Return of the 1/25 MPC '68 Coronet/Super Bee RT Convertible...

[1972coronet]

Tomorrow counts as "Early March" -- let's go with it !

[rickcaps55]

On 2/28/2023 at 12:51 PM, 1972coronet said:

Tomorrow counts as "Early March" -- let's go with it !

Ho Hell ya I'm in with that lets get it in the stores.!!!!! I understand it's sitting on the docks waiting for customs they don't have a problem at the southern board.!!!!

[tim boyd]

Heads up...in the review of the new '68 Coronet R/T in MCM #218, there are a couple of sentences expressing some displeasure over the standard wheel moldings in the kit. 

These are not intended to be Magnum 500's as is suggested in the review.  Instead they are very accurate reproductions of the 1968 model year Coronet R/T "mag type wheel covers" (per the brochures), not the optional Magnum 500 wheels.  These same "Mag Type Wheel Covers" were also in the original 1968 MPC Coronet R/T annual kit.   Pretty cool choice, too, as the only other 1/25th kit with these wheel covers was the Revell 1968/1969 Dodge Dart GTS kits.  In 1/1 they were widely seen on Darts, Coronets, and even Chargers/Challengers in 1968/69/70...   

FYI only...TB 

[SteveG]

13 minutes ago, tim boyd said:

Heads up...in the review of the new '68 Coronet R/T in MCM #218, there are a couple of sentences expressing some displeasure over the standard wheel moldings in the kit. 

These are not intended to be Magnum 500's as is suggested in the review.  Instead they are very accurate reproductions of the 1968 model year Coronet R/T "mag type wheel covers" (per the brochures), not the optional Magnum 500 wheels.  These same "Mag Type Wheel Covers" were also in the original 1968 MPC Coronet R/T annual kit.   Pretty cool choice, too, as the only other 1/25th kit with these wheel covers was the Revell 1968/1969 Dodge Dart GTS kits.  In 1/1 they were widely seen on Darts, Coronets, and even Chargers/Challengers in 1968/69/70...   

FYI only...TB 

Yes thanks for the explanation, Tim.  They are supposed to represent the "mag type" wheel covers as shown in the photo below.  This is the same show car that inspired the original box art FYI.   Other than the factory brochure and this show car, you would need to do a deep dive to find any restored '68 R/T's wearing them so I can see where somebody might confuse them for the commonly seen Magnum 500 wheels.  

-Steve

[Can-Con]

19 hours ago, tim boyd said:

Heads up...in the review of the new '68 Coronet R/T in MCM #218, there are a couple of sentences expressing some displeasure over the standard wheel moldings in the kit. 

These are not intended to be Magnum 500's as is suggested in the review.  Instead they are very accurate reproductions of the 1968 model year Coronet R/T "mag type wheel covers" (per the brochures), not the optional Magnum 500 wheels.  These same "Mag Type Wheel Covers" were also in the original 1968 MPC Coronet R/T annual kit.   Pretty cool choice, too, as the only other 1/25th kit with these wheel covers was the Revell 1968/1969 Dodge Dart GTS kits.  In 1/1 they were widely seen on Darts, Coronets, and even Chargers/Challengers in 1968/69/70...   

FYI only...TB 

Actually, Tim, and you may have forgotten but those same wheel covers were in the MPC '68-'70 Charger annuals.

[tim boyd]

13 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

Actually, Tim, and you may have forgotten but those same wheel covers were in the MPC '68-'70 Charger annuals.

Good Catch!  Thanks Steve...I no longer have complete 1969 and 1970 Charger annual kits, but I do have a complete 1968 annual kit, and when I opened the box, yep, there they were, just staring me in the face!   TB 

[1972coronet]

I finally received a copy of this bad boy (disclaimer: I'd ordered another one yesterday from a local-to-me eBay seller -- received it today ! The other one I'd ordered back in 1972 will get here soon enough... ). 

!!! WOW !!!

This thing is AWESOME ! 

A kit that I - that nobody - thought would never see the light of day (a hardtop was 'proposed' some, what, 16 years ago ?) is now in my arthritic hands ! 

KUDOS to Round2 et alia !

Keep 'em coming, folks !

[Pjj]

Just got an email from model car roundup that my pre order is ready for shipment!!!

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Gotta say, I've found it pretty magnificent myself - just couldn't put it down all weekend.

Notes for tire geeks like me:

Here are the slicks.  Being no-names, I'd think they're new, but I'm ready to stand corrected.

I don't recognize the white-lined bias plies for the car from any previous release, so I'm guessing they're new for this one. Tread detail is about as crisp as what you see in the recently-tooled Round 2 Polyglas tires.  They have the tread width of the smaller set and about the diameter of the larger ones.

THEN, the tires they sneak in for use on the trailer:

Which I find particularly interesting.  They're very nearly the same size as Round 2's recently-molded Firestone Deluxe Champions; might be right for the upcoming '60 Ford pickup, and they'd certainly be better for the Lindberg '61 Chevy if they fit. All these tires are solid with an inner locating ring, a design feature I associate more with vintage Monogram than with MPC - which I bring up more as support for the notion that they're all-new, 'cause they're obviously not R/M tires.

They might also just give us an intriguing little tea leaf or two to read for upcoming releases...

[1972coronet]

This kit's been an absolute pleasure so far (I've only assembled the engine/trans; waiting for turquoise paint for the engine). Such a crisp, lovely kit with that vintage feel, but with modern tooling improvements over the original (mounting points are vastly improved vs. the original MPC 'generic' Chrysler B/RB). The separate ignition distributor is a major improvement over the blob on the original engine (which resembles an oil fill tube & cap).

I'm building my copy OOB, but I am going to source plain steel wheels for the trailer; I'm also going to whittle a brake master cylinder out of the kit's sprue (technically OOB... haha).

For giggles, I assembled the headers after stripping their plating. While I'm building this one as a stock representation, I am planning on using the headers on the next build. Unlike their fiddly relatives, the improved headers have positive mounting points (male) to the heads (female).

Not certain what colours I'm going with for the body and interior, though I'm leaning toward a red body with red/white interior and white tail stripe.

[stavanzer]

21 hours ago, Chuck Kourouklis said:

Gotta say, I've found it pretty magnificent myself - just couldn't put it down all weekend.

Notes for tire geeks like me:

Here are the slicks.  Being no-names, I'd think they're new, but I'm ready to stand corrected.

I don't recognize the white-lined bias plies for the car from any previous release, so I'm guessing they're new for this one. Tread detail is about as crisp as what you see in the recently-tooled Round 2 Polyglas tires.  They have the tread width of the smaller set and about the diameter of the larger ones.

THEN, the tires they sneak in for use on the trailer:

Which I find particularly interesting.  They're very nearly the same size as Round 2's recently-molded Firestone Deluxe Champions; might be right for the upcoming '60 Ford pickup, and they'd certainly be better for the Lindberg '61 Chevy if they fit. All these tires are solid with an inner locating ring, a design feature I associate more with vintage Monogram than with MPC - which I bring up more as support for the notion that they're all-new, 'cause they're obviously not R/M tires.

They might also just give us an intriguing little tea leaf or two to read for upcoming releases...

Thanks for sharing the photos.

The Trailer Tires are very interesting.

[Rob Hall]

Got an email that mine shipped today, hopefully have by Friday or Saturday.

[drodg]

I got the shipping confirmation today also from Model Car Roundup

[rickcaps55]

Ho Ha !! I got my 2 in the mail yesterday along with the 2 new 66 Mustang 2+2's  I hope they do make the hard top with the Coronet the new tool is very nice i see they have put new pins in a lot of places to help with fit the tires are nice but no company marking's my only complaint the slicks they look like over sized washer's what were they thinking can't wait to get started on the Dodge first.

[rickcaps55]

Well ok i posted this morning now i have started to work on the kit i have a new complaint they changed the size of the standard wheel backs i was going to just change out the tires for a set of the modelhaus red line witch by the way is a copy of the MPC tires that they used the first time in 68 and use a set of steel wheels with dog dish caps now i have to find a new set of wheel backs to the new size is smaller goes right through the old tires. no big deal but it's nice when the parts are interchangeable. As for the rest of the kit it really is very nice but tires and wheels really make or brake the look of a kit or a car.!

[SteveG]

21 hours ago, rickcaps55 said:

Well ok i posted this morning now i have started to work on the kit i have a new complaint they changed the size of the standard wheel backs i was going to just change out the tires for a set of the modelhaus red line witch by the way is a copy of the MPC tires that they used the first time in 68 and use a set of steel wheels with dog dish caps now i have to find a new set of wheel backs to the new size is smaller goes right through the old tires. no big deal but it's nice when the parts are interchangeable. As for the rest of the kit it really is very nice but tires and wheels really make or brake the look of a kit or a car.!

The tires that are in the new kit are copies of the original MPC Goodyear Speedway tires that were in the '68-'69 annuals and many others. Just without the sidewall branding.  The new wheel backs do fit the vintage tires from the original kit. I just checked to be sure.  For those who want red lines the new '68 GTO uses the exact same tires as new '68 Coronet but with the red pad print.  Those kits should be available now or very soon. 

-Steve

Edited March 17, 2023 by SteveG

[stavanzer]

Steve, I gotta say it. The Slicks in this kit are not so good. Featureless, Black Donuts, they could have come from an Industrial Parts Warehouse as easily as in a model kit. They look like bushings for a small electric motor mounting bracket. I'm sorry, that is just how they look to me.

Branding, Printing, Stripes? None of those were in the budget for those Tires.

I'm Sorry. The rest of the tires were so good! Then I saw the slicks. Ugh. 

[Rob Hall]

Mine came today.  Haven't opened them yet.  

[SteveG]

1 hour ago, stavanzer said:

Steve, I gotta say it. The Slicks in this kit are not so good. Featureless, Black Donuts, they could have come from an Industrial Parts Warehouse as easily as in a model kit. They look like bushings for a small electric motor mounting bracket. I'm sorry, that is just how they look to me.

Branding, Printing, Stripes? None of those were in the budget for those Tires.

I'm Sorry. The rest of the tires were so good! Then I saw the slicks. Ugh. 

I hear you on the slicks. The molded branding was removed, but they again were otherwise matched to the original vintage drag slick shape although these are solid not hollow.   I'm certainly open to adding a pad print but we've been restricted on lot of the vintage style tires due to licensing issues.  For example, we can no longer print the words Polyglas, Blue Streak, Speedway, GT and others.  I've repeated asked if we can explore new brands but so far it's been a dead end. 

-Steve

[Rob Hall]

Looks nice at first glance.  Crisp.  White wall tires, slicks, choice of stock wheel covers or Cragar GT wheels (not often seen), just like the annual IIRC.   Stock hood and hood w/ hole and big scoop.   Have to dig out my annual ht & convertible and compare.

[1972coronet]

55 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

Looks nice at first glance.  Crisp.  White wall tires, slicks, choice of stock wheel covers or Cragar GT wheels (not often seen), just like the annual IIRC.   Stock hood and hood w/ hole and big scoop.   Have to dig out my annual ht & convertible and compare.

I, too, love the inclusion of Cragar GT's; another favourite of mine. 

Same goes for the separate hood for the custom version(s) -- and that clear scoop is awesome !

[1972coronet]

3 hours ago, SteveG said:

I'm certainly open to adding a pad print but we've been restricted on lot of the vintage style tires due to licensing issues.  For example, we can no longer print the words Polyglas, Blue Streak, Speedway, GT and others.  I've repeated asked if we can explore new brands but so far it's been a dead end. 

I - most of us here - understand the licensing bollocks. Potentially silly enquiry : Is it possible to purposely misspell the lettering ? For example: Pollyglas , Bleu Streak, Speedsway ?
Perhaps add 'random' letters/numbers to the decal sheet so that the builder may arrange them "accordingly" ?

Edited March 17, 2023 by 1972coronet
CLAIRIFICATION

[SteveG]

30 minutes ago, 1972coronet said:

I - most of us here - understand the licensing bollocks. Potentially silly enquiry : Is it possible to purposely misspell the lettering ? For example: Pollyglas , Bleu Streak, Speedsway ?
Perhaps add 'random' letters/numbers to the decal sheet so that the builder may arrange them "accordingly" ?

Licensing is the "third rail" of the model kit industry.  You don't want to mess with it, we're too big of a target. 

On the next issue of the kit, I'll do something different with the tires other that whitewalls. Maybe pad print red lines on both the stock tires and the slicks.  I have about a year to sort that out.  I do appreciate the feedback even when it's not all sunshine and rainbows. 

-Steve 

[stavanzer]

3 hours ago, SteveG said:

I hear you on the slicks. The molded branding was removed, but they again were otherwise matched to the original vintage drag slick shape although these are solid not hollow.   I'm certainly open to adding a pad print but we've been restricted on lot of the vintage style tires due to licensing issues.  For example, we can no longer print the words Polyglas, Blue Streak, Speedway, GT and others.  I've repeated asked if we can explore new brands but so far it's been a dead end. 

-Steve

Thanks For the Answer, Steve. Straight from the Horse's Mouth, as it were.

Maybe try to get 2nd tier Manf's. (Big "O" Tire, Les Schwab, Hercules, or something Korean. Or Maybe a defunct Tire Brand could be licensed from one of the current Biggies who hold the trademark., (Western Auto, Cooper, Fisk, Guardsman)

I'd rather have Fisk or Cooper than a blank tire.

Alan

[Justin Porter]

6 minutes ago, SteveG said:

Licensing is the "third rail" of the model kit industry.  You don't want to mess with it, we're too big of a target. 

On the next issue of the kit, I'll do something different with the tires other that whitewalls. Maybe pad print red lines on both the stock tires and the slicks.  I have about a year to sort that out.  I do appreciate the feedback even when it's not all sunshine and rainbows. 

-Steve 

How long were AMT kits during the Ertl days shipped with Firestone Wide Ovals with their markings molded upside down? I, for one, am happier for blank sidewalls than for incorrect ones.