i have been wondering why there are so few 4 door classic car kits

[Carmak]

For 1/25 scale ANNUAL model kits tooled in the original golden era (1958-mid 70’s) we need to take a step back.

The business model in this era was:

* Auto manufacturer contract with model kit company to make promo cars.

* Once promo contract was complete utilize portions of the promo mold (specifically the body) to make the annual model kit.

The model companies didn’t pick the body style of the annual, the auto manufacturers did.

 

There are exceptions like the Revel 62 Annuals which are not promo based, but they are exceptions.

[TonyK]

Everyone has made good points as to why the model companies don't make 4 doors and I understand where they are coming from. I've been frustrated in the past that so many 2 door models are the SS versions or the souped up version. So often I just wanted the family car type but again it's not fancy enough and might not sell as well.

[StevenGuthmiller]

5 hours ago, Carmak said:

The model companies didn’t pick the body style of the annual, the auto manufacturers did.

That might very well be the case, but the fact still remains that 4 door models were produced at a much higher rate in the beginning of the annual era, especially by Johan.

They pretty much disappeared by around 1963.

 

 

Steve

[Mark]

Of all the kit manufacturers, Jo-Han was way more tied in to promotional models by percentage of their production than AMT or MPC.  You could count on your fingers the number of Jo-Han annual kits that were not first made as promos.  But even they figured out that kit buyers didn't want four-doors. 

The last Jo-Han annual four-door kits were done in '62 (Cadillac, Oldsmobile, and Rambler Classic).  Jo-Han did do a number of AMC promos that were not offered as kits, including a four-door or two. 

MPC didn't do any four-door annuals (promo or kit).  Probably just the luck of the draw, the manufacturers they were doing promos for likely just didn't want any.

After 1960, AMT did the Lincoln Continentals for a few years, and one Ford LTD, mainly because they already had the tooling costs paid for via the promo business.  Even then, they initially announced the '70 LTD as a customizing kit but walked that back and just offered the promo in unassembled form for a buck.

You could make a good argument that the full-size and luxury cars didn't matter one way or the other, because they wouldn't be built as racing versions.  Anything else, though, a four-door kit just wasn't going to sell.  And everyone had that figured out by the end of 1962.

[Ulf]

From my own point of view, when I was a child I dreamed of top of the line. Now that I am of age I like the understated, four doors, some chrome, small hubcaps, even small engine.
Pickup kits give room to build that style actually, Moebius in particular.
I think today there is a bigger market for four-door kits than there was in the 70s and 80s when what was released time and time again was brought out. Revell has in modern times made some 55-57 Chevrolet not ht.

Edited September 20, 2024 by Ulf