Guest Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 The Meng F-350. I waited fifteen years for that kit! Solid proof that American subjects should be tooled by Americans! Of course, Meng isn't the only kit company proving that.
W-409 Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Yep that purple one is the one I was talking about. It is true that the Ed Roth version is a re-issue of that kit. I should get back to my Hot Rod series kit, but I've started it long time ago and I'm not happy with the quality of work I did back then, so basically I would have to start by unassembling everything.
DynoMight Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Yep that purple one is the one I was talking about. It is true that the Ed Roth version is a re-issue of that kit. I should get back to my Hot Rod series kit, but I've started it long time ago and I'm not happy with the quality of work I did back then, so basically I would have to start by unassembling everything. Yea I didn't do the best work either. It's just that metallic purple is hard to paint over if you didn't prime it *Whistles* Really the only thing I built well was the engine. haha
martinfan5 Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 The Meng F-350. I waited fifteen years for that kit! Solid proof that American subjects should be tooled by Americans! Of course, Meng isn't the only kit company proving that.Why dont you stop playing games and tell everyone what your issues is with the kit
MrObsessive Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Yeah, Palmer kits as gifts when I was a kid. Oy. "Uh. Gee. Uh. Thanks, Gramma..." But in recent years the biggest disappointment was this nightmare, AMT's ridiculous '58 Plymouth. Was really excited when it was announced. When I picked one up I bought it in spite of the box "art" photo, hoping maybe it showed camera distortion. Fortunately the photo did, in part, prepare me to clench my sphincter for the disappointment to come on opening the box and realizing the distortion was in the eye of the pattern maker, who may have never actually looked at a real '58 Plymouth. "Uh. Gee. Uh. Thanks, AMT..." I'm right there with you on the Plymouth John! I knew however that as soon as I saw the box art, it would not be right. Camera distortion only works so far with me. RC2 could have hit a home run with this if indeed they had done their homework. But instead, they chose to scale down their 1/18th diecast which was already quite inaccurate as well. Nevertheless, I did buy this kit and someday, I will make something worthwhile out of it. This car has some childhood memories for me as my Dad had one (actually a '57). He's since passed away, and I'd like to build one similar to the one he had back in the '60's. As far as Trumpeter's Bonneville-------yeah, the roofline was a disappointment to me, but I'd like to someday do a roof swap similar to the one I did with Revell's '59 Chevy. Swap the roof off their '60, and you'd be all set!
ChrisBcritter Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Revell '56 Chevy. First time I'd gotten a kit with a chassis so warped it was unbuildable; not to mention the syrupy-looking chrome tree. Palmer kits? They looked cheap on their boxes, so I wasn't expecting much anyway. (Though if anyone has a '64 Plymouth Sport Fury body... please let me know!) At least I didn't feel bad about building them quick and playing with them to death in the backyard. Jo-Han '63 Rambler and '62 Studebaker: Beautifully executed, accurate, crisp moldings. So why were they so BIG? Try displaying one next to an AMT Falcon or Corvair.
Custom Hearse Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 The AMT Chevy II "Rat Packer". worst kit I've ever seen!
ChrisBcritter Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 (edited) But in recent years the biggest disappointment was this nightmare, AMT's ridiculous '58 Plymouth. I picked up one of those as well; the body looks like I could improve it by cutting it vertically just behind the door almost to the top of the doors and spreading it apart at the bottom, sticking a wedge in wide enough to take out the kink in the body and filling it in. Anyone tried to fix this issue? Edited July 23, 2014 by ChrisBcritter
ChrisBcritter Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 The AMT Chevy II "Rat Packer". Worst kit I've ever seen! Does that go for all the AMT AWB drag cars? Aren't they pretty much the same underneath? (I've had two Rat Packers but I bought them for their bodies and deep-sixed the rest.)
Ace-Garageguy Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Recently? Revell's Rat Roaster. Though it's a nice enough kit, there's just not much in the box. I was used to getting a lot of stuff in Revell's '32 ford kits, especially the 5-window, and the low parts-count in the RR was a big disappointment.
Guest Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Yesterday, just picked up the Galaxie '48 Chev sedan delivery. Never had a Galaxie kit before. And while the kit itself was nicely done, for the Canadian price I paid, sooner would have bought 2 other kits. Maybe I need more time getting comfortable with it sitting there. Seriously? Those Galaxies 48's are some of the best kits ever.
Evilbenny Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 That Revell 90 LX still has me grumbling obscenities under my breath every time I look at it.
MrObsessive Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 I picked up one of those as well; the body looks like I could improve it by cutting it vertically just behind the door almost to the top of the doors and spreading it apart at the bottom, sticking a wedge in wide enough to take out the kink in the body and filling it in. Anyone tried to fix this issue? Chris if you click here, Jon Cole did a thread years ago on this very thing. I don't know if he ever finished it, and I do believe something would need to be done to the roof as well. It sits too low, and the rear pillars are too fat. The side window profile would need reshaping also as the top portion of the side windows are at an incorrect angle. Just my 2¢ worth on one of my favorite cars of the '50's.
Harry P. Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 And also, if you did that to the body, the wheel arches will be further apart, and the wheels might not line up correctly unless you also modify the chassis and/or suspension. That's a lot of issues the buyer must deal with... that should have been addressed by the manufacturer.
Custom Hearse Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Does that go for all the AMT AWB drag cars? Aren't they pretty much the same underneath? (I've had two Rat Packers but I bought them for their bodies and deep-sixed the rest.) Never bought another AMT AWB kit after that... The disappointment ran deep.
mnwildpunk Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Ertls 57 Corvette gasser couldn't get anything to look right on that model the hood to body cove and the window frame stick out the most in my memory. Only model of mine that met its end being thrown at the floor
DrGlueblob Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 -Any earlier Revell VW Bug kit. The engine is BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH-ola, and outside of the Penny Pincher, I haven't found anything that'd make any good Baja. I'm gonna buy a bunch of resin VW stuff when the two fellows on this board start offering them..
MrObsessive Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 And also, if you did that to the body, the wheel arches will be further apart, and the wheels might not line up correctly unless you also modify the chassis and/or suspension. That's a lot of issues the buyer must deal with... that should have been addressed by the manufacturer. I had a different approach than what he would do...........it would leave the wheel arches alone, but I'd end up losing the side trim. A few models from now I may finally tackle this one after all of these years. And yes Harry you're right..........RC2 should have gotten this correct the first time, not go low buck and simply copy their diecast.
Harry P. Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 Bill... if and when you get around to tackling this, please consider doing it as a feature for the magazine.
kitbash1 Posted July 23, 2014 Posted July 23, 2014 (edited) MPC's reissue of the McLaren Mk8d in 1/20th scale. Parts with lots of flash, ill fitting parts, brittle plastic . I've got 3 of the original issue of this kit and the one that I opened to compare the two was in better shape for a almost 40 year old kit. The only good thing in the reissue kit were the tires. Very disappointing. To build it will take alot of sanding and test fitting of parts, not to mention all the flash that needs to be removed. Edited July 24, 2014 by kitbash1
J Morrison Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 The Meng F-350. I waited fifteen years for that kit! Solid proof that American subjects should be tooled by Americans! Of course, Meng isn't the only kit company proving that. ??? What is wrong with the Meng F-350? By all accounts it's a great kit from what I hear & have seen.
Tom Geiger Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 (edited) Okay guys... here's how to fix the AMT '58 Plymouth... First we find some accurate reference photos of a 1:1. There's the accurate stripe for our detailing... Don't like the roof on this kit? Just cut it off. Don't like the way the doors line up with the quarter panel? Cut it off. Oh, yes I'm improving this kit and building my accurate replica! (yes I know I'm building a '57 here) Edited July 24, 2014 by Tom Geiger
martinfan5 Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 I know the tires of the F350 kit are bad, I want you to take a look at the tires off of my completed one that has been sitting on the shelf, since the beginning of May, the tires can not support the weight, and I have emailed this to Meng
Scale-Master Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 I guess I'm not as picky as some, or maybe I just have a good idea of what to expect from any given kit. I have built many of the ones listed in this thread. Some multiple times. And some for the box art photos, (they can be built).I think I have been pleasantly surprised more times than I have been disappointed by kit contents; at least not due to manufacturer or shipping errors and damage, short shots, missing or broken pieces...But only one model was so bad and not what I expected that I started and after significant build time I decided it was best that it be put back in the box and shelved, permanently (so far).It was the Heller 917 in 1/24th scale. I had already built the Ferrari 330 P4 so I thought I knew what to expect. No comparison.After that last car I built, maybe I should take a look and see if I have different feelings about it?
checkmate Posted July 24, 2014 Posted July 24, 2014 I picked up one of those as well; the body looks like I could improve it by cutting it vertically just behind the door almost to the top of the doors and spreading it apart at the bottom, sticking a wedge in wide enough to take out the kink in the body and filling it in. Anyone tried to fix this issue? How was the R&R vacuum craft '58 for accuracy?
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