1970 Dodge Challenger Kits - Whose is best?

[jjsipes]

Was wondering what everyone's opinion was on whose kit is the best for the 1970 Dodge Challenger?

Original Monogram, Revell based on diecast or AMT?

I'm working on the old Monogram T/A kit right now and prepping the Revell diecast based for paint this week. Have built the AMT a few years ago. The basic AMT body I like other than the need to glue the top on if you want a hardtop. The Revell diecast based is to slab sided in my opinion and the old Monogram is large. I know, even though I was just a young boy but, back in the 80's the Monogram kits seemed to be a little large.

Monogram kit

Large for 1/24 scale, Missing detail parts, No oil filter, No rear shocks, No ignition coil, under hood items molded in.

Revell diecast based kit

Slab sided, parts seem a little strange for glue kit, supposed to be able to build as R/T or T/A but only 1 engine block, engine heads and intake manifold molded together for either engine.

AMT kit

Convertible with no up top, need to glue on hardtop and mold into body, hardtop has vinyl top texture, so you need to sand that off if you don't want vinyl top, chassis is lacking as well, detail just no real sharp

As popular as this car is, I think the model manufacturers are missing the boat here. Someone should bring out a new mold for this car like Revell did with the 1970 Cuda (what third times the charm with the Cuda).

Edited September 11, 2023 by jjsipes

[drodg]

To my eyes the AMT has the best body shape even with the add on roof.   I very seldom see the 1:24 T/As looking good after a build.  Your right though somebody needs to do a fresh kit like Revell did with the 1:25 Cuda and AAR Cuda.   

[1972coronet]

Then there's the ridiculously priced MPC 1970 (ad seq.) Challenger R/T annual. Those were all hardtops only; AMT (a separate company from MPC at the time) is the only convertible offering, warts and all (but at least it's got the Dana 60 - the only E-body Dana 60 until the Revell 1970 Hemi 'Cuda of c.2013).

I agree completely : someone needs to fill that void ! I'm hoping that Round2 has a revised-from-original-tooling 1970 Challenger in the planning stages. While the MPC 1970-1974 Challenger kits were primitive, they at least looked the part. Their only flaw (other than the usual artifacts-of-the-era) is that all of them - including the 1972-1974 kits - had only the 426 Hemi. And, IIRC, the "stock" iteration was shod with a single 4 Bbl, no correct dual carb setup.

Heck, I'd be happy with a promo-style offering (think: 1965 GTO and 1968 GTO kits of recent).

[Carmak]

I think the best body out there right now is the Lindberg 72 Challenger. This was originally the PSM (Palmer Scale Models) that started as a 71 (picture below) and was revised into a 72 with a nasty hood scoop and side scoops.

The Lindberg kit interestingly has the base model dashboard.

I am going to kitbash a Lindberg body (with side scoop removed and a resin hoot) with an AMT 70. Someone on this board has done this with impressive results.

[Classicgas]

2 hours ago, drodg said:

To my eyes the AMT has the best body shape even with the add on roof.   I very seldom see the 1:24 T/As looking good after a build.  Your right though somebody needs to do a fresh kit like Revell did with the 1:25 Cuda and AAR Cuda.   

 

[tim boyd]

In my view the original MPC 1970 Challenger annual kit is the only one that really represents the 1/1.  But even that one is not perfect, it does not include the recessed areas that circle the wheel openings next to the wheel lips (AMT-Ertl included those, but in an overly exaggerated execution).  

Yes, the world definitely needs a newly tooled 1970-74 Challenger in 1/25th.  I'd be very happy with a project based on the 2013 Revell 1970 ;cuda tool, but with the proper wheelbase and only if they digitally scan the body for the kit.  I don't have any contacts at Revell these days so I have no idea if this is even on the consideration list there...

But based on the other, non-annual kit, I tend to think that for kits built straight from the box without any corrections, the Monogram 1970 T/A probably provides the overall best result. 

* AMT-Ertl (original issue c. 1982), kitbashed with a far more accurate "Shaker" hood scoop from an old MPC 1970 'cuda annual kit...

 

* Monogram (original issue) built entirely box stock IIRC - 

 

TB

[Hard_2_Handle_454]

Wow, never thought I'd say this, but the AMT kit is actually better.  It looks more like a Challenger.  The body on the Revell kits is too fat; if that makes sense.  The Revell kits also have prongs on the headlight lenses that make them loo weird.  Don't get me wrong, the Revell kits can still look great, but the AMT kit will have the better body proportions.  The Revell kit will have more detail and decals.  Those decals will be better quality as well. 

 

Revell R/T

1 (4) by Eric Lucas, on Flickr

 

Slightly modified AMT

SAM_0599 by Eric Lucas, on Flickr

 

Revell T/A

SAM_0613 by Eric Lucas, on Flickr

You can kind see what I was talking about with the headlight lenses.

[pack rat]

To my eyes the promo-based MPC annual is still the best '70 Challenger replica.   Even though it has some shortcomings It has the right look.

Among more readily-available kits the AMT would be my preference.  The Revell diecast-base version looks toy-like to me, and the Monogram T/A is off proportion-wise.

The blue car pictured is an MPC curbside based on a funny car body (identical to the kit but without a separate hood).  The wheels and front bumper are AMT pieces.

The orange AMT kit has a lower vinyl top molding added below the rear window/sail panel; a detail AMT omitted due to the convertible/hardtop kit variations, a modification that should be made  if using the vinyl top.  The wheels are from an MPC 70-71 Mopar annual.  Yes, there are no R/T badges...it's an "A66" 340, not an R/T (MPC 340 underhood from a Duster).

The white Vanishing Point kit shows another option; glue the vinyl roof on and remove the vinyl texture.  This was much easier than it looks.  

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Yeah, for what's recently available, I really gotta go with the AMT kit myself.

+1 on Tim's suggestion, all the way.

[tim boyd]

11 hours ago, pack rat said:

To my eyes the promo-based MPC annual is still the best '70 Challenger replica.   Even though it has some shortcomings It has the right look.

Among more readily-available kits the AMT would be my preference.  The Revell diecast-base version looks toy-like to me, and the Monogram T/A is off proportion-wise.

The blue car pictured is an MPC curbside based on a funny car body (identical to the kit but without a separate hood).  The wheels and front bumper are AMT pieces.

The orange AMT kit has a lower vinyl top molding added below the rear window/sail panel; a detail AMT omitted due to the convertible/hardtop kit variations, a modification that should be made  if using the vinyl top.  The wheels are from an MPC 70-71 Mopar annual.  Yes, there are no R/T badges...it's an "A66" 340, not an R/T (MPC 340 underhood from a Duster).

The white Vanishing Point kit shows another option; glue the vinyl roof on and remove the vinyl texture.  This was much easier than it looks.  

Mike, your blue car based on the MPC Promo beautifully proves my contention that the original MPC annual kit/promo is by a good measure the most authentic and lifelike Challenger miniature.  Your other builds and conversions look very sharp, too, but that blue car totally does it for me.   Thanks for sharing..TB t 

[Dave Darby]

15 hours ago, tim boyd said:

Mike, your blue car based on the MPC Promo beautifully proves my contention that the original MPC annual kit/promo is by a good measure the most authentic and lifelike Challenger miniature.  Your other builds and conversions look very sharp, too, but that blue car totally does it for me.   Thanks for sharing..TB t 

X2 Tim. Makes me want to hunt one down and build it. 

[Bills72sj]

I am partial to the AMT body but was still quite pleased with the Lindberg one except for the hood.

I made a replica of my buddy's '70 R/T SE, an uptop '70 convertible and a 1 of none '72 440-6.

[Can-Con]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned how bad the shape of the top of the side window opening is on the AMT roof.

Am I the only one seeing this? It has much more of an upward arch then it should have.

[jjsipes]

This is what has lead to my question. The GoMango TA is the old Monogram mold, the Plymouth Crazy RT is the Revel diecast based.

[Bob Ellis]

17 hours ago, Bills72sj said:

I am partial to the AMT body but was still quite pleased with the Lindberg one except for the hood.

I made a replica of my buddy's '70 R/T SE, an uptop '70 convertible and a 1 of none '72 440-6.

The Lindberg is a blatant copy of the MPC , Hart's Parts has the stock hood.

[Hard_2_Handle_454]

22 minutes ago, Bob Ellis said:

The Lindberg is a blatant copy of the MPC , Hart's Parts has the stock hood.

They do.  It's a good fitting hood for the most part.  It's the same place I got my 71 grill.  Just wish they did the correct rear end for the 71.

SAM_0448 by Eric Lucas, on Flickr

 

[Sport Suburban]

None are perfect but I knew the Monogram TA first and the AMT second and loved building them both. I was not as picky then and the only thing I didn't like was the shaker on the AMT kits. This was in the late 80's. I still like these kits but the best for me is the MPC body's with the AMT chassis thrown in and using a better engine! This is a 71 Hemi Challenger RT. This is a resin Modelhaus kit that I started with.

[Sport Suburban]

Also did something similar with this 72 Rallye 340! Original MPC rebuilder.

[Sport Suburban]

But this one was a lot of work but came out real nice. It started as the 1/24 Monogram TA and the Monogram 71 Hemi Cuda!

[Robberbaron]

5 hours ago, Can-Con said:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned how bad the shape of the top of the side window opening is on the AMT roof.

Am I the only one seeing this? It has much more of an upward arch then it should have.

Yup, hot mess.  I have one in my stash that I'll never build unless I score one of the Lindberg bodies.  Wish I'd gotten one of those when they were common and no one wanted them.  It even still has the 70-71 side markers.  I think Round 2 could move a lot more of the AMT Challengers if they would offer it with a true, accurate hardtop body.

Don't think anyone has mentioned it in this thread, but I recall a similar comparison when the diecast-based Revell first came out.  The comparison between the various bodies clearly showed that it is really about 1/24.5 scale, falling between the old 1/24 Monogram and the true 1/25 scale AMT, MPC, and Lindberg/PSM bodies.

[CapSat 6]

15 hours ago, Can-Con said:

I'm surprised no one has mentioned how bad the shape of the top of the side window opening is on the AMT roof.

Am I the only one seeing this? It has much more of an upward arch then it should have.

I always saw it, too. I did build some of these some time ago, and I can tell you that when building an AMT Challenger, either doing a black vinyl roof, or otherwise painting it a dark color helps. 
 

With Round 2 modifying so many of their old tools right now, I think it would be super worth it if they tooled up a new hardtop body with accurate roof for this one. 

['70 Grande]

The bad side window shape on the AMT kit troubled me as well. My attempts to correct it included adding styrene strips to not only flatten-out that upward-arch, but also to widen the roof at the side window openings so it lined-up better with the corners of the windshield frame once drip rails are added, (as seen in pic 1 below).  I sorta gave-up when I couldn't come up with a plan for how to resolve the back window shape which still seems "off" to me, (as seen in pic 2 below).

 

 

Edited September 16, 2023 by '70 Grande

['70 Grande]

The other problem I found was that my attempt also resulted in what looks like a chopped-roof to me... and adding drip rails will only make this worse.

Edited September 16, 2023 by '70 Grande

['70 Grande]

Anyone have any suggestions as to what my next steps might be?  I'm thinking of adding a styrene strip across the top of the windshield frame and at the base of the C-pillars to raise the entire roof upwards to eliminate that chopped-roof look; also considering sanding the top edges of the door to drop that edge down a bit... thoughts, anyone?  Also, any suggestions regarding that back window opening?

Edited September 16, 2023 by '70 Grande

[Hard_2_Handle_454]

17 hours ago, Sport Suburban said:

None are perfect but I knew the Monogram TA first and the AMT second and loved building them both. I was not as picky then and the only thing I didn't like was the shaker on the AMT kits. This was in the late 80's. I still like these kits but the best for me is the MPC body's with the AMT chassis thrown in and using a better engine! This is a 71 Hemi Challenger RT. This is a resin Modelhaus kit that I started with.

That is Beautiful; I wish they were still around.