What are the best kit Magnum 500s with trim ring?

[VRM]

Hi All,

I'm just wondering what the general consensus is regarding the best 1/25th Magnum 500s with trim rings.  Any opinions?

TIA,

Steve D.

[CapSat 6]

I think the ones in the Revell 1968 and 69 Dodge Chargers are very nice.

[Rob Hall]

Hmmm...I can't think of any kits with the trim ring style ones (would be ideal to use on for the Revell '76 Torino).   The Magnum 500 kit wheels that I can think of--Revell '68-69 Charger, AMT '68 Road Runner, '69 GTXes, '70 Super Bee, Revell '70 Torino and Mustang Boss kits, are all the chrome rim variety IIRC..

Edited February 6, 2016 by Rob Hall

[gtx6970]

Johan 1969 Roadrunner kit . hands down

[VRM]

Thanks guys - got some in the Charger kits that are good.

[High octane]

Johan 1969 Roadrunner kit . hands down

Hands down, hmmm I better check my Road Runner kits. Thanks.

[Can-Con]

I had a set of nice deep 500s on my 1/1 '79 Nova. The best looking ones I've come across are the ones in the AMT '70 Chevelle. Cant remember if they were chrome rim or trim ring style though.

 

Second are the ones in the AMT/MPC newer chassis B-body Plymouth kits. ['68 Road Runner,'69 GTX, '70 Super Bee] Those definitly have the trim rings. All the ones I've seen in all the Revell and Monogram kits are just too shallow.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Can-Con

[Snake45]

Johan 1969 Roadrunner kit . hands down

That was my first thought, too, but that kit is getting harder and harder to find at a reasonable price.

[CapSat 6]

I had thought the Magnum 500's in the Johan '69 Road Runner were the non-trim ring style? I have several sets of these I would want to use for Revell '67 GTX's and the like (since the ones in the Revell '67 GTX seem to scale out way bigger than 14" in 1/25 scale). 

The trim ring style Magnums in the AMT '68 RR/'69 GTX / '70 Super Bee are also very nice. 

What was the crossover year for Mopars again? I had thought that the non-trim ring style were used for '67 and '68, then for '69 they went to the trim ring style? Which would then make it more odd that Johan's '69 comes with the non-trim ring style and AMT's '68 comes with the trim ring style wheels?

[Can-Con]

I think wether the wheels have trim rings or not depends on how the car was optioned, not year.

I've seen 500s in all chrome, all painted without rings, all painted with rings and chrome centers/painted rim with trim rings. There were also 3 or 4 different sizes of center caps for them depending on which car they were on.  They were also sold aftermarket which adds even more variables.

The ones on my 1/1 Nova were originally from an early '70s Olds Cutlass and had the painted rim/chrome centers with rings but they were also available all chrome on those cars.

[CapSat 6]

Ok...pics. Sorry for the crappy picture quality, but maybe this will help?

Left to right:  1)AMT '68 Road Runner/ '69 GTX/ '70 Super Bee, 2) Revell '68 and '69 Charger, 3) JoHan Road Runner, 4) JoHan AMX

From what I see: 1 and 2 are definitely trim ring style. 3 seems more like the non-trim ring style (I see a crease where the face of the trim ring would normally be), and 4 looks a lot like 3, but looks more like the trim ring style to my eyes (even though it looks nearly identical to 3). 

I think if a sample of each were painted up, we'd be better able to see. I do know that the JoHan RR wheels seem more so like the non trim ring style when they're painted, but I don't have easy access to a painted one right now. 

[CapSat 6]

I think wether the wheels have trim rings or not depends on how the car was optioned, not year.

I've seen 500s in all chrome, all painted without rings, all painted with rings and chrome centers/painted rim with trim rings. There were also 3 or 4 different sizes of center caps for them depending on which car they were on.  They were also sold aftermarket which adds even more variables.

The ones on my 1/1 Nova were originally from an early '70s Olds Cutlass and had the painted rim/chrome centers with rings but they were also available all chrome on those cars.

Regarding Mopar applications, I know this much: 1) 14" only- Mopar never offered 15" Magnums, but a popular swap is to 15" Magnums from Ford (same bolt pattern). 2) after a certain point, Mopar only offered the trim ring style. I think this was '69 and after, through most of the '70's (they were even occasionally seen on Volares and Aspens). 3) Mopar Magnums always got medium or large/ long length center caps with a white insert (unlike Ford for instance who sometimes offered short center caps with red inserts). There was a silver circle in the white center, but in scale this would not show up.

Getting into what was stock for other manufacturers (AMC, Olds, Chevy, Ford and Mercury), I'm not nearly as knowledgeable. Also, they were an aftermarket wheel on their own (made by a company called Motor Wheel). I have seen a few other GM and Ford kit Magnums that look pretty good (the ones in the JoHan '70 Cutlass come to mind). 

You're right in that it would all depend on what you're building. There have got to be at least a dozen or more varieties of Magnums available in scale. The only ones I don't like are the ones in the Revell '67 GTX and the ones in the Jo Han '72 Torino. 

[Snake45]

Ford used the short center caps on the Boss 302 and Boss 429 Mustangs. That's the only short caps I can think of offhand.

The '69 Chevy SS wheels had Argent (silver) painted spokes, not chrome like almost all other applications. This might have carried over to '70, too--I'd have to doublecheck.

The SC/Ramblers had painted 500s, no chrome or silver on the spokes.

I think Pontiac was about the only maker that didn't offer 500s at one time or another (they had their own Rally II wheels). Well, not Cadillac, of course, that I know of. Maybe Buick didn't, either, as they also had their own distinct styled steel wheel.

[Bob Ellis]

What about the AMT '70 Challenger wheels?

 

[Robberbaron]

There must be several dozen different 1/25 kits with Magnum 500s that have been available fairly recently (last 20 years).  Many of these have already been mentioned, some haven't yet.  This is just off the top of my head, and I'm sure there are more that I'm not thinking of:

AMT '66 Olds 442 hardtop

Lindberg '67 Olds 442

Johan '70 Olds 442

AMT '69 Chevelle SS

AMT '70 Chevelle SS

Revell '70 Torino GT

Revell '70 Torino Cobra 

Johan '72 Gran Torino Sport

Revell '67 Charger R/T

Revell '67 Coronet R/T

Revell '67 Plymouth GTX

Revell '68 Charger R/T

Revell '69 Charger R/T

Revell '69 Charger Daytona

AMT '69 Charger Daytona

AMT '68 Roadrunner

AMT '69 Plymouth GTX hardtop

AMT '69 Plymouth GTX convertible

AMT '70 Dodge Coronet R/T

AMT '70 Dodge Challenger R/T

Johan '69 Roadrunner

Johan '69 AMC Hurst SC/Rambler

Johan 197? Javelin AMX

Also several old 1/24th Monogram tools that also have Magnums:

1969 Dodge Super Bee

1970 Plymouth GTX (before being converted to the Roadrunner)

1970 Plymouth Superbird

1970 Mustang Boss 429

1970 Chevelle SS

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2016 by Robberbaron

[horsepower]

Ok...pics. Sorry for the crappy picture quality, but maybe this will help?

Left to right:  1)AMT '68 Road Runner/ '69 GTX/ '70 Super Bee, 2) Revell '68 and '69 Charger, 3) JoHan Road Runner, 4) JoHan AMX

From what I see: 1 and 2 are definitely trim ring style. 3 seems more like the non-trim ring style (I see a crease where the face of the trim ring would normally be), and 4 looks a lot like 3, but looks more like the trim ring style to my eyes (even though it looks nearly identical to 3). 

I think if a sample of each were painted up, we'd be better able to see. I do know that the JoHan RR wheels seem more so like the non trim ring style when they're painted, but I don't have easy access to a painted one right now. 

Might just be my eyes, but 1, and 3, have the flat face on the outside diameter like a trim ring, and 2, and 4, have a lip around the outside edge like a steel wheel has. Could just be my funny idea's but 1, and 3, would be my picks for the ones that have trim rings.

[drodg]

Regarding Mopar applications, I know this much: 1) 14" only- Mopar never offered 15" Magnums, but a popular swap is to 15" Magnums from Ford (same bolt pattern). 2) after a certain point, Mopar only offered the trim ring style. I think this was '69 and after, through most of the '70's (they were even occasionally seen on Volares and Aspens). 3) Mopar Magnums always got medium or large/ long length center caps with a white insert (unlike Ford for instance who sometimes offered short center caps with red inserts). There was a silver circle in the white center, but in scale this would not show up.

Getting into what was stock for other manufacturers (AMC, Olds, Chevy, Ford and Mercury), I'm not nearly as knowledgeable. Also, they were an aftermarket wheel on their own (made by a company called Motor Wheel). I have seen a few other GM and Ford kit Magnums that look pretty good (the ones in the JoHan '70 Cutlass come to mind). 

You're right in that it would all depend on what you're building. There have got to be at least a dozen or more varieties of Magnums available in scale. The only ones I don't like are the ones in the Revell '67 GTX and the ones in the Jo Han '72 Torino. 

You are correct and the 69 model year was the first year for the trim rings.  I used a set of Scale Equipment Limited Magnum 500's on my 75 Roadrunner I built a few years ago and they were very realistic but I just checked on their sight and they don't seem to offer them anymore.  Sad because like the 1:1 wheels they were a two piece item, I think.  I am at work now but I will have to go home and take a shot of my Roadrunner's wheels as they were most realistic Magnum's I have seen.  

[BobbyG]

I have been working on various wheels to better detail paint them and mix-match rims and trim rings...here are the Magnum 500 wheels I have casted in resin as separate components. This way I can have Magnums with trim rings and exposed rims to chrome.

 

[drodg]

I have been working on various wheels to better detail paint them and mix-match rims and trim rings...here are the Magnum 500 wheels I have casted in resin as separate components. This way I can have Magnums with trim rings and exposed rims to chrome.

 

Nice.   

[BobbyG]

BTW, Scale Equipment used my original masters for some of their wheels.

[drodg]

BTW, Scale Equipment used my original masters for some of their wheels.

They look very similar.  Thanks

[thebronze]

70 Buick GSX....  great set of magnums

[Robberbaron]

70 Buick GSX....  great set of magnums

Those are actually Buick Road Wheels, look somewhat similar to Magnums, but they're a different design.  As far as I know, Buick never offered Magnums 500s from the factory on any of their models, since they had the road wheels instead.

[AC Norton]

.....3 come to mind, but I'm sure there are a zillion...I like the Johan sets that came in several of their kits, also the AMT 68=69 road runner and GTX kits supply a nice set,,,and the AMT 69 Chevelle ss kits always had a nice set, IMO......best,...the Ace....