So what's the real story on "Reverse Engineering" ?

[Greg Myers]

. . . is there any real proof that this has been used to recreate a reissued kit? I know the Carl Casper "Undertaker" dragster was talked about for along time as being "reverse engineered" but then articals came out saying otherwise.

[Guest Johnny]

I know the Chinese are pretty good at it!

[Chuck Most]

I think the version of the Monogram Rommel's Rod out now was reverse engineered from an original kit, as the original tooling was lost/scrapped back in the '70's. It's not a direct duplicate of the original kit, as they decided to tweak the parts fit while they were at it.

[Dr. Cranky]

Interesting, I think I have that kit somewhere.

[Chuck Most]

Got me thinking- anyone else notice how similar the AMT and Lindberg '40 Ford coupes appear to be. They are clearly different tools, but a great deal of the parts to one kit will interchange to the other with zero effort.

[Eshaver]

Chuck, Linburg's Ford was originally an old Palmer Plastics tool . There's no way of telling as they were in New York at one time . You know spies have a way of pilfering .............. Ed Shaver

[MachinistMark]

i dunno, but that early hemi/potvin blower setup needs to be reissued in something and soon! its way cool.

[Greg Myers]

Did you look in here ?

[MachinistMark]

i have that and its not there.

[novadose71]

I think the version of the Monogram Rommel's Rod out now was reverse engineered from an original kit, as the original tooling was lost/scrapped back in the '70's. It's not a direct duplicate of the original kit, as they decided to tweak the parts fit while they were at it.

And someone saw fit to reverse engineer the Depth Charger too . I wonder how that sold. Just my opinion, and maybe I'm wrong, but I think there is more than one old Jo-Han kit that would get more interest and therefore generate a bit more revenue than that horrible thing.

Edited October 20, 2011 by novadose71

[Junkman]

Afaik the glass and maybe even the chrome parts of the Model King 1959 Imperial were back engineered.

[Chuck Most]

Afaik the glass and maybe even the chrome parts of the Model King 1959 Imperial were back engineered.

They were. I think they had to make a new mold for the roof on the '72 Blazer. Not sure, but I seem to remember hearing about that somewhere.

[Casey]

i dunno, but that early hemi/potvin blower setup needs to be reissued in something and soon! its way cool.

I suspect the front blown Olds in the Revell Orange Crate kit is as close as you'll find for now.

I thought the New Monogram (Revell) Circus Wagon was mostly reverse engineered from Monogram's Dragon Wagon kit, too?

[Chuck Most]

That kit was the Dragon Wagon first, then it was the Hangman, now it's the 'Circus Wagon' which is a reissue of the Dragon Wagon Version. So I guess that one has been re-reverse engineered.

[Greg Myers]

I've heard this term used over the last few years and the idea seems really great to bring back some of those lost treasures we keep talking about, lost in "The Fire" and "The Train Wreck" et. al.

So what's going on? I've heard both yes it was, and no it wasn't, on the Carl Casper Undertaker Dragster.

[MAGNUM4342]

I believe we just saw an example of RE, when Polar reverse engineered the General Lee to the Street Charger and then back to it's original form of the Petty Charger. It involves taking an existing kit and engineering a new or refurbished mold to resurrect a section that was too damaged or re-engineered too many times.

Edited March 29, 2013 by MAGNUM4342

[Greg Myers]

I believe "Reverse Engineering" is where an existing old kit is used to copy to cut new molds.

[blunc]

reverse engineering is what the soviets did with a B29 superfortress, they disassembled it then copied each part and made their own version.

Edited March 29, 2013 by blunc

[FASTBACK340]

Reverse engineerering is what our military did with Velcro, Electronics, and Carbon Fiber found in the recovered Roswell UFO.

[darquewanderer]

I believe we just saw an example of RE, when Polar reverse engineered the General Lee to the Street Charger and then back to it's original form of the Petty Charger. It involves taking an existing kit and engineering a new or refurbished mold to resurrect a section that was too damaged or re-engineered too many times.

Actually that's not entirely true. The Dukes of Hazzard ran around in a second generation '69 Dodge Charger. The other is a third generation '72 Charger base line car, as it still had the '71 C panels, but with '72 SE grille and taillights (incorrect for the '72 base). Originally offered as a Petty and a, IIRC, Bobby Baker clear-bodied NASCAR full race cars that they ran in late '72 and '73. Later sold as a molded in black Super Charger with a blown 426. All had the full NASCAR race suspension. In the latest offerings the kits are being issued in reverse order from the originals. The only changes between the two '72s bodies was the type of plastic, clear vs. colored. The only RE involved was for the interior, engine (components), tires and rims, some of which may have come from other kits altogether. The Dukes of Hazzard '69 borrowed the chassis and engine from the '72 race version and has never been issued in any other form.

For a better example of RE look at the Dave Burkett i.e. AMT/ Model King 1959 Chrysler Imperial. The body molds were found, but no chrome molds. Burkett paid to reverse engineer the new mold from an original issue chrome tree. One reason the curb-side kits were so expensive.

[1930fordpickup]

It is the process of taking a part and using it as your blueprint. You would just measure that part and make your prints from it.

[Greg Myers]

I think James has the right idea. My point is that is not reverse engineering , nothing more than opening or closing molds to come up with the desired parts. and by the way, I had a heck of a time gettin' that flag offin the roof o' my car.

[Greg Myers]

It is the process of taking a part and using it as your blueprint. You would just measure that part and make your prints from it.

That's how I understand it. Now, has this ever been done?

[MAGNUM4342]

James may have the right idea as far as reverse engineering, but he sure doesn't know Chargers!

[Harry P.]

It is the process of taking a part and using it as your blueprint. You would just measure that part and make your prints from it.

Exactly. Using a finished product or part, taking measurements off it, and using the measurements and info to create the tooling to recreate that product or part. The "bad guys" do it all the time with captured military equipment.