Yodel American Police series

[ABC Auto Industry]

Anyone ever hear of the Yodel American Police series models? They're models of '77-'78 Dodge Monaco/Plymouth Fury police cars made by some Japanese model manufacturer named Yodel. I have no idea how old they are & I haven't seen anything about them outside of Ebay. Sometimes, they have a motor available, & the bodies are sometimes pre-painted. There are 5 known kits in the series:

-California Highway Patrol

-New York City Police Department

-Los Angeles Police Department

-San Diego County Sheriff's Department

-New York/New Jersey Port Authority

I have the LAPD kit, and it's pretty accurate except the grille & tail lights are too deep, and there are some minor inaccuracies with the 2 types of lightbars included (dual beacons on a rack & wedge lightbars are included). I'd post pictures of my model here, but I'm missing some decals for it.

Here's an example of an unassembled CHP kit:

If anyone knows any more about these kits and/or has any opinion about them, please tell me!

[RJWood]

From the pics, it looks like the box has lots of parts for it. looks like no engine for it because the hood is molded in.

so it must have a good amount of interior parts. maybe a shotgun, radio, police dog. quality of the kit is good.

I would have to say nice find. now if the price was right, you've got a winner.

[ABC Auto Industry]

Shotgun & radio? Yes. Police dog? No, but you could get an aftermarket one if you wanted. It also comes with a revolver to put on the dashboard. Also, no engine, but there's a motor for certain issues of these kits (see below). Motor requires 1 AA battery.

There are also two types of box art for the kits. One is a painting of the car, has no motor, & is probably older (like the kit shown above); while the other has a photo of the assembled model along with some life-size police stuff (badge, gun, etc...), has a motor, & is probably newer. The kits with the second type of box art come with two grilles (Dodge & Plymouth), both types of lightbar, & two taillight designs.

My LAPD kit said "Dodge Monaco" on the box, but I made it a Plymouth Fury instead. As for the price, it cost me $25, likely because these kits are relatively uncommon & so enigmatic. However, if you're looking for a kit of a '77-'78 Dodge Monaco/Plymouth Fury, look no further than these kits. You can also make cars of other agencies by getting some decals from either www.jbot.ca or www.chimneyvilledecals.com (you can also get lightbars & other police car parts from the second website).

Edited September 27, 2007 by ABC Auto Industry

[ABC Auto Industry]

There are also some instances of Engrish in the instructions, but nothing overly wrong.

[Modelmartin]

Those kits were distributed in the US in the early 80s. I remember them on the shelves of several LHS. They are typical Japanese kits with nice external detail but set up for happy-go-fun electric motor power.

[ABC Auto Industry]

Thanks! I was wondering when these kits were introduced!

[v8horsepowercj]

I bought one of these kits in the very early 90's from my LHS. I have the NYPD version. It was a very nice kit no flash at all and the parts fit was very precise. The hood on mine was molded in and it has the compartment for batteries and a place to munt the small electric motor. It kind of reminded me of a tamiya kit as far as not having any flash, very few (and minimal) mold lines or seams, and very good engraving. I'd buy more of them If the price was right.

Chris

[57peppershaker]

While surfing the web for Dodge Monaco info, I came accross the box art & instructions for this Yodel Dodge Monaco

I think this box art looks fantastic !

I've seen the Police issues before but never this one. It hasnt got any cop stuff in it but bucket seats, sports steering wheel & rear spoiler. Also what look like mag wheels.

As Yodel kits are too expensive for what they are, & assume this issue is rare ? I want to replicate this box art using an AMT Monaco.

Has anybody got this kit in their collection ? If so, could you post pics of the wheels, seats, steering wheel & spoiler ? The instructions are drawn, so lack detail.

[Junkman]

I only have the Plymouth:

But apart from the grille and the plastic colours, the kits are identical.

The contents:

The wheels:

Note: Stock steelies with poverty caps are included, too.

The seats and decklid spoiler:

[57peppershaker]

Thanks Junkman, thats exactly what I was looking for. Didnt know they did a plain Plymouth either !

I've got a Yodel Police Monaco but its got a damaged / missing A pillar. Most of the goood parts will go on an AMT.

Now to start hunting for similar wheels . . . . . Any idea's where to start ? (apart from a Yodel kit lol)

[Junkman]

Thanks Junkman, thats exactly what I was looking for. Didnt know they did a plain Plymouth either !

I've got a Yodel Police Monaco but its got a damaged / missing A pillar. Most of the goood parts will go on an AMT.

Now to start hunting for similar wheels . . . . . Any idea's where to start ? (apart from a Yodel kit lol)

If I'm not mistaken there are similar ones in the Lindberg '34 Ford P/U.

[Junkman]

Junkman i know it's probability a dumb question.

But what are poverty caps?

Dog dishes. Those:

And yes, I absolutely despise them. But that's just me.

My father used to say there are no dumb questions. Just dumb people asking questions.

And no, you are not one of them.

[Edsel-Dan]

I am surprised to see one of the rotator domes on the clear tree.

I though those Hot-rod versions only had the car itself and deleted the Police parts.

Wish those kits would get re-issued again

I have an Old LAPD version. It only had the rack with Rotators & siren

They match the design of Jo-Han's set in the 68 Fury Police Pursuit though slightly different parts.

The Rotator bases are cast with the rack, while the mounts are separate. Jo-Han has the rack as 1 pc,

bar & mounts.

I did not get the 'Twinsonic' type bar caps. only the base & siren on the chrome tree.

I did get both sets of tail lights. Nice that they are clear and not clear-red.

The bench seat has a hollow back you need to cover/hide with an insert.

I did find out LAPD only used the Plymouth this year, so need the Fury grill.

The body, interior, chassis, etc are shared in all kits. only the grill, and evidently

some issues, the police roof lights are different between kits parts wise.

The Decals are the major difference.

I watch for these, but the last one that stayed within my budget, the seller would not accept Postal Money Order.

All others start at $45-75.oo!!

[57peppershaker]

I have the monaco, but it looks like you got what you needed -

Does the box show any different pics, other than the 1 I posted ? Be good to see a rear shot.

Thanks for heads up on the Lindberg / Monogram wheels. Anybody know if they are big n littles ? Yodel wheels all look same size, but rears look wider on boxart.

The link that Casey posted lists 5 different Monaco / Fury editions;

-California Highway Patrol

-New York City Police Department

-Los Angeles Police Department

-San Diego County Sheriff's Department

-New York/New Jersey Port Authority

The 2 plain wrappers make 7. Anybody know of any more ?

Cool 1;1 pic too Junkman

[Luc Janssens]

IMHO the box-art alone was great, the kits themselves a big dissapointment.

I had the Fury NYPD version, and remember the body being too boxy, the roof line is a joke.

But like many I was tricked into buying one, after seeing the "Kager" adds in the German model magazine, Model Fan ...

Anyway the Mpc Rosco, TJ Hooker, Joker and Gotham city police car are much better representations of that era Monaco, provided you come up with better tires, wheels and light bars (the Mpc Dodge Force 440 is a good source for a lightbar like the ones the LAPD used)

Correction, the CHP used.

Edited June 30, 2012 by Luc Janssens

[57peppershaker]

Thats why I want to build an AMT of the Yodel box art.

Shame the Force 440 lightbars are scarce now.

[Junkman]

Is no one making aftermarket light bars?

[Danno]

Is no one making aftermarket light bars?

Light bars are available, but not the style that was included in the Force 440 kit.

[niteowl7710]

Dave Panek has been back in business for almost a year now. I know he offers an Aerodynic which would be your LAPD bar of the 1980's into the mid-90's. The Plymouth Furies the Yodel models represent were from an era when LAPD still used the "soup" can lights.

Edited June 30, 2012 by niteowl7710

[martinfan5]

Dave Panek has been back in business for almost a year now. I know he offers an Aerodynic which would be your LAPD bar of the 1980's into the mid-90's. The Plymouth Furies the Yodel models represent were from an era when LAPD still used the "soup" can lights.

Its great that he came back to the hobby, the only thing I can say his lightbars are on the pricey side, I think.

[Edsel-Dan]

I have a set of "Coffee Can" lights ready for the Build, but need to find the Siren Speaker.

(Or at least the parts to convert the Eltro-Mechanical one from Jo-Han's kit into a

Correct Electronic Only Open Bugle type as on those Cruisers.)

Remember too, that those Can lights have Amber lenses to the rear Not red as Jo-Han

has always given us in the old 68 Fury Police Pursuit kit!! (At least Since the Adam-12 Era! 67/8 Pilot!)

I also need to replace the Monaco Grill piece with a Plymouth one, as LAPD Did Not Have Dodges

of this era

I have a GOOD Tamiya AeroDyn Lightbar I could use too, but have drilled the mounting holes for the Can's!

[Edsel-Dan]

Is it a copy of this brand? or from the MPC kits?

Will take modifying to fit the Yodel 1/24 if it is an MPC clone.

[Edsel-Dan]

OK, This is the Clip Not the Chrome grill insert then??

I thought this was from An MPC 75 Road Runner/Fury

It can't be just the grill and designed to fit the MPC Monaco.

The MPC kit uses 2 separate grill inserts, Yodel does both

Fury & Monaco Grills as 1 pc units.

This puts the Monaco's Body Color divider on the grill and Chrome plated.

Not easy to paint with out marring the chrome on the grills

I have a few of the Force 44o 2dr & TJ Hooker 4dr MPC Monaco's

(Have the 75 Runner & 77 Monaco Annual's too)

And the LAPD Yodel.

All I need is the Chrome Grill Not the full front clip.

It looks like later issues have Both Grills in the kits.

Mine does have both sets of tail light lenses.

I see the Fury, but no price. It looks like a conversion Body.

More than I need for the Yodel

Edited July 2, 2012 by Edsel-Dan

[shafer]

wouldnt the rosco from dukes of hazzard coronet make a good squad car it has engine