Missed Opportunities by the model car companies over the years

[dieseldawg142]

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Edited May 11, 2018 by dieseldawg142

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Breaking Bad series....

Fleetwood Bounder "Crystal Ship," Skyler's Grand Wagoneer, Jesse's Monte lowrider (easy conversion from the Donks one) and 4WD Tercel wagon, Walt's Aztek and 300, Walt Jr's Challenger, Saul's Cadillac, Mike's Chrysler Fifth Avenue.... Lots of opportunity for sales outside fans of the show.

[charlie8575]

Breaking Bad series....

Fleetwood Bounder "Crystal Ship," Skyler's Grand Wagoneer, Jesse's Monte lowrider (easy conversion from the Donks one) and 4WD Tercel wagon, Walt's Aztek and 300, Walt Jr's Challenger, Saul's Cadillac, Mike's Chrysler Fifth Avenue.... Lots of opportunity for sales outside fans of the show.

Hmmm...neve saw the show, and I'd buy one of just about all of those, the Monte if it's possible to build stock, too.

Well....what model Caddy?

Charlie Larkin

[unclescott58]

I still say Ford Capri MkI (1970 - 1974 Mercury Capri to those of us in the Western colonies) is still the biggest miss by model companies out there. This car was a big hit in every market were it was sold. The European Mustang. Yet no 1/25th scale kit of it.

Scott

[Erik Smith]

I still say Ford Capri MkI (1970 - 1974 Mercury Capri to those of us in the Western colonies) is still the biggest miss by model companies out there. This car was a big hit in every market were it was sold. The European Mustang. Yet no 1/25th scale kit of it.

Scott

I agree on it being a cool car and popular on the day. Definitely a missed opportunity because I don't think it would sell too many kits now - but back in the day? I can't remember the last time I saw ANY capris on the road, let alone a first gen.

[High octane]

It all has to do with SALES, and selling 2,000 of one kit isn't gonna cut it.

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Hmmm...neve saw the show, and I'd buy one of just about all of those, the Monte if it's possible to build stock, too.

Well....what model Caddy?

Charlie Larkin

It's a '97 DeVille. Better Call Saul!

[Aaronw]

Hot wheels tie ins seem like a no brainer. Get the little kids with the 1/64 diecasts, get the bigger kids with plastic models of their favorites.

Since a lot of the unique Hot wheels are wild customs, there is probably an adult market there as well beyond nostalgia (but the nostalgia is what would get me with kits of some of those early 70s redline series cars).

[Aaronw]

I agree on it being a cool car and popular on the day. Definitely a missed opportunity because I don't think it would sell too many kits now - but back in the day? I can't remember the last time I saw ANY capris on the road, let alone a first gen.

Yeah, they are becoming amazingly scarce. When I had to replace my truck I made a point of looking for early Capris and Celicas thinking they would be fairly cheap, but also more fun than most of the used cars in my price range. There are very few to be found these days.

[Dave Van]

Kookie Car from 77 Sunset Strip - 1958-1964 - never

OK this series and the car began a little early for the plastic model car hobby, and the show was really was for adults, but the car was cool enough to be on kids radar. I've always been surprised that no one ever even did a set of similar decals. It would have made a pretty good tie-in with some of the T-bucket kits over the years.

Done in high dollar die cast anyway......but yes plastic kit would be nice....

Steve's 1958 Chevy Impala from American Graffiti

Not really a missed opportunity, since AMT has had a 1958 Impala forever, but how about a tie-in with some decals and custom parts to make the car in the movie?

I have not inside info but I believe thats what Revell's 58 plastic kit was to be. It started life as a die cast....never made it there....then showed up as a plastic kit.

I think it was to be the AG 58 to go with the Millner car and 55 Chevy. Just think....we may have gotten the 51 Merc too......(roots of the 49 they ended up doing??)

Tucker when the movie came out - 1988 - never

This one is a stretch, but the Tucker has always been one of those cars that people have asked to see in model kit form. Probably too late for this one.

Got to the drawing stage...then killed.....

[Dave Van]

With the movie licensing that Round 2 has been doing lately, a Wayne's World Pacer wouldn't be a big surprise. The Pacer kit was modified to the later hood, but the hood and grill are the only parts modified, so it wouldn't be a big deal to tool up those.

Many years ago someone did a model of that car. I took photos of it at the Liars show, and one day I noticed my Fotki account counts were going wacky. Someone put a link to the page containing that photo to some Wayne's World fan site and they loved it. Some of them didn't understand that I just took a photo, and were emailing me asking to buy the model.

Thus, Wayne's World being a cult movie with a lot of followers today, I'd be doing the kit if I was Round 2. Like many of the recent movie tie models they've done, most of these would get sold at TV/Movie Memorabilia shows and probably stay in shrink wrap!

I've suggested it too.......and told R2 if they need the correct grille and hood to clone I'd supply them!!!!!

My spin on the Pacer!!!!

[Deathgoblin]

It's a '97 DeVille. Better Call Saul!

I'd take one of those. I had a '98 that I'd love to have a kit of.

[lysleder]

I might be wrong, but I always thought Tamiya would have made it well if they were to produce their 1/10RC "Sand Scorcher" baja buggy as a 1/24 static plastic kit. I don't know why they didn't, but I do know I would have bought them back when the beetles were still around on the streets. Say - up until the mid-nineties. I'm not certain it would be a great idea anymore, so in my book that is a missed opportunity.

Edited December 13, 2014 by lysleder

[1930fordpickup]

How about the Griswold Family Truckster? Cousin Eddie's motor home? Sherriff Andy's Ford?

Most all years of the Sheriffs Ford are out there just not four doors. They changed every year of the show.

Now the Motor home would be a seller. At least the the first run anyway.

[Erik Smith]

There were kits of the '70 - '74 Capri. AMT did the stock and cafe racer Capri in 1/25. Monogram did a stock and rally version in 1/24. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=&_osacat=2580&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.XCapri&_nkw=Capri&_sacat=2580

Those are later Capri II. Only first gen Capri are 1-24 motorized version and 1/32 Airfix. Edited December 14, 2014 by Erik Smith

[Atmobil]

Here is a picture of the Doyusha mk1 Capri 2000GT that I built some years ago. Never took pictures after it was done but it is not a very good kit. I think it is to big and it does not have a good interior as it is very shalow. The window/glass part does not fit properly in the body and the tires that came in the kit are BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH (I used tires from AMT 67 Impala)

I would have bought a Baja/Sand Scorcher version of the Tamiay 66 if it came out now but how popular it would be globaly I don't know.

Was Colombo popular when it was on tv in the 70s?

If so, the Peugeot 403 convertible he drives would be a great kit.

Other TV connections could be Ferrari Dino and Aston DBS from The Persuaders, some of you may have read about the Aston that was sold at auction not long ago:

http://www.bonhams.com/press_release/16573/

AMT did the 71 Duster, how about a conversion to Al Bundys "Dodge"? It was a 72 Duster, I plan on bulding a model, got resin dash and grille and taillights.