What was / is the best series of kits ever produced ?

[Greg Myers]

http://www.straightlinemodeler.org/aurora.html

http://www.straightlinemodeler.org/aurora.html

[a/gass]

mpc pro stock series - would love to see theis make a comeback - espicaly grumpy's vega and koffel's bird

[gasman]

Revell's 32 Ford's.

[moparfarmer]

I've got two. MPC short track series and AMT Craftsman series........

[Junkman]

AMT Trophy Series

AMT Street Rod Series

AMT Countdown Series

Without those, the hobby simply wouldn't be what it is. Actually, without those, the hobby simply wouldn't be, period.

[Modelmartin]

I am with Junkman on this one. AMT Trophy series,especially the double kits!

Edited November 4, 2011 by Modelmartin

[Dragline]

Aurora 1/16 Drag kits and Fujimi Enthusiast series.

Bob

[Chuck Most]

I'd have to echo the 'AMT Trophy Series' sentiment. Where would the hobby be today without them? Would there even be an auto modeling hobby today without them?

A close second (for me anyway) would be Revell's Deuces. Maybe not as historically significant as the Trophy Series, but still a great series.

I will say that AMT Ertl's 'Prestige Series' does NOT belong on any 'best of' list of kits and are best left forgotten in the sands of time.

[Harry P.]

AMT Trophy Series

AMT Street Rod Series

AMT Countdown Series

Without those, the hobby simply wouldn't be what it is. Actually, without those, the hobby simply wouldn't be, period.

So... Revell, Monogram, Lindberg, Aurora, etc... all of the kits of the time that were made, but not made by AMT... all of those just didn't count?

[Dr. Cranky]

Trophy Series, sure . . .

[Chuck Most]

So... Revell, Monogram, Lindberg, Aurora, etc... all of the kits of the time that were made, but not made by AMT... all of those just didn't count?

Were those manufacturers doing kits as part of a series at that time? I know Revell does it today (Goodguys, Early Iron, Car Show, etc.) but was anybody but AMT doing series runs back then?

[Harry P.]

Were those manufacturers doing kits as part of a series at that time? I know Revell does it today (Goodguys, Early Iron, Car Show, etc.) but was anybody but AMT doing series runs back then?

It's a little presumptuous to make a statement like "without so and so's series of kits, the scale model car hobby would never have existed."

(Yeah, I know it wasn't you that made the statement)...

[Greg Myers]

Boy Harry, fellin' kinda cranky are we ? What would you include ?

Edited November 4, 2011 by Greg Myers

[Harry P.]

Boy Harry, fellin' kinda cranky are we ?

Not at all.

But how can I let a statement like that go by without a reply? I mean, come on! The hobby existed before any of those AMT series came along, and it would have continued to exist had they never come along. Are you telling me that you agree that without those particular AMT kit series, the hobby would not exist???!!! Seriously?

[Chuck Most]

Maybe it still would have existed, but would it have been nearly as diverse? I wasn't around back then, but looking at it from where I sit, without the series AMT introduced in the early '60's, particularly the Trophy series, I think we'd still be getting simplified kits with sealed hoods and seats molded to the tub.

[Harry P.]

Maybe it still would have existed, but would it have been nearly as diverse? I wasn't around back then, but looking at it from where I sit, without the series AMT introduced in the early '60's, particularly the Trophy series, I think we'd still be getting simplified kits with sealed hoods and seats molded to the tub.

Why do you assume that? Why would you think that only AMT had the ability to produce a model kit with an opening hood and engine detail?

I don't see any reason to think that the model car industry would somehow have been stuck in suspended animation with no improvement in kits had it not been for AMT. I mean, that's like saying that if the Model T never came along, no other car manufacturers could possibly have figured out how to build an affordable car, or if Ben and Jerry never existed, no other ice cream maker would have been able to figure out that there are more ice cream flavors than vanilla and chocolate.

[Chuck Most]

Why do you assume that? Why would you think that only AMT had the ability to produce a model kit with an opening hood and engine detail?

I don't see any reason to think that the model car industry would somehow have been stuck in suspended animation with no improvement in kits had it not been for AMT. I mean, that's like saying that if the Model T never came along, no other car manufacturers could possibly have figured out how to build an affordable car, or if Ben and Jerry never existed, no other ice cream maker would have been able to figure out that there are more ice cream flavors than vanilla and chocolate.

It goes pretty far beyond just having an engine. At least from the way I'm looking at it.

When you crack open a Trophy Series, what's the first thing you see? Right- sprue after sprue of parts. Most were marketed as 3 in 1, but with a little bit of creative parts use (not to mention kit bashing) you could build quite a few different variations of one particular kit. Not to mention the fact that the Trophy Series kits were among the first fully-detailed kits of their time. Other manufacturers had kits with mutliple building options, but as far as I'm concerned, nobody ever topped AMT in that respect. And yes, other manufacturers would have stumbled onto it, but it was AMT that took the idea and showed it to the world, and proved it was a good idea. And they STILL managed to do it better (and for a longer period of time) than any of the other guys.

[Peter Lombardo]

Well, I have to also take issue with any series of kitted cars making or breaking the hobby…….quite frankly the hobby exists only because of US. Without us, the builders, the buyers the lovers of building model cars, the manufactures would never make a model car kit…period. Without a market, a product does not exist.

As to the most important or best series, I think that will always depend on the modeler. If you like F1, clearly the Tamiya 1/12 and more importantly the 1/20 scale kits are the most important. If it is sports cars, the Fujimi Enthusiast kits are hard to beat. American Iron, hands down it is AMT. Specialty Hot Rods and Race cars based on the actual cars; well that is the Revell series from the 60’s.

But my number one, most important series of cars manufactured is the Revell ’32 Ford series……….3 window, 5 window and sedan, I bet every one of us has multiple kits from this series on the shelf. They appeal to all of us, can be built in a variety of configurations and have many aftermarket add ons to really individualize each build. The fit and finish on each kit is superb and they set a very high standard in the marketplace.

But you know, I could just be full of it.

[Chuck Most]

But you know, I could just be full of it.

I guess I'm full of it too! Yes, the Revell Deuce kits were only my second choice, but still.

[High octane]

I think that the AMT annuals of the early 60's were the best series of kits.

[SuperStockAndy]

I like the Revell Special Edition.

[brad4321]

I'm going to answer this question as if it read, "If you could only build one series for the rest of your life, what would it be?" And the answer for me is the 1/12 Formula 1 kits by Tamiya. Those retro F1 cars are gorgeous and the kits are fantastic. They're both doable and very challenging at the same time. And they are a great foundation for any level of super detailing you think you're up for. But they also look amazing right out of the box.

[slantasaurus]

Put my vot in for the Monogram Classics. Dusenbergs, Packards, the Cord 812, V-16 Caddy, Rolls, Mercedes 540Ks. They might seem a little simplified by todays standards but they build easily and look great when finished. Now if there were only an Auburn Boattail Speedster to round out this series....

[Modelmartin]

Interesting comments so far. The Revell 1/32 kits (55-56 Ford Mercury Cadillac) did have engines and some versions had customizing parts. I have a 1957 issue of Rod & Custom ( same age as me!!) that shows some contest results with many people doing all kinds of parts swapping, major chopping and restyling and almost all of it is Revell 1/32 kits. A very few entries were restyled promos. People will build no matter what is available. I would concur with Harry that no one series of kits was critical for the success of the hobby. I would argue that some series of kits killed some people's interest in the hobby because they were so hard to build like older Revell kits with too many fiddly parts and horrible chrome. Revell had great subjects but were always more difficult to assemble. The Aurora 1/25 kits and some of the IMC race cars are in that category, too.

AMT, MPC and Monogram customers were generally happier because the things fit together and therefore were more instrumental in building the Hobby.

[Modelmartin]

I'm going to answer this question as if it read, "If you could only build one series for the rest of your life, what would it be?" And the answer for me is the 1/12 Formula 1 kits by Tamiya. Those retro F1 cars are gorgeous and the kits are fantastic. They're both doable and very challenging at the same time. And they are a great foundation for any level of super detailing you think you're up for. But they also look amazing right out of the box.

I presume you are younger than some of us baby boomers. The "retro" F1 cars were all tooled when they were new! You are seeing re-issues of them. They are great kits and it is too bad they haven't done any new ones for a long time. I assume it is a Bernie$$$$ thing.