'Fire Fighter' Mustang P/S "Dump" on eBay [?]

[1972coronet]

I was just checking out eBay for the MPC Mustang II - see if there's a reasonably-priced copy. I can't believe just how many Fire Fighter kits are on there ! 

Is there a pending reissue of this (or a similar , perhaps 2-in-1) kit ? 

Saturated on eBay ! 

I don't wanna pull the trigger if Round2 is planning to reissue the MPC Mustang II .

Thoughts ?

[Mark]

No announcement from any manufacturer, so it can't be called The Great Unloading as with the deluge of 1960-63 Ford pickup items that currently appear.

[Zen]

I'm trying to figure out what stock hood would work best on the firefighter kit, AMT or MPC?

[bobss396]

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2499334.m570.l1313&_nkw=fire+fighter+mustang&_sacat=220

Indeed... I had one for sale at a show last month for $40... no bites. I also had a very clean 1961-ish Ford F100 up for sale (no paint on it) with some Modelhaus repro parts, no takers on that as well.

[Mark]

The Firefighter reissue body is pretty much all by itself when it comes to hood fit.  Long story...

The original Firefighter kit was a '74.  The kit body was revised for '75; though the 1:1 cars all look the same, Ford made numerous changes for '75.  The hood is different, grille is taller (all of this was done to fit the V8 which wasn't offered here in '74).  The fuel filler was moved also. 

The MPC pro stock kits all used stock bodies (why else would they have windshield wipers?) so the body was changed each year to use in the annual kits.  So it ended up as a '78.

RC2 modified the hood opening back to '74 spec, but unless you have any '74 kit hoods there's no way of telling whether or not they will fit the reissue Firefighter body.  Best to keep the hood that came in the kit, and change the scoop to whatever you need.

 

[Oldriginal86]

I have a FireFighter kit in my stash that will never get built. Just don’t see it as a good kit. PM me if you want it.

[1972coronet]

3 hours ago, Oldriginal86 said:

I have a FireFighter kit in my stash that will never get built. Just don’t see it as a good kit. PM me if you want it.

Thank you kindly for the offer - I just may take you up on it ! 

I want to build a close-enough replica of the Gapp & Rousch 'Sudden Death' Mustang II , and I'd figured that the Fire Fighter would fill that 'void' .

Thank you !

[Zen]

10 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

Thank you kindly for the offer - I just may take you up on it ! 

I want to build a close-enough replica of the Gapp & Rousch 'Sudden Death' Mustang II , and I'd figured that the Fire Fighter would fill that 'void' .

Thank you !

Interesting, I'm in the process of doing the same thing. That's why I'm looking for a stock hood for the firefighter kit.

[Mark]

Doesn't that car have a small scoop on the hood?  Just fill the existing hole, and cut a smaller one where the scoop goes.  If your Firefighter kit body is anything like the ones I have, you've got other bodywork to do, particularly around the rear wheel openings...

[Zen]

Yes it does, looks like an early Mustang scoop possibly?

FAMED, BIG-BLOCK ‘SUDDEN DEATH’ MUSTANG II A ‘NO SALE’ AT AUCTION (ford.com)

[Mark]

Looks like a '68 or '69 Mustang non-shaker scoop, or maybe a Torino Cobra piece.  Strange, but I don't see a hole in the hood in the shot where it is open.  And the top of the carb is awfully close to the hood when closed.  Maybe that's why Steve Lisk's Challenger beat the Mustang in both of their head-to-head matchups.

[Zen]

Looks like a small cut out for the air filter at the back of the hood ..........

[Ace-Garageguy]

Whoever builds this thing (I have one going too), just be aware of the massive engine setback, which requires serious firewall and interior surgery, as well as fabbing all the radiator surround sheetmatal, engine mount plate, etc.

[Mark]

Is it just me, or does that air filter look awfully small for that engine?  I guess I would trust Jack Roush's judgment on that call, but it doesn't look like a lot of air can get to it in that engine compartment...

[Ace-Garageguy]

18 minutes ago, Mark said:

Is it just me, or does that air filter look awfully small for that engine?  I guess I would trust Jack Roush's judgment on that call, but it doesn't look like a lot of air can get to it in that engine compartment...

Good point, but my guess is the thing would race sans-air filter... 

Look closely and it appears there's a circular hole in the hood skin as well, directly into the scoop.

Edited December 21, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Tabbysdaddy]

This one doesn't have a hole in the hood, and has stock rear wheel openings. The hoods are pretty close except for the leading edge.

Edited December 22, 2023 by Tabbysdaddy

[Mark]

The Firefighter kit's main attraction for building the Sudden Death street racer is its pre-tubbed interior bucket and chassis plate with (some) front suspension detail.  The AMT stock version kit's body is decent and has a separate hatch, but the interior is extremely shallow (reminds us old guys of the early Sixties Jo-Han kits).  The chassis plate is shallow also.  There used to be MPC kits with stock versions, but the last one appeared in 1978.