A detailed look inside the box - Round 2's new "Aqua Rod" kit....

tim boyd · April 25, 2023

As I explained in an article I wrote for Model Cars magazine back around 2007 or so on all the 1/25th scale drag and ski boat kits, these boat themed kits from AMT and Revell were reflective of a 1/1 scalet trend back in the day to include them in the 1/1 scale world of hot rods and drag racing. As my modeling buddy Steve Perry says, they are basically hot rods with propellers instead of wheels, and that remains the case today. Look through any Hot Rod magazine dating from the late 1950's to early 1970's and you'll see what I mean. Not to mention that our host here, Model Cars magazine Publisher Gregg Hutchings, has also featured model fuel altered drag boats prominently in the 20+ year volume of his issues.

Anyway, that is a long-winded intro as to why I have posted this topic in the Industry Corner/Car Kit News and Reviews. (Hope the mods here agree with my thinking!)

Here's an abbreviated look at Round 2's recent reissue of the c. 1975 1/2 AMT "Aqua Rod" drag boat/Chevy van kit. The big news is an all-new decal sheet with a second graphic treatment reprising the artwork in the AMT Mid-Year Announcement catalog, which was omitted from the minimalist decal sheet when the kit was offered in original form back then. Take a look at the link for 34 images and captions (use the "Roll View" feature to quickly view each image and its information). You'll also find info on imagery of all-new and extensive decal sheet livery. and a few views of a box stock buildup of the boat kit, and some historic box art linked to this release .

This kit was released a few months ago and according to some is already getting hard to find. If the subject interests you, and the review at the above link supports that interest, I recommend you grab one of these sooner than later. Thanks for your interest....TIM