2022 Round2 Releases

[Rob Hall]

Nice to see the Lindberg '66 Chevelle SS getting the AMT Retro-deluxe treatment...it's a nice kit.

[stavanzer]

Ah, so That's where the '66 Chevelle comes from! Thanks!

[keyser]

Valve covers should be Dodge Red Ram iirc not Firepower. 

Edited March 7, 2022 by keyser
Pic

[stavanzer]

Oops! Sorry.

CRS Strikes again.

[slusher]

So nice too see the Ala Kart coming out, I have want to build one..

[Oldcarfan27]

7 hours ago, alexis said:

Yeah, it will be that botched, "New & Improved" kit from the bad old days. Other than the wheels, that kit is just a sad reminder of "What-could-Have-Been". But, there are two whole generations who've never seen or built the thing, so it will sell briskly.

Actually, I think those generations don't even know what the truck is at all!

[keyser]

37 minutes ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

Actually, I think those generations don't even know what the truck is at all!

Barris who? 

[Richard Bartrop]

Personally, I liked the Mod Rod issue because it was a gold mine of parts for the kitbasher, and if you want a Model A roadster with stock wheel wells, and fenders, it was the only game in town, The Deuce grille was a nice touch as well.  Even if you don't like the version on the box, you have plenty of options for turning it into something that you do.

[Robberbaron]

10 hours ago, Mr. Metallic said:

AMT 1330 -- George Barris Ala Kart

Sooooo, I'm going to assume this is the New tool kit from 20 years ago? Highly doubt the pulled the trigger on re-engineering the actual missing Ala Kart parts for the 29 Ford tooling. Although they did the new wheels a few years ago. Hmm

Feel free to slap me to wake me up from that day dream.

 

9 hours ago, alexis said:

Yeah, it will be that botched, "New & Improved" kit from the bad old days. Other than the wheels, that kit is just a sad reminder of "What-could-Have-Been". But, there are two whole generations who've never seen or built the thing, so it will sell briskly......I wish Round2 would just tool up the correct parts, and not phaffle around with the Mod Rod, that they tried to pull off a few years ago...

When the Mod Rod was reissued 6 years ago, John G at Round 2 specifically addressed this whole debate:

https://www.collectormodel.com/round2-models/2554-the-inside-scoop-on-amts-1929-ford-model-a-mod-rod-reissue/

Round 2 is clearly aware of the shortcomings of each tool.  No promises were made, but the posting in the above link strongly suggested that they planned to do future revisions to one of the tools to produce a more accurate version of the Ala Kart.

Maybe that's finally coming to fruition?

Then again, Round 2 recently had the gall to reissue the MPC '69 Camaro abomination as an AMT 1969 Yenko (with deceptively attractive box art vs. the solid waste inside the box).  So we can't claim that their motives are always pure.

[Mark]

The fanatics who want an absolutely perfect Ala Kart will combine the best parts of the two kits.  The reissue having improved decals will sell a bunch of them, if any other fixes are made then even more will be sold as a result.

Others might disagree, but my chosen "best" parts would be:

Old kit: engine, body, interior, possibly some chassis parts.  Hood/grille shell need work; hood sides should flow smoothly into headlamp bezel portion of grille shell

New kit: probably most of the chassis, tires (correct "rubber rake"), also look at the exterior chrome parts vs. old kit

Elsewhere: wheels.  Old kit has all four the same = wrong.  New kit wheels are nice for something, but better ones for this car are out there

Decals: maybe the Fred Cady sheet, maybe early original kit with all of the scallops.  Early issues had decals for top and underside of fenders, later issues had smaller sheet with only top side.

Reference would be mainly the excellent Rodders' Journal article on the restoration.

[OldNYJim]

I'm excited for the Mod Rod A Kart, whichever version it is, but this REALLY got my interest:

I never even saw this kit before, but I want one! 

[stavanzer]

Mark B, I am not sure that the parts from the two kits can be combined.

And, as much as I respect John G at Round2, he knew what kind of storm he was facing, and was trying to do damage control to back over a poor decision, IMHO. It was pretty obvious even by that point, that the 'new tool revisions' were a total loser as far as the prospective buyer were concerned. But, Round2 could not really climb down from the plans by that point, so they pushed ahead. All these years later, I'll bet they wish they had just done what was asked, and put the whole issue behind them for good. Now, with this announcement, the issue returns. Since re-issuing "Classic Kits" is their whole business model (in relation to automobile kits), and as the runaway success of both the '63 Nova Wagon, and '64 Olds F-85 shows, giving the Adult Buyers what they want appears to be the key to winning.

Of course, the guys on the retail end of the hobby know much more about the sales of the two resurrected kits, so I am cheerfully willing to admit that I could be totally wrong about the sales record of those kits.

I guess my point is, (at least in relation to the narrow subject of Car Kits), giving the cranky Adult Nostalgia Buyer what he wants can be a good way to serve the market (for those kind of kits). For Sci-Fi, Diecast, and others, I suspect that catering to the whims of Car Kit Buyers may not be optimal.

And to end on a positive Note! I really like the decal sheet from the Mod Rod! Totally in tune with the TROG vibe of the time, and very well done.

[Matt T.]

29 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

I'm excited for the Mod Rod A Kart, whichever version it is, but this REALLY got my interest:

I never even saw this kit before, but I want one! 
 

 That’s the Grant King Sprint Car with different body panels. 

[Mark]

36 minutes ago, alexis said:

Mark B, I am not sure that the parts from the two kits can be combined.

And, as much as I respect John G at Round2, he knew what kind of storm he was facing, and was trying to do damage control to back over a poor decision, IMHO. It was pretty obvious even by that point, that the 'new tool revisions' were a total loser as far as the prospective buyer were concerned. But, Round2 could not really climb down from the plans by that point, so they pushed ahead. All these years later, I'll bet they wish they had just done what was asked, and put the whole issue behind them for good. Now, with this announcement, the issue returns. Since re-issuing "Classic Kits" is their whole business model (in relation to automobile kits), and as the runaway success of both the '63 Nova Wagon, and '64 Olds F-85 shows, giving the Adult Buyers what they want appears to be the key to winning.

Of course, the guys on the retail end of the hobby know much more about the sales of the two resurrected kits, so I am cheerfully willing to admit that I could be totally wrong about the sales record of those kits.

I guess my point is, (at least in relation to the narrow subject of Car Kits), giving the cranky Adult Nostalgia Buyer what he wants can be a good way to serve the market (for those kind of kits). For Sci-Fi, Diecast, and others, I suspect that catering to the whims of Car Kit Buyers may not be optimal.

And to end on a positive Note! I really like the decal sheet from the Mod Rod! Totally in tune with the TROG vibe of the time, and very well done.

I wasn't referring to Round 2 combining parts from the two kits...just me.

[Mark]

40 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

I'm excited for the Mod Rod A Kart, whichever version it is, but this REALLY got my interest:

I never even saw this kit before, but I want one! 

Based on the AMT Grant King sprint car, different body.  The AMT sprint isn't as good as the Monogram one, but it is an earlier one and has the potential to be backdated further.

[stavanzer]

I know Mark. I was not implying that Round2 could could combine parts. Sorry for the confusion.

[Dave Darby]

19 hours ago, Mr. Metallic said:

There are more parts than just the wheels and tires that are worthwhile in the new tool AlaKart. The front axle is nice, and the frame/suspensions are well done. There are also aspects of the body that are more accurate than the original. The engine is nicely rendered from a tooling aspect, although completely undersized as has been debated ad-nauseum here and everywhere else since the kit came out. 

@Dave Darby is something of an expert on these kits

@Ace-Garageguy also did a very nice comparison thread a few years ago

I found the Mod Rod reissue, a great source of parts for both restoration of originals, but a great source of vintage speed parts, with the bonus of a really nicely done 29 Model A Roadster. Like Craig said, there are a few parts in the new tool kit that are useful as well. I used the front tires on my Dusty Rose Pearl 29 Model A roadster.

I wrote a history of the Ala Kart, and a review of the new tool for Bonediggers about 20 years ago.  For those interested:

https://www.bonediggers.com/2-3/alakart/alakart.html

 

[OldNYJim]

29 minutes ago, Mark said:

Based on the AMT Grant King sprint car, different body.  The AMT sprint isn't as good as the Monogram one, but it is an earlier one and has the potential to be backdated further.

Good info, thanks Mark!  They did a bunch of these things, apparently...I wouldn't mind seeing that Mustang come back too!

[stavanzer]

I had both the Grant King Race Team (Who the ....?) and the Groove Boss. I would have really wanted the Drifter Supermodified, if I had ever seen one. That Race car comes with a very nice little jig that you assemble from 3 parts, to help keep the chassis straight when you build it. I think it is a nice, but very Fussy kit, with lots of detail. But, the way it goes together, make modern paint jobs a real pain. The body is in so many pieces that getting everything all the exact shade was a real chore.

 

I really miss Bonediggers! Thanks for the Link. I really like reading the "Why we'll never see the Beverly Hillbillies truck again" article. It was so reasonable and well thought out. And Racing Champions got ahold of the tool, and 5 years later Ollies & Big Lots were blowing out BH kits for 99 cents each at one time.

Edited March 8, 2022 by alexis

[stavanzer]

And here is that Mustang. 

Again, a fussy chassis to build, but a neat subject.

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/modified-asphalt--d/amt-65-mustang-modi/

 

[TonyK]

Alexis has described the kit well. Built some of these in the past because I really like the subject but they are a bit primitive. Hopefully they will have some decent tires included and NOT 2 piece ones.

[stavanzer]

Yeah, Tony, I forgot all about the tires. They are sub-par by 21st century standards.

Edited March 8, 2022 by alexis
spelling

[Jim B]

I'm not really into modified racing, but that '65 Mustang Modified might just find it's way into my stash.  I built the MPC 1976 Pinto Modified a couple of years ago, and this one would look nice next to it.  Sort of a 1/25 replica of the TCR cars I had back in the 1980s.  Anyone else have or remember the TCR sets?

[afx]

13 minutes ago, Jim B said:

I'm not really into modified racing, but that '65 Mustang Modified might just find it's way into my stash.  I built the MPC 1976 Pinto Modified a couple of years ago, and this one would look nice next to it.  Sort of a 1/25 replica of the TCR cars I had back in the 1980s.  Anyone else have or remember the TCR sets?

Yep

[Casey]

12 hours ago, keyser said:

Barris who? 

Is he a YouTuber? ?

More on the AMT Sprint Car series: