Kits Which Were Once This, Then Became That

[Casey]

Kits which were irreversibly and heavily modified into something else, the latter of which may not necessarily be an improvement. While it's easy to look back in hindsight at what might've still been, the deed has been done in the name of putting a "new" kit on the shelf, and these altered kits are likely to never be returned to their previous state, much less ever re-issued in their current version. 

I think it was Mark B. who mentioned the AMT ZZR became the Firebug, so let's start with that one:

It was this...:

 

...then became this:

 

MPC 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado...:

 

...became The Californian custom , designed by Harry Bradley:

 

The MPC 1972 Pontiac Grand Prix...:

 

...became the Sweat Hogs Dream Machine:

 

And there are many more. ?

[Mark]

With the Toronados, the "Mannix" convertible fits in after the '68 but before the Californian.

 

[iamsuperdan]

I don't know what it became, but I heard that this kit in this form was no longer around.

 

[Snake45]

It goes (almost) without saying, all the AMT dirt trackers and AWB funny cars....

[Snake45]

2 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said:

I don't know what it became, but I heard that this kit in this form was no longer around.

 

It became the '67 Annual, and then the AWB Eliminator funny car, which still exists. The body shape is in some ways more accurate than the "new" AMT '67 Cyclone from the '90s.  

Edited January 29, 2021 by Snake45

[Oldcarfan27]

First one I thought of...

Edited January 30, 2021 by Oldcarfan27

[Casey]

10 minutes ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

First one I thought of...

?

Original, Monogram Dog Catcher...:

 

...and as it exists now:

[Lunajammer]

Unchopped.

 

Permanently chopped.

[Mark]

Actually, the Ranchero started out as the four-door Ranch Wagon with woodgrain side trim.  The too-short door openings on the Rancheros point back to its origin as the wagon.

[Oldcarfan27]

Apparently this....

Became this...

[Oldcarfan27]

22 minutes ago, Mark said:

Actually, the Ranchero started out as the four-door Ranch Wagon with woodgrain side trim.  The too-short door openings on the Rancheros point back to its origin as the wagon.

Then this...

Became this 

Which became this

And ended up this

Sad waste.

[Casey]

The 1/24 Monogram '55 Chevrolet...:

 

...and after the hardtop was permanently affixed to the convertible body shell, it became two* kits:

 

*mostly the same kit, with various parts differences-- wheel tires, exhaust dumps, decals-- but the core remains common. Look on the underside of the body shell, under the tulip panel area, and you'll see two distinct kit number for YELLOW and BLACK.

[Oldcarfan27]

Revell did the same with another one.

I think it was better as the deluxe Kombi.

[Mark]

There was another version of the VW van, the first custom panel version.  It was of course issued after the red/white one but before the Rubber Duck.  It was just called "VW Van", was molded in orange (some were molded in bronze as shown on the box), had radiused (but not flared) rear wheel openings, and had flotation type rear tires.  The VW emblem on the front was changed to a peace sign.  That version is pictured on the box of the 1979 Advent issue, but what is inside that box is the Rubber Duck version.  California Roller came after the Advent issue.

[THarrison351]

[Oldcarfan27]

1 hour ago, Mark said:

There was another version of the VW van, the first custom panel version.  It was of course issued after the red/white one but before the Rubber Duck.  It was just called "VW Van", was molded in orange (some were molded in bronze as shown on the box), had radiused (but not flared) rear wheel openings, and had flotation type rear tires.  The VW emblem on the front was changed to a peace sign.  That version is pictured on the box of the 1979 Advent issue, but what is inside that box is the Rubber Duck version.  California Roller came after the Advent issue.

I'm not familiar with this kit in orange, but I did just find out the "Bed Bug" issue is the same tool as the "Rubber Duck", just molded in copper.

Can you show us the box for the orange kit? Is it this one? This is a Deals Wheels" issue. Totally different tooling. 

[Robberbaron]

Revell Caprice police car:

Became the '94 Impala SS:

I know, at least it wasn't butchered into something hideous, like so much of the AMT/MPC annuals...

 

Edited January 30, 2021 by Robberbaron

[Rodent]

Had one of these in the late 60s or so. I really liked the way it looked. I remember it being huge compared to my 1/25 scale kits, but the 1:1s were only about the length of a 64-65 Chevelle.

Would love to get another one, but can't stomach the eBay prices when they come up.

 

[Casey]

16 minutes ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

I'm not familiar with this kit in orange, but I did just find out the "Bed Bug" issue is the same tool as the "Rubber Duck", just molded in copper.

Can you show us the box for the orange kit?

The Bed Bug version was also molded in orange:

[Oldcarfan27]

Speaking of annuals

To

[Venom]

2 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

 

Wow! The Country Squire like in Ford v Ferrari.... “a real hot rod”

Ive been wondering if that car was ever made as a scale model. I bet this thing’s super rare!

[Mark]

11 minutes ago, Casey said:

The Bed Bug version was also molded in orange:

I whiffed on the name for this issue, but this is the kit.  It's not exactly the same as the Rubber Duck...the rear wheel openings aren't flared, the wheels and tires are different, and the Bed Bug does include the stock bumpers as an option.  The orange version seems to be the more common color.  I've got an orange one, have been looking for the bronze one but have only seen a couple of them, ever, and was always late to the party when seeing one that just changed hands.

[Daddyfink]

This...

became this...

[sfhess]

38 minutes ago, Venom said:

Wow! The Country Squire like in Ford v Ferrari.... “a real hot rod”

Ive been wondering if that car was ever made as a scale model. I bet this thing’s super rare!

The Country Squire in the movie is a 63.

[Venom]

12 minutes ago, sfhess said:

The Country Squire in the movie is a 63.

Ok... well I don’t know my Country Squires very well, but it was close enough that I immediately recognized it?....So, what year is the one shown above?

Edited January 30, 2021 by Venom