Is Revell watching this thread, too???

[Harry P.]

You bring up an interesting point... a lot of modelers will buy several kits of the same model, they'll buy a big bucks aftermarket prewired distributor, a REALLY big bucks aftermarket engine, PE sets, etc... they'll pay $$$$$$ for resin parts, but they balk at paying a few bucks more for a nice kit with added extras.

Apparently a lot of people are perfectly willing to spend a ton of cash just to gather up some aftermarket bits and pieces to build one kit, and don't give the high prices of the aftermarket stuff much thought, but they expect the actual kit itself to be dirt cheap.

[93Z34]

The Pro Modeler Daytona kit was one of the sweetest kits ever made in my opinion. I was fortunate enough to get one of those kits when they first came out, but inadvertenly lost the photo-etch sheet through several moves. I would gladly pay the higher prices for these kits and the other Pro Modeler kits should they ever be re-issued.

[Roadkill2525]

Ok, so lets give Revell a list of other tools that we would want to see variations of...along the lines of the '32 tooling variations

'90 Firebird Formula----'88-'90 IROC ( IROC was from '85-'90, with options for TBI or TPI engine like the Monte Carlo)

'86 Monte Carlo---'86 Cutlass w/ 442 option & lightning rod shifter (the Lighting Rod was in the '83-'84 Hurst/Olds, the 442 was from '85-'87. Also the Pontiac Grand Prix and Grand Prix 2+2)

Edited September 21, 2009 by El Destructo Inc

[Harry P.]

In case Revell is still watching this thread...

I'm still waiting for my 1/8 Daytona or Superbird.

(I know, I know... it'll never happen...)

[James Flowers]

It's really hard to tell what you mean by the "every day on the road" statement because, again, not trying to be the least bit flippant, I see cars like Mustangs, Challengers and Camaros every day on the road.

If you're talking about cars like the Camry, Accord, Fusion, Elantra, etc., chances are, Revell is never going to satisfy your wishes in that regard. Cars like that simply don't have sex appeal or the cool factor that translates to model kit sales. For example, as I mentioned in an earlier post, I drive an '05 Ford Focus four-door hatchback. Great car, but would I want to build a model of it? Ummmm ... no.

And, yes, I fully agree with you that snap kits and promos are great. But, again, they still have to be of subjects that appeal to a mass audience in order to be successful sales-wise.

I will tell you when my dad took me to my first model shop. They had the cars of the time period 1958 or 1959 year cars on the shelves and all kinds of promo's to chose from. They did this for along time. New up to date model cars every year. That is what got me started building for 50 years. How many kids would do the same thing If that were the case today? Now I have to be content with those same old cars over and over again. Well I am not and never will be. New things are the life blood of everything . Going stagnate with the same thing over and over will kill this hobby sooner than later. If the model companies are not willing to take a risk on new up to date cars and trucks? They should quit now. By the way I drive a 2002 ZX3 With the dual overhead cam engine. Fun car to drive.

Edited September 22, 2009 by mustanglover1951

[93Z34]

i'll be honest here, and Brian i'm not picking on you. the '69 Daytona kit in the Pro Modeler issue or box is the most disappointing out of all the kits in that series. the reason i say this is that the parts included to build the Nascar spec racecar were a joke in my opinion. the tires were massively undersized, but well done and the racing wheels for those were scale 14" sized. add to that a simple hoop style roll bar appropriate only maybe in a drag car and a stance barely better than the too high street car it was quite a let down. that aside it is a very nice replica of a '69 Daytona which we did later get decontented. probably should have been the only way it was offered. the "Stock" only version still retained the photoetched grille piece and the lowered spindles which help with the stance when building a "Stock" version.

i bought all of the Pro Modeler automotive kits, even taking well advantage of the clearance prices on the goofy roofed '69 Chargers as shops made mass efforts to get rid of them. my opinion was that the '70 Torino was the best of the bunch with the '58 Corvette coming in a close second.

Dave

No offense taken Dave. I never really looked at the Pro Modeler Daytona kit in terms of building the Nascar version. I compared it to the abortionalized release MPC/AMT did and was blown away at the accuracy of the stock version. IMO the AMT release would be better suited to convert into a Nascar version as it just takes alot of work to make that kit look right in stock form. However, after seeing Mark Batson's version of a Nascar Daytona, given enough patience, research and modifying, the Revell Daytona can be built into a very convincing Nascar replica.

Being a huge Superbird and Daytona fanatic, I think the Revell Daytona is a fantastic replica of a factory stock car, (not racecar). Like many others, I do wish there were maybe a couple different engine options and possibly wheel options, but all in all, a great kit that builds into a sweet looking replica of the real thing.

I have a f/s Pro Modeler '69 Charger kit as well and will tackle that kit someday with the body from the later releases. Having not opened the box, I can't see firsthand what everyone is talking about in terms of the body and so forth, but I have enough of the later releases of the '69 Charger to be able to make this kit work.

[93Z34]

does anyone rememeber what the kits cost when new in the stores? seems to me they were somewhere around $18?

Dave

I'm thinking my Daytona kit cost close to $20, or even maybe just a bit more when I bought it. I mainly bought the kit due to the subject matter and the photoetch pieces. Of course I lost the stupid photoetch for that kit so I'm hosed. I've tried and tried to locate another photo etch tree for my kit but haven't been able to find any yet.

Anyways, I do rememebr I kinda cringed at the price, but when I got the kit home and opened it up, I was definitely glad I paid the price for that kit. Amazing how much "regular" kits cost these days isn't it? I cringed at paying around $20 for a kit that came complete with photoetch and so forth back then but today I'm spending anywhere from $25 to $35 for a kit, depending on the subject. Go figure...

[93Z34]

The only difference between the ProModeler kit and the later releases is that the PM kit has the parts and decals to do a S/S drag version.

Is there any photoetch in the P/M Charger kit Ken?

[93Z34]

Thanks Dave. I'll have to dig that kit out and see just what version I have. I know Model Car Garage makes a detail set for th Charger. Not sure if they do for the Daytona though...

[LVZ2881]

where's my "beating a dead horse" icon????

[Robert81]

:lol:

I find this entire thread very Funny.

You bitch and whine about there being 5 versions of the Revell 32 Ford, and they are thinking of making another.

You know how Revell sees what they should produce next? They see it with sales.

Revell's 32 Ford variants (not just the one version, but all of them) have been the best selling tooling for Revell over the last ten years. The reason is simple, the 32 Deuce is the iconic hot/street rod. Henry himself built so many different body styles, variants are a given.

You can Bitch and Whine all you want, but when Revell thinks 32 Ford variants, they see BIG FAT $$$.

So, shut you PIE hole and speak with you wallet.

[James Flowers]

Ok, let's set things straight here with some hobby history.

First off, that was fifty years ago. Nothing on earth stays in stasis for fifty years, nothing.

The reason that occured is the automakers were bascially underwriting the model companies, (AMT especially, but also Jo-Han & when they came on the scene MPC too), by ordering promos of the new cars every year. Promos were made for Ford, GM, Chrysler & AMC. That paid for the tooling costs to the model companies to have the tooling for each promo to be cut. After the promo runs were done, then the model company would run the annual kits from the same tooling. In fact the first year AMT made annual kits was in 1958. AMT added a 4X6 chrome shot to the kits & additonal custom/racing parts options to enable the builder to make the kit one of three ways. The sales of those annual kits allowed AMT to create what became known as the "Trophy Series" of car models, starting with the 1932 Ford, (there it is again!), roadster 3/1 kit in 1959, AMT's first kit with an engine. Knowing that the costs of an entire's years worth of tooling was subsidized by Detroit's preorders allowed them to invest in tooling for non promos & non annual kits. Sales were in the millions of units, so if one particular model was a sales dud, the balance of the rest carried it.

Over time the annual kits began to include engines. This was done at first by modifying the promo tooling, (once the promo run was over), to allow opening hoods & a space in the chassis for the engine/tranny combo. Eventually they began doing some tooling for the annuals seperate from the promo tooling.

The market for model cars began declining in the latter 60's, & never hit the lofty peaks it once had. AMT ran it's last annual kits in 1977, (excluding the annual they inherited from MPC when Ertl bought both companies & ended the MPC name).

Flash forward fifty plus years. There haven't been a steady run of promos since the 70's, that's over thirty years ago itself. We haven't seen any promos since the 90's. There is no longer anyone else subsidizing the tooling costs for what's left of the model industry.

They simply can't afford to take the same type of risks they could 40+ years ago. There's no safety nets of preorders from Detroit to fall back on. They have to be very cautious as to how much investment they make in tooling.

You can argue from the heart & gut all you wish, this is 2009, not 1959. Changing tastes, times & economic conditions have dictated where the hobby is now.

Not being insulting, but if you can't argue from the head, with facts that are verifiable, you just don't have an argument. However I do love how you think if the model companies can't do as you please they need to quit. That's very "logical".

I am glad that you are the spokesman for the model companies. The real cars companies thought the same way. Look what happened to them. They rehashed the same things over and over. Just like you rehash the same reasons over and over. They knew best also ? Maybe the down fall began when they stop making the models of each new year. Have you ever thought about it that way? I don't think you have? Times have changed but the model companies have not. I am just saying they should rethink their strategy. You say I am not saying this from the head. I don't think you look at it but only your way.

[Zoom Zoom]

Cliff's notes:

The model companies never listen, all they ever make is more blah blah blah, well I'll tell you what, if they listened to me they'd make blah, blah, blah instead!

[Mike Chernecki]

Here is my list

'64 Chevelle

'63 Corvette

'55 Nomad

'57 Nomad

'67-68 Camaro

'56 Chevy Hardtop

'68 Nova

'70-72 Nova

[LVZ2881]

the '55 and '57 Nomads a re a good idea...

we havent had a decent kit of those produced yet..

Revell's seperate side trim 70's version included..

[Modelmartin]

This thread is HI-larious!!!

1.) Who has all of the models that they intended to build with existing kits finished? Anyone?

2.)I am a big Bugatti enthusiast and haven't had a new tool since the Italieri T41 Royales in the early 80s. They made 2 versions. That gives me a grand total of 5 Bugatti kits ever produced in plastic in 1/24 scale.

Quit your BITCHING!

Have a nice day!

[James Flowers]

And the interesting thing is, I challenged him several pages ago to name some kits he'd like to see Revell produce, and that he believed would move at least 10,000 units each.

Still waiting ...

Here is you list. 2010 model trucks and cars- all trucks with the option to build two or four wheel drive versions- Ford Super Duty, Chevy Silverado, Dodge Ram, Toyota Tacoma,Honda Rigeline, Nissan Titan or Frontier The rest they could make.Volkswagen Touareg, Ford Escape or Freestyle,Jeep Liberty,Chevy Suburban, Honda Element,Nissan Cube, Honda Element, Scion XB,Ford 2010 Taurus, Pontiac Solstice,Pontiac G6,Toyota Camry or Corolla,Honda Accord, Nissan Maxima, Chevy Cobalt, Ford Focus. That is enough for now. I am sure you and Mark will have a reason why they will never do any of these.

[Buildsince93]

heres a few they could do

Out of the 99 silverado and the Escalade tooling they could make any of the following:

06 silverado

Tahoe/Suburban

Yukon/XL/Denali

Sierra

Ford F-150 Tooling:

F-250/350

Expedition

The ram Vts could be reworked into A 2500/3500

These could all be done.

[Joe Handley]

Jeep Cherokee, I alone would buy how ever many I could afford and I bet if some of the people on www.NAXJA.org and www.RCCrawler.com new about this, there would be purchases there. I'd even be willing to bet that I'm not the only member of my Jeep club that would buy them too.

[charlie8575]

Actually, I'll bet Revell, or whoever takes the gamble could move 10,000 Solstice kits.

I think the 1:1 will be a real collector's item, and a lot of people like the looks, but can't justify the purchase.

Personally, I'd like to see a Mercury Grand Marquis or Lincoln Town Car (A.K.A. the only two cars on the road now that have any interest to me.)

Charlie Larkin

[Modelmartin]

Tamiya did the XB 1st generation. It's called Toyota bB in Japan. Fujimi has a kit of the element. Most of the various Japanese sedans and mini-vans have been kitted in their domestic versions and names. Go to HLJ.com and take a look.

[James Flowers]

Tamiya did the XB 1st generation. It's called Toyota bB in Japan. Fujimi has a kit of the element. Most of the various Japanese sedans and mini-vans have been kitted in their domestic versions and names. Go to HLJ.com and take a look.

Seeing that the folks at Fujimi are making most of their domestic versions," as you say". I wonder if the sell any of them over there? If they do? I wonder how or why anyone would buy something new and up to date over there? Over here that would never work making new domestic kits. We have all been told so.

[Zoom Zoom]

Tamiya did the XB 1st generation. It's called Toyota bB in Japan. Fujimi has a kit of the element. Most of the various Japanese sedans and mini-vans have been kitted in their domestic versions and names. Go to HLJ.com and take a look.

Fujimi did the bB as well, and there is no Element model out there by anyone.

[crispy]

The Nissan Cube is also coming out by Fujimi in a month or two.

I'm with Andy too, what about the Bugatti??? Just to name one marque. I have many more I would like to add, but then I would be getting off topic.

Chris

[gasman]

Monogram produced a Bugatti EB110 that I believe came out in the late 80's/early 90's. that would be the last Bugatti kitted

I'd love to see Revell produce a 2010 F150 SVT Raptor kit. with the popularity of the 1:1 I would think it would be very popular in 1:25 scale