1/24 Monogram Trans Am Pontiac

[Casey]

Monogram didn't specify a model year for its 1/24 scale Trans AM Pontiac kit, but I think their was intent was that it could be built as either a '77 or '78, depending upon which hood bird decal the builder chose to apply.  Here's a look at the original issue, kit number 2247, from 1979, courtesy of various eBay listings:

 

I never realized two hood birds were included until just now, but it does appear both '77 and '78 style birds are included:

 

But wait!, there was also a companion Trans Am Street Machine kit, number 2258, also released in 1979, which featured a custom nose piece, hood, six-spoke wheels, bucket seats, turbocharged induction system, and "Turbochief" decals:

 

The stock version has been reissued a few times since 1979, and now exists as a 3'n1 kit, shown below in the "Warbird" box:

 

The Street Machine version was only issued once, and never seen again... not necessarily a bad thing. 

Edited January 16, 2018 by Casey

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, Casey said:

Monogram didn't specify a model year for its 1/24 scale Trans AM Pontiac kit, but I think their was intent was that it could be built as either a '77 or '78, depending upon which hood bird decal the builder chose to apply.  Here's a look at the original issue, kit number 2247, from 1979, courtesy of various eBay listings:

 

I never realized two hood birds were included until just now, but it does appear both '77 and '78 style birds are included:

 

 

IIRC, one of the birds was for the black scheme, the other was for the special gold scheme.

Here's what it looks like built, right out of that very box. 

[AC Norton]

.....RUN OL'  BANDIT, RUN............LOL.....THE ACE...

[espo]

11 hours ago, Snake45 said:

IIRC, one of the birds was for the black scheme, the other was for the special gold scheme.

Here's what it looks like built, right out of that very box. 

That's a great looking build. Maybe a silly question, but I think this was issued with a "Pontiac" engine. Many of the 1:1's were offered with the 403 cu in Olds engine because of emissions issues. Does anyone know if the Turbo model had the Chevrolet engine that I think the 1:1 was based on?   

[Rob Hall]

2 hours ago, espo said:

That's a great looking build. Maybe a silly question, but I think this was issued with a "Pontiac" engine. Many of the 1:1's were offered with the 403 cu in Olds engine because of emissions issues. Does anyone know if the Turbo model had the Chevrolet engine that I think the 1:1 was based on?   

The '80-81 Trans Am turbo was a Pontiac 301 IIRC.

Edited January 16, 2018 by Rob Hall

[espo]

3 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

The '80-81 Trans Am turbo was a Pontiac 301 IIRC.

Do you know if this is the same engine that GM used in the Monte Carlo Turbo's or was it the Chevrolet engine in them ?  

[Rob Hall]

2 minutes ago, espo said:

Do you know if this is the same engine that GM used in the Monte Carlo Turbo's or was it the Chevrolet engine in them ?  

The Monte Carlo Turbo in 80-81 used the Buick Turbo V6.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Monte_Carlo

[Erik Smith]

18 hours ago, Casey said:

 

I like those decals. Was that an actual model or a made up custom?

[espo]

Just got back from HL. They had this kit with Smoke and the Bandit livery on the self. I have no idea but what it may have been out for a while, the only reason I noticed was because of the post.  

[Casey]

Just now, espo said:

Just got back from HL. They had this kit with Smoke and the Bandit livery on the self. I have no idea but what it may have been out for a while, the only reason I noticed was because of the post.  

That's a different kit than the one being discussed.  The kit you saw is this one:

 

[espo]

Just now, Casey said:

That's a different kit than the one being discussed.  The kit you saw is this one:

 

OK I didn't know for sure as I haven't built either one.

[Can-Con]

Casey, the diamond shaped mesh in the grille make the kit a '77. '78s had honeycomb shaped mesh in the grille.

The 5 color bird was for the '78 solar gold Special Edition [check the side of your box] and was only available on that specific gold car until it became the standard bird design the next year.

[unclescott58]

This is the one I'd like to reissued. 

[highway]

46 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

Casey, the diamond shaped mesh in the grille make the kit a '77. '78s had honeycomb shaped mesh in the grille.

The 5 color bird was for the '78 solar gold Special Edition [check the side of your box] and was only available on that specific gold car until it became the standard bird design the next year.

I believe you may have that backwards, the 77 had the honeycomb grille and the 78 had the diamond shaped grille. I zoomed in on both grilles, and the 77 is one from Universal Pictures from Barrett Jackson. I could not copy the Barrett Jackson pic with the info on the car, but hopefully the link for it with the info lacking on the pic I could copy will take you to the original pic with the information included. 

[Snake45]

9 hours ago, espo said:

That's a great looking build. Maybe a silly question, but I think this was issued with a "Pontiac" engine. Many of the 1:1's were offered with the 403 cu in Olds engine because of emissions issues. Does anyone know if the Turbo model had the Chevrolet engine that I think the 1:1 was based on?   

Been a while since I built it (or had the hood up), but I'm pretty sure this one has a Pontiac engine. 

[Can-Con]

1 hour ago, highway said:

I believe you may have that backwards, the 77 had the honeycomb grille and the 78 had the diamond shaped grille. I zoomed in on both grilles, and the 77 is one from Universal Pictures from Barrett Jackson. I could not copy the Barrett Jackson pic with the info on the car, but hopefully the link for it with the info lacking on the pic I could copy will take you to the original pic with the information included. 

You are quite right Matthew , in spite of me double and triple checking my post I still got it backwards. LOL 

Here's a link to one of the best second gen T/A sites I've found. 

http://tran-zam.com/index.html

Edited January 17, 2018 by Can-Con

[highway]

2 hours ago, Can-Con said:

You are quite right Matthew , in spite of me double and triple checking my post I still got it backwards. LOL 

Here's a link to one of the best second gen T/A sites I've found. 

http://tran-zam.com/index.html

That is a nice site Steve! I've always had a soft spot for screaming chickens LOL!

[Jonathan]

8 hours ago, Erik Smith said:

I like those decals. Was that an actual model or a made up custom?

I agree.  I'd buy the kit for these decals.  

[GMCMAN52]

The Monogram T/A kits has the best looking snowflake wheel in either silver or gold depending on which kit you get. They just look nice

[Erik Smith]

20 hours ago, Jonathan said:

I agree.  I'd buy the kit for these decals.  

I just did. They are pretty easy to find! Not counting on the decals still being good - probably have to make a copy, but still. 

My plan is to build it OOB - ugly/cool/funky as it is...

[Casey]

10 minutes ago, Erik Smith said:

My plan is to build it OOB - ugly/cool/funky as it is...

I think it's just that blanked off/smoothed over nose piece which makes it less than pleasing to the eyes. It also looks like the custom version's bucket seats are the same as those found in the Monogram '66 Malibu Street Rat kit, but I can't recall ever seeing those six-spoke wheels in another Monogram kit, or on any 1:1 vehicle for that matter.

[Can-Con]

On 17/01/2018 at 10:18 PM, Casey said:

I think it's just that blanked off/smoothed over nose piece which makes it less than pleasing to the eyes. It also looks like the custom version's bucket seats are the same as those found in the Monogram '66 Malibu Street Rat kit, but I can't recall ever seeing those six-spoke wheels in another Monogram kit, or on any 1:1 vehicle for that matter.

Casey, could you please post a closeup of those 6 spoke wheels? I think I know what they might be.

[Casey]

16 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

Casey, could you please post a closeup of those 6 spoke wheels? I think I know what they might be.

Sorry, I can't get a closer look because these pics are all...

On 1/15/2018 at 7:39 PM, Casey said:

courtesy of various eBay listings:

Maybe Erik can when his kit arrives. 

[64Comet404]

On 2018-01-17 at 9:18 PM, Casey said:

I think it's just that blanked off/smoothed over nose piece which makes it less than pleasing to the eyes. It also looks like the custom version's bucket seats are the same as those found in the Monogram '66 Malibu Street Rat kit, but I can't recall ever seeing those six-spoke wheels in another Monogram kit, or on any 1:1 vehicle for that matter.

I remember those wheels being advertised in the back of Street Rodder magazine back in the early '80s. IIRC, the spokes were painted to look like wood. I remember building both versions of the kit back then, and have unbuilt kits to do the custom, as well as the stock black and gold versions.

[Can-Con]

1 hour ago, Casey said:

Sorry, I can't get a closer look because these pics are all...

Maybe Erik can when his kit arrives. 

Ok. I checked e-bay too and found one with a bit bigger pic of the chrome tree.

 

The wheels look like Jongbloed Series 214 from what I can see. Those are some serious racing wheels. One of the first aftermarket wheels available in + sizes for bigger tires and used on some of the more serious early pro-touring cars back in the early '80s before "pro-touring" was even a word.