What's up with TDR?

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Hey fellow modelers......just an update and to get some feed back from you guys.

TDR has been a bit quiet lately....we were trying to take advantage of the summer ho-hums, vacations, catch up a little and start planning for next year.

As you know we have the Cuda body coming to a close, along with some other goodies, there were some other very time consuming projects in the works before we took on the Cuda.

There's an NNL show coming up and it looks like you guys may get a sneak peek at the project TDR has had under wraps. It's been a while coming and I can't tell you how much work and development has gone into it, what it is, will cost or even what it is.........but I can tell you this, have your drool towel and a fresh change of undies close by.

To get back to the reason for this post.....TDR would like to hear from some of you "smaller" scale builders. Please understand that TDR isn't going to get into the 1/25 scales other than maybe a body or two. Seems to us there are plenty of suppliers in that arena. That being said, and keeping in mind that we are talking 1/16th and up.....what would you guys like to see made available in those scales?

Please use a little common sense with your replies, you know that things like an odd ball year Hupmobile in 1/20th scale isn't going to happen.

However.....TDR can do most anything if there is enough demand to warrant the production costs involved.

Here's a chance for you builders to tell us what you want....please take advantage of it.

[Chas SCR]

How about a "Marcel" style 32 Ford Body to go with there rear and front ends of there 1/8th stuff or even a Boydster II 34 Ford body stlye. Plus we 1/8 scale box frame rails for the front and rear on the 32 stuff.

[highway]

To get back to the reason for this post.....TDR would like to hear from some of you "smaller" scale builders. Please understand that TDR isn't going to get into the 1/25 scales other than maybe a body or two. Seems to us there are plenty of suppliers in that arena.

Here's a chance for you builders to tell us what you want....please take advantage of it.

Don, I have seen what you've done with Gregg's "Miss E", and I think those bodies are great and I plan on getting the 1/25 scale body for it when I have some spare cash, but I personally think not offering more to us smaller scale builders might be a HUGE mistake on your part. I personally have asked a few other resin casters for primarily some resin pickup offerings and that I think would be nice offerings and none seem interested. I know one thing many pickup modelers want and the other guys just seem to want to ignore is diesel engine conversions for the Dodge, Chevy, and Ford pickups. Also, the thread in the resin section would give you even more ideas what we smaller scale modelers want, and here's a link to it.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=27906

Also, with the process you have, can you do special orders? Maybe even that for us smaller scale guys might work. Any help that the other guys just seem not to be interested in would be great!

[Guest old man]

i would like to see a 55,56,57 chevy 2 door or wagon or a 69 camaro or a 70 trans am

[Foxer]

I usually don't go for these dream lists, but what popped into my head from longtime interests is something from the '30s art deco era .. in 1/25. I'm talking the cars you see at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance get together. Something by one of the custon body builders of the time.

There are a number of classic kits with chassis if just a body was done. This is a wide spectrum to choose from, but we're just talking concept here for something different that hasn't been done.

[mikemodeler]

i would like to see a 55,56,57 chevy 2 door or wagon or a 69 camaro or a 70 trans am

Or how about a '32 Ford body- 3 or 5 window or roadster?

[SoCalCarCulture]

i would like to see a 55,56,57 chevy 2 door or wagon or a 69 camaro or a 70 trans am

R&R does/did a '56 2 dr. Wagon - the coupes, Camaro & Firebird have all been kitted.

[Mike Kucaba]

If you are looking at 1/16th,check out what is there now,and has been there, like the 30's stuff from Minicraft and come up with a transkit for some of those.I.E. an art deco body for some of Entex's old classics. Just a thought.

[sjordan2]

I wish someone would do decent, accurate, 1/12 scale versions of the Mercedes Gullwing and Ferrari 275 GTB that are horrible jokes in the Renwal/Revell issues. These are legendary cars that haven't been done right in large scale (though the Italeri 1/16 Gullwing is pretty good). The 275 GTB might be salvageable if it had an accurate body, egg-crate grille, proper Campagnolo wheels and better engine. But I'd buy the body and grille if that was all that was available.

I would die for a 1/12 or even 1/16 Bugatti Atlantic kit, but I don't see a lot of sales potential there.

I'm guessing that most of the responses here will be for Mopar or other muscle cars. But a 1/8 or 1/12 427 Cobra might get a good response.

Another good offering would be a convertible (OTS) body for the 1/8 Monogram Jaguar E-Type (or fix the coupe body to get rid of the notorious 2-part body seam). A complete 1/12 kit of either would be killer.

(PS – What's up with your website? Can't access it right now.)

Edited August 27, 2010 by sjordan2

[stump]

Don, what a fantastic offer, and a true enticement for us "other scale" builders.

I already have two of your very exquisite 1/8 turbos... (for use on two 1/12 scale builds..) so I know the quality.

What I would really like to see is a few dedicated 1/12 scale options. I'm sure the market would jump at them...

Maybe some of the Holley carburettors (already made by you in 1/8)...especially a Dominator style.....oh yeah.

The Chev BB engine kit you make in 1/8 would also be a welcome addition in 1/12, as the only one available (for swaps into a Camaro) is in a Corvette kit.

Wheels and tyres would also rate high on my wish list.....

I'm sure I could think of lots of other stuff too, but don't wish to clutter you too much.

[Harry P.]

1/8 scale Daytona or Superbird.

Come on, guys... make modeling history.

[Chuck Most]

Please use a little common sense with your replies, you know that things like an odd ball year Hupmobile in 1/20th scale isn't going to happen.

Here's a chance for you builders to tell us what you want....please take advantage of it.

Well, ALL Hupmobiles are 'odd year' when you think about it!

I can't suggest a single thing for TDR- seems like you guys are doing fairly well with your product line. About all I could suggest might be a buy-one-get-one sale!

[Jon Cole]

Is TDR the only source for parts computer "printed"? I only ask because I have a set of Jeep Grand Cherokee wheels with that texture you have referred to... and they are 1/25.

They will need to have the texture smoothed out, I am grateful to have them!

[Hawk312]

I was fortunate enough to be able to acquire a TDR kit or two, and they are great quality!

I would like to see the following conversion kits:

* 1/8 73-78 Trans am conversion for the 79 and 81 trans am kits

* 1/8 Grand Sport conversion for the 85 corvette kit

* 1/8 68-73 conversion kit for the 78 and 82 Corvette kits

* 1/8 Firebird GTA conversion for the IROC kit (I know, alot of work here)

* 1/8 34 conversion for the 32 ford kit

* 1/12 RS conversion for the 69 Camaro kit

* 1/12 67-68 RS conversion for the 69 Camaro kit

I would like to see the following engines for some nice street customs/rods:

* LT1

* LS1

I would dream of:

* A Firehawk in any scale

* Any large scale HEMI, doesn`t matter what it`s in

* A correctly proportioned large scale Cobra (AMT`s 1/16 kit sucks, IMO)

* A `69 Mustang in any scale with correct proportions

[Chuck Most]

Wait... maybe it's time somebody actually did a set of 16.5 Ford XLT wheel covers so we can build that Monogram F-250 into an accurate model!

[Frank]

How about a 35 ford in 1/25

[Fuel Coupe]

how about a "correct" 60's dragster chassis.

[LDO]

I think it would be hard to go wrong with a 1/8 scale '69 Camaro. I'd buy one for pro/street. I'm sure plenty of people would want one to build as a stocker. Offer a ZL-1 engine.

A '29 Ford Tudor Sedan body to fit the Big Deuce chassis or a TDR chassis would be nice.

Edited August 28, 2010 by LDO

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Don, I have seen what you've done with Gregg's "Miss E", and I think those bodies are great and I plan on getting the 1/25 scale body for it when I have some spare cash, but I personally think not offering more to us smaller scale builders might be a HUGE mistake on your part. I personally have asked a few other resin casters for primarily some resin pickup offerings and that I think would be nice offerings and none seem interested. I know one thing many pickup modelers want and the other guys just seem to want to ignore is diesel engine conversions for the Dodge, Chevy, and Ford pickups. Also, the thread in the resin section would give you even more ideas what we smaller scale modelers want, and here's a link to it.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=27906

Also, with the process you have, can you do special orders? Maybe even that for us smaller scale guys might work. Any help that the other guys just seem not to be interested in would be great!

Matthew, to answer your question...yes TDR does special orders, but understand that special orders involve a considerable amount of computer time....plus the cost of printing the part.

There are two ways to go with it, if it's an item that TDR wants to put in their catalog and own the rights to, we don't pass those costs on.

On the other hand if you wanted a master to resin cast from or a one off for a specific build, you would own the rights to do whatever you pleased with it.

Big rig stuff could certainly be done but being a "niche" market....it wouldn't be cost effective for TDR to produce things like a hub cap for a specific year truck etc. This isn't to say we wouldn't do it, you could have us do the part or body....but the costs involved might put you off, especially if you were to want a finished part. You could save a lot of coin by doing the research for things like dimensions, photos and final finishing of the RP on your own.

At any rate contact TDR by email (the addy is in my sig) and chat with the design team.

[GrandpaMcGurk]

i would like to see a 55,56,57 chevy 2 door or wagon or a 69 camaro or a 70 trans am

BJ....one of the Tri-5 wagons especially the Nomad is a possibility...being R/M already has the Camaro & Bird in larger scales, not as likely.

[GrandpaMcGurk]

I usually don't go for these dream lists, but what popped into my head from longtime interests is something from the '30s art deco era .. in 1/25. I'm talking the cars you see at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance get together. Something by one of the custon body builders of the time.

There are a number of classic kits with chassis if just a body was done. This is a wide spectrum to choose from, but we're just talking concept here for something different that hasn't been done.

Mike, this has possibilities and has raised a few eyebrows at TDR.

[GrandpaMcGurk]

I wish someone would do decent, accurate, 1/12 scale versions of the Mercedes Gullwing and Ferrari 275 GTB that are horrible jokes in the Renwal/Revell issues. These are legendary cars that haven't been done right in large scale (though the Italeri 1/16 Gullwing is pretty good). The 275 GTB might be salvageable if it had an accurate body, egg-crate grille, proper Campagnolo wheels and better engine. But I'd buy the body and grille if that was all that was available.

I would die for a 1/12 or even 1/16 Bugatti Atlantic kit, but I don't see a lot of sales potential there.

I'm guessing that most of the responses here will be for Mopar or other muscle cars. But a 1/8 or 1/12 427 Cobra might get a good response.

Another good offering would be a convertible (OTS) body for the 1/8 Monogram Jaguar E-Type (or fix the coupe body to get rid of the notorious 2-part body seam). A complete 1/12 kit of either would be killer.

(PS – What's up with your website? Can't access it right now.)

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Skip....I don't know what the deal is with the error message, I just googled www.tdrcatalog.com and it went directly to the catalog?

Stay tuned....you may be pleastly surprised.

[GrandpaMcGurk]

Don, what a fantastic offer, and a true enticement for us "other scale" builders.

I already have two of your very exquisite 1/8 turbos... (for use on two 1/12 scale builds..) so I know the quality.

What I would really like to see is a few dedicated 1/12 scale options. I'm sure the market would jump at them...

Maybe some of the Holley carburettors (already made by you in 1/8)...especially a Dominator style.....oh yeah.

The Chev BB engine kit you make in 1/8 would also be a welcome addition in 1/12, as the only one available (for swaps into a Camaro) is in a Corvette kit.

Wheels and tyres would also rate high on my wish list.....

I'm sure I could think of lots of other stuff too, but don't wish to clutter you too much.

Yes Gregg, TDR is definitely considering doing 1/12th goodies. Some RP, others as multi-media (resin, RP, with maybe even a few metal parts).

[sjordan2]

Skip....I don't know what the deal is with the error message, I just googled www.tdrcatalog.com and it went directly to the catalog?

Stay tuned....you may be pleastly surprised.

The site is fine today.

I figured the E-Type might hit a chord, since TDR already has a head start with the super-detailed 1/8 engine (which, I assume, can easily be scaled to 1/12). Based on your technology, I would guess that you could do bodies for both 1/8 and 1/12 without a lot of hassle, though 1/12 would require a full kit.