PARTS PACKS

[Greg Myers]

. . . and I still don't get why they aren't good sellers.Here's a site put together by Bob de Bie PARTS PACKS

Edited April 11, 2011 by Greg Myers

[MikeMc]

. . . and I still don't get why they aren't good sellers.PARTS PACKS

The last issue (stevens/Amt) did sell well...as for the rest most haven't been seen in years

the motors were OK. ..the last issue was the best, but some of the prices for collectables keep me away

[Draggon]

Yea Greg, I dont get it either. Way back when they were about 69 cents I bought a lot of them, however I could get an entire kit for $1.49. Maybe thats some of why they didnt sell well then, but today, I dunno. I sure wish they could bring all of them back.

On a side note, I saw a picture of the Revell roadster speed equipment in resin supposedly by RMCoM. Do they really offer this?

[Howard Cohen]

Revell looked at making the motorcycles as parts packs about a decade ago, as well as some of the figures they had in the diecast kits (Bullitt, American Graffiti, etc). The response from the major distributors was so poor, they dropped the idea. I know, you would all buy 10, all 100 of you...that totals 1000 packs, not near enough to pay for cleaning the tooling. If 1000 people each bought 10, that might do it. Remember that the limited editions from Model King and others were usually small runs. Even the Double Dragster kit was a small run. Unless the major distributors buy into a program, the model companies are skeptical about it selling

[Bernard Kron]

Parts Packs were always relatively expensive. If the parts weren't unique to the Parts Pack it was relatively easy to justify buying the kit that contained them. But they were very cool. Today the resin aftermarket handles the Parts Pack side of things, although resin, compared to styrene, has its limitations from a structural point of view. And e-Bay and model car shows handle the "discontinued kits that contain parts you'd kill for" side of things fairly well for those that know which kits contain what. All in all, Parts Packs were always a seductive but expensive option with limited sales appeal. I do miss 'em, though...

P.S., that web page is super cool. Sounds like a project that could be expanded to include instructions and comments on the contents. Thanx for posting it!

[torinobradley]

Though not economically feasable, I would love to see some of the parts packs of yesterday show up as well as new ones with modern components.

Alas, it will never be.

[Greg Myers]

Some quick numbers just from Revell suggest 8 engines, 3 body's, 7 wheel/tire sets and 5 frames/chassis and a chassis parts(front end/rear end). With a little math you can see the possibility's

.I wonder if combining the parts packs to make a complete car, engine,chassis, wheel/tire pack and a body would sell? Or if a boxed set of engines or a boxed set of body's, or a set of chassis would be a better way ?

[ra7c7er]

I know why many didn't buy the revell engines. They were all chrome. Most model builders don't want an all chrome engine and most builders don't know how to strip chrome. Some of the other parts packs I know are fairly sought after but I think the biggest reason we don't see them is the cost of them. Very few builders outside the hardcore guys would see value in them. Not every builder scratch builds and not every modeler wants to pay 5 - 10 dollars for just an engine or other accessories.

Granted I would really like to get my hands on a couple of those.

[Greg Myers]

I'd sure like to know whatever became of the tooling for the Nailhead and for the Fiat body!

I wonder if any of these double kits would go now in light on the AMT DD tin and kit?

Edited April 11, 2011 by Greg Myers

[Nick Winter]

i'd still like to find some of the van and pick-up parts packs, but i understand that i may be the ONLY one who is looking for those things

the Revell engines are cool, but as someone mentioned pretty crude at the same time. typically Revell for the time they have alot of engraved detail that's not really rendered that well and add the poor fit they all have and it just gets worse, cover all of that in todays overly thick plating and undercoat and they arent the most enjoyable thing to bust out of the package and build.

Dave your not the only one, 1 down, 1 to go, Still trying to find the Revell Custom Van parts pack.

Nick

[crazyjim]

I've had that Custom Parts for Pickups for decades. Every once in awhile I open the box to see what's in there. Most of the parts are still in the box because I always forget about them.

[jbwelda]

i just picked this one up a couple weeks ago for 40$.

unfortunately one sprue is missing, the one that pretty much corresponds to the

parts pack roadster chassis equipment.

if Revell had just thought realistically for a moment, i would have thought they

would figure out that a set of 4 motorcycles, including a Harley chopper, would

way way WAY outsell a bunch of motors packaged separately, chromed and 100% old

school. and then to stop production of the promised motorcycles based on the flopping

of the engine project just doesnt make sense. well maybe it made "cents" then.

i always loved parts packs, up to and including the 1/8 scale stuff. its like a

modern day "detail-up" pack and they seem to be selling well enough for the asian

market to keep producing them. of course they are usually aimed at a particular

model and manufacturer, but personally i would love to see ones with general parts

for either tuning cars or altering their appearance. and that describes the old parts

packs pretty well: there were some doozies in there like the upholstering kit and

some of those exterior skirts and stuff. pretty kool to have that stuff available.

[Greg Myers]

Along these same lines, how about a "New Tool" ? Pick a couple of popular engines, SBC,Pontiac,Buick Nailhead, Ford small block,maybe a Ford or Chevy big block, an RB MOPAR and do a three tiered parts pack.1) Old school '50's-'60's 2) Middle '60's-'70's 3) something new '90's-up.at each level include some things from that era, carbs,manifold, air cleaner,valve covers, headers? These things all seem to change through the years.

[MikeMc]

Along these same lines, how about a "New Tool" ? Pick a couple of popular engines, SBC,Pontiac,Buick Nailhead, Ford small block,maybe a Ford or Chevy big block, an RB MOPAR and do a three tiered parts pack.1) Old school '50's-'60's 2) Middle '60's-'70's 3) something new '90's-up.at each level include some things from that era, carbs,manifold, air cleaner,valve covers, headers? These things all seem to change through the years.

well Ross Gibson sells a lot of resin motors between 20 and 30 dollars...Others cast manifolds or valve covers...So the experienced builders do use those goodies...

[crazyjim]

Buesman Mark - you have all those Parts Packs - why haven't you ever used them?

[ra7c7er]

I almost bought the Bantam bodies at a local flea market last weekend. I passed on it at first and by the time I went to the other side of the flea market, changed my mind, and went back it was gone.