Terrible Kits You Love!

[Chuck Most]

Who here doesn't love a mediocre, or just plain bad, kit every so often? I sure do! A few of my faves...

Arri '72 Ford Thunderbird... looks okay, but the grille has the wrong number of bars, it was motorized, so the engine, interior, and chassis detail are terrible, and it's way, way, WAY overscale... and who could possibly love that rear-view mirror molded to the windshield? But I love big-body Fords, and this one plugged a hole in my collection. The fact I got the kit dirt cheap was just icing.

Ertl/AMT-Ertl Scout II... the grille is the wrong shape, the headlamps and bezels are too small, the body has several missing cut lines and no hood peak, and there's a general overall lack of detail (only a battery and upper rad hose under the hood and nothing else, for instance), but my love for the 1:1 Scout means I'll always have several of these kits in stock. (Note, this model has had the aformentioned hiccups and ommissions fixed).

Jo-Han SC/Rambler... well, Jo-Han kits in general. Usually pretty good body proportions (some were a bit under or over scale), but generally VERY compromised engine/chassis detail, and many of them had interior tubs about as shallow as a Hollywood starlet. But how many manufacturers had as many cool 50's/'60's American subject matter as Jo-Han?

Oh sure, there are more, but these are just a few of my favorites.

[DiscoSpud]

The General lee model kit is one i hate but love. It was an anniversary present from my ex girlfriend of 9 months and I have put in as much detail as possible but i do have my qualms.

None of the parts lign up at all, none of them! and the engine bay is so booring! they havent even molded in the dixie horn

So i removed the roll cage (because it sat way too low and franly looked ridiculous and added weathering and the all important CB aerial. looks okay but I gotta have the lee

[highway]

I have got to say that my all time favorite kit to hate is the old MPC/AMT Pontiac Trans Am kits, all the way from the 69 TA all the way until they (AMT) had to come out with the new tooling for the 4th gen cars. The 1st through 3rd gen kits are just junk compared to the comparable Monogram/Revell kits, but the only way to have some of the versions is to buy the MPC/AMT kits. Here are just a few examples, and take in mind I'm just talking about kits, no resin conversions or bodies.

1969 TA-MPC is the only one to make the iconic first Trans Am, Revell would hit a home run in my book if they modified the 67/68 nose in their greatly tooled 68 Firebird kit.

1974 to 1976-Again, MPC annuals are the only choice. Again too, Revell would get my love for a modified 70 1/2 kit with the 74 nose and modify the 78 TA kit for the 75 and 76 when the TA went from the flat rear window to the wraparound.

1979 to 1981-I know with this, yes, Monogram had a base stock version of this car, but most I can ever find is the modified one with the stupid wheel fairings and other custom mods. I have been a lifelong fan of the Trans Am, and I build them stock! Anyway, the most important cars of these years are the 10th Anniversary edition and Indy Pace Car, and in the case of the 10th Anniversary car, using the decal from the MPC kit wouldn't work on the slightly larger 1/24 scale body because the bird would not be right. The bird on that car was the only one ever to have the wings extend onto the front fenders.

1982 to 1992-The biggest AMT sore thumb here is the 20th Anniversary Indy Pace Car. Yes, Monogram made the 20th Anniversary too, but most of the Pace Cars I've seen have T-Tops, where Monogram's offerrings of these years had no T-Tops. Yes, I could paint them on and make it look like there's T-Tops there, but what if I want to replicate my old 1:1 1988 GTA the way I usually drove it, with the tops out and in the trunk?

In my honest opinion, MPC/AMT Trans Ams were junk, but I have to love them, well at least until Revell gives me better!

Edited April 15, 2011 by highway

[MikeMc]

Most lindburg kits are poor details...

[george 53]

67 MPC/Ertl Pontiac GTO. ALWAYS loved this car, but when they butchered the molds to move up the rear wells to make a funny car out of it, They never finished out the repair to make it a street car again.At least the two I bought, with the blue car on the box still show where it was modded, right behind the door, ahead of the wheel well. Not pretty. This is something that just never should have left the factory. I KNOW it's a small point, some folks WON'T even notice it, but I did, and it irks me. But I LOVE me some 60's GTO'S!!!!!

[Foxer]

I just came upon this one recently ... Arii Porsche 924 Turbo. The side body, especially windows, proportions are way out of whack. Instead of a low sleek missile it looks like one of us pot bellied modelers! Below is a photo with the Arii on top and a properly done Monogram 924 below.

It's too bad about the body because other parts, like front and rear fascias are done really well.

[Harold]

Jo-Han SC/Rambler... well, Jo-Han kits in general. Usually pretty good body proportions (some were a bit under or over scale), but generally VERY compromised engine/chassis detail, and many of them had interior tubs about as shallow as a Hollywood starlet. But how many manufacturers had as many cool 50's/'60's American subject matter as Jo-Han?

Oh sure, there are more, but these are just a few of my favorites.

Looks like somebody's been to Dean's . I'll agree with you on the ARII Thunderbird. I love AMT's '57 Chrysler, but it was a bit of a monster to build. I put it aside for a few years, and this winter I finished it. The exhaust was insane, and gettin the interior/floorpan assembly to fit inside the body was a two- day affair of carving, epoxying, unepoxying, repositioning the windows four or five times, and a lot of swearing. I was never able to resolve the floorpan issue (about 1/16" of the rocker on the floorpan was showing, so I marked it off and attacked it with a sanding drum in my Dremel. Nice car, but man, it were a monster.

Edited April 15, 2011 by Harold

[Guest]

I may win this contest with mine! I loved this kit when I was kid. Heck,I didn't know a thing about body proportions or even what it was supposed to look like. Many many years later,I got it in a trade thanks to Ernie and just had to have it again. I did what I could with the body,but I didn't have enough left to tackle the grille and hood. I 've thought about seeing if the grille and hood from the five window would work on it. Not many kits were so bad that they were never issued again!

[Greg Myers]

Most lindburg kits are poor details...

But they sure build up to something interesting and unusual at the same time. You certainly made lemonade out of this one.

[Jantrix]

For me it's the AMT 73 Cougar. To use the word fitment and this kit in the same sentence is almost criminal. The interior is terrible. However the engines are very well done. Kit's like this bring out the artist in me because I feel no matter what I do to it, there's no real loss if I screw it up. It's still good for parts or a paint test body.

The Revell IMSA Monza and Mustangs are also good examples here. Body is great. The rest is junk.

EDIT: CORRECTION. When I mentioned bad fitment in the 73 Cougar I was thinking (for some reason) of the AMT Rat Pack Chevy II. The fitment on the Cougar is decent but the interior is not molded with much detail and it is unremarkable.

Edited April 20, 2011 by Jantrix

[ChrisPflug]

I'll have to put a vote in for the ever popular Old Revell "opening everything" Chevys-love em

Actually find it easier to love a really terrible kit as opposed to the "almost" good

Really hate the whole Monogram 80's series of 1/24 musclecars and 78-80 F bodies- even though the fit is decent and there is a good attempt at detail the molded in underhood features and every one having some part of the body just enough "off" somewhere or another to scream "model" ruin them for me

For a modeler the only thing that seems important is a decent body to start with- "Terrible" can often mean more fun lead to more creativity

[Joe Handley]

For me it's the AMT 73 Cougar. To use the word fitment and this kit in the same sentence is almost criminal. The interior is terrible. However the engines are very well done. Kit's like this bring out the artist in me because I feel no matter what I do to it, there's no real loss if I screw it up. It's still good for parts or a paint test body.

The Revell IMSA Monza and Mustangs are also good examples here. Body is great. The rest is junk.

Lol, that Cougar looks like thee should be a load of 'Shine in the trunk I have to agree on the Monza, the body is decent, but I'm ditching the stock Chassis and interior for Revell's ZR1

[Nick Notarangelo]

AMT'S old pro nova comes to mind and any of there 67-72 chevy pickups also.

Edited April 17, 2011 by Nick Notarangelo

[Aaronw]

I hesitate to call it a terrible kit, but I'll submit the AMT 1967-72 GMC / Chevy pickup just because of the ancient promo style of kit. Other than the very basic nature of the kit it actually isn't too bad.

[6bblbird]

For me, it would have to be the AMT '68 road runner kit. They did a great job until they got to the C pillar, from that point to the rear, it looks like they gave up and let the "new guy" finish it. Quarter panels and rear wheel opening are just plain wrong and those tail lights? OMG

WF

[MrObsessive]

No one's mentioned this one so I guess I will.............for me it has to be RC2's '58 Plymouth Belvedere. EVERYTHING about that kit is wrong! From the windshield surround to the roofline, to the "bent" side trim that to me is not even close to the 1:1.

Only a LOT of work can make that thing accurate, and even then it would be a hair pulling task! I guess I'm biased because my Dad had one of those when I was a kid, so I'm very familiar with what that car should look like.

I agree with you on Ertl's feeble attempt at the Roadrunner.................only Johan ever got that car really right!

[ChrisPflug]

Seems like the thread is straying from kits so terrible you love them in a twisted sort of way to terrible kits we hate

[Dwight55]

How about Hasagawas 66 Impala kit from the 80's. Open it up and it was a 65, not a 66. But the box still said 66. The wheels and tires looked about 2 scales to small also. I didn't know if I should love it or hate it, because I do like the 65.

[MrObsessive]

Seems like the thread is straying from kits so terrible you love them in a twisted sort of way to terrible kits we hate

Actually, the Plymouth I mentioned--------I do have TWO of them! If it wasn't for the fact that this is one of my favorite cars of the '50's...........I wouldn't come near it.

I know how to fix the aforementioned foibles, and I have the parts to do so-------it's just that I don't have the ambition (yet) to tackle such a MAJOR task!

[Greg Myers]

I'll have to put a vote in for the ever popular Old Revell "opening everything" Chevys-love em

Actually find it easier to love a really terrible kit as opposed to the "almost" good

Really hate the whole Monogram 80's series of 1/24 musclecars and 78-80 F bodies- even though the fit is decent and there is a good attempt at detail the molded in underhood features and every one having some part of the body just enough "off" somewhere or another to scream "model" ruin them for me

For a modeler the only thing that seems important is a decent body to start with- "Terrible" can often mean more fun lead to more creativity

Those old Revell kits get my vote too.

[Chuck Most]

Seems like the thread is straying from kits so terrible you love them in a twisted sort of way to terrible kits we hate

C'mon, Chris... what is love if not 'reverse hate'?

[Missing in Action]

Revell '51 Henry J "Gasser" kits...Enough said!! Roy

[walt francis]

I would have to go with the Lindburg 37 Cord and yea the 51 Henry J Gasser.

[Jim Gibbons]

Any of the old Aurora 1/32 or so scale sports cars; some are better than others. The Porsche 356 isn't too bad. This T-Bird I have to restore that I built eons ago is one of the worst. I still love 'em!

My other candidates are the old 1/48 Renwall models. Some aren't too bad, though, but the tires, wire wheels, and often very thin chrome plating leave a lot to be desired. I have a couple to restore, a '57 T-Bird, a Mercedes 540K (also have an unbuilt original,) and a Bugatti. I still have these '48 Continentals.

[Casey]

Monogram's ill-proportioned 1/24 scale '69 Camaros are the stuff of legends, but I still love them: