Kits they never issued- but should have

[Earl Marischal]

I quite appreciate that a lot (most?)'of my suggestions are highly unlikely to ever be considered by any model manufacturer.

However, the Saab, TVR, Morgan and early F1 cars would, I suggest, be practical propositions.

The market for model cars is international after all.

steve

[kjohan]

Re comments above on wish lists and validity of wishes from an economical view.

For, at least me, it is difficult to make such estimations, but obviously all the products, at least in my long list,
would not be econmically feasible to launch into the market.
Just showing what kind of products would be interesting for me if any or several of them , came on the market

I would think there should preferrably be some kind of logical connection between what is introduced and what is already on the market.
As an example, group of 60´s rally cars.
Currently there is quite good and extensive coverage of rally cars from the 70´s and forward.
In the 60´s there is the Mini and the Alpine plus the new MGB kit is offered as rally version.
Have seen in some threads that there are rumours (or hopes) for a Austin Healy, which would be nice to have with rally equipment.
Now if one considers what is available and add the cars in "my" rally group, you have a comprehensive coverage of the succesful ones in the 60´s decade.

Now you could ask, if a few of the rather low volume rally cars I listed, e.g. the Saab or Volvo(s)  would be commercially viable.
If one considers the current quite extensive offerings from Aoshima, Beemax, Hasegawa et al ,
they offer cars, which were not in the main stream of high volume production cars,
but they were successful in the competition, and somehow the kit producers offer them to have good coverage
and these kit producers apparently find ways to make them economically viable. 

So one should perhaps not underestimate the possibilties for new "clusters" of kits.

FWIW , I below put down the products I think would have the largest market attraction / "there is a hole in the market"
Not prioritized

- Jaguar D type

- Ferrari 250P/275 P

- Ford GT Mk4
  Reason: Most of the great mid/late 60´s sports cars and forward are available, but the Mk4, Lemans winner -67, is missing (as the Ferrari 250/275 P).
  Fujimi apparently finds customers for their -66 Mk2 and the -68 GT40/ John Wyer car, the Ford vs Ferrari film presumably helping the interest
  MPC made a quite good kit (the included trailer could be omitted), perhaps possibility for re-issue ???

- Morgan +4 and/or +8
  Iconic, complementary to the MGB and the Healy

- Pontiac Bonneville -63
  With Royal Oak livery as in the original AMT-kit.
  If possible also NASCAR parts included
  This was the last year where the big Pontiacs were seriously involved in the racing, and the predecessors the -61 and -62´s are available in various forms

/ Gunnar
  

[Paul Payne]

This is becoming a very interesting conversation with many points of view  expressed. 

[espo]

15 hours ago, Motor City said:

There are a lot of interesting ideas, but considering the cost of tooling now, it really makes sense in most cases to make something that is easy to modify into other years by changes in front grille and header panel, taillights and rear bumper, interior seating.  I've only listed some intermediates as an example:

'68-'71 Ranchero GT (with variations for buckets and bench seat, Squire woodgrain paneling), '72-'76 Ranchero GT, '77-'79 Ranchero GT

'70-'72 El Camino SS, '73-'77 El Camino SS (and GMC Sprint versions with different emblems that can be glued on)

'73-'77 Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Cutlass Supreme, Regal (including S/R in '76 & '77), '75 and '76 Century Indy Pace Car

'73-'77 Chevelle SS/Laguna S-3, '73 GTO, '73-'75 Grand Am, '77 Can Am, '73-'75 442 and GS, '76-'77 442 and Century 

'72-'73 Gran Torino Sport and Montego GT, '74-'76 Elite and Cougar, '77-'79 Thunderbird and Cougar

'75-'76 Charger and Cordoba '78-'79 Magnum, '80-'82 Mirada

This is the concept I have always thought for a model company to follow to amortize tooling costs. As for your model suggestions I would be a buyer for most of them myself. 

[Tom Geiger]

While these are very interesting views to read, I’ve always seen these threads as “How to bankrupt a model company” exercises. But no matter how much we think we know or how much of an insider we  believe we are, interesting things happen!  And I like to be surprised.

Luc ran a project for us to create a kit proposal for a new kit with a $100,000 budget.  I won one year with a proposal for a 1/24 VW split window.. yea, it’s never been done!

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Tom Geiger

[Oldcarfan27]

8 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

I’ve always seen these threads as “How to bankrupt a model company” exercises.

And everytime it comes up, there's always a cynic. We're just having fun dreaming about "what if", there's no harm in that!

If oddball cars bankrupted, then why is there a 76 Gran Torino, 90s Volvo wagon, a Porsche tractor, 77 Pacer  or even some of the bizarre, one-off kits that Japanese kit makers seem to be able justify.

BTW, I'd like a split-window Beetle. I also like the Saab S93 turbo conv. or even a Sonett III. 

I'd be interested in alternate Ford barges based on the Gran Torino platform. More GM variations from the Monte Carlo snap. Or even Omega, Ventura or Apollo clones from the Nova tool.

See this is just fun. Call it "thinking out loud". It might be futile, but it sure gets the creative juices going. 

[lordairgtar]

17 hours ago, kjohan said:

- Ford GT Mk4
  Reason: Most of the great mid/late 60´s sports cars and forward are available, but the Mk4, Lemans winner -67, is missing (as the Ferrari 250/275 P).
  Fujimi apparently finds customers for their -66 Mk2 and the -68 GT40/ John Wyer car, the Ford vs Ferrari film presumably helping the interest
  MPC made a quite good kit (the included trailer could be omitted), perhaps possibility for re-issue ???


  

I had assumed that was an Airfix kit in an MPC box.

[Tom Geiger]

11 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

And everytime it comes up, there's always a cynic. We're just having fun dreaming about "what if", there's no harm in that!

There’s nothing like half a quote, taken out of context...

23 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

While these are very interesting views to read, I’ve always seen these threads as “How to bankrupt a model company” exercises. But no matter how much we think we know or how much of an insider we believe we are, interesting things happen! And I like to be surprised

[89AKurt]

Here is one car that I always thought would be cool, extremely limited production, so don't expect Tamiya to create a kit.  I have a Hot Wheels.  Here is a 1/43 built model, so it started out as a kit.  So what is the excuse for not creating a 1/24 scale version?

[Reegs]

The 1965 Hawaiian dragster.

And some of the other suggestions I'd buy in a heartbeat, but please - no molded-in undercarriage, no molded-in exhaust, no molded-in seats ... no molded-in anything. Curse you, AMT.

 

 

[Richard Bartrop]

2 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

Here is one car that I always thought would be cool, extremely limited production, so don't expect Tamiya to create a kit.  I have a Hot Wheels.  Here is a 1/43 built model, so it started out as a kit.  So what is the excuse for not creating a 1/24 scale version?

I'd buy one in a heartbeat.  I'd certainly take it over the painfully boring malaisewagens that some people keep trying to convince us are what "the market"  wants.

[Snake45]

On 1/21/2021 at 11:09 AM, Tom Geiger said:

While these are very interesting views to read, I’ve always seen these threads as “How to bankrupt a model company” exercises. But no matter how much we think we know or how much of an insider we  believe we are, interesting things happen!  And I like to be surprised.

And the truth is that everyone here already owns dozens if not hundreds of kits that will never get built (or finished). 

[Rob Hall]

8 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

And the truth is that everyone here already owns dozens if not hundreds of kits that will never get built (or finished). 

Yep...thousands in my case..

[Oldcarfan27]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

And the truth is that everyone here already owns dozens if not hundreds of kits that will never get built (or finished). 

Yeah, but not THESE ones!!!!?

[Modelbuilder Mark]

On 1/20/2021 at 11:39 PM, Earl Marischal said:

I quite appreciate that a lot (most?)'of my suggestions are highly unlikely to ever be considered by any model manufacturer.

However, the Saab, TVR, Morgan and early F1 cars would, I suggest, be practical propositions.

The market for model cars is international after all.

steve

I could certainly go for something TVR around this era

[Richard Bartrop]

2 hours ago, Snake45 said:

And the truth is that everyone here already owns dozens if not hundreds of kits that will never get built (or finished). 

So the solution is not just never never offer new kits, but to never offer any kits at all.

Sounds like if anything, the opinions of the people who come here to snark are even less relevant.

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, Richard Bartrop said:

So the solution is not just never never offer new kits, but to never offer any kits at all.

Sounds like if anything, the opinions of the people who come here to snark are even less relevant.

Who are you talking about? 

ETA: I honestly don't know what you're offended about, but that certainly wasn't my intent. I count myself among those who already own more kits than he'll ever build. 

I came here to delete my post, but I see a couple others have already quoted it (and apparently took it in the spirit offered), so that wouldn't do much good. If the mods think my post was offensive, then I have no objection if they delete it. 

Edited January 23, 2021 by Snake45

[1972coronet]

6 hours ago, Snake45 said:

And the truth is that everyone here already owns dozens if not hundreds of kits that will never get built (or finished). 

Guilty ! Haha !  I figure , Get 'em while you can !  I have the S&M Pro Stock Barracuda [Revell]  , which is discontinued ; and the NicKey '67 Camaro [Revell] , which is also discontinued . Glad I got 'em when they were around...

...even if they sit for another 5+ years .

[Greg Myers]

On 1/22/2021 at 8:57 AM, Reegs said:

The 1965 Hawaiian dragster.

And some of the other suggestions I'd buy in a heartbeat, but please - no molded-in undercarriage, no molded-in exhaust, no molded-in seats ... no molded-in anything. Curse you, AMT.

 

 

should be a law

[1972coronet]

On 1/22/2021 at 7:57 AM, Reegs said:

[P]lease - no molded-in undercarriage, no molded-in exhaust, no molded-in seats ... no molded-in anything. Curse you, AMT.

 

Considering that AMT , MPC , and JoHan produced Promos , which later were sold as kits -- de facto unassembled Promos -- along with custom pieces and the such , the moulded-in components are an artifact of their origins . This was a common practise throughout the 70's ; 80's Promos-come-kits tend to have separate suspension , engine compartments , etc. ( think : MPC 1984 Corvette , 1988 Chevy 1500 , etc. ) .

But , I agree -- there's no "good" reason for newer kits (other than snap-together or curbside) to have many --if any-- moulded-in / moulded-on details (esp. seats , consoles , and door panels) .

Conversely ; it's nice to have a slew of oldies-but-goodies for a stress-free 'weekend' build (i.e. , don't sweat the gnat's arse details) .  

[lordairgtar]

I kinda have an idea. These could also be done off other tools that already exist. How about Canadian versions of the popular muscle car kits we already get. Just by adding the specific Canadian parts into the kit would effectively increase kits sold and different versions could be built. I know Model Car Garage has some photo etch bits included with their series of muscle car sets like the 69 Chevelle and the Nova. Ford Mercury pickups would be relatively easy too as it was just a badge and name change to Mercury  in the 60s. 50s and 40s might be a bit harder because some other trims were unique.

[Earl Marischal]

Thinking about it, isn’t this all academic? Given the advances in 3D printing, surely we will all be able to commission, or make ourselves, any vehicle we want in any scale?

Where will that leave kit makers?

steve

[Paul Payne]

In my career as a foundry tooling engineer, I used 3d modeling to create foundry patterns. In order to 3d print a car or any part of it, you must have accurate 3d models created from drawings of each part to be included. In other words, there is a lot more preliminary work before the printer creates a model. This is pretty much the same process as the model companies and their engineers use.

[Oldcarfan27]

I really don't understand the ruffled feathers over a topic that's just meant to be fun and conversational.

Folks here were just having a light-hearted talk about some ideas and thoughts about what we'd like to see.

Nobody had any delusions that any of this stuff would ever come to market, it's just fun to share our dreams.

Why does that have to be criticized? It happens every time a "what if" topic comes up.

Sorry guys, don't bother bringing up suggestions - other members already have all the answers!

Rant over.

[alan barton]

O.K., I'll play.  Yep, it's a hot rod but there is no reason why a stock option couldn't be included.  It would be ideally suited to Revell's 21st century approach of multiple body styles sharing multiple running gear options.  As far as existing models go, I'm only aware of one inaccurate 1/43rd diecast, a radio controlled plastic toy cloned off that diecast and a high end 1/24th mint diecast which is no longer available die to the demise of mint models.  No 1/24th or 1/25th plastic, no 1/64th or 1/18th diecast.  And yet, it ahs been a very popular choice at  an extremely popular choice at hot rod events and inside hot rod magazines ( remember them?) all over the world for at least the last forty years.  In fact, at these events, it would be close to the most popular year model of its marque.  Popular enough that you can buy brand new fibreglass bodies and brand new steel chassis.  Think how much these proud owners would like to have a model of their car sitting on the mantlepiece?

Any guesses?

 

 

 

It's a gap big enough to drive a 1934 Chevrolet through!!

 

 A 5 window coupe, roadster, and Tudor would be a perfect start and a delivery and a tourer wouldn't be out of the question. I'd love to see a chopped Tudor but then that would eliminate the vintage police car option, so maybe not.  The 5 window coupe is better left unchopped anyway but a chopped tubbed 3 window coupe would be cool..  A small block is the obvious choice of powerplant but a big block would be nice too, plus a six with maybe split manifolds and twin carbs.

But then, AMT isn't doing new moulds and the Germans have probably never seen a 34 Chevy so I guess dreams may be free but they are still just dreams! Anyone else dream like me or am I the only one?

Cheers

Alan