What are the very best drag racing model kits of all time?

[iBorg]

I think I could shave in the shine from you Chi-Town Hustler.

 

[Dragline]

6 hours ago, iBorg said:

I think I could shave in the shine from you Chi-Town Hustler.

 

Yeah, it may be overly shiny. I based this build off the restored car, which ironically enough is what they used to engineer this kit.

So technically.............

[tim boyd]

Thanks to everyone who has commented on this thread.  

Here is the full text of this sidebar from my 2020 book "Collecting Drag Racing Model Kits".  It includes an introductory explanation of how I arrived at my list, which I thought might be interesting to some after seeing all the excellent commentary posted by you all here.  Thanks for checking it out....TB 

**************

The Very Best Drag Racing Kits of All Time…

What were the very best kits that moved the drag racing model car kit game ahead when they were introduced during each decade of the last sixty-plus years of drag racing scale assembly models?

Here are my thoughts on this subject, along with those of several of the hobby’s most respected drag racing kit builders and historians:  revered drag racing model car builders Jim Kampmann and Guy Beaudette, Model Kit Retailer and former drag racer Tom Carter, and model car kit historian Mark Budniewski.   Which of these would make your list?

In 1/24^th-1/25 scale:

-          1960’s – AMT Double Dragster, Revell Orange Crate, Revell Tony Nancy “22 JR” Dragster/Altered Double Kit,  Jo-Han 1964 Fury/Polara 426 Max Wedge Super Stock annual kits, AMT 1965 Coronet 500 annual kit, AMT Don Garlits Wynns Jammer, AMT “Ohio George” Montgomery’s 1933 Willys, MPC 1967 Color Me Gone Charger, Jo-Han 1968-69 Funny Car annual kits, AMT 1969 Gas Ronda Longnose Mustang, MPC Dick Harrell Camaro Funny Car    

-          1970’s – Jo-Han Gene Snow Challenger and Mickey Thompson Mustang/Pinto Funny Cars, Jo-Han Sox and Martin ‘cuda Pro Stock, Monogram Don Prudhomme/Tom McEwen Rear Engine Dragsters, Revell Drag Racing Team Scale Funny Cars and Rear Engine Dragsters, MPC Pinto Pro Stocks, and MPC’s Bantam Blast/Wild Wille Borsch Fuel Altereds 

-          1980’s – Monogram 1984 Camaro and Thunderbird Pro Stocks; Monogram 1985 Funny Cars, Revell Don Garlits Swamp Rat XXX

-          1990’s – Revell Pro Sportsman kits, Revell Rear Engine Rail Dragster kits, Revell Oldsmobile Cutlass Pro Stocks

-          2000’s – Polar Lights Funny Cars, Revell Chi-Town Hustler and Hawaiian 1969 Mini-Charger Funny Cars

-          2010’s – Moebius Models/Model King 1965 Cyclone and Belvedere A990 A/FX kits  

In other scales:

-          1960’s – Monogram 1/22^nd scale “Sizzler” Dragster/Altered, Monogram 1/8^th scale “Big Drag” Model T

-          1970’s - Aurora 1/16^th scale “Racing Scenes” Pinto and Vega Funny Cars (the most detailed drag racing kits ever); Revell’s 1/16^th scale “Drag Racing Team” Funny Cars and Rear Engine Dragsters (1973-1976)  

-          1980’s - Monogram’s 1/32^nd scale Snap-Tite Funny Cars

-          1990’s-present – None 

[12bridge]

There have been some great kits for sure, but we are long, long, long overdue for some modern drag kits.  Its been damn near 30 years since we have seen a new Top Fuel, funny car, Pro Stock or Pro Mod kit.  The technology has changed so much there is very little in common with these older kits.  

All these old rehash kits are great (I remember scrounging for them at shows when I was younger), but your never going to get a fresh/younger crowd into building, when they can not build what they see now.  

[tim boyd]

P, thanks for the observations, which I largely agree with.  I think I made comments near the end of my book on a similar vein; need to dig it out and see exactly what I wrote....

However, I also largely believe that the current fathers of drag racing (i.e. the NHRA brain trust) long ago lost the plot on both the funny car and pro stock class rules.  I for one would prefer a much greater emphasis on bodies that look like real cars in those classes, and an equal emphasis on the makes of the competitors alongside the team and sponsor attention.  But again, and to your point, those observations may not be relevant to the "fresh/younger" crowd you reference, either!   

Best...TB  

PS - in finishing the book I interviewed several kit industry movers and shakers, so to speak, for their observations on the drag racing kit business (some of which is referenced in the book).  I was told that at one-point Revell had looked at what it would take to update their last generation rail dragster kit tooling to today's Top Fuel specification, but that the project was put on hold with the Hobbico bankruptcy.  It was somewhat suggested, IIRC, that there might be another look there, but it's now 3 1/2 years later and I see no sign of that happening...

Edited March 23, 2023 by tim boyd

[Muncie]

Agree with your observations about NHRA - they have almost completely lost my interest.  I remeber that I could go to a regional race and see competitive local pro-stock and funny cars that were run by people that I knew.  Now, it's just two mega pro-stock teams

[Zen]

16 hours ago, Muncie said:

Agree with your observations about NHRA - they have almost completely lost my interest.  I remeber that I could go to a regional race and see competitive local pro-stock and funny cars that were run by people that I knew.  Now, it's just two mega pro-stock teams

And almost everyone in a Camaro ..........

[12bridge]

Tim, I fully agree with you there, I really have no interest in most of the modern stuff, but even Pro Mod's of 15 years ago are radically different then today, or the early 90's (when they still looked like cars..).  

We are certainly blessed with the Moebius AFX stuff, I would love to see them tackle a 60's era dragster or funny car.  We are long, long overdue for a nice front engine dragster kit that was not tooled 50+ years ago. 

[tim boyd]

P,,,once again I agree with your observations.  

When I wrote the book, I had drafted a sidebar with the (IIRC) ten most desirable historical front engine rail dragster kit subjects that needed to be freshly kitted.   I had to drop it from the final text due to being way over the book's word and photo count.  I'll see if I can find it and if so, I will post it in a new thread in this folder of the MCM Forum...Very best...TIM  

[dodgefever]

No interest in current stuff here either.  For me, the mid '60s was the most interesting period for FEDs - I'd love to see kits of the following, but I'm not holding my breath:

Surfers
Magicar
Stellings & Hampshire
The Hawaiian
The Old Master
Greer, Black, Prudhomme
Chizler V

Will never happen, but there it is.

[stavanzer]

Stu, add the Freight Train to that list, please.

Got to see it at a Cacklefest at Famosa about 5 years ago! Awesome!

[tim boyd]

On 3/24/2023 at 5:22 PM, tim boyd said:

P,,,once again I agree with your observations.  

When I wrote the book, I had drafted a sidebar with the (IIRC) ten most desirable historical front engine rail dragster kit subjects that needed to be freshly kitted.   I had to drop it from the final text due to being way over the book's word and photo count.  I'll see if I can find it and if so, I will post it in a new thread in this folder of the MCM Forum...Very best...TIM  

The stillborn sidebar and images as mentioned above are now posted in this new thread.  Reading the comments above and comparing them to my sidebar text, sounds like we are largely thinking along the same lines....Thanks for looking....TIM 

[stavanzer]

Thanks, Tim.

Read with great Interest.