slanted rear window roofline on both the sedans and the coupes. For 1981 the Coupes retained the same roof line and the sedans went to a notchback style roof where the rear window was almost vertical.

When you got into the Iraqi taxis there were several other things that made them unique. In addition to the options that Mike listed, they had no catalytic converters or emission controls of any kind (EGR valve, evap canister, etc), they had 14 inch steelies with dog dish hubcaps and they all had a 200 km/h speedometer with no mph marked on it at all. Standard Canadian Malibu's had a 140 km/h speedometer with 0 to 85 mph marked below that. First batch that went over all had export tail lights in them as well (amber turn signals in the tail lights - a big no-no at the time on domestic vehicles in North America).  The ones that were left behind had the North American spec taillights and emission systems retrofitted to them before being sold to the public. I have owned and worked on several of the Iraqi taxis and know the cars well.

 

Edited May 11, 2019 by Toner283
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[Toner283]

This is my Iraqi taxi. I've owned this car for more than 20 years and it has went from a daily driver with the V6 and the 3-speed and it's currently a 350 5 speed car with 4.11's in the rear end. Used to race it a whole bunch then it went into hibernation for several years while I had a couple of kids and I recently got it back out and started having fun with it again. I'm very glad that I never let go of my high school ride. Too many of my friends regret having sold their's way back when.

Biggest visual change to mine is I put 1980 tail lights and grill in it. I like them better than the 81 style.

Not sure why the forum wouldn't let me do this all in one post.

Edited May 11, 2019 by Toner283
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[oldcarfan]

I wouldn't buy them in 1/32 scale, but if they were to resize them to 1/25 or 1/24 I'd buy the heck out of them. That Malibu police car especially. I've been wanting to do one of those as the baby blue 1979 9C1 Malibu that competed in the 1979 Cannonball race.