Lindberg's new Gremlin kit

[Dave Mikrut]

I'm a little bit torqued about the false advertising on the box of this new kit. I spose I shoulda done more research on this kit but was really excited to see it at the local hobby store. I owned a 72 Gremlin with a factory 304 V8 back in 73 and was looking forward to building this kit. It clearly states on the box as you can see in the photo, 1/24th scale. It's really 1/20th scale. This limits my options to build it my way because I have no parts in my stash to add to it. I'll probably build it zinger style and maybe add a Roth type monster to it.

[Harry P.]

I wonder if it's a simple typo and they'll reprint the covers?

[Harry P.]

It's advertised as 1/20 on some online stores and 1/24 on others!

[locoengr]

Is this cast from an old mold? Why would they make a new cast in 1/20 when 1/24 is alot more popular? Or am I wrong?

Bruce

[Lownslow]

thats for the heads up ill be sticking to the motormax die casts for a while

[Scott H.]

When I saw the title of your post I was thinking it was about time someone brought out another kit of the Gremlin! I'm going to have to check around and try to buy one...

Now that I have read your post, I'm sadly disappointed that they did not produce it in the usual 1/25th scale.

I sincerely hope that someone brings back one in 1/25th scale so I can have more options to build it myself!

Anyone know someone on the board of directors for the company that bought the old AMT molds??? Hey, it's worth a shot!

-Scott H.

Edited December 14, 2008 by Scott H. AKA Cpt. Bondo

[Dave Mikrut]

This is amazing, went looking for anthing else in my stash that was 1/20th, found the AMT Chuck Wagon...same thing 1/25th scale on the box...1/20th inside !!! BUT This will have awesome parts for my Gremlin!!!

[Zoom Zoom]

The Lindberg Gremlin is just a simple reissue of an old kit, don't know why they marked the scale wrong on the box and their website, it's caused a lot of problems in the same boat as you; not knowing the history of the kit and relying on the company accurately to describe their kit.

Not only that, but it's a pretty lousy kit detail-wise. Treat it like a custom; all these 1/24-ish Dub-style kits and whatnot can provide good rolling stock.

The Motormax/Fresh Cherries Gremlin is pretty nice, I have one that's an unassembled kit painted with primer. It has some aspects/details that AMT's Gremlin missed out on. AMT Gremlins had ridiculously narrow seats. The Motormax depicts a 6 cylinder car.

The AMT Gremlins were modified (along with many of their contemporaries like the Matador, Pacer Wagon, etc.) into a wild custom at the end of it's life cycle; apparently instead of new mold inserts for the customs they modified the originals, so no stock versions remain even if they have the tooling.

So it's going to be find a vintage kit, the diecast kit, the Lindberg kit, or nothing.

I just got the Missing Link '71 Hornet SC/360 resin kit, nice model

[george 53]

Well Dave,looks like you COULD build a neet lil Gremmie with the parts from that Chuck Wagon kit. It just might work out in your favor. When they give ya salmon, 'stead of Tuna, make Salmonella!(wit props ta "Bucky"Cat!)

[Aaronw]

Lindberg has goofed on a couple of their reissues. Their SH3 Sea King and HH-3 Jolly Green Giant Helicopters were listed as 1/48 on the box but are 1/72 inside (good for me because 1/72 is my prefered aircraft scale).

1/20 seems like an odd scale now but it was apparently a scale that was being pushed for awhile. Lindberg has done a few kits in the scale, Tamiya did several race cars in 1/20 and based on that Chuck Wagon kit I think its safe to say AMT did some as well.

[Joe Handley]

Well Dave,looks like you COULD build a neet lil Gremmie with the parts from that Chuck Wagon kit. It just might work out in your favor. When they give ya salmon, 'stead of Tuna, make Salmonella!(wit props ta "Bucky"Cat!)

Actually, a Pro Beater (late model rat rod) style build called Salmonella would be pretty sweet!

[FloridaBoy]

Lindberg could be so good if they weren't so bad. They "allegedly" stole the molds from AMT on the 34 Ford Pickup, then issued it many many times, thinking we wouldn't know any better. Then they pirated a 40 Ford Coupe, from Palmer, which was a pirate from an AMT kit, and issued it in pink. The plastic is so brittle it disintegrates in your hand, then try to improve it but the mold marks are a disaster.

Their 61 Chev and 53 Fords are really good, because they were not pirated, I suppose. But I generally stay away from their kits. I have a modified 40 Ford pink couple which I am doing as a novelty, giving it my same treatment as I would the AMT or Revell kit - sectioning, frenching on the fenders, gull wing doors, reworked front and rear grille quarters, modificed chassis, as the sectioning does shorten it a little, and pancaking the hood. I opened the doors and trunk to this model, but if you pick it up, it is very heavy, and look inside you see nothing but epoxy resin and plastic reinforcement, as this model has disintegrated in my hands twice, pieced it back, molded it back, and it is finally primed and ready for paint.

I have had so much problems with this plastic, that I am a little reluctant to work on the 34 Pickup or the 53 Ford until I want to start getting the workshop ready for more body work.

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

[Aaronw]

Lindberg could be so good if they weren't so bad. They "allegedly" stole the molds from AMT on the 34 Ford Pickup, then issued it many many times, thinking we wouldn't know any better. Then they pirated a 40 Ford Coupe, from Palmer, which was a pirate from an AMT kit, and issued it in pink. The plastic is so brittle it disintegrates in your hand, then try to improve it but the mold marks are a disaster.

Their 61 Chev and 53 Fords are really good, because they were not pirated, I suppose. But I generally stay away from their kits. I have a modified 40 Ford pink couple which I am doing as a novelty, giving it my same treatment as I would the AMT or Revell kit - sectioning, frenching on the fenders, gull wing doors, reworked front and rear grille quarters, modificed chassis, as the sectioning does shorten it a little, and pancaking the hood. I opened the doors and trunk to this model, but if you pick it up, it is very heavy, and look inside you see nothing but epoxy resin and plastic reinforcement, as this model has disintegrated in my hands twice, pieced it back, molded it back, and it is finally primed and ready for paint.

I have had so much problems with this plastic, that I am a little reluctant to work on the 34 Pickup or the 53 Ford until I want to start getting the workshop ready for more body work.

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

That was my general feeling about Lindberg for years, I remember as a kid considering Lindberg as the last choice for a kit. Since getting back into building a few years ago, I've found out that the real issue with Lindberg is knowing what the origin of the kit was.

As Mark mentioned Lindberg has inherited kits from a 1/2 dozen or so sources, some good some not. Pyro or Palmer did have a reputaion for piracy and were known by some of the wooden ship kit makers (who were frequently the source for their plastic kits) as the plastic pirates, but that was pre-Lindberg. The later Lindberg kits tooled in the 90's are supposed to be very nice kits, the two kits you mentioned are from that later group.

I've actually become a fan of Lindberg, they have been reissuing a lot of their kits. Some are not the greatest but they are unique, kind of like the older AMT & Revell kits.

[LoneWolf15]

Hey , Gang ,

I'll throw my two cents in . The later Lindberg kits , ' 64 Belvedere , '64 dodge , 61 Impala , '66 Chevelle , and the '53 Ford are all excellent kits . Florida Boy , you are safe with the '53 . The '34 pickup can be either here or there . The ' 40 Ford is a piece of garbage . All of these kits go together well , the molding is top notch and the detailing is superb . I will caution you on this . For those building the '66 Chevelle kit , trim off a 1/4" off each side of the frame in the front . If you don't it will cause the front fenders to bulge at the bottom and the bumper does not fit right . Other than that , I never had a problem with any of them . Also , in case you are interested , AMT's Pro street Roadrunner & GTX frames fit right under the Belvedere with no work involved .

I gotta get a life !

Donn Yost

Lone Wolf Custom Painting

[John Goschke]

I spoke with the Lindberg rep at NNL East this past April, and they had just received the boxes for the Gremlin. He stated that the incorrect scale was a typo and the kit was indeed a reissue of the old 1/20 kit. One would've hoped that they'd put some kind of correction sticker on the packaged kit if they weren't willing to spring for a reprint of the boxtops. Obviously they opted to do neither one.

They should hear (courteously) about it from purchasers of this kit who thought they were getting a 1/24th scale model so that they're made aware that their customers find such errors are unacceptable.