Wish round 2 would release some obscure stuff

[stavanzer]

On 6/22/2023 at 10:31 AM, 1st 700 Quad said:

Unfortunately model companies treat these cars like the plague.

No, they did not and never will sell in large enough numbers to justify (or Amortize) the tooling costs.

It is the Mustangs and Camaros (or their equivalent) that pays the bills. 

[MrObsessive]

On 6/10/2023 at 11:42 PM, stavanzer said:

The Dodge Trucks is the First suggestion I've seen that for a tool that exists. (other than the Volare).

I get what Folks want, but Obscure "Plain-Jane" cars and Everyday "Mainstreamers" are just not something that ever was destined to sell in large enough numbers to sell well.

Promos commissioned by the factory were often Up Optioned cars, that many wanted but few would buy. Detroit was selling Dreams, and few dreamed of a Base Model, Four Door Sedan. But, that is what sold in the largest number in the 1 to 1 world. Not in every case and not for every car, but that happened most often. The last Model Company experiments with Four Door, "ordinary' car stopped in the early 1970's. It took a huge ground swell of verified consumer interest almost 20 years later to get the next 4 door sedan with Revell stepping up to the plate, with the Caprice Police Car kit. And even after that success, with the Ford Crown Vic, and a Lindberg Dodge Caravan tooled, the Plain Cars have disappeared again.

It is my opinion that the Modern Model companies do not have the Spare Tooling Dollars to invest in anything that they do not believe will be a Home Run, right out of the box. The days of tooling up something off the beaten path, and taking a chance are over.

So, The 1908 Thomas Flyer, and similar kits are long gone, and nothing like them will be tooled again.

 

If you really want the kinds of Mainstream, Base Model subjects, get ready to work with Resin & 3D printing. Those are the folks who can take risks in subject matter. If you do not want to work in those mediums, You're Outta Luck, I.M.H.O.

Well said! That's pretty much it in a nutshell. There's no way for example you'd ever get Round 2 to do a 1958 Plymouth Belvedere Four Door hardtop. It's one of the reasons I like 3D printing as I just created and printed that very car.

If the file is out there (or can be created), the sky's the limit. No need to wait or hope that X company will produce Y. Now, some may cringe when I say this, but for the long foreseeable future, 3D printing is the way to go to get those never before (and never will be) done cars and items.

Yes, it's a steep learning curve, but I've already been able to make cars that I know will never see the light of day on a hobby shelf.

That's the reality we live in today.

[Justin Porter]

There are any number of historically significant elite or performance or racing cars that have yet to be offered in kit form that would likely lead to major sales for the company that takes the shot at them, and yet there's still always somebody saying that the industry is all for naught because they haven't kitted their specific trim level and options package of some GM A-body from 1968. No 1971-73 Riviera, no Austin Healey 3000, no Citroen SM, no 1949 Cadillac Series 62, no Maserati 250F in plastic. 

Also, very critically to the point, aren't the "They don't make regular car kits" people the same ones who take potshots at Academy for tooling up a Hyundai Sante Fe or Fujimi for kitting different generations of the Toyota Prius?

[Mike C.]

Jeep Cherokee of this vintage would be nice.

 

[oldcarfan]

Since they are redoing the 60 and 63 Ford trucks, maybe they can tool up a nice straight six engine to go with the Falcon Ranchero? It could then also be offered in the second issues of the too newly retooled trucks as well. Also, here's hoping they'll release the go-kart with the Bonneville body shell, too.

Edited June 24, 2023 by oldcarfan

[jeffp60]

2 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

Well said! That's pretty much it in a nutshell. There's no way for example you'd ever get Round 2 to do a 1958 Plymouth Belvedere Four Door hardtop. It's one of the reasons I like 3D printing as I just created and printed that very car.

If the file is out there (or can be created), the sky's the limit. No need to wait or hope that X company will produce Y. Now, some may cringe when I say this, but for the long foreseeable future, 3D printing is the way to go to get those never before (and never will be) done cars and items.

Yes, it's a steep learning curve, but I've already been able to make cars that I know will never see the light of day on a hobby shelf.

That's the reality we live in today.

Even if round2 could make bodies / parts to fit other kits, scout 800 to bronco or scout 2, but I think average person, (me), can't pay $60+ for a scout body and hope I can make it work. I know it's a lot of time/effort/money to 3d but $20s is more like my price. I KNOW, but is a Maserati worth the $$,yes. THATS why I own a chevrolet!!

[horsepower]

On 6/17/2023 at 5:12 AM, Chuck Most said:

Yep, you're right on the mark about the time frame. Though to be fair, AMT kitted the SHO. Yes the Taurus was a mainstream car but the Taurus SHO was, I don't know... The Hemi 'Cuda to the standard Taurus's slant six base model Barracuda. Quite a far piece from a base model sedan. 😁 The fact that Ford commissioned a promo probably didn't hurt and of course they were going to go with the new get up and go Euro fighter version to promote. 

And by the time the promos and kits came you had the Robocop buzz going, even though none of the Tauruses used in Robocop were SHO, or even police versions (Robocop being filmed in 1986-87 and the proper police package Taurus wasn't a thing until 1990), and boy howdy Ertl leaned into that too. 🤣

But I guess that doesn't guarantee a kit. In the late 90s and early 00's Revell did every Ford SVT product ... Except he Contour. Naturally the Lightning and Cobra were kitted, even the Focus when Revell had their brief fling with tuners, but they ignored the Contour SVT. Much like the world at large ignored it. 😶

On 6/10/2023 at 11:20 PM, stavanzer said:

I did indeed forget the Taurus.

Nice Catch!

There's also the Chevy Barettas, and I seem to remember a Lumina (that wasn't a NASCAR kit) but can't remember who released it or the year of production. Surprised myself while looking through some stash boxes and came across one of the Barettas in a sealed factory box that for some reason I picked up at a KayBee Liquidators store for 99¢ after it was marked down a half dozen times or thereabouts.

[horsepower]

It was in my mind anyway a mystery why nobody ever released a model of Ford's Bronco II, or for that matter one of the first series Ranger mini trucks.

[niteowl7710]

1 hour ago, horsepower said:

There's also the Chevy Barettas, and I seem to remember a Lumina (that wasn't a NASCAR kit) but can't remember who released it or the year of production. Surprised myself while looking through some stash boxes and came across one of the Barettas in a sealed factory box that for some reason I picked up at a KayBee Liquidators store for 99¢ after it was marked down a half dozen times or thereabouts.

There weren't ever any street Luminas done, but Brookfield Diecasts made a 94 Monte Carlo Indy 500 Pace Car.

[Rob Hall]

2 hours ago, niteowl7710 said:

There weren't ever any street Luminas done, but Brookfield Diecasts made a 94 Monte Carlo Indy 500 Pace Car.

Talk about obscure..they were pretty common family cars 30 years ago, but I haven't seen a 1:1 Lumina in many years now...can't recall the last time I saw one on the road or parked...

[leafsprings]

On 6/24/2023 at 10:04 AM, oldcarfan said:

Since they are redoing the 60 and 63 Ford trucks, maybe they can tool up a nice straight six engine to go with the Falcon Ranchero? It could then also be offered in the second issues of the too newly retooled trucks as well. 

Falcon Ranchero straight 6's were a completely different engine family than the straight 6's installed in '60-'64 F series pickups. This looks like an opportunity again for the 3d printing people. 223 F series pickup engine on top, 170-200 Falcon engine bottom.

Edited June 26, 2023 by leafsprings

[horsepower]

19 hours ago, niteowl7710 said:

There weren't ever any street Luminas done, but Brookfield Diecasts made a 94 Monte Carlo Indy 500 Pace Car.

I wasn't sure what it was but now that you said that it's funny because a month or two ago I picked up one of those Brookfield promo style Monte Carlo's in sealed box for $5, it is black but I was going to build it up as one of the Earnhardt Special Edition cars, but I can't decide if it will be a Taz version in red or the Dale Earnhardt Sr. Special Edition in Black with Silver trim.

 

[Straightliner59]

MPC did the Berettas. and earlier the Cavaliers.

[slusher]

I would like to see some Chevy Chevette, Ford pinto 73-76' and some Dodge passenger vans..

[P51Mustang]

My obscure choices are:

1958 Desoto Adventurer, a full model kit.

Also 1971-76 Firebird/Formula/Trans Am models in promo versions - would be great.

 

[1972coronet]

3 hours ago, P51Mustang said:

Also 1971-76 Firebird/Formula/Trans Am models in promo versions - would be great.

I wouldn't - and I don't - consider a 1971-1976 (best years, IMO) Firebird et al. to be obscure. Heck the Craftsman Plus treatment would be great ! 

Now... 1958 De Soto... let's add the truly obscure Bendix Electro-Jector  electronic fuel injection to the 383 !

[BobbyG]

On 6/28/2023 at 12:29 PM, P51Mustang said:

My obscure choices are:

1958 Desoto Adventurer, a full model kit.

Also 1971-76 Firebird/Formula/Trans Am models in promo versions - would be great.

 

Definitely for the 58 DeSoto, hardtop or convertible...or both!

[John M.]

If R2 has the tooling for the MPC 74 to 76 Pontiac Ventura 2 door, I'd like to see it reissued. Unbuilt original kits are commanding good prices when they come up on E Bay and even the built ones are going for a decent chunk of money.

[Rodent]

On 6/24/2023 at 8:34 AM, Justin Porter said:

Academy for tooling up a Hyundai Sante Fe

This is a nice kit, I have one!

[Rob Hall]

10 hours ago, John M. said:

If R2 has the tooling for the MPC 74 to 76 Pontiac Ventura 2 door, I'd like to see it reissued. Unbuilt original kits are commanding good prices when they come up on E Bay and even the built ones are going for a decent chunk of money.

Pretty sure the '75-77 Ventura was retooled into the ‘78 Nova, which then became the ‘79 Nova and has been reissued since it was the last version of that tool.  

Edited July 3, 2023 by Rob Hall

[Rodent]

7 hours ago, BobbyG said:

Definitely for the 58 DeSoto, hardtop or convertible...or both!

I would be in for a '59 Coronet 2-door to build Broderick Crawford's car. I know that I could  find and convert a Custom Royal kit, but that is actually a fair amount of work.

[John M.]

14 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

Pretty sure the '75-77 Ventura was retooled into the ‘78 Nova, which then became the ‘79 Nova and has been reissued since it was the last version of that tool.  

You could be right.

[Rob Hall]

14 hours ago, Rodent said:

I would be in for a '59 Coronet 2-door to build Broderick Crawford's car. I know that I could  find and convert a Custom Royal kit, but that is actually a fair amount of work.

Something that obscure would be a perfect subject for a resin caster or 3D printer..wouldn't happen as a regular kit.   I remember The Modelhaus made a '57 Dodge 2dr sedan, don't recall if they did a '59. 

[mikemodeler]

Seems like many of the kits we yearn for have been modified into other releases and therefore not likely to return. Not sure if Round2 could justify tooling new bodies for limited interest kits like the 74-76 Ventura. I would love to see them bring back the 74-77 Camaros but there are two different bodies- 74 & 75-77- so who knows. They have shown us that restoring old tools can be done, even if they have to slap Coca-Cola decals in the box!

 

[bisc63]

3 hours ago, mikemodeler said:

even if they have to slap Coca-Cola decals in the box!

...and the occasional Sprite! It's a fair trade to get those more obscure kits back!