Chome buckets with clear lenses versus, promo style engraved headlamps

[Luc Janssens]

As you all know by now, the Kats at Amt, redid the grille on the '60 Ford Ranchero.
Not only did they backdate it to 1960 specs, but they went the extra mile creating chrome headlamp buckets with clear lenses, a move I can only applaud and also a pet peeve of mine, which has been addressed, for which I thank the R&D team at Round2.
Now my question to you all, would you like to see this modification continued and even extended into the regular (non restored) re-issues too, or don't you care?
Thanks in advance for your input

Best Regards

Luc

Edited December 14, 2013 by Luc Janssens

[Guest]

I think it would be the cat's meow to have that done on all old tools that have chrome headlights.

[TooOld]

Yes .

[Bobdude]

As long as it's not cost prohibitive,convert all of them to chrome buckets and clear lenses.

[disabled modeler]

I like the oldschool original version myself...too easy to modify the headlights if you want to but hard to go the other way....its best to have the choice to build ether way one wants to. Original re-issues need to stay original....otherwise retool the whole thing and have a super detailed version available to those that want one. Secondly some might buy the original version just to use for parts to repair an old original model from the good old days.

Edited December 14, 2013 by disabled modeler

[ChrisBcritter]

Oh, you absolutely bet I would - I'm doing it now whenever I can scrounge extra lenses.

[disabled modeler]

Maybe they should include the extra parts to have the builder a choice of doing it ether way...seems to solve both builders needs to me and its good for marketing the kit...we have complained for years about the original re-issues not having the original extras that came with the kit originally...makes a great selling point to me...(more choices more sales)

Edited December 14, 2013 by disabled modeler

[Tony T]

I have no problem with them replacing headlights with buckets and lenses.

[Guest]

I would rather have buckets and lenses whenever possible. There's enough original issues floating around for those who would rahter have chrome head lights as hard as that is to imagine.

[freakshow12]

Buckets and lenses all the way. I have a pile of kits I just keep passing over due to the fact I know there is extra work in that dept. Lol

[Ace-Garageguy]

Well, not the answer to the question...but what I'd REALLY like to see is a parts-pack issue with nothing BUT good lenses and buckets. A lot of models that already come with separate lenses have them either poorly scaled, poorly engraved, or otherwise just not right.

The old AMT bumpers-and-grilles pack came with a couple of pairs of buckets but no lenses, and those were always the parts I used first.

[1930fordpickup]

How could they go wrong with fixing this . At list prices these days we want more. Just saying .

[ChrisPflug]

Depends on the kit- it's part of the "charm" of some of the older, less detailed straight reissues, these kits require enough work if a more detailed replica is desired it's really not that much more work to drill and add new headlights and buckets

[Art Anderson]

Those old headlight treatments were fine, back in the day when we were all 12-about 16 or so. I, for one, don't much worry about building an "old tool" kit today--as there are water-clear epoxies out there (check the jewelry section at Hobby Lobby or Michael's) that can make them look quite real. Now, on a new-tool kit, or one such as the Ranchero where probably Round2 had to do an all-new '60 Rancho grille, then do the headlights the way we like 'em in the 21st Century.

Art

[sjordan2]

Lenses and buckets for sure -- as long as the lenses don't have mounting pegs in the middle like many diecasts.

[slusher]

I think it would be the cat's meow to have that done on all old tools that have chrome headlights.

Well said, Lee..

[Art Anderson]

Lenses and buckets for sure -- as long as the lenses don't have mounting pegs in the middle like many diecasts.

On diecasts, I understand (even if I do not like) the mounting pegs, as the manufacturers have to ensure that the lenses don't just pop out easily. But, I can tell you that convincing the tooling designers overseas that plastic model kit builders don't want those is a constant effort.

Art

[W-409]

I have no problem with chromed headlights. I think that chromed headlights are better than separate buckets and lenses if they are done poorly. But I believe that Round 2 does these nicely, so for me both ways are fine.

[Mark]

Put them into new kits, but leave the old ones alone. It's unlikely that a manufacturer could recoup the cost of the modification through additional kit sales, and raising the price will result in lower sales. In most cases, I think the manufacturers strike a pretty good balance between price, detail level in all-new kits, and improvements/alterations to existing ones. You can quibble with certain things, but overall they do a pretty good job. A parts pack with a tree of plated headlamp buckets and a clear tree of lenses would be nice to see for those who do want to make the alteration themselves. While we're at it, how about plated trees of door handles, windshield wipers, interior door and window crank handles...

[jaydar]

Lens and buckeys are the way to go. I cannot get the all chrome headlight to look real.

Joe.

[ChrisBcritter]

And while we're at it, we might as well ask for clear red taillight lenses as well (which would have been nice for the '65 Ford reissue).

[PappyD340]

YES and YES

[lordairgtar]

I'll use both depending on the kit. I can always drop a bit of clear Elmers glue on them to give them the appearance of having a lens. The thing I hate is seeing a wash of white and grey on a chrome headlight. It looks like someone dirtied the lights.