Hemi Under Glass model MPC 1/25. Any good?

[RancheroSteve]

But, how about some pictures of the actual kit?

A good suggestion, actually. If I can find a few minutes in the next week, I'll pull my kit off the shelf and take some photos or at least scan the instructions.

[Snake45]

A good suggestion, actually. If I can find a few minutes in the next week, I'll pull my kit off the shelf and take some photos or at least scan the instructions.

No need to scan the instructions, they're already online here:

http://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/straightline-competition/amt-hurst-hemi-unde/

[RancheroSteve]

No need to scan the instructions, they're already online here:

http://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/straightline-competition/amt-hurst-hemi-unde/

Ahh, thanks - I looked there and didn't find them - I think I was looking under "AMT Plymouth".

[unclescott58]

No need to scan the instructions, they're already online here:

http://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/straightline-competition/amt-hurst-hemi-unde/

It would be nice to still see the instructions here too.

Scott

[RancheroSteve]

Ooh, looks like someone's doing a build over in the drag racing section:

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=93701

[RancheroSteve]

OK, a few quick photos. The edition I have is the first Model King re-issue - a lot of us got pretty excited at the time to see this kit come back.

Instructions are from the "Street Freak" series, and decals are minimal (get the Slixx ones):

Not a huge number of parts (remember what Art said: this is a kit from the 60s):

So there you have it - hope that helps.

[unclescott58]

That helps a lot, Steve. Thanks for posting good clear pictures of both the kit and instructions. Now I hope we can see built up ones too.

Scott

[Casey]

Coming...soon-ish:

 

AMT-1153

1/25 1966 Plymouth Barracuda Hemi Under Glass

[CapSat 6]

Let's muddy the waters some more:

Looking at some old built ups I was able to get some time ago, the MPC Hemi Under Glass kits used 1968 and 1969 annual bodies, with hoods molded in. The chassis for these, as far as I can tell, eventually moved (with a few detail changes: mostly in the transfer case, headers, and wheels/slicks) over to the MPC L.A. Dart (and later, "Hemi Hunter") Dart Swinger wheelstander kits. It does appear that the chassis in the MPC H.U.G.'s was designed using the 1:1 H.U.G. as a template. It has a Mopar K Frame, and a simple roll cage. The only real downside is that this chassis doesn't mount very well either in the Barracuda or Dart bodies, and for the '66 body, you might have to do some trimming.   

The L.A. Dart and Hemi Hunter have been reissued several times recently, so if you can find one of these, you could either combine that chassis and powertrain with a newer MPC '69 Barracuda body and build a "69" H.U.G., or perhaps use that chassis for a '66 body which might get you something more accurate than the AMT chassis.  

To my eyes, both the MPC and AMT kits appear to use generic Gen I Hemis, rather than the Gen II's that the H.U.G.'s used, so I would replace the engine, too. Fortunately, in the 1/25 world, good Hemis practically grow on trees.   

I agree that research is key...also, over the years, the H.U.G. changed greatly, being run by Bob Riggle until pretty recently. I got to see both cars (the '66 and the '68) run at different times in the '90's. Very cool to see in person!!!  

 

Edited August 8, 2019 by CapSat 6
more to say...

[Mark]

The AMT '66 kit was issued first as a funny car, obviously patterned on the Plymouth Dealers '65.  Don Emmons was a consultant to AMT around that time, I would bet that he looked back to a model article he wrote for Rod & Custom where he built a mid-engine Barracuda from a stock '65 kit.  Those AMT early funny car kits were $1.50 or $1.70 items as opposed to $2.00 for most of their other car kits, hence the simplified construction and plastic tires.  The Hemi Under Glass boxing came a bit later, maybe around the time MPC issued the '68 version of their kit.

[Dave Darby]

9 hours ago, CapSat 6 said:

Let's muddy the waters some more:

Looking at some old built ups I was able to get some time ago, the MPC Hemi Under Glass kits used 1968 and 1969 annual bodies, with hoods molded in. The chassis for these, as far as I can tell, eventually moved (with a few detail changes: mostly in the transfer case, headers, and wheels/slicks) over to the MPC L.A. Dart (and later, "Hemi Hunter") Dart Swinger wheelstander kits. It does appear that the chassis in the MPC H.U.G.'s was designed using the 1:1 H.U.G. as a template. It has a Mopar K Frame, and a simple roll cage. The only real downside is that this chassis doesn't mount very well either in the Barracuda or Dart bodies, and for the '66 body, you might have to do some trimming.   

The L.A. Dart and Hemi Hunter have been reissued several times recently, so if you can find one of these, you could either combine that chassis and powertrain with a newer MPC '69 Barracuda body and build a "69" H.U.G., or perhaps use that chassis for a '66 body which might get you something more accurate than the AMT chassis.  

To my eyes, both the MPC and AMT kits appear to use generic Gen I Hemis, rather than the Gen II's that the H.U.G.'s used, so I would replace the engine, too. Fortunately, in the 1/25 world, good Hemis practically grow on trees.   

I agree that research is key...also, over the years, the H.U.G. changed greatly, being run by Bob Riggle until pretty recently. I got to see both cars (the '66 and the '68) run at different times in the '90's. Very cool to see in person!!!  

 

With those valve covers and rear mount distributor it's definitely a gen 1 Hemi.

[Casey]

On 9/6/2014 at 8:04 PM, FASTBACK340 said:

The RC2 re-issue is the `66 kit. The initial run had the incorrect box art showing the `69 version (flat hood w/ peaked header panel and no hood call-outs) which was an MPC kit.

Since Round2 is correctly packaging this re-issue under the AMT label, one can only hope they use the above box once again. 

[boss 302 mustang]

Why are they selling this as a Hemi Under Glass when it is not even close.........they really should sell it as the Plymouth Dealers car

[Snake45]

11 minutes ago, boss 302 mustang said:

Why are they selling this as a Hemi Under Glass when it is not even close.........they really should sell it as the Plymouth Dealers car

It's not really that, either, as it's a '66 body and not a '65. 

[magicmustang]

It builds up okay with a few changes.

Some great photos from the Mecum listing:https://www.mecum.com/lots/CH1013-167137/1966-plymouth-barracuda-hurst-hemi-under-glass/

 

Edited August 14, 2019 by magicmustang

[Casey]

4 hours ago, boss 302 mustang said:

Why are they selling this as a Hemi Under Glass when it is not even close.

1) Round2 has current license to release Hurst branded items

2) Model King reissued this very kit a few years ago, so it needs little in the way of repair/$$ investment

3) No other '66 Barracuda/Valiant models readily available

4) It's kinda cool looking, even as a pseudo early Funny Car

5) Fools like me will buy one just for the box art

[250 Testa Rossa]

One of these days they have to bring back the original '67/'68 Hemi Under Glass. 

[Plashdaddy]

On 21/09/2014 at 12:55 PM, unclescott58 said:

That helps a lot, Steve. Thanks for posting good clear pictures of both the kit and instructions. Now I hope we can see built up ones too.

 

Scott

Here’s a pic of mine, it was one of the first ones I did when I returned to the hobby.

It was from the ‘wrong box’ edition, I used Slixx decals and a resin set of Hurst mags (the kit had jellybean mags)

I’m sure the veterans here know already but the Round 2 Che-Zoom Corsair kit looks to shares nearly everything (save the body of course) with the H.U.G. kit.

There’s even a pair of Barracuda tail lights in the chrome tree ?

Edited August 14, 2019 by Plashdaddy
Forgot the picture ?

[Snake45]

3 hours ago, 250 Testa Rossa said:

One of these days they have to bring back the original '67/'68 Hemi Under Glass. 

Yah, even if they had to use the '69 body. I'd buy at least one. 

[Curt]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

Yah, even if they had to use the '69 body. I'd buy at least one. 

Ditto! 

[Mark]

IF Round 2 brought the kit back, it would almost certainly have the '69 body.  The original MPC '68 and '69 (there wasn't a '67 version) used the concurrent promo model (closed hood) version of the Barracuda body.  

[250 Testa Rossa]

The '68/'69 is what everybody wants, and is the most desirable. 

[Casey]

Edited August 16, 2019 by Casey

[Casey]

The re-tooled Hurst wheels are a nice surprise. Hopefully they will appear in other AMT/MPC kits down the line, too:

Edited October 3, 2019 by Casey

[Tom Kavanaugh]

I have heard the MPC boxing of a 1969 version Hurst Hemi Under Glass is merely a re-boxing of the AMT1965 Hurst Cuda rear engine " funny car". It was originally part of a series of AMT funny car models that were all not- to- accurate versions of early altered wheelbase drag cars. The best parts were the bodies and drag parts for the chassis and engines. A note on the Hurst Hemi Under Glass, I saw a photo of the original prototype car in a drag magazine, taken at some car show. The hemi engine had the twin 4 BBL carb set up that their superstock hemis were equipped with, the manifold with the carbs staggered side by side, not tandem. The big rear window had nylon- type straps to lift it off for engine access. The front suspension on AMT'S version is not accurate and I once saw a shot of the cad doing a wheel stand and it seemed to have a belly- pan underneath. Last, AMT's Corvair rear engine funnycar from the same series has the exact same engine, suspension chassis and interior as the ' Cuda kit, so much so that the included dashboard does not fit the corsair body without modification. Long winded but I hope this helps.