Would There be any Interest?

[modeler]

a nice hardtop cutless 442 i lke that

[Jon Cole]

Based on my experience with Lady Luck, if I buy the '77 CanAm from RMR, then a model kit of same will definitely hit the shelves within two years.

[Junkman]

Am I interested?

Not yes. Hell yes!

[charlie8575]

I agree with Mark on one thing: if Revell can learn how to cut a body mold for something besides a slab-sided car, do one of the Colannade body cars, I always thought they were really cool looking.

I like the idea of a Le Mans, with the parts to build a Grand Am or Can Am included (hello, 3-in-1! Remember those!?) and if that happened, I'd buy three to build one of each without thinking about it twice. Want to do something really cool? Go for the 4-in-1, and include the parts to build a 1973 GTO. Do that and I'll buy four. For the record, I'd also gladly pay an extra couple of dollars (not ten, maybe $2-3,) for photo-etched scripts if they decided to go that way so people don't have to be "bothered" sanding off scripts. I really don't like decalized scripts, except for ones like in the '66 GTO, where I can put them over a 3-D molding.

The Rallye Olds would be cool, too. With a little jiggery-poke, you can get a standard F-85 coupe out of it and have a real mainstreamer.

The 1969-'72 Chevelles and 1970-'72 GTO would also be interesting.

As for a Laguna- yes, I'd buy one. Especially if a kit of the super-rare Laguna wagon was made. I'm not kidding, they offered Laguna trim on the coupe, sedan and wagon. I saw one wagon in a junkyard many years ago, and have regretted never taking pictures of it.

An El Camino with Cabellero parts would also hold interest.

Charlie Larkin

Edited August 6, 2010 by charlie8575

[Swifster]

Just putting my marketing hat on, I would think in shear numbers that Revell would do better with a Laguna of any vintage or a Monte Carlo of '76-'77 than the Pontiac. There would be a lot of NASCAR conversions, as well as Chevelle and earlier Monte Carlos where the tooling wouldn't need to be completely new to bring out another version.

This isn't to say the Pontiac isn't interesting subject matter, but like the real Can Am, I think sales would be limited. Pop out a Laguna, and the Resin guys would go nuts popping out those bodies not serviced. I'll take a '75 Monte Carlo please...

If I was looking at a '70's Pontiac to do, I'd like an accurate '74 GTO (Ventura) or a '78 Pontiac Grand Am.

[LDO]

  On 8/6/2010 at 11:16 AM, Bluesman Mark said:

The only flaw there is, the model companies were told that exact same thing regarding the 58 Edsel & 69 Dart. Everyone was "clamoring" for these kits, AMT & Revell respectively tooled them up, (beautiful kits BTW, very high quality), & released them to a resounding "thud" saleswise in the market. That Edsel got one minor retool after the first issue, & other than a checkerboard box version, (I think they did one), as well as a run in AMT's prepainted series, hasn't seen the light of day since then. The Dart got retooled into a 68, & is now getting a third version done, as Revell works to increase, (or possibly begin to see), profits from that tool.

Another example is the Revell snap together 1991-92, (I forget which), Caprice police car. Though clamored for by light commercial/police car enthusiasts, & being very well designed & executed, with great detail for a snapper, it fought both a general lack of interest, & a relatively high price point, (at that time), for a snap kit. A second, slightly cheaper fire chief/taxi version followed, (it's lower price being due to the toy like working lights/siren Revell included in the police car version being deleted from the taxi/FC version), with equally dismal sales. It wasn't until it was retooled into an Impala SS, & converted to a glue kit that it made any real progress in sales, (outside of the aforementioned light commercial builders), & has remained somewhat steady in Revell's catalog since then. It's also telling that Revell has never created a 93 & later Caprice variant from the modified tooling, so the market must not be there for that.

As I stated, I'd like to see kits of all those "A" body variants myself, but I still think a wiser route to that would be to first use that chassis under some new tools of perpetually popular subjects as I mentioned, to increase revenue overall, & then take the gamble with what is likely a somewhat riskier proposition.

Also, & even though I'd enjoy kits of those cars, keep in mind that those "muscle cars", (such as the Can Am), were little more than "stripe & paint" deals, hollow echos of real muscle cars, due to government regulations, an energy crisis, & the "Big Three" coping with all of that in that era. To those of us that did come of age then, those were faux muscle cars, all looks & no performance, & mere shells of what had been just a few years earlier. That could contribute to sales of kits being flat, a lack of interest due to those factors. I remember one new Can Am in town in that era, I thought it was silly looking. Cool in it's own way, but silly looking, not as cool as my then 13 year old Triumph TR4, & certainly nowhere near as cool as one cousin's 69 Camaro SS, or another cousin's 68 GTX. What interest I have in it now is strictly nostalgic, a fond look back at the "Disco Era" I came of age in.

It's a balancing act for the manufacturers for sure, & they have to find ways to keep on balance in the market.

They're also ugly.

[Agent G]

I'd love to build this body style for sure.

We had the 4door version as traffic cars way back when. It had a 400cid plant with an aircleaner the size of a small ufo. There were tubes running from the snorkles to the grill, with what could only be described as chicken wire covering the opening.

Hit the gas and there was an amazing howl the likes of which are only heard on Air Force bases.

Sucked in birds, trash, and all sorts of stuff was plastered to that grill.

Ah the good old days.

G

Edited August 7, 2010 by AgentG

[SoCalCarCulture]

Here's a few Can Am pics...

[Danno]

Nice! Thanks, Dave.

[LDO]

  On 8/7/2010 at 4:22 AM, Bluesman Mark said:

Ahhh, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

And the buying public. If the general public looks and the box and wonders "Why????", it's not going to be a great seller. Everybody in America didn't drive one to high school.

[highway]

  On 8/7/2010 at 4:22 AM, Bluesman Mark said:

Ahhh, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, (or sometimes the beerholder! ).

Everything always looks better after a 12 pack!!

[DoctorLarry]

If anyone is still interested, I did a 73 Grand Am, 73 GTO, 74/75 Grand Am, and 77 Can Am in resin.  Interiors for all as well and a resin chassis made to fit all three bodies.  A 77 LeMans 4 door sedan is in the works as well as a 76 Grand Prix.

[MeatMan]

I'd like to see a 2 in 1 with the option of stock or Can Am as well.

[DoctorLarry]

What year?

[lizardlust]

I recently contacted Larry about the possibility of buying two interiors for some upcoming projects. He was personable and supplied me with two NICELY cast interior kits within a week or so - a good caster to deal with!!

 

[Agent G]

I'm still in for the '77 LeMans.

G