In the Aug 2018 issue of Scale Auto, there is a survey looking for input on what we as builders (collectors) would like to see produced.
www.scaleautomag.com/ymwk
They are looking for NEW kits, not reissues.
One comes to mind, IMCA/USRA/USMTS style modifieds.
Whatcha' all think about this......?
Not saying any kit manufacturer will take the hint on this, especially with what happened with Revell.....
I doubt us circle burner types will ever see anything new. The model companies will look at a return on the dollar when they produce a new tool. They are not gonna look at what we like as a good profit on sales. None of the circle track stuff was ever a good seller if you go back and do the research all save those Monogram Nascar kits they produced about a billion of. If Revell ever gets sorted out we might see the ASA cars again but I bet they will sell for close to $40. I wouldnt hold my breath for any new short track anything other than maybe a limited re-issue of something that exists. If we had as many re-issues and new tools of short track stuff as there have been 57 Chevies, Camaros and those ugly Cuda's we would have plenty to build. Face it, we are on the short end.
I'm with Lefturns on this one....fact is there just isn't much interest in building our genre of kits with the under 40 crowd....despite what may or may not be reality based on farcebook.
Use the declining numbers associated w/ NASCAR as a guide....do you really think anyone would want to stake a claim using that as an example?
ON THE OTHER HAND
With what sentsat71 stated about the IMCA type modifieds....to do that kit right the manufacture would, more than likely, have to include the front 2/3rd's of a G.M full frame from the late 60's(Chevelle) thru mid 80's (metric)...this is plausible since they where able to use a tri-5 Chevy in the slammer kits.
Throwing an after market IMCA type modified body over a NASCAR chassis just doesn't cut it with me...anything worth doing is worth doing right.
A modern era Late Model kit would be nice even with its blasé body of unknown type origin and sticker graphics ...doesn't matter if it is asphalt based. It could be manipulated over to dirt ,I suppose, like we did with the ASA offerings.
Lefturns75....
I do have to agree with you, but then is just a survey, just thought it would be interesting to see how many could suggest the IMCA style Modified.....
USMTS is traveling modified series, somewhat like WoO is to winged sprints. though most of their races are in the Central part of the US, from the South to the North and back to the South from March (if not a little earlier) through Nov.
And I know of a Modified builder who sounded interested in letting a model company use his cars to create theirs.....but that conversation took place almost 4 years ago.
And no, Revell at that time was not interested. Heard they lost money on the KK MIdget kits. While I liked the idea of the KK Midgets, I think they went back too far year wise for that type of kit. Even a '70's era midget would not have work, what with all the engine options there were back then. Not sure about today's USAC midget series, engine wise....
Think Revell might have done better with a new Sprint Car kit at the time, as the one they keep re-issuing is now over 30 years old. But now that Revell USA is gone, I doubt that willl ever happen.....
:) I would enjoy a current Whelen ( sp ? ) modified.
Also, I know nothing about drag racing, but have been watching a bit on tv of late. I think I would like to build a current Pro Stock car, box stock.
Not saying that any suggestions on the SA survey will ever be produced, but if modelers do not find a way to let them know how much interest their could be, those companies will never think about doing so.....
I know they most likely will not, but unless we find a way to bug them, models we might like to see will never ever be thought about doing.....AMT did so in the '70's with the Gran King sprint, though it was far from a perfect kit, they DID produce them!!! Same for the Tobias style modifieds, which, except for the tires were and are superior to the GK sprints, same for the old MPC pavement modifieds, though the tires were wrong, but they just used the tires and wheels from the Super Stocker series, which AMT did between the GK sprint and Tobias modifieds.What made them produce those kits back then when there was NO internet?????
Not to mention, the IMCA style modifieds are running around more of the country than say the Tobias modifieds, but I still liked them, though I didn't buy that many of them, as say the sprints, but then I was going to weekly sprint car races at that point in time, which made the GK sprints more appealing. By the time I bought the first Monogram sprints, I was not into building models then as i was 10 year before that.
I'll step down off my soapbox now........ ::) ;) :)
:D ;D :D ;D
Quote from: sentsat71 on July 10, 2018, 09:51:53 AM
.............What made them produce those kits back then when there was NO internet?????
..........I'll step down off my soapbox now........ ::) ;) :)
:D ;D :D ;D
Pre internet meant that there were board meetings....probably went something along the lines of kitting whatever was popular at the time...be it Star Wars or Vega's... Take a look back at what was being released in the 60's, 70's and 80's ....it pretty much parallels what was popular in the 1:1 world. Big cars and muscle cars in the 60's, smaller cars, drag cars, imports in the 70's, NASCAR and even smaller cars in the 80's as examples.
Don't know if the powers that be might wander by here and take a look, could always happen you know....I say get back on the soap box see about keeping this dialog going...cant hurt anything.
Yes, I am sure there were meetings, everyone had em. You guys are missing the big picture here, you are not thinking about how things were before your beloved internet came along and ruined the world as we know it. There were dozens if not hundreds of publications that everyone picked up, turned pages and read. Hot Rod, Car Craft, Motor Trend, Popular Hotrodding, Stock Car Racing, Open Wheel, National Speed Sport News just to name a few. These were the barometer of the automotive world and let you know what was hot and what was not. Anything hot in the print world back then we got in kit form, think about it. Show cars, Customs, Top Fuel, Funnys, Super Stockers, Stockers and who knows what else. There were also about ten times more modelers then and you could pick up a kit just about anywhere. Us boomers grew up in a car crazy world where every car company was trying to be the fastest, have the most horse power and the most cubic inches. We had toy cars, peddle cars, Tonka Cars and Trucks, Slot car tracks, and model cars of just about anything we wanted to build. We were car people. Today its Iphones, Ipads, computers, Digital this and digital that, Facebook, Instagram and all that other malarky. Times change and modeling is out, electronics is in. We will never see again what we once saw in the model world in the late 50's-60's and 70's and if you are old enough to REALLY remember, the 70's was not that great for model cars. Sure, we got some nascar kits in the 80's but you have to remember how big that was at the time and at first, the model company didnt have to PAY to use the names, cars, stickers and sponsors. OK, my rants over but if you want to stay blind and not see the big picture, thats ok too. I see the writing on the wall but at my age, I won't be building that much longer anyway and none of this will matter to me when I'm in a rest home or pushing up weeds.
Great read, Lefturns75!
And you really hit the nail on the head.....
If I remember correctly, early to mid 60's were great for kits, especially the 3n1 annual kits from AMT....Revell had its own niche.....as did Monogram, not sure when MPC came along, but they seemed to be the biggest challenge to AMT. Other model companies, like Jo-Han, Lindberg, IMC, just to name a few others, and I KNOW I'm missing a few others. And back then, they were all independent from each other.....Not so today......but that is the same for many other companies out there, just look at all the mergers between all kinds of companies over the years.....
I think that the very early 1970's were still strong, but started changing and not for the best, as the '70's wore on. There were a few kits out there that had building options, but the majority of the 3n1 kits were fading fast.
The last 2 short track cars that were created, as far as I can remember were the late 1980's Monogram sprint cars (Challenger & Gambler chassis) and the 2010 Revell Kurtis-Kraft Offy and Ford V-8 midgets. Not sure where the ASA stocks fit in this time slot.....
Just like with everything else, those good ol' days are gone.....
Quote from: sentsat71 on July 11, 2018, 06:34:47 PM
.......Not sure where the ASA stocks fit in this time slot.....
Just like with everything else, those good ol' days are gone.....
I have an ASA T-Bird with a 1990 date on the box and instructions....
I think that we, the over 50 crowd, are the demographic that kit manufactures are interested in presently....I cant speak for everyone here, but here is where I am at.
In the last 3 years there have been 3 kits released that where/are a must have for me...I have multiples of one of the kits, one of another and I have yet to order the 3rd since my LHS cant seem to get it in.
The kit that I have at least 3 of is the Revell Starsky & Hutch Ford Gran Torino (2015).....watched the t.v show back in the day , and this tail end of the baby boomer era , car culture crazy guy has a 1:1 scale '76 Ford Gran Torino sitting in the drive.....so of course I would be buying this kit.
The kit that I own one of is the MPC/Round 2 Donnie Allison Mercury stock car (2015)...sure, its a reissue, but again something that I watched on t.v back in the day and I never was presented with the opportunity to build one of the original release kits. Again, the over 50 guys who watched NASCAR races remember who the Allison Brothers were , I have no doubt in my mind that they would run circles around the Busch Brothers of today.
The last kit I have yet to get, again a blast from the 70's past....the MPC/ Round 2 Pinto Wagon(2016), the "Pony Express" I owned a Pinto once, it was a hatch back, one of the easiest cars to work on and the 4 cyl. engine sipped gas. The only reason I want this kit is I think that the port window, part van part wagon, would make for a cool 80's I.M.C.A modified body...
So... I guess so long as they, the kit manufactures, seem to think that we will keep on reliving the good 'ol days of our mis-spent youth and young adult life's thru building kits , then they will oblige us with a new release or re release every so often to keep us buying more.
Brian,
R2/AMT/MPC seem to be doing just that, to the point of back dating some kits to the original issue....one i particular stands out, the Datsun Pick/up....
Would like to get my hands on that kit, but with Medicare kicking in, meaning less coming from Social Security, can no longer afford it....
The AMT '37 Chevy Stovebolt kit was reissued a couple of years ago, another one.....
Know there are others, but don't remember exactly which ones....though the Pinto S/W would be one.....wouldn't have minded getting that kit as well, but couldn't see paying the asking price of that kit just for the body to drop on a Slammer Modified chassis......
I filled out the survey with a twist on what I normally would ask for. I'm at a point in my life where I'll never build everything and every idea I have. I voted for tuners, current popular cars and suv's. I am of the opinion, and it's only my opinion, that if we want to see the younger kids and adults continue the hobby were going to need to let them start getting some new kits of subjects that they like and want. I think there will always be enough kits of my liking around and I'd love to see the younger generations take this hobby to the next level. Anyway, as I said, it's just my opinion. 😎🏁
:) I think we all get to that point eventually, Greg. I have enough kits, and junk yard for about 15 projects, and know I am not likely to get them all done.
I don't plan to buy anymore kits, unless something really interesting comes along, or there is a rerelease of something special from the past.
On the other hand, if I make it back to Memphis next June ................... Well, you know. You have to buy something at a show, right ?
Interesting and valid point, Greg.....
Now Scale Auto needs to follow up that survey with one of what we all would like to see RE-issued, that has not been already, or not recently, as in the last 10 years or so.....
Now those lists would be real interesting, as I know mine would be quite long..... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;)
Yeah, I'm with you on the rerelease, Ed. I guess I wouldn't complain too loudly if an interesting short track kit were to miraculously appear as well, lol. I'm thankful I suppose that I don't depend on a new tool kit to build the stuff I want to. I'm also thankful for the great tips and how to's and aftermarket to be able to build my models. It will be interesting to see the results of the survey and then see if any of the wants come to be kitted.😎👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😎🏁
Greg....
I know I have quite a list of reissues that I'd like to see brought back.
Though a few have been, but the one that has disappointed me the most was they dropped the stylized parts from the original issue of the AMT '57 Chevy....there are so many options for that kit, it would take around 6 kits to build ALL the options....How do I know what all the options are? Still have the instruction sheet(s) from the original issue....! Instruction sheet consist of 3 sheets, 7 3/4 in. side by 17 1/4 in. long, various instructions on each side. The "Pepper Shaker" version that is the latest re-issue of the AMT '57 Chevy, is of the original issue, but might have parts of course fo the stock version, possibly the mild custom version, and of course the drag version. Seems they still include two engine options, which the original issue did as well. The 2005 re-Issue that I have, as the mild custom parts, including the original '57 Buick grill to insert onto the stock grill....and part of the custom options from the original issue, but not quite all of them. Of course the stylized parts have not been part of the kit since the original issue that I know of.....now the other very interesting part of the original kit was showing how to chop the top....the original kit had a cleat "glass" piece to be part of the chopped top. there were supposedly scoring lines on the inside of the top as to where the cuts were to be made along with scoring lines on how to cut the top into four pieces, the glut them to the top of the "glass" top piece which had raised parts of the clear top to line up the top so it would match up to the posts still remaining on the body.
In looking at the 2005 re-issue, one of the front posts still has a mark as to where to cut, the other three corners do not.....
Might have to go hunting other reissues of the original kit......
Think I had another reissue back in the early '80's, but that kit along with so many others over the years found the various trash cans/dumpsters......
Other AMT kits that I have not seen in years are the '63 Chevy II, early '60's Ford and Chevy pickups (not counting the new tool from the late '90's(?)) plus the trailers that were included those kits, the rarely reissued '39/'40 Ford sedan kit. Have not seen the '66 Mustang GT, but the coupe version only....
At the top of the list of MPC kits are the Super Stocker series.....don't care which bodies are in the box...Have a few of them when I last saw them over 10 years ago but not enough......lol
Then there's the MPC late 60's early '70's releases of the Wedge Hauler with the tandem rear axle option which were not part of the couple of AMT issued kits brought out roughly around 10 years or so ago. An earlier issue of the MPC Chevy P/U kit that had option to build a fire truck used for brush fires. The box side and rear piece are still part of the much too often release of the "Cooter Tow Truck" from the Duke's of Hazzard "series".....(had the tow truck version back in the early '70's when it was brought out). Another high on the list of re-issues is the '72/72 Ply. Roadrunner kit with the never built Superbird parts.....Have that kit, but built it as a stock street version.....and have lost the superbird parts over the years.....or just have not found them yet.....just have the feeling that those parts got tossed at some point....
Enough reminiscing and dreaming.....LOL
I'm with you on the 57 Chevy. It would actually be cool if all the kits from our youth could be reissued in original form. Well, a mans got to have a dream and that's most likely where it stays, lol.😎🏁
Greg....yeah, your right on never seeing any early kits reissued with ALL options that were on the original. I can hear it now...."Molds were damaged or lost to remold all these parts."
Read/heard somewhere that's what happened to the AMT '32 Ford 5-Window Coupe from the '60's, losing the cycle fenders and custom hood......
Then there's the issue of front axles going through the engine.....
Then R2 likes back dating kits to "original issue".....which on one kit they went too far....lol
Namely backdating the Datsun Scavenger Tow Truck from the last issue as a Monster Truck back to the original 3n1 original issue....Me, I wanted that kit to go back to the the way it was BEFORE they made it a Monster Truck....as I wanted the original Scavenger Two Truck, the wild custom hot rod tow truck, with the blown V-8 and flip nose....
Just wonder if the "new" 3n1 kit would work in using parts for both kits to come close to the one I want.....