Round2 February 2022

[Oldcarfan27]

5 hours ago, keyser said:

Below Californian on shelf looks like Sandkat rail L and Ivo dragster R. But I see how it looks like paddy wagon. Shadow on upper R corner. 

Ah, well that explains it.

[martinfan5]

22 hours ago, Smoke Wagon said:

Round2 acquired the Blues Brothers licensing last year, and they’ve announced that they’re tooling up a couple of brand new automotive kits. 70’s vehicles (and four door vehicles) have been largely underrepresented as far as models go. Movie tie-ins are generally a hit. 

I’d call it more of a logical assumption than a shot in the dark. Time will tell, as goes with all speculations. 

To be exact, I believe it was 2 new modern subjects and one new TV-Movie subject....

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Welp, the JL Cameo trailer sets verify for us that the DLO ramp-up to the front was corrected at the 1/25 kit mold, not the master pattern.  There it is again in 1/64.

And yeah, this Slave 1 reissue is still hauling Solo around in carbonite, so prob'ly a bit early in the curve for Fennec Shand.

'68 'Vette outta curiosity. 'Nother Dyno Don couldn't hurt.

[stavanzer]

11 hours ago, Chuck Kourouklis said:

Welp, the JL Cameo trailer sets verify for us that the DLO ramp-up to the front was corrected at the 1/25 kit mold, not the master pattern.  There it is again in 1/64.

Chuck, you are one of the sharpest observers here, and a whole lot better educated about both 1/1 and Model car kits,

But, Just what the heck does this statement even mean..

I'm puzzled.

[BobbyG]

On 2/8/2022 at 6:44 PM, Sledsel said:

My wallet is safe this month

I totally agree. Round2 seems to be scratching the bottom of the barrel for re-re-issues and nonsense kits. They are just unwilling to compete with the smaller companies like Moebius and JR Salvino for fresh new subjects and answering the call for vehicles most of us have been wishing for. It's unfortunate that they do not realize the potential for new offerings that can be based on the detailed  ERTL molds from the late 90's early 2000's. Revell does get it with their upcoming 71 Mustang and 71 Olds 442 hardtop. But for now, I plan on spending my wallet on the Moebius and Salvino kits to help them for their future.

[Luc Janssens]

2 hours ago, alexis said:

Chuck, you are one of the sharpest observers here, and a whole lot better educated about both 1/1 and Model car kits,

But, Just what the heck does this statement even mean..

I'm puzzled.

That the same wooden tooling model was used to create both the initial model kit as well as the diecast.

The kit later on was refined DLO wise when Ertl released the amt '57 Chevy Cameo & Stepside, modifying the injection molding tool, rather than modifying the wooden tooling model and using it to cut new steel.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by Luc Janssens

[Luc Janssens]

6 minutes ago, Luc Janssens said:

Oops

 

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by Luc Janssens

[Sledsel]

4 hours ago, BobbyG said:

I totally agree. Round2 seems to be scratching the bottom of the barrel for re-re-issues and nonsense kits. They are just unwilling to compete with the smaller companies like Moebius and JR Salvino for fresh new subjects and answering the call for vehicles most of us have been wishing for. It's unfortunate that they do not realize the potential for new offerings that can be based on the detailed  ERTL molds from the late 90's early 2000's. Revell does get it with their upcoming 71 Mustang and 71 Olds 442 hardtop. But for now, I plan on spending my wallet on the Moebius and Salvino kits to help them for their future.

Just upgrading existing kits would be wonderful in my opinion. Updated chassis on old screw bottom kits, updated interiors, corrected engines. Those would be welcomed to me at least. Tool the chassis and interior for the Big Al 69 Thunderbird. 

Even creating new kits using some existing tools like was done with the 67 Chevy. 66 Galaxie chassis fits a 67/8 Galaxie. 55 Chevy chassis fits 56 Chevy, 57 Ford chassis fits 58 Ford, ect.  

Those things seem like they would be win wins. 

[Chuck Kourouklis]

6 hours ago, alexis said:

Chuck, you are one of the sharpest observers here, and a whole lot better educated about both 1/1 and Model car kits,

But, Just what the heck does this statement even mean..

I'm puzzled.

Thanks, Alan!  Luc covered it quite nicely.

Only thing I can think to add some clarity on is "DLO", which might not be such a universally understood term.  That's short for "daylight opening", the area defined by the side window openings on a car or truck's body.

In the first run of AMT's '55 Cameo back in '91, the most often-seen complaint was that the lower edge of the side window openings swept up into the A-pillar as it ran from the rear of the cab, when instead it should have been level and flat.  Personally, I was also a little irked at the absence of an entire cab floorpan in such an otherwise nicely executed kit, but that's just me. 🙂

AMT heard about the side window problem and eventually corrected it.  I was wondering if my memory served, but Luc confirms they made that correction for the '57 Cameo version released in 1998, and then subsequent '55 Cameo reissues sharing that cab inherited it.  They made this correction at the mold, which only stands to reason if you think about it.  

Problem is, if you don't fix the wooden master pattern and then you base a future model on it...

[Casey]

1 hour ago, Sledsel said:

Just upgrading existing kits would be wonderful in my opinion. Updated chassis on old screw bottom kits, updated interiors, corrected engines. Those would be welcomed to me at least.

Once you start doing that, where do you stop? I suspect that was a topic discussed regarding the AMT '63 Chevy II Wagon, and they decided it was best to create an all-new kit instead of backdating the Boss Nova.

Once you upgrade the engine, then the exhaust to match up with it, and the front and rear suspension, then modify the chassis to make it all play nicely together, and whoops, it no longer fits inside the body shell nicely, and wow does that engine bay with the molded in wires look terrible now...definitely a slippery slope. Where do you stop and run the risk of turning customers off by not going far enough or not leaving things well enough alone? I suspect the latter (and nostalgia) is why we see so little of what you suggest.

Not sure how many other new-in-the-'90s kits Round2 could modify like they did with the '67 Impala/Supernatural 4-door hardtop, though. Shared wheelbases are key, and some of the tooling is one-off and funky (Wagonrod, Phantom Vickie), so not much potential for heavily modified reissues there.

Heck, they'd do well just to re-issue the '94 S-10 SS/LS, '96 S-10 Sportside, '95 S-series Blazer, Ford Rangers (both bed styles), and '55 Chevy Stepside with the Street Machine parts.

 

[Chris in Berwyn]

On 2/9/2022 at 12:51 AM, Oldcarfan27 said:.

I never realized Mattel gave up the copyrights for the Hot Wheels playsets. Seems strange this race set would be released by Auto World. Or am I missing something?

 

I imagine R2 just licensed the Hot Wheels name/logo for certain items - slot cars, the wall clocks they are selling, for use on plastic kits like the Charger Funny Car, etc.  I am sure Mattel would ever sell/give up the Hot Wheels trademark.  

[bisc63]

On 2/8/2022 at 7:55 PM, 1972coronet said:

I was looking forward to making a sobriety checkpoint diorama

"These aren't the beers you're looking for..."

[Tabbysdaddy]

I would buy reissues of 80s and 90s cars and trucks, if they would reissue them.

[BobbyG]

3 hours ago, Casey said:

Once you start doing that, where do you stop? I suspect that was a topic discussed regarding the AMT '63 Chevy II Wagon, and they decided it was best to create an all-new kit instead of backdating the Boss Nova.

Once you upgrade the engine, then the exhaust to match up with it, and the front and rear suspension, then modify the chassis to make it all play nicely together, and whoops, it no longer fits inside the body shell nicely, and wow does that engine bay with the molded in wires look terrible now...definitely a slippery slope. Where do you stop and run the risk of turning customers off by not going far enough or not leaving things well enough alone? I suspect the latter (and nostalgia) is why we see so little of what you suggest.

Not sure how many other new-in-the-'90s kits Round2 could modify like they did with the '67 Impala/Supernatural 4-door hardtop, though. Shared wheelbases are key, and some of the tooling is one-off and funky (Wagonrod, Phantom Vickie), so not much potential for heavily modified reissues there.

Heck, they'd do well just to re-issue the '94 S-10 SS/LS, '96 S-10 Sportside, '95 S-series Blazer, Ford Rangers (both bed styles), and '55 Chevy Stepside with the Street Machine parts.

 

Casey to your point about the 67 Chevy Impala, the same can be said using the tooling from existing kits with sensible modifications for new subjects. Example: why not use the 57 Chrysler 300 tool for a 57-58 Desoto or Chrysler New Yorker. Same dimensions, same chassis/engines and similar interiors and bodies. Or the 58 Belvidere to a 59 Fury or Coronet. I can go on listing new kits based on shared dimensions, chassis and engines. It's like taking the playbook from a more aggressive company as Moebius, who I am more than happy to open my wallet. There are quite a few of those ERTL kits that can lend themselves to new subjects without creating all new tooling. In my mind, Round2's marketing and product people are lost a mire of producing globs of plastic with no insight to the hobby. Granted they redeveloped the Chevy Ii wagon and 64 Cutlass, but then have bigger fish to fry if they just used their heads. Oh and coincidently they are re-issuing their AWB Nova to answer Moebius' upcoming releases...woohoo! And to rub it in,  they are pricing old  kits with little detail and limited pieces for the same amount of other company's new tool offerings.

Bottomline, by modifying existing tools from the glory days of ERTL, we can see more subjects that were never produced in detail.

Edited February 11, 2022 by BobbyG

[SSNJim]

5 hours ago, Sledsel said:

Tool the chassis and interior for the Big Al 69 Thunderbird. 

I wonder if that doesn't exist somewhere. AMT tooled the 67-69 Thunderbirds, and the 69 was the last of the run. By a lot of people's reasoning, the tools were modified year by year, so the last year may still be around. I'm not aware of the history of the Big Al kit, but they did come up with the body from somewhere. I doubt they tooled a new body for an oddball car for the kit. Why can't the chassis and interior still be somewhere in their mold storerooms? Did anyone look?

I do have an original 69 Thunderbird kit. It was built once, disassembled, and stripped of paint, so it is hardly mint. The only difference between that body and the Big Al body is that the Big Al has some filled in "custom" taillights. The original has holes into which the red lenses are inserted. Neither has the T-Bird logo on the C-pillar; weird, because the 68 does.

I'm a huge fan of 69 Thunderbirds. I had the pleasure of riding in, and driving one, between the years of 69-77. I bought a couple of Big Al kits and Modelhaus taillights for future use. I would also love to see a stock 69 reissued, but I'm sure that's just a pipe dream. I have had some test-fitting success with using the Big Al body with the chassis and interior of the AMT 1971 Thunderbird. The 67-71s are all the same under the skin. You may have to deal with upholstery patterns, but they are similar and hard to see inside the interior.

On that note, my parents and an aunt and uncle went to Atlanta to visit some relatives in our Thunderbird. The men were in the front seats, and the women were in the rear. They went through a toll booth, then were shortly pulled over by the police. It turns out that two men and a woman had robbed a bank nearby, and made good their escape in a 69 Thunderbird. The toll collector couldn't see my mother in the driver's side rear seat, so he assumed they were the bank robbers and called the cops. Long story short, no one in my family went to court or jail. So, you're probably OK taking a few liberties with the interior.

 

[Snake45]

Jim, I have a '67 promo (same body style) in restorable condition I'll probably never get around to. Are you interested in it? 

[1972coronet]

1968 El Camino could become a 1969 then a 1970, ad seq. I realise that the upholstery patterns are unique to year/ trim level, but all of the hard work's already done.

1971 Charger = 1972 Rallye Charger.

1971 Duster = 1970; 1972-1976.

1975/1976 Dart Sport = 1973/1974 Dart Sport

c.1982 GMC K-10/ Fall Guy / et alia = backdate to 1973-1980 C/K 10 with, obviously, 2WD and 4WD options

[martinfan5]

2 hours ago, Tabbysdaddy said:

I would buy reissues of 80s and 90s cars and trucks, if they would reissue them.

Indeed, 90's is my nostalgia, Id buy them if the did. 

[Brian Austin]

Is there any logic to the seemingly random number for the editions of the 1:64 diecast sets?  5820 seems to be rather peculiar number.

 

Relating to the issue regarding the '55 Chevy pickup side window issue, ERTL also had a 1:25 diecast, as a bank, that had the same issue.  So that problem got around.

 

[deuces wild]

On 2/8/2022 at 7:57 PM, The Junkman said:

No Fennec Shand for the (re-named) Boba Fett space craft.  I'm out then. (Star Wars new Imperial overlords-Darth Disney-thought "Slave 1" wasn't in keeping with the current canon.)  Wallet also safe for another month.

Ummmm.... What's a boba fet????....🤔🙄

[Smoke Wagon]

8 hours ago, Casey said:

Not sure how many other new-in-the-'90s kits Round2 could modify like they did with the '67 Impala/Supernatural 4-door hardtop, though.

The AMT ‘50 Chevy 3100 pickup could be released as a 1950 Suburban if a handful of parts and a new body is rolled up. 

Same could be said for the ‘55/‘57 Cameo tooling, 55/57 Suburban.

The ‘68 El Camino tooling could be modified into a ‘68 Chevelle sedan or station wagon. 

[SSNJim]

8 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Jim, I have a '67 promo (same body style) in restorable condition I'll probably never get around to. Are you interested in it? 

Yes, I am. Is it a radio promo or does it have an interior?

[Snake45]

2 hours ago, SSNJim said:

Yes, I am. Is it a radio promo or does it have an interior?

Not a radio, full interior. Molded in light blue. Chrome's not in the best shape. I don't remember if it's a friction or a true promo. 

Email me, maybe we can work something out. 

SnakeACP45 at AOL dot com

[Ian McLaren]

Interesting

[Casey]

21 hours ago, BobbyG said:

Casey to your point about the 67 Chevy Impala, the same can be said using the tooling from existing kits with sensible modifications for new subjects. Example: why not use the 57 Chrysler 300 tool for a 57-58 Desoto or Chrysler New Yorker.

True, and while the matching wheelbase issue is a very important factor (IMHO), it's not the only factor to be considered. I suspect to make serious modifications, Round2 wants to hedge their bets in the "this is definitely going to sell briskly" direction, too. I think that has happened with the Supernatural Impala, no doubt due to the legit TV show tie-in.

I'm honestly nor sure how well those annually updated 1:1 big cars you mentioned would sell as 1:25 kits. Maybe fodder for another topic.

18 hours ago, Brian Austin said:

Is there any logic to the seemingly random number for the editions of the 1:64 diecast sets?  5820 seems to be rather peculiar number.

Was it supposed to be 5280, i.e. 1320 x 4?

22 hours ago, Tabbysdaddy said:

I would buy reissues of 80s and 90s cars and trucks, if they would reissue them.

They have, although some were ex-Lindberg kits in the oddball 1/20 scale. There were have been several AMT '90s era kits re-issued-- GMC Sonoma, Ford Lightning F-150, '88 Mustang GT, Plymouth Prowler, and '94 Mustang GT come to mind. I think we'll see more re-issues aimed and the Gen Xers soon enough.

Edited February 11, 2022 by Casey