After Market 1/24 or 1/25 scale bodies

When it comes to "new tool" muscle cars from the 60's-70's, you'll have to do some searching. The newest kits I know of are the ones by Moebuis and are very good kits from what I've read. Trumpeter tried to enter the car market with a 6 cyl 63 Nova and a mid-80's Caprice back in the late 90's/early 00's. If you want Revellogram kits, the latest releases would date from the mid-90's, maybe early 00's (talking muscle cars here, not NASCAR). AMT/ERTL's muscle car line is about as old as the cars themselves. Lindberg also came out with some good kits in the late 90's and early 00's.  The problem isn't that manufacturers can't make a good kit, it's that can they make money on that kit?  Some of Revell/Monogram's later kits such as the Vette's you've got, are very good kits ( I just wish Monogram would've followed the US standard of 1/25 vs 1/24, but that's a discussion for another day). Part of the problem with car kits is that they have to pay royalties on just about everything with a name on it. If you want Goodyear tires, you gotta pay. That Fram oil filter decal, you gotta pay. The royalty cost is what drove Monogram and AMT/Ertl out of the Nascar game (and race cars in general). It's a numbers game as well. There are a whole lot more armor builders than there are dedicated car builders in the US.  Finally, you have to look at the markets.  Most of the new tool stuff is coming from Tamiya, Aoshima, and Fujimi. All are Japanese manufacturers and have to compete in that market. If US muscle cars were hugely popular over there, they'd make models of them.  If you're looking for US muscle cars, your best bet is with later Monogram, Moebius, or Lindberg kits.  Thanks for listening and as always, your mileage may vary.

Not really looking for any specific year/make /model . Just something with more refinement. I mean if they can produce a 1/35 tank model with a full interior with crisp detail then why can't they make an engine bay that has an accurate engine? Anyways, Thank you for your response. Everyone on here always has good opinons and information. Happy building everyone!

uspsjuan

I was wondering why models of Detroit iron cars lack good crisp detail. Specifically in the engine compartment and suspension and to a lesser extent the interior. Armor, aircraft and ships all have reached a level of detail and accuracy that is pretty darn good out of the box. Oh, you can get it with the Tamiya kits of European cars. Am I missing something. I gravitated away from cars for just this reason. Love me some Ford , GM and MOPAR from the 60's and 70's. Sorry , didn't mean to hijack the tread just wondering.

It has to be market-driven.

Could be the 'advanced' group of car model builders are a substantially smaller market force than consumers for aircraft and armor.

My guess would also be that--as a group--automotive modelers developed a 'modifying and scratch-building' mentality far more pervsively than other groups, out of sheer necessity. Any car modeler knows that the likelihood of finding the exact model year and factory mods for any given project are probably in something like the 10% range; you get used very quickly to the idea of kit-bashing and scratch-building...which then naturally flows into the super-detailing realm. If the 'basics' of any given kit are even decent, you consider yourself lucky. You're used to the notion that from there on out, it's likely to be largely 'custom' work.

That having been said...I'd kill to see some good old-fashioned '70s muscle cars with a level of detail close to the modern Tamigawa kits!

As to the OP's car body question, my only experience with those is for race cars...for which Jimmy Flintstone, Competition Resins and Reliable Resin have all long been 'go-to' sources. There was also a lesser-known outfit called V8 that used to do some great stuff...but they had disappeared without a trace, last time I went looking for them.

I was wondering why models of Detroit iron cars lack good crisp detail. Specifically in the engine compartment and suspension and to a lesser extent the interior. Armor, aircraft and ships all have reached a level of detail and accuracy that is pretty darn good out of the box. Oh, you can get it with the Tamiya kits of European cars. Am I missing something. I gravitated away from cars for just this reason. Love me some Ford , GM and MOPAR from the 60's and 70's. Sorry , didn't mean to hijack the tread just wondering.

hogfanfs

John,

 

Thanks for that link, it is a really cool site!

 

 

T e d

John,

 

Thanks for that link, it is a really cool site!

Following - 

I haven't gone down that road yet, but looking at the modified dirt oval cars has me interested.  Interesting to see what shows up.  Cool site here:

http://www.rocketfin.com/resin-model-cars-trucks.cfm