2008 Kit Releases - Amt Mpc Polar Lights

[John G - Retro Hobby Inc.]

OK folks, you can see pictures of our release plans for 2008! Expect these kits to be available in September and October of this year...

VISIT: http://www.autoworldhobby.com

PLEASE NOTE: Box art and kit configurations are subject to change!

No doubt, there are items on this list which have been out in the not too distant past, but we need to get SOMETHING out there for you guys to munch on while we continue planning. Even so, many of these first releases haven't been available since we were all youngsters!

Here's the list:

AMT

'51 Chevy Convertible

Digger Cuda

'49 Ford

Hippie Hemi

'60 Ford Starliner "2 In 1"

Li'l Stogie

Chevy Titan 90 Cabover

1/25 Display Case

Star Trek Enterprise - TV Version

MPC

'70 Super Bee (MPC body tool with Ertl AMT Chassis)

Rupp Super Sno-Sport Dragster 1/20

Class Action '80 Monte Carlo with Trailer and Custom Chopper

IMPORTANT NOTES:

'51 Chevy Convertible - we just located the tooling inserts in Dyersville to bring this version back!

'60 Ford Starliner "2 in 1" - while the tooling is not designed to make this a 2 in 1 kit, it is our hope that we will be able to include both stock and custom parts in this kit, along with nice "New Retro" vintage-style packaging by yours truly!

'70 Super Bee - as the body for this kit comes from original MPC tooling, we wanted to give it the MPC branding back and I plan on creating a vintage style package for this one as well.

Chevy Titan 90 - we are looking for the inserts for this version of the tool. Fingers crossed!

Thanks for your support, hope you see something you like!

John Greczula

[crispy]

Thanks for the list John/Tom.

Hopefully these re-issues will bring in some money for a new tool. At least this will get things going.

Chris

[gasman]

Its nice too see the stock 70 Super Bee kit back, the 1990 issue of this kit was starting to get pretty rare. also nice to see the 49 Ford back.

[Aaronw]

Nice to see a big rig on the list, Thanks.

[kurth]

Cool! thanks for posting this. I'm good for one or two '80 monte carlos

[Canada Jeff]

Wuhooo!! Thanks John!

Just last week I screwed up the roof on my last AMT '49 Ford kit and had a terrible knot in my stomach over it. Good to know that it will be back. I don't mind to wait a few months to re-stock on 49s.

Thanks too for bringing BOTH original series Enterprise kits back to the market!

Edited March 17, 2008 by Canada Jeff

[nonova]

John / Tom

I've got a question. Is the Amt / Ertl store still open in the old factory building in Dyersville ? Any plans to keep it open after the takeover? This used to be a once a summer trip for me.

Thanks

Rick

[george 53]

NOW AT'S WOT I'M TALKIN BOUT! its good to see some news about your endevour comin out!(now i can see why you needed the box!) I know this is gonna be nuthin but good! And Im glad to hear that things are starting to take shape, Dont worry about the repops I sure dont mind em and I think not too many of us do. Keep on with keepin on and I believe we'll keep on buyin. GOOD LUCK!

[John G - Retro Hobby Inc.]

John / Tom

I've got a question. Is the Amt / Ertl store still open in the old factory building in Dyersville ? Any plans to keep it open after the takeover? This used to be a once a summer trip for me.

Thanks

Rick

Hi Rick,

We don't actually have anything to do with RC2's building or the factory store in Dyersville. It's business as usual for the store as far as I know. I was just there a few weeks ago and it was packed with stuff.

John

[LVZ2881]

I am all over the stock '70 SuperBee, and I missed out on the '60 Starliner custom the first time around, so I'll be getting a few of those...

[ballpoteau]

i like the dragster/snowmobile. its kinda wierd but i like it

[Ron L]

I've never bought a truck model before - what's the guesstimated price on the Titan?

[MrObsessive]

Yes!! I WANT that '70 Super Bee! (Any chance of seeing the '69 Coronet BTW?..........)

Especially since it has the more accurate (IMO) MPC body.............ERTL's was nice but seemed to be lacking in a few areas.

AHHHH...........and I have to get another '60 Ford and '51 Chevy 'Vert......................you can't have too many of those around!

Edited March 18, 2008 by MrObsessive

[charlie8575]

Put me down for a few '49 and '60 Fords and a couple of '51 Chevies. All those kits have so many nice possibilities for kitbashing and resins.

Any chance of getting the '49 Merc back out in stock form? I'm drooling over one of the resin '49 wagons. I'd like to try making a 4-door, too.

Charlie Larkin

[Kenny]

It would be nice to see the 51 Chevy again, I hope it happens!

[CAL]

I wouldnt mind a stock Starliner; rather have a skyliner though.

Edited March 18, 2008 by CAL

[brewsterg6]

1951 Chevy Convertible re-released... ALL RIGHT!!!!! I have waited years for this, as I need to build a '52 and a '50 Convertible, using the top and interior parts! The top will fit the '53 hard top kits as well!

[bigphoto]

This is great news and I will definately be looking for the 49 and 60 Fords!!

[Rob Hall]

Let's see...

I'll need 1 '70 Super Bee--need an extra stock one to use w/ the Modelhaus '70 4dr Coronet.

I have plenty of '60 Fords in my stash, but probably can find a reason for another.

I have the original issue '80 MC and 4 of the recent reissues, don't need more.

I have a couple of '49 Fords and the original issue of the '51 Chevy conv. in my stash, so I'm good there.

The Chevy Titan would be neat, as I have the GMC Astro.

[Bernard Kron]

Here are my anticipated initial purchases:

AMT

'51 Chevy Convertible - 1-2

Digger Cuda /Hippie Hemi - 2-4 (Donors for front engine fuelers)

'49 Ford - 3

'60 Ford Starliner "2 In 1" - 2-3

Comments:

The Starliners will be built as period mild customs. Would love to see 59-61 Chevy, Pontiac, Buick hardtops for similar projects. Also, I would consume "Forward Look" big fin Chrysler Corp. hardtops at a pretty fair clip!

The HemiSphere tooling is really tired and makes using it as a donor kit difficult. Also, would love to see a longer wheelbase front-engine digger chassis. Perhaps you can create a new true front engine fueler from some of the existing tooling?

Great to see early and frequent updates on the revival. It should pay off in increased interest and excitement and serve to burn off a little of the cynicism and despair. Most exciting would be the release of the first new kit, either from creative use of existing tooling, or. ideally, all new tooling. But in the meantime keeping core buyers "ïn the loop" should help a lot.

P.S. I dream of the day someone comes out with a proper '29 Model A Ford Roadster kit as a "3 in 1": classic, street rod and straight line racer! Revell has done everything but this! The remaining AMT kits out their are funky and increasingly rare and expensive. The resin world, on the other hand, is expensive enough to only allow a carefully considered build.

[Tony T]

Great start! I'd look at buying at least a Super Bee, a '60 Ford, and a MC...Maybe the Titan as well...

[charlie8575]

1951 Chevy Convertible re-released... ALL RIGHT!!!!! I have waited years for this, as I need to build a '52 and a '50 Convertible, using the top and interior parts! The top will fit the '53 hard top kits as well!

Very nice build, Bruce.

Charlie Larkin

[Billy Kingsley]

That's a good groups of things to start off with-some stuff I'll be getting for sure.

I had been looking for a stock 70 Super Bee for a while, glad to see I'll have the chance to buy a brand new one.

The 60 Starliner 2 in 1 is the big one for me though. I'll need about 8 of them. (And I already have 4!) Those are great kits, and convert nice and easily to NASCAR use...which is exactly my plan for them!

I've never seen the 51 Chevy convertible in person before...but I've heard about it. I'll have to get one, of cource. I've been fighting with a Hardtop for a while, what I'm trying to do with it has not been working too well. But, it's a great kit, anyway! If the Convertible is the same basic tooling, just with a different body, then it should be great as well.

BUT, the big news here, I think, is the return of MPC as a viable brand!

Having been off the shelves for 17 years, it'll be cool to have it back! I never had the opportunity to buy a new MPC kit-the name was dropped nearly a decade before I began building, so what I have gotten has all been as back-issues. Cool! (even though I only plan to get one of the kits this time by)

I just took a look at the website, (posting my thoughts just solely on the list) and the boxart for the 51 Chevy looks great...and the box for the 80 Monte Carlo may even prompt me to buy one of them anyway, even though I already have one and don't really have any solid uses for a future.

I also see that both versions of the Mach V from Speed Racer are being reissued...I love to see that! I mangled one of them several years ago, and it will be great to have a second chance. I didn't even paint it the first time around, everything is solid white plastic...that's the kind of crazy stuff I did at the time. The fully detailed kit is actually a highly underrated kit, with lots of detail and even some fancy working parts. Can't wait to go at that one again!

If I could make one suggestion for a possible reissue- The Polar Lights NASCAR kits! They are starting to sell for upwards of $25 dollars each, and for the volume I need them in, I can't do that. The success of the Model King NASCAR kits should prove just how viable they would be as sellers. (The Torino/Cyclone chassis fits PERFECTLY in the 73 Cyclone MK just did...and is accurate!)

Edit x3- As much as I've been going on about the kits, I've got to say that I'll probably spend most of my money on the display cases...I love those. I have more then 25 of them stacked up as my display already, and I've gotten to the point where I have built more models worth of a case then cases in my display.

You can see that I've taken to stacking loose models in front of the cases I have so that'll have to be rectified!

Edited March 19, 2008 by Billy Kingsley

[LVZ2881]

I'm with you there on the display cases Billy, I need about 10 myself....

[Smart-Resins]

Dont want to butt in too much, but I want to ask if there will be any chance of any of the 1/16 scale kits being re-released again. The 1/16 scale movement is growing and theres been a big stir in two modeling groups recently and there are a bunch of poeple hoping this means a couple of re-releases. I know for sure I would love to see the Rod Shop 63 Vette back in as well as the 55 and 57 thunderbirds not to mention the others. I await good news my friend. Jody