MPC Barnabas Vampire Van

[Chuck Most]

Compared to the 2002-vintage RC2 AMT/Ertl reissue, there are a few differences.

First of all, Round 2 has restored the kit to the MPC brand, and the new box art is a near duplcate of the original issue kit. It is also sold in the sturdy, double-fold box Round 2 has become known for. And speaking of things Round 2 has become known for, yes, you get a small cut and fold copy of the box, and an MPC logo sticker.

Compared to the 2002 Street Customs reissue, this one seems to be molded a LOT better. The AMT reissue had quite a few bad ejector pin marks in the chromed side and rear steps- these are gone from this new reissue. It is also molded in the customary snow-white plastic, not the greasy looking light grey stuff RC2 liked to use. Of course there is some flash, but nothing to horrifiying for a 45 year old kit. The AMT reissue had quite a few warped parts- I'll have to check and see if this reissue suffers from that ailment as badly as the earlier reissue.

The new M&H slicks are nice. They are hollow, and molded in a VERY soft vinyl. The tire size is cast into both sidewalls, while the M&H Racemaster lettering is cast into one sidewall and pad-printed on the other.

Look past the bodywork and you have most of the main ingredients to build a '32 Chevy based hot rod- a mostly complete '32 Chevy chassis and a decent blown Small Block Chevy. The kit also has sweet five-spoke wheels and some nicely-done 'hairpin' radius arms with drilled reinforcement webs. I'll probably raid this one for parts, but I'm toying with the idea of doing one out of box and parking it next to a Munster Coach and Dragula. Even though there never was a 1:1 Vampire Van, it would look right at home among such company.

[Casey]

Are those crucifix-spoked wheel halves?

[Chuck Most]

Are those crucifix-spoked wheel halves?

Well, not halves, no. Those are the wheels for the coffin trailer.

[Dr. Cranky]

That looks like an interesting kit, Chuck, and they parts should be enough to build something interesting in the world of Rat Rods. And, of course, the coffin is an extra added bonus for all sorts of builds and dioramas. Thanks for breaking it down for us.

[Nitro Neil]

What is truly monstrous is that AMT ruined a great kit to make this abortion. I refuse to buy this kit. I think that Round2 could have spent their money better to reissue something else, maybe the 32 Chevy roadster.

[Casey]

It follows Round2's pattern of re-issuing kits which RC2 reissued in the last decade, so maybe it has something to do with the fact that the tooling is already in China, and they know it can be used without a ton of additional financial investment.

I think most people would've preferred this kit to have been released under the "1 Run of Fun", then returned to the original '33 Chevy Panel, with the Barnabas version, um, buried for good.

[Chuck Most]

What is truly monstrous is that AMT ruined a great kit to make this abortion. I refuse to buy this kit. I think that Round2 could have spent their money better to reissue something else, maybe the 32 Chevy roadster.

Not quite... MPC was the responsible party.

[62rebel]

it is indicative of the MPC business model to re-vamp (hahaha) existing slow selling kits into new forms... they were the new kids on the block in the late '60's, and this was their bread-and-butter. if you think this was bad.... look at some of the "Zinger" style junk they added to their annuals in the early '70's as an example. you have to remember, KIDS bought these kits.... not adults, for the most part. as a side note, i remember watching Dark Shadows as a kid, and waiting to see the Vampire Van show up.... since it wasn't REALLY a TV show tie-in, of course, it never did.... and the Kotter Kids never drove the Superfly Gran Prix; Fonzie never drove the Monkeemobile, and Colonel Hogan never had his own Jeep..... that didn't stop MPC from selling TV-show themed kits.

i might buy one for the novelty of it. i never thought MPC's engineering was all that great on poseable steering, etc.

[Dr. Cranky]

Chuck, I just realized it comes with two figures. For some reason I thought it was just the one in the two halves. But it comes with a figure that goes IN the coffin too. That's just perfect. That's enough for me to want to get the kit now.

[tim boyd]

I agree with Chuck's assessment of this kit, AND...don't look now but the entire '33 Chevy Sedan Delivery body is still there in unmolested from from the B=pillar forward. Lotsa possibilities there....TB

[jeffs396]

I agree with Chuck's assessment of this kit, AND...don't look now but the entire '33 Chevy Sedan Delivery body is still there in unmolested from from the B=pillar forward. Lotsa possibilities there....TB

That's why I'm buying one (or two )

[horsepower]

that front half of the panel, & a little bashing can result in a fairly good looking '32 Chevy coupe, that might be worth the price of admission alone.

[Chuck Most]

Chuck, I just realized it comes with two figures. For some reason I thought it was just the one in the two halves. But it comes with a figure that goes IN the coffin too. That's just perfect. That's enough for me to want to get the kit now.

No, you were right the first time- one figure, molded in halves.

It can also be made into a fairly decent stand-in for a '32 Chevy pickup.

I've been working on two of these kits today, working toward a somewhat similar outcome. All I'll say for now is stay tuned.

[Dr. Cranky]

Fabulous, you are on another building spree, Mr. Most. Good for us, more eye candy for us.

[Rob Hall]

I think most people would've preferred this kit to have been released under the "1 Run of Fun", then returned to the original '33 Chevy Panel, with the Barnabas version, um, buried for good.

Agreed, scrap the junk and restore the good parts...

Edited February 16, 2012 by Rob Hall

[Casey]

I agree with Chuck's assessment of this kit, AND...don't look now but the entire '33 Chevy Sedan Delivery body is still there in unmolested from from the B=pillar forward. Lotsa possibilities there....TB

Unless there are parts missing from Chucks photos, I see nothing other than the cab area of the body shell which remains stock. No stock headlights and headlight bar, grille, hood sides, hood side inserts (possibly the most recognizable part of a '33 Chevy), fenders-- all missing.

Contrast it to Steve Milberry's built up pictured in an older thread:

[Dave Van]

I have no inside info on this kit or whats down the road. But look at what R2 has been doing. Take the 1/16 scale Dodge kit. When last issued by MPC it was the Duke's kit. R2 re-issues it pretty much like the last MPC issue. R2 then back dates the kit to the 1973 Dodge Charger street machine kit. Now that this kit has been produced it is going through a re-tool back to the original kit the Petty NASCAR Charger kit.

So lets hope that they may use this same plan on this, or other, kits....getting income from reissues to pay for mild re-tooling and another re-issue.

[Casey]

IIRC, the 1/16 DOH '69 Charger is an entirely different kit/tooling than the 1/16 '73/4 Street Charger kit/tooling, even though the chassis under both is very similar. I have not seen any other automotive kits from Round2 listed under the "1 Run of Fun" program, so maybe it's just getting started. This Barnabas kit would sure be a perfect candidate...

[Nate]

I'm hoping that they do the same to this that they did with the 1/16 Street Charger and are issuing it in this form one last time and then backdating it to the 33 Chevy Panel Truck.

[jbwelda]

i am going to buy it just for the figures.

goofy car but some really nice looking fodder for customs and rats and stuff.

i want this one:

[jbwelda]

wait...why would a vampire drive around in a car with crucifixes for wheels?

[62rebel]

you'd have to ask somebody at MPC about that.... IIRC, Barnabas Collins flew everywhere.....................

[Chuck Most]

Anybody know the whereabouts of Bill DePuy? He's the guy who designed this. AND the Jolly Roger...

[Truck parts]

I will buy one of them.Had one as a kid

[62rebel]

something hit me... no, not a falling chunk of Skylab. when these kits were new, the target market was tweenage boys... the kids who loved MAD Magazine.... had a Monster Maker in the closet with leaky packets of Plasti-Goop lying around.... hid plastic spiders in their sister's room... watched Scooby Doo and the afternoon movie after school or simply palled around with their buddies until dark or dinner was called..... these kids ate these kind of kits up with a passion... anything gruesome, blood spattered, with fangs and bat wings and spider webs on it, that was the coolest stuff around..... their DADS bought Monogram Classics. they themselves either lost the taste for styrene or simply grew out of cartoon cars.... but these kits had a place of honor in the grand scheme of things.