Round 2 Product News at the 2023 NNL Motor City

[tim boyd]

Here are some photos from the Round 2 display at the 2023 NNL Motor City earlier today.

The big new news is the 1968 Coronet R/T hardtop with trailer is now officially confirmed and a sample was on display.

The new Dodge Demon 340 was also there (watch for a separate detailed post on that), along with the 1960 and 1963 Ford pickups, the Warlock Dodge, the flip-top 1970 Mustang Mach Won funny car, the 1964 Chevelle HT, and more.

I was especially impressed with the 1963 F100. Unlike the original annual kit, the new kit body is sink marks free, the bodyside molding is arrow straight (not so, the annual kit - that was a mess!), and the headlamps are now clear lenses.

Two modified reissues announced today include the AMT/Ertl 1971 Charger tool with a mix/match of parts from the original showroom stock version and the "Street Machine" version that to the best of my knowledge was only issued once before, around 2002.   That means you'll now be able to build with the "Bazooka" dual exhausts and the Air Grabber hood scoop, along with the aftermarket Hemi big block conversion that was in the original SM kit.   The other one was the custom version of the 1957 Chrysler 300C. 

I will do a separate post with a more in-depth look at the Demon 340 kit....

Assuming you guys continue to buy the "cloned" kits, the reissues, and the all-new kits like the 2021 Bronco, Steve Goldman and the Round 2 team apparently have more plans under consideration for next year!

Highlights below...and more Photos at this link... https://public.fotki.com/funman1712/model-car-events-co/2023-nnl-motor-city/round-2-product-news-/

PS - sorry for the funky depth of field in some of these photos....camera was not cooperating...

 

[wrenchr]

Very cool stuff, thanks Tim!! 

[mikemodeler]

Thanks for sharing, looks like this fat kid is going to have to start saving his lunch money for all of the cool stuff coming! Mopar fans should be happy!

[R.J]

It is so great to see the 64 Chevelle coming.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

Just when I figgered I had dang near every kit I could possibly want...  

[bobthehobbyguy]

Great new kits. Definitely the time for everyone to put their money where there mouth is. The upgraded clones are great. Hopefully we will see more great projects fron Round2. 

[Mopeyguy]

@tim boydthanks for your update and knowledge for those of us who cant make these events. Cheers

[Fat Brian]

That's a cool variation on the 71 Charger kit, I need a couple more for chassis donors and having different parts will be nice.

[Dragonhawk1066]

Thanks for the pics and info Tim!

[ChrisBcritter]

Great stuff! Nice detail shots of the '63 pickup especially.

On the '57 300, what's been "modified"? New decals? I love the bullet-centered Cadillac Sabre wheels it has; I'm saving a couple sets of those for kustoms, or maybe if I get a reissued '58 Jo-Han Fleetwood.

[tim boyd]

4 hours ago, ChrisBcritter said:

Great stuff! Nice detail shots of the '63 pickup especially.

On the '57 300, what's been "modified"? New decals? I love the bullet-centered Cadillac Sabre wheels it has; I'm saving a couple sets of those for kustoms, or maybe if I get a reissued '58 Jo-Han Fleetwood.

Hi Chris....I do not know what is different this time.  Steve mentioned the Sabre wheels being in the reissue, but I checked my original kit and it had those wheels as well.  Maybe there was a previous reissue that omitted those?   Or maybe he was referring to new box art that will do a much better job of selling the different content vs. the factory stock kit.  As we all know, the box art of the AMT/Ertl kits from the late 1990s did a horrible job of merchandising the kit features, and especially so with the "custom" and "street machine" kit tooling derivatives....TB 

[drodg]

Well this is great news.  I have the Demon on order and looking forward to that Coronet hardtop.       I also would like the 63 F100!  This could be an expensive year.  Oh then there are the Moebius 65 Coronets coming at some point I assume?  

[tim boyd]

18 minutes ago, drodg said:

Well this is great news.  I have the Demon on order and looking forward to that Coronet hardtop.       I also would like the 63 F100!  This could be an expensive year.  Oh then there are the Moebius 65 Coronets coming at some point I assume?  

Yes, the Moebius Coronets are still moving along from what I understand.  Latest sounds like the AWB version might be the first to break cover.....TB

[iamsuperdan]

Well, R2 certainly know their demographic. I'm sure these will all sell quite well.

Are any of these new tools? Or are they all reissues or re-workings of existing kits?

[drodg]

34 minutes ago, tim boyd said:

Yes, the Moebius Coronets are still moving along from what I understand.  Latest sounds like the AWB version might be the first to break cover.....TB

Thanks Tim

 

[niteowl7710]

3 hours ago, tim boyd said:

Hi Chris....I do not know what is different this time.  Steve mentioned the Sabre wheels being in the reissue, but I checked my original kit and it had those wheels as well.  Maybe there was a previous reissue that omitted those?   Or maybe he was referring to new box art that will do a much better job of selling the different content vs. the factory stock kit.  As we all know, the box art of the AMT/Ertl kits from the late 1990s did a horrible job of merchandising the kit features, and especially so with the "custom" and "street machine" kit tooling derivatives....TB 

I'm almost positive that both the 57 300C and 71 Charger never carried their Custom/Street Machine parts in any kits that weren't branded that way specifically.  Otherwise, they only built out factory stock like the original kit.  There were 3 releases of the "Custom" 300C and that makes it around 18 years since the last time it was reissued with those parts.  It's been about the same length of time since the Street Machine '71 Charger parts have seen the light of day too. 

[SteveG]

11 hours ago, ChrisBcritter said:

Great stuff! Nice detail shots of the '63 pickup especially.

On the '57 300, what's been "modified"? New decals? I love the bullet-centered Cadillac Sabre wheels it has; I'm saving a couple sets of those for kustoms, or maybe if I get a reissued '58 Jo-Han Fleetwood.

On the Chrysler '57 Chrysler 300 Custom, the parts are a straight from the last Custom Issue in 2006.  I'm hoping that the new packaging will show it's features better like the Cadillac Sabre wheels which were not shown before.  The new expanded decal sheet will have some Larry Watson inspired flame graphics and other goodies.  

-Steve

[Ken Hart]

6 hours ago, niteowl7710 said:

 There were 3 releases of the "Custom" 300C and that makes it around 18 years since the last time it was reissued with those parts.  It's been about the same length of time since the Street Machine '71 Charger parts have seen the light of day too. 

Even longer for the Charger. The street machine version was first issued in 2001 and reissued the following year with slightly different box art. 

Steve G., can you provide any additional details on this one?

[1972coronet]

RE: The '71 Charger R/T : 
Certainly I'm not alone in hoping for a set of bucket seats (the bench is incorrect for an R/T, but works for the Super Bee and other models) , with an optional console (I'm keen on buckets with column shift). 

Likewise, I prefer the de facto 'N97' Noise Reduction Package exhaust of the stock version. With that in mind, how about offering both the festooned pipes and the turndown exhaust as options ? 

The Street Machine version's engine represents the relatively-obscure Stage V Hemi conversion from the 1980's-early 90's. That's a nice touch - albeit, 'improperly' executed :
- The stock H.P. exhaust manifolds wouldn't work in 1:1 
- The A/C setup wouldn't clear the front carburetor in 1:1 

However, its virtues outweigh any real or perceived shortcomings.

[Bills72sj]

I'll be in for the Coronet, the Charger, the Warlock and the Mustang Funny car.

[SteveG]

13 hours ago, Ken Hart said:

Even longer for the Charger. The street machine version was first issued in 2001 and reissued the following year with slightly different box art. 

Steve G., can you provide any additional details on this one?

Hi Ken,

This version of the "71 Charger R/T is different from the former Street Machine version is that it doesn't include the custom wheels, larger tires or lowered suspension.   The idea was to pick the best parts from the two previous versions and combine them into a new package.  So, it will include the Air Grabber Hood, Stage V Hemi and the Slotted Exhaust tips.  Box will feature new artwork by Brad Leisure.  

-Steve

[Justin Porter]

I imagine the '71 Hemi Charger will sell a TON better without the very 1999 custom wheels and the weirdly sagging rear end on the box art model. 

[Ken Hart]

On 11/14/2023 at 9:19 AM, SteveG said:

Hi Ken,

This version of the "71 Charger R/T is different from the former Street Machine version is that it doesn't include the custom wheels, larger tires or lowered suspension.   The idea was to pick the best parts from the two previous versions and combine them into a new package.  So, it will include the Air Grabber Hood, Stage V Hemi and the Slotted Exhaust tips.  Box will feature new artwork by Brad Leisure.  

-Steve

Kind of figured that was the case; sounds like a winner! Thanks, Steve!

[Mr mopar]

You could not get A/C with a  426 Hemi  ever let alone '71 ! can you guys fix this ?

[Rob Hall]

55 minutes ago, Mr mopar said:

You could not get A/C with a  426 Hemi  ever let alone '71 ! can you guys fix this ?

The engine from the '71 Charger Super Bee street machine kit represents an aftermarket, non-factory Hemi IIRC.   The regular R/T kit was a 440 w/ A/C and bench/bucket seat, IIRC.