Academy 1975 Hyundai Pony

[fumi]

First saw it in Facebook, supposed to be an all new kit.  I can't read Korean and all the words are embedded in the pics, it would be great if someone else can get more information out of it.

http://www.academy.co.kr/1p/1p_plaview.asp?pView=PLA0000005&pCode=1985&pScale=PLA0000005

Edited November 6, 2020 by fumi

[Fabrux]

I asked a Korean co-worker if he can translate it for me, will advise. ?

[Rbray47]

Can't read either, but it looks like it comes with a Korean hottie. 

[doorsovdoon]

ohh, that would be cool. There's a lot of British engineering involved in the Pony and owes a lot of it's technical makeup to the Morris Marina. George Turnbull, then managing director, left British Leyland in 1975 and became vice president of Hyundai Motor Devision to oversee the production of the Pony as he did the Morris Marina previously.

[Tom Geiger]

The first Academy Model I remember years ago was a Pony. Wonder if the same kit.. 

[1972coronet]

Back in late 1984 , mid 1985 , I read in Car & Driver that the Hyundai cars were comprised of old Mitsubishi knock-downs from the mid-70's .  If that was truly the case , The Pony as replicated here , was in theory , early 60's Mitsubishi CKD's , no ?

Looks like a great kit ! 

[Rob Hall]

The Pony was their first home grown car, I believe it had some Ford Cortina parts (they had been building Cortinas under license).  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Pony

The Hyundai Excel that replaced the Pony was based on the Mitsubishi Mirage.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Excel

Edited November 6, 2020 by Rob Hall

[Rob Hall]

1 hour ago, Tom Geiger said:

The first Academy Model I remember years ago was a Pony. Wonder if the same kit.. 

I've read this is a new tool, an earlier version than the previous Academy kit.

[1972coronet]

2 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

The Hyundai Excel that replaced the Pony was based on the Mitsubishi Mirage.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_Excel

Thanks for the clarification and the info , @Rob Hall. The Pony certainly does resemble the Cortina in many ways !

[martinfan5]

It got quietly "announced" this year at Spielwarenmesse ,  looking forward to this one, I mean why not ?

 

Edited November 7, 2020 by martinfan5

[sfhess]

Remember Academy also produced a kit of the Hyundai Stellar.
Both the Pony and Stellar were designed by Giugiaro.

[doorsovdoon]

5 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

Back in late 1984 , mid 1985 , I read in Car & Driver that the Hyundai cars were comprised of old Mitsubishi knock-downs from the mid-70's .  If that was truly the case , The Pony as replicated here , was in theory , early 60's Mitsubishi CKD's , no ?

Looks like a great kit ! 

Kind of, Pressed Steel Fisher did the tooling. Hyundai had licence to make Cortinas and the German Taunus, the Pony was a mix of Ford and Mitsubishi components. Note the wheels are mk3 mk4 Cortina.

[niteowl7710]

The general gist of the Korean is a celebration about this being the first domestically made car in South Korea in 1975, as Rob pointed out. It is also a new tool as the other one is a Pony II which didn't arrive until 1982.

You do indeed get the young lady in question, and she is pre-decorated as you see her. The model is also the 2nd in their "Stationary Series" that uses their MCP (Molded Color Plastic) gimmick meaning highly polished body shell and everything else being molded in gray and black. It also means this thing is coming to you molded in Stoplight Red. 

[Danno]

2 hours ago, sfhess said:

Remember Academy also produced a kit of the Hyundai Stellar.
Both the Pony and Stellar were designed by Giugiaro.

That explains why it looks so similar to a Fiat 124.

?

[sfhess]

Giugiaro had nothing to do with the Fiat 124.

There is a resemblance to the VW Dasher.

Edited November 7, 2020 by sfhess

[lordairgtar]

I would build this.

[doorsovdoon]

Around the time the Hyundai was being designed the Marina was undergoing a potential face-lift that never happened, I don't know if Hyundai took notes from the prototype but the picture below looks a lot like a Pony!

[iamsuperdan]

Dang. There was a kit of the Hyundai Stellar?!

Add that to the list. My second car was a 1986 Hyundai Stellar GSL. Had it for a year, was an awesome little car.

Had a rather inglorious end though. Turned out pretty good, considering it literally rolled down a mountain.

[niteowl7710]

Be interesting to see if Academy actually goes back and digs out the Pony II, Stellar, and first gen Excel tools and maybe sees fit to make some actual clear glass parts for them.  They're by no means great kits to begin with being from the 1980s, but the biggest drawback to them is they all have weird blue/violet tinted clear parts for all the windows. 

[Spottedlaurel]

Would be very pleased to see that one available here. A few years ago a friend had this very tidy example:

1982 Hyundai Pony 1400 GLS by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

1982 Hyundai Pony 1400 GLS by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

It got sold and sadly now sits festering away on a driveway.

[Classicgas]

I'll get one. 

[Tom Geiger]

This appears to be the first actual Hyundai so Korean modelers must be excited to be getting their first domestic car!

Prior to this Hyundai assembled Ford Cortinas under license 

[64Comet404]

8 hours ago, iamsuperdan said:

Dang. There was a kit of the Hyundai Stellar?!

Add that to the list. My second car was a 1986 Hyundai Stellar GSL. Had it for a year, was an awesome little car.

Had a rather inglorious end though. Turned out pretty good, considering it literally rolled down a mountain.

That looks identical to the Stellar my aunt used to own. Hers died within three years, and she moved on to driving Corollas after that. Recently, she bought a Kia Sportage, but will never get another car with a Hyundai badge (and, yes, she knows that Hyundai and Kia are the same company).

[niteowl7710]

So I got this in today fresh off a flight from South Korea, so let's take a look. This is very much more an actual model kit than the past two Hyundai offerings (Azera/Grandeur & Santa Fe) with 108 parts (about 95 or so used in the build OOB). The kit has 2 wheel choices, 2 front grilles, three sets of mirrors, several ways to address the lights (either amber, red or entirely paint them yourself clear) as well as parts on the clear runner that appear to be taxi roof medallions.

So first up let's take a look at the body. Aside from the normal weak panel lines that have been an issue on prior recent Academy kits, the body itself is nicely molded with no flash or excessive panel lines. The lines that doe exist are for the most part following actual panels in the car so minimal normal clean up will get you ready to paint. If you're good with the red the body had a decent shine OOB and could be a "naked" model with a little compounding.

[niteowl7710]

The chassis is the normal curbside plate style with the engine/transmission molded in...

This is the main parts runner with the suspension components, smaller interior bits, two sets of the mirrors, the two grilles, exhaust, mudflaps, bumper mounts and bumper corners and so on.

Main interior components here which build off a typical platform style with separate door panels, and being a SK vehicle it is LHD.

The literature in the original advertising said the female figure would be painted and ready to go, but alas she is not.

Edited November 11, 2020 by niteowl7710