To those about to NNL, we salute you! Wondering what R2 has up their sleeve?

[Stef]

8 hours ago, mikos said:

Let’s hope they do a stock Z28 if they can find/tool up the correct hood.  I know the Super Z was the annual for 1980 and that included stock and custom parts.  However, that was the first year for the “air induction” style hood.

The Night Prowler was based on the ‘78-‘79 annual which had different fender vents and front grill insert.  I don't see them doing that version unless they backdate the fender vents (highly unlikely) and find the ‘78-‘79 grill insert.

The Thunder Z came with custom parts that covered the fender vents and the ‘78-‘79 style hood scoop.  So, that one could be reissued again if they can find the specific Thunder Z custom parts for it.

Right you are, Michael. Me personally, I'd be totally OK with whatever hood/fender vent/grille/dash combo they come out with. As long as they still have the common IMSA-esque rear bodywork, Night Prowler-specific front blisters/air dam, Thunder Z-specific hood/front bodywork, and Super Z race bits, they might be able to reissue all versions. Might be a tough business case to consider backdating and/or tooling up new parts for the different versions.

In the meantime, Luka Cee did a really nice comparo of these MPC Camaros a couple years ago. Enjoy!

 

[Zoom Zoom]

11 hours ago, stavanzer said:

I don't think this is an official Round2 Video.

I almost couldn't finish the video, his accent/speech is so garbled as to be gibberish to my ear. I had to mute the sound so I could see it to the end. I'm glad he shared, but maybe one the the "Older Guys" needed to shoot one like this, so we could hear a better history of the kits.

It's not an official R2 video. The presenter is an extraordinarily talented younger builder and is well known in the YT community and to all of those he's met at shows. He's had quite a few life challenges, his Mom has enabled him to go to various shows around the country which has gained him a ton of new friends and respect for his amazing work on his own models. I'm sure if Round2 had some sort of description cards displayed with the new products he'd have included that information. I'm also sure that some of the older YT presenters will be sharing similar videos as the week progresses.

The two buttons I use frequently for YT viewing on my smart TV are "mute" and "back" 😂

[sean2390]

14 hours ago, Daddyfink said:

 

Thanks Jesse for making and posting this video ... it is appreciated!

[Hondamatic]

6 hours ago, Stef said:

Right you are, Michael. Me personally, I'd be totally OK with whatever hood/fender vent/grille/dash combo they come out with. As long as they still have the common IMSA-esque rear bodywork, Night Prowler-specific front blisters/air dam, Thunder Z-specific hood/front bodywork, and Super Z race bits, they might be able to reissue all versions. Might be a tough business case to consider backdating and/or tooling up new parts for the different versions.

In the meantime, Luka Cee did a really nice comparo of these MPC Camaros a couple years ago. Enjoy!

 

I have an unbuilt Night Prowler that came with a model lot I bought and it has always bothered me that the front and rear fender treatments on that one don't match

[Stef]

47 minutes ago, Hondamatic said:

I have an unbuilt Night Prowler that came with a model lot I bought and it has always bothered me that the front and rear fender treatments on that one don't match

Ha ha, agreed, Hien! I butchered my original Night Prowler in 1979/1980, though did a much nicer job with another sealed kit in 1995/1996.

I currently have an opened, unbuilt Night Prowler (sans decals), and debating how I would like to do it.

Super excited to see what Round 2 does next with their Camaro tooling; might be really nice to kitbash/blend Thunder Z front fenders with the Night Prowler front air dam.

In the meantime, I've got a trilogy of Galaxies to build in your honour, and they ain't gonna start themselves!

[Rob Hall]

I built the MPC '78 annual stock and the ThunderZ (as on the box art) as a kid...still have them in their original brush-painted glory.   I can see getting one of the reissues..

[Stef]

15 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

I built the MPC '78 annual stock and the ThunderZ (as on the box art) as a kid...still have them in their original brush-painted glory.   I can see getting one of the reissues..

DUDE! Post pics! Would love to relive the memories!

[Rob Hall]

35 minutes ago, Stef said:

DUDE! Post pics! Would love to relive the memories!

I found the ThunderZ easily.  It’s much as it was when I built it 43 years ago as a kid.  Unpainted with the decals.  
 

The 78 should be somewhere in the top of these stacks.  These are mostly kits I built in the late 70s to early 90s.  

Edited Thursday at 08:42 PM by Rob Hall

[stavanzer]

I love the Engine  in the Thunder-Z

[Motor City]

@Rob Hall oh, my gosh, I spotted a PALMER Cougar in your stash!

[Rob Hall]

14 minutes ago, Motor City said:

@Rob Hall oh, my gosh, I spotted a PALMER Cougar in your stash!

Yes, I have a few Palmers that my older brother built back then and later passed on to me.   And I like Cougars (have all the AMT and MPC ones)—my folks had a 1:1 ‘67 and a ‘68.  When I was about 10 (1980) my older brother gave me a box with about 25 kits he built in the 60s, and ‘58-65 vintage promos. Kind of kick started my interest in old kits…

Edited Thursday at 10:03 PM by Rob Hall

[Stef]

5 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

I found the ThunderZ easily.  It’s much as it was when I built it 43 years ago as a kid.  Unpainted with the decals.  
 

The 78 should be somewhere in the top of these stacks.  These are mostly kits I built in the late 70s to early 90s.  

Wow, absolutely phenom Thunder Z, and a super fine stash of some of the most classic and revered kits of all time. I salute you, Rob.

[Rob Hall]

6 minutes ago, Stef said:

Wow, absolutely phenom Thunder Z, and a super fine stash of some of the most classic and revered kits of all time. I salute you, Rob.

And that is only a small portion of my stash.   

[Daddyfink]

22 hours ago, sean2390 said:

Thanks Jesse for making and posting this video ... it is appreciated!

Oh, I did not make it, it is off you tube! LOL! Can't take credit for that. And you are most welcome! 

[Mopeyguy]

that video posted is filled with information that is incorrect for those kits. That fellow needs to do more research before posting.

[tim boyd]

On 4/27/2025 at 2:13 PM, stavanzer said:

I wonder how much demand there really is for the Astro One?

I'm not sure that there really is that big a market for the kit.

For those who don't know what the Astro One looks like....

o

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/show-rods/amt-chevrolets-expe/?view=roll#1

Fascinating....been going through my entire volume of the recently discontinued Hemmings Classic Cars, and found a letter to the Editor in one issue responding to an article in a prior issue on the Astro 1. 

The writer, who said he was a former GM designer on the project, conveyed that the Astro 1 was originally designed for a company in "Midland, Texas"....[err that would be Chaparral Race Cars, right?]...to be entered in the 24 hours of LeMans and powered by a DOHC (IIRC) racing version of the Corvair boxer six. 

The program was eventually cancelled, and according to the writer, the [Chaparral] white car was repainted red, relieved of its experimental engine, and placed on the auto show circuit.  As past auto industry rumors go, that's a pretty juicy one...TB  

[stavanzer]

2 hours ago, tim boyd said:

.to be entered in the 24 hours of LeMans and powered by a DOHC (IIRC) racing version of the Corvair boxer six. 

Well, that is a Boxer Six in the kit.