Ross Gibson Engines?

[Bill J]

I looked at a few Ross Gibson engines and to me the effort required to make them "right" is beyond what I am willing to do at that price.

I think that the Historic Racing Miniatures parts and kits are without equal. It is obvious that Harold is a master at the craft! Very reasonable as well. A little hard to get though. Worth the wait for perfection!

[Greg Pugh]

I have a RG engine that I've been trying to put together for a hot rod project and I can tell you....NEVER again! I've hated it EVERY step of the way! And even with all of my work, it still won't look as good as a kit-supplied engine.

[jbwelda]

I have always wondered about these engine kits. I have seen a couple in person at the NNL and had the same question: people really pay this kind of money for this bag of resin? I could see pinholes, some big enough to obliterate entire corners of the block. flash that buried what appeared to be the parts. I thought it was just expected that you would put that much work in to make them look like the photos. seemed like way too much work for what you had to pay, to me. plus they looked too large to me too...like maybe 1/22 instead of 24 or 25th.

jb

[1972coronet]

I bought the 340 Four Barrel kit for a couple of different reasons :

1.) I'm not buying an entire kit just to cannibalise its parts

2.) The Gibson kit comes with a well-executed A-727-A Torqueflite

3.) The Gibson kit has both the 1968-1969 and 1970-1973 front accessories

4.) I paid a lot less than the typical MSRP for my sample !

[John Pol]

I had a couple of Ross Gibson engines yes they are alot of work but not to maney casters do those engines. And once done they look real good.

[w451973]

I don't see how he gets the price he's asking for the quality you get. I'de much rather buy a kit and have extra parts to use or trade. But then again I don't see how some of these part selling guys on ebay get their asking prices either.

Edited November 15, 2014 by w451973

[BDSchindler]

Thanks guys...at least I know it's not just my opinion then. I picked up all three kits for less than $20 a pop and originally thought I got a deal. After looking at the parts, I realized maybe not.

I used to write for Toy Cars and Models Magazine as well as the highly mis-managed The Car Room Magazine. In my columns, I reviewed primarily 1/24th scale diecast vehicles that ranged in price from $50 to $3,000+ retail. I never pulled any punches in a review of a diecast and always balanced the level of detail with the retail price when reviewing.

Regardless of price, however, If it was BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH, I called it BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH and noted why it was BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH. While I developed some great friendships with the designers of the cars I reviewed, they knew that if I called their products BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH, there was a reason. I have ruffled more than my fair share of feathers but that ruffling managed to get better products brought out either in future builds or, in several cases, managed to have the companies do a mid run production fix.

This is why I was concerned that someone may thing I was trying to start trouble...I wasn't, but to that point...BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH is BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH.

Does anyone have a contact for Ross Gibson? I contacted the retailer I got them from to get their info but they buy from a distributor so it dead-ended there.

[10thumbs]

I bought the 340 Four Barrel kit for a couple of different reasons :

1.) I'm not buying an entire kit just to cannibalise its parts

2.) The Gibson kit comes with a well-executed A-727-A Torqueflite

3.) The Gibson kit has both the 1968-1969 and 1970-1973 front accessories

4.) I paid a lot less than the typical MSRP for my sample !

Hi John, your number 2? The 340's I know of didn't have a 727 TF behind them. All of mine back in the day had TF 904's.

I didn't like the hydraulic brake deal or whatever the thing is on the pulley unit on my RG 426 Hilborn Injected motor. Geez, power steering/brakes on a AWB 65 Mopar?

What's your number 1 have to do with a 4bubbel 340?

Personally, I have no problem with picking parts out of mothball kits to make my current more satisfactory.

Michael

[FASTBACK340]

340's came with the 727…...

A727 (36RH/37RH)[edit]

The A488 was replaced in 1962 with the A727 (later renamed 36RH and 37RH), with a one-piece aluminum case to reduce weight by about 60 lb (27 kg). This was initially referred to in consumer-oriented publications as the "TorqueFlite 8" to differentiate it from the A904. The A727 incorporated a parking pawl, with the sole exception of the 1962 Chrysler version, which had an extension-mounted drum brake. Compared to the early cast-iron transmissions, many and various internal improvements were featured, and it used a 10.75 in (27.3 cm) or 11.75 in (29.8 cm) torque converter. The heavier-duty A727 Torqueflites became — and remain — wildly popular for drag racing, off roading, and monster truck applications because of their controllability, reliability, ease/cheapness of repair and brute strength.

• 1962-1978 361, 383, 400 B-Motor V8
• 1962-1978 413, 426 Wedge, 440 RB-V8
• 1964-1965 426 Hemi Super Stock
• 1966-1971 426 "Street" Hemi
• 1968-1971 426 Hemi Super Stock
• 1962-1966 318 "A" "Poly" V8
• 1968-1973 340
• 1971-1978 360
• H.D. 225 RG Slant Six and 273/318 V8 (Police, Taxi, Light-Duty Pickups, "A" Van, "B" Van). The RG application involved a factory adapter plate.
• 1980-1991 AMC 304, 360 V8 "Torque-Command 8"

[FASTBACK340]

BTW: While Ross Gibson engines don't exactly "fall together" they DO offer a level of detail & realism not possible with kit pieces. The last one I built was the 340 6 Bbl. version, which Historic Racing Minatures DOES NOT produce, that had a 2 piece fuel pump and multiple-piece carburetors with separate multi-piece vacuum secondary diaphragms. If this type of stuff gets you going, these are neat kits. Yes, there are pin holes. Yes, you have to level ALL seems and work `em, but they CAN be built nicely.

My 340-6BBl.

I also built the 413 long-ram version of the big block, again, not available from HRM

Not knocking HRM's offering, just stating that as far as accurate, realistic Mopar engines, it's this or scratch-build using kit pieces (where available…) and do your own.

[gtx6970]

John,

Not knocking your build but if those are the carbs that come with said 340 sixpack, I would have dropped them in the trash.

Ive never held one of the RG engines in my hands but from what I've seen over the years I doubt I ever will

[caine440]

I have used several of them. The Pro Stock Hemi, 392 injected Hemi and several others.

They take a little work as does all resin but I like them and think they look darn good when finished.

Just my 2 cents.

[Force]

The quality among the resin casters varies a lot...some are good and some are...well not so good, and that's the way it is and we have to work with what's available to us...do the things ourselves...or do without it completely...it's up to each one to decide

As many here have said, Ross Gibson offers many engines and versions of engines never done before for modelers and that's mainly why I bought the ones I have, and with some work they looks quite decent.

I have bought some engine kits and parts from HRM too and his products are very good...but you can't exactly call them cheap and HRM and RG doesn't offer the same things so I don't know if you can compare them at the same level other than they are both resin casters and the quality of their products.

Edited November 16, 2014 by Force

[DeeCee]

I found the Gibson engines to be pretty rough B grade quality engines, i would be embarrassed to put my name to something so poorly cast, sorry, will never buy another one..

[Gothicz House Of Kustomz]

Never bought one, but a friend sent me one, soooooo glad I didn't pay for it, now I have bought plenty from a guy, been casting about 6-7 years now VCG resins, awesome detail, and casting, stands behind his work 100%, displays nice clean stuff on his home page, here, go check it out for yourself, nice guy too....

http://vcgresin.atspace.com/

[Bruno]

I'm currently building my first Ross Gibson engine, bought it because that engine can't be found anywhere else. It is perfect? no, there are some pinholes but nothing that can't be fixed. It does need some work, as I expect with all resin parts. It will be a very nice engine when finished. All in all I'm satisfied and will be buying other Ross Gibson engines in the future.

[BubbaBrown]

I think he closed down awhile back. so its all moot

[jbwelda]

not really moot as even if he has shut down there will be plenty out there on ebay etc.

as to the quality, I guess I am getting spoiled by Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland and certain other resin casters.

jb

[Bruno]

I think he closed down awhile back. so its all moot

Ross Gibson Engines is closed?

That's sad

[Randytheroadrunner]

Hi Brian, it's me the other tree shaker in the diecast hobby. I've been building models for over 50 years and I consider model building a hobby that takes more than just creative juices. I agree on the Gibson Engines....pitiful.....

[jaftygas]

Well, I'm convinced I won't be buying one thanks for the tip, I was wondering if these were worth it, and nope is my conclusion. I can get all the big block Chevys I want and still have the Moroso valve covers I want and some cool tubed tires from revell's 67 pro street, and 68 vette, all for 18.00 dollars a pop.

[jaftygas]

One other thing there's not a 409 in the bunch!?!?

[geetee66]

Hmm..

I was going to put a Gibson 392 Hemi gasser engine in a 41 Willys pickup.

Now I've discovered I need to mate this to a transmission, (which the Gibson kit doesn't supply).

Does anyone have any idea which transmission would be right for this, and where I can get one in resin..?

Anyway, I like a challenge. I built one of those old Revell multi-piece bodied kits recently. Because it was difficult.

True, the RG engines need a bit of cleanup, but some of the parts are really crisp. I guess it depends on the batch.

[High octane]

You can all relax as Ross Gibson had passed away 'bout a week ago, and may he R.I.P.

[Harry P.]

You can all relax as Ross Gibson had passed away 'bout a week ago...

The man? Or the company?