Tri Five Nomad kits...

[BlackSheep214]

I've been noticing there haven't been any re-released kits of Chevy Nomads. I've done a few back in the 80s. You would think they have them out since they're just as iconic as the Tri Five sedans. I find them on ebay but they're ridiculously priced. I know there is a 1/16th scale '55 Chevy Nomad out but it's not my preferred scale.

[Tom Geiger]

The 55 and 56 Nomads are decent kits. Just put an eBay search agent on it and you’ll get emails as they become available. One at a decent price will come along!   For 57 I never liked either kit, best option is MCW does a nice resin version.

[Snake45]

3 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

The 55 and 56 Nomads are decent kits. Just put an eBay search agent on it and you’ll get emails as they become available. One at a decent price will come along!   For 57 I never liked either kit, best option is MCW does a nice resin version.

Tom's right. The Revell '56 is nice and the AMT is passable. Both available '57s have problems. The '55 and '56 will both eventually be reissued (probably right after you pay a big price for one). 

[BlackSheep214]

If you don’t mind me asking, what was the issue you didn’t like on the ‘57 Nomad kits? I remember having done the old Monogram ‘57 Nomad kit back in the 80s.

[Tom Geiger]

12 minutes ago, BlackSheep214 said:

If you don’t mind me asking, what was the issue you didn’t like on the ‘57 Nomad kits? I remember having done the old Monogram ‘57 Nomad kit back in the 80s.

The Revell kit was typical of their cars of that era. Over ambitious things like opening doors etc that didn’t fit well. Poor shape definition, not easy to get a decent replica from. Totally beyond the teen modelers that we’re the target audience.

The Monogram also had some issues with the look of the front end, and more to the skill level of their target audience, but simplistic for today’s market. Also it’s 1/24 scale so if you were doing a line of Nomads, it would be a bit larger.

The best Nomad kit is the Revell 56, which was tooled in modern times and has more the definition and parts count we want today.  Immediately on its release, people were kit bashing 57 Nomads from this kit and the contemporary 57 hardtop kit.

But  today MCW has already done that work and you can buy a nice resin for a reasonable price.

[Mark]

The proportions of the Monogram '57 are terrible, the too-tall roof being the main issue.  The Revell '57 is nearly unbuildable even in the early issues, and guaranteed unbuildable in the later ones.  I built a 1998 issue Revell '57 hardtop a few years back and have an old '55 hardtop in the works, but am still working up the nerve to tackle that Nomad.

[Tom Geiger]

Make that the first GSL I attended!

Edited September 19, 2020 by Tom Geiger

[Tom Geiger]

1 hour ago, Mark said:

The Revell '57 is nearly unbuildable even in the early issues, and guaranteed unbuildable in the later ones.  

As a kid I was in love with the box art on the original 57 Nomad kit.  I bought it and at 11 I failed miserably! I tried a few more times, each time reasoning I was older and more skilled. The last time I was 30 and still no finished model!

At the first GSL I attended there was a panel discussion with the old Revell team. During the audience participation time I told that story. Everyone got a chuckle.

Afterwards Bob Paeth found me and spent at least an hour telling me the entire story behind that kit’s box.  I appreciated that greatly, and the next GSL I brought the box top for him to sign. 

[Deuces ll]

Revell should melt down the tooling for that 1/24 scale '57 Nomad and do up a new one in 1/25 scale....

[Tom Geiger]

1 hour ago, Deuces ll said:

Revell should melt down the tooling for that 1/24 scale '57 Nomad and do up a new one in 1/25 scale....

That would be nice!  They produced that nice 56 Nomad prior to one of their take overs.. maybe if things stayed stable back then they would’ve 

[BlackSheep214]

Just checked out MCW website and found the '57 Nomad is out of stock - $38 isn't too bad. I also spied the 57 Olds 88 resin body kit I really love to grab - that one is also out of stock. Although there are several '55 and '56 Olds 88 versions I wouldn't mind getting considering they're averaging $60.

The Revell '55 and '56 Nomads I'll have to keep an eye out for.

[Mark]

8 minutes ago, BlackSheep214 said:

 

The Revell '55 and '56 Nomads I'll have to keep an eye out for.

Revell never made a '55 Nomad...only AMT.

[BlackSheep214]

Oops... I meant the AMT '55 Nomad. ?

[RichCostello]

You would think that with all of the nice 57 Chevys that Revell has done recently, that a Nomad would be a natural for them. It seems like they would have a good  start with the other kits.

[BlackSheep214]

Too bad they don’t make a 1964 Dodge Dart GT resin kit. I’d love to see Revell, AMT, to MPC put one out as well. The ‘64 was my first car my grandparents gave me as my commuter car for college.