KT EASTMAN Posted December 31, 2006 Posted December 31, 2006 Well, its back!!! The former 1/24 Monogram 70 Pontiac Trans Am has been re-issued under the Revell Motor-City Muscle series. I believe the last time we had seen this one was sometime in the early '90's?? It appears to be pretty much a strait re-issue with the exception of those "Big Wheels". Don't worry, the stock Rallys are included!!! Yea!!! The kit has survived pretty well as there does not seem to be too much flash and the details are still pretty sharp. The instructions are strait forward and easy to read. Decals have two options to build the white car with blue stripes or the blue car with white stripes. There is no Trans Am lettering though. Tires are the old standby Revellogram Goodyears that no longer sport the lettering. The tires for the large 5 spoke wheels appear to be Goodyear Gatorbacks, but once again with no lettering. I have yet to build this issue but I have built the previous one and it went together fairly well and builds up into a nice Trans Am. I sure hope someone out there will cast a Formula hood for it though!!! HINT!!! HINT!!! I tried about a year ago and failed. It would be an easy conversion with a resin hood. Just remove the side scoops and the flares( You willl have to add material to the fenders) put on the Formula hood and presto!!!! Either way it is good to see the '70 re-issued. The prices on E-Bay were getting out of hand on these!!! I will probley buy at least 10 more before I am done!!! LOL!!!! KT
MonoPed Posted December 31, 2006 Posted December 31, 2006 What does the plastic look like? Does it look like the funky plastic that has had the paint issues?
MrObsessive Posted December 31, 2006 Posted December 31, 2006 Also speaking of funky------did they fix that incorrect upper side window shape? That's what turned me off from buying it before.
crispy Posted December 31, 2006 Posted December 31, 2006 Here is a boost to KT's fine review. IT is a basic re-pop. It feels like the "new" Revell plastic to me. The key here my fine friends, is patience while painting with hot paints. Here are the pics: New Tires: For Bill: And of course the tails are in red and you have your clear windshield etc... Chris
MonoPed Posted December 31, 2006 Posted December 31, 2006 My one gripe with this kit is the exhaust moulded to the rear axle...
MrObsessive Posted January 1, 2007 Posted January 1, 2007 Sigh............ Nope it's still the same...........I'll probably buy this kit if only to not build my original MPC '71 Trans Am. :wink:
KT EASTMAN Posted January 1, 2007 Author Posted January 1, 2007 Also speaking of funky------did they fix that incorrect upper side window shape? That's what turned me off from buying it before. Funny, I thought it was just me!!! Yea, the kit is not perfect but I think it is a good "affordable" base for a number of '70-'73 projects. In the last few years I have seen the prices of these rise on E-Bay almost to the point where they were not affordable. The "Collector" in me took over and I started to hoard the ones I had and was afraid to build them. Now, I can build one or two without the guilt!!! Yes, it is true...I am a collector as well as a builder. Shame on me!!! KT
Zoom Zoom Posted January 1, 2007 Posted January 1, 2007 It's a really good kit. I've had the original version since it came out in the 90's. That window profile bugged me too. The side window detail is quite simple to fix. I'll take a picture soon when my new camera is up and running and I set my lightbox back up. It only takes about 10 minutes to carve/scrape w/an XActo and sand the upper window line to give it the correct arc. Just need to remove a bit of material, no material needs to be added. I did the work on my Monogram T/A back in November, with my original MPC 1/25 Trans Am by it's side for reference. Helps if you have a small French curve to draw the contour onto the plastic. The wheels are great; they're the only good rallys done in scale that depict the trim-ring-less stock wheels.
Harvezter Posted January 16, 2007 Posted January 16, 2007 The key here my fine friends, is patience while painting with hot paints.Chris What does the term "hot paints" mean?
Mr. Can Am Garage Posted January 16, 2007 Posted January 16, 2007 What does the term "hot paints" mean? Typically, it means lacquer based paints but not always. Tamiya Sprays are lacquer and aren't typically considered "hot". Automotive lacquer sprays (Dupli Color for example) are considered "hot". Enamel and acyrlic paints are not "hot". Krylon, although technically an enamel, is considered "hot" by us modelers as you can craze plastic if you aren't careful with how heavily you put it on.
crispy Posted January 16, 2007 Posted January 16, 2007 What does the term "hot paints" mean? Meaning Automotive paints instead of your Hobby enamels. The new Revell plastic is very susceptible to crazing without proper treatment. Meaning you should prime it with thin coats, or use Zinnser sealer on the body before even putting color coats on. When you do your color coats, do very thin coats for buildup before you do a wet coat. Chris
KT EASTMAN Posted October 9, 2007 Author Posted October 9, 2007 It's a really good kit. I've had the original version since it came out in the 90's. That window profile bugged me too. The side window detail is quite simple to fix. I'll take a picture soon when my new camera is up and running and I set my lightbox back up. It only takes about 10 minutes to carve/scrape w/an XActo and sand the upper window line to give it the correct arc. Just need to remove a bit of material, no material needs to be added. I did the work on my Monogram T/A back in November, with my original MPC 1/25 Trans Am by it's side for reference. Helps if you have a small French curve to draw the contour onto the plastic. The wheels are great; they're the only good rallys done in scale that depict the trim-ring-less stock wheels. Say Bob.....We never got a tutorial on how to best fix the window contour . I thought I might just try to "Carve" it out myself using some reference photos but it would be neat to see how you would do it??? KT
CrazyGirl Posted April 28, 2013 Posted April 28, 2013 I just bought this Revell 70 Firebird , ,, any issues with this kit ?? good kit, bad kit ,fair kit ? thunks
PowerPlant Posted April 29, 2013 Posted April 29, 2013 My biggest disappointment with this kit is that it doesn't include proper Trans-Am decals. Otherwise, it seems to be a nice kit with decent looking wheels
W-Machine Posted April 29, 2013 Posted April 29, 2013 My biggest disappointment with this kit is that it doesn't include proper Trans-Am decals. Otherwise, it seems to be a nice kit with decent looking wheels I second that. I sure wish that it had come with them, too.
Blown03SVT Posted April 30, 2013 Posted April 30, 2013 The kit will not have the Trans Am decals most likely due to licensing issues with GM just the same as the 78 T/A does not have them either. The kit does build up pretty nice with some inaccuracies. The engine looks a little small for a 400 c.i. motor in comparison to the one in the 78 T/A and the 67 Firebirds.
Casey Posted April 30, 2013 Posted April 30, 2013 AFAIK this kit is discontinued and what's on the shelf is what remains. Considering Revell reissued the '91 Formula, the '68 Foose version, and the '77 T/A is about to drop, it makes sense. Even better would be if this were the last time we see the circa '91 Monogram 1/24 '70 T/A and they replace it with an all-new 1/25 scale kit.
Geno Posted April 30, 2013 Posted April 30, 2013 (edited) Keith Marks makes a nice set of decals for 71-77 Trans Am's if you need the T/A lettering. I'm building one of these myself and will order those decals. I for one want the 1/24 version to add to my 1/24 diecast collection. Edited April 30, 2013 by Geno
Tonioseven Posted May 2, 2013 Posted May 2, 2013 (edited) Also speaking of funky------did they fix that incorrect upper side window shape? That's what turned me off from buying it before. That's the reason mine is still unbuilt. Once I find a French curve to get that part right, I'll get on it. Edited May 2, 2013 by Tonioseven
Casey Posted January 16, 2018 Posted January 16, 2018 Interesting bit of history regarding the '70 kit I was not aware of: I guess the 1/24 Monogram Turbo Trans Am is gone for good, then:
highway Posted January 17, 2018 Posted January 17, 2018 On 1/15/2018 at 8:56 PM, Casey said: Interesting bit of history regarding the '70 kit I was not aware of: I guess the 1/24 Monogram Turbo Trans Am is gone for good, then: I don't know about this supposed "backdating" or even how correct that information is, because I just went through all my Monogram (REMINDER: the Revell IS the old MONOGRAM 78 Trans Am known in one of its issues as the "Warbird") 2nd gen Trans Ams and found ALL VERSIONS share common parts. Yes, comparing the Turbo to the 70, it does share much more such as the engine moldings that do differ from the 78, but all versions share the same frame (though the 70 is shortened compared to the other two with no rear frame crossmember) and also the same basic interior tub. The seats in the 70 are different as is the molded in detail in the rear seat in the tub but the seats in the 78 and 80 are an exact match, and strangely the 78 has a molded in clutch pedal where the 70 and 80 has just the molded in gas pedal and incorrect brake pedal (since those kits DO have automatics compared to the 78 manual) but the 78 still has the incorrect automatic console and automatic shifter also found in the other two kits. The bodies all share the same underhood detail, and comparing the 78 and 80 bodies they appear to be the same. As I said, I don't know if the "backdating" story for the 80 to the 70 is correct or not, because regardless the body for the 70 would have meant retooling the entire back half of the 80 since the 70 has a smaller rear window and entirely different rear panel and front panel as well as hood, so I'm thinking with the changes maybe a "modified reissue" might be a more likely story. That said, since the 80 ALSO shares many parts with the 78 and all that would be needed to make a modified reissue "update" of the 78 to the 80 Turbo would be the pieces of the molds for the nose, rear panel/bumper, hood, and the parts for the turbo and wheels. Everything else is shared in the 70 and 78, and even another version of the 80 could be done as a 79 using either engine, the hood, and shaker from the 78 and for that version only the nose and rear panel/bumper for the 80 would be needed.
stavanzer Posted January 17, 2018 Posted January 17, 2018 I remember reading reviews when the '70 came out, that called it a modified re-tool of the '78 kit. Larry Greenberg was vocal in calling it such and praising the kit. I wish that the '80 Turbo T/A would get re-issued. They've gotten quite rare now.
highway Posted January 17, 2018 Posted January 17, 2018 35 minutes ago, alexis said: I remember reading reviews when the '70 came out, that called it a modified re-tool of the '78 kit. Larry Greenberg was vocal in calling it such and praising the kit. I wish that the '80 Turbo T/A would get re-issued. They've gotten quite rare now. That was why the 80 just recently showed up in my collection, and for a price that should have me in handcuffs!
FordRodnKustom Posted July 25, 2019 Posted July 25, 2019 7 minutes ago, Casey said: It's back: Good news, that kit builds up to a nice model with a little work. Here's one I built some time ago from the issue with the white T/A on the box. I'd like to have another.
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