Anyone Remember These Kits?

buildit

Member since
November 2006
From: north central Indiana, USofA

Anyone Remember These Kits?

Posted by buildit on Sunday, November 19, 2006 4:27 PM

I know this is going waaay back, but in the 1970's one of the major manufacturers at the time had a series of 1/25 scale kits of some then-current NASCAR stock cars. Some of the kits in the series included "David Pearson's Pontiac GTO" (which had a clear body), "Cale Yarborough's Chevelle", "Buddy Baker's Dodge Charger", "Bobby Issac's Dodge Charger", and "Donnie Allison's Mercury Cyclone".

Does anyone remember these kits or who manufactured them? For some reason I seem to think that MPC made them, but I just don't recall that clearly. I would imagine that the chances of finding one of these kits intact would be slim and none after thirty years or so, but I figured it never hurts to try.

Also, does anyone know what became of MPC? Was it bought out by another company or just flat went out of business? I had gotten away from the modeling hobby for a period of time and it's hard to believe how much has changed.

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dkmacin

Member since
January 2003
From: Upper left side of the lower Penninsula of Mich

Posted by dkmacin on Sunday, November 19, 2006 6:42 PM

You are correct sir!

MPC was the original producer of these kits, Polar Lights got the license for some, maybe all, but I know I have seen the Mercury Cyclone. . .

MPC went the way of the dodo quite a ways back, I remember touring the place back when I was in the cub scouts and we all got a nice model car out of it.

Don

I know it's only rock and roll, but I like it.

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RadMax8

Member since
February 2005
From: Cleveland, OH

Posted by RadMax8 on Sunday, November 19, 2006 9:48 PM

Hey buildit, go to your local IPMS's show and cruise around the vendor section. You can find a lot of those kits! I love the old stock cars... I can't wait to get my hands on some!!!

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jhande

Member since
November 2005
From: White Mountains, NH

Posted by jhande on Monday, November 20, 2006 2:15 AM

Also keep an eye open for what Model King reproduces.

You never know what they will crank out down the road.

Humm... MPC, didn't they die out during the licensing battles (couldn't afford it anymore). I seem to remember seeing the MPC logo on a box with, what was it now... AMT I think.

-- Jim --
"Put the pedal down & shake the ground!"

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oldwillys

Member since
November 2006

Posted by oldwillys on Sunday, November 26, 2006 7:58 PM

Check modelroundup.com they carry all the manuf. and oop kits. Also you should go to scaleautomag.com (same publisher as this) go to their forums and check out the different sections and all the great people that are glad to help. Another site is Freds Model Cars ( members.aol.com/jftully/fjs )

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orvallin

Member since
March 2003
From: Mesa AZ.

Posted by orvallin on Sunday, November 26, 2006 10:09 PM

buildit:

I rember the kits you listed in your message, because I have them plus a couple you did not mention.

MPC was a division of General Mills Fun Group Inc of Mt. Clemens, Michigan. I am not sure who bought them; I think one of the other model companies got them then sold it to some one of the manufactures. Not sure but do like the kits except the chasis weren,t very good. I have six different kits in their authentic NASCAR series. Hope this info will help

orvallin@cox.net

Orval Lindsey(Mesa Modeler)

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 13, 2006 7:51 AM

When MPC went belly up in the early 80s Ertl purchased them. Ertl then also purchased AMT and ESCI.

Ertl, of course, is now owned by the goofballs at RC2 and doing diddly in the kit business.

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Mist086

Member since
October 2006
From: Iowa

Posted by Mist086 on Wednesday, December 13, 2006 8:36 AM

NEIOWA wrote:
When MPC went belly up in the early 80s Ertl purchased them. Ertl then also purchased AMT and ESCI.
Ertl, of course, is now owned by the goofballs at RC2 and doing diddly in the kit business.

Tell me about it. I live 30 miles away from them, and used to go every week to check out the new kits in the overstock. Now all they basically have is tractors