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1/16th MPC Charger kit as reference point

 
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"Fireball"



Joined: 09 Feb 2018
Posts: 202

PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 3:49 pm    Post subject: 1/16th MPC Charger kit as reference point Reply with quote

The MPC Baker/Petty kits have the, as close to correct, front chassis/k-member racing mods that the factory MoPar teams used back then, at least by my persona[ observations, correct? Would be nice to have those kits downsized to 1/24, or 1/25 scale. Somebody said once that the Polar Lights kit was such. I'd have to disagree with that assessment for several reasons, mainly because the PLs kits don't have the correct NASCAR racing chassis/k-member mods that the 1/16 scale MPC kit has, as well as other differences. That MPC 1/16th scale kit in 1/24-25 scale would be a freak'n awesome starting point for so many MoPar builds!!! At least it is a decent reference point to have for scratching the racing mods in plastic for our MoPar racing builds. Comments, observations, etc... are welcome.
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Bobby The Cabdriver



Joined: 19 Oct 2018
Posts: 388
Location: " Keep Austin Weird?"ugh...

PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 9:00 pm    Post subject: MPC Petty Charger 16th scale Reply with quote

Oh boy, this is a sensitive subject. MPC had a deal with Chrysler to produce promotional models for use at their dealers, and if they missed the body shape on these promos the way they missed it on the 16th scale charger, they wouldn't have kept Chrysler as a customer. And in case you don't know, the promos became annuals and the annuals became the NASCAR kits. My three other major complaints are the complete lack of detail on the chassis pan, both sides of it, the wheelbase being way too short( try sitting it down next to a 1/16 AMT 64 Mustang) and the monster truck tires with no readily available replacements. When I bought my first and only polar lights charger, after waiting for it for 2 years, I was so pissed that I called polar lights and wound up on the phone with mr. Tom Lowe himself. And he admitted, he told me,that he handed the design over to Chinese toy makers and before he knew it, that's what they came up with, which is very obviously a low-grade copy of the 16 scale MPC POS. In emailing with Dave Van, he reminded me these are not the worst NASCAR kits ever and I agree. We can thank AMT for that in the early 80s, but I find both Chargers almost useless. It's a shame. A beautiful 16 scale race Hemi that would be a great model by itself, and has a blob for carburetor and headers it look like they came off the rat fink! Give me your address Fireball, I'll send you mine! I can't spend another five minutes on it trying to make it look right to my eye!
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"Fireball"



Joined: 09 Feb 2018
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 10:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are you talking about the 1/16th scale Baker/Petty Charger kits being junk, or the PLs 1/25th scale Charger being junk? The PLs Charger body is all wacked out, and isn't even the year body that is pictured on the box. However, I do have the correct body to go on that chassis, of course with some mods. Either way, I'd be happy to take you up on your generous offer. The MoPar race cars of that time period are very unique from the other makes because of the torsion bar front suspension, and several kits have come close, but no cigar. Polar Lights, in my onion came the closest to getting the front chassis/front hoop/suspension correct, even though the k-member, and motor mounts aren't.
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Bobby The Cabdriver



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Location: " Keep Austin Weird?"ugh...

PostPosted: Mon Dec 10, 2018 11:21 pm    Post subject: MPC Petty Charger 16th scale Reply with quote

There are parts and pieces in both kits that are spot-on, but Parts & Pieces are not enough. I can kitbash for most of what's good in the p l charger, the best part of that kit is the upper control arms. There's no overcoming the body of either kit. The MPC is as wide as it is long! It has lost all the gracefulness of the 71 to 74 Charger body style. And again, mr. Lowe very obviously gave his offshore slave labor Chinese partners a MPC 16 scale charger to copy. I am not knocking people who enjoy building these kits, and as we discussed elsewhere, there is no such thing as a perfect model kit. Once Upon a Time I had the real thing parked in my driveway and sorry to say, I kind of take it personal. Just like the Revell Hemi Cuda. All the detail in the world cannot overcome a very poorly designed, inaccurate body shape.
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"Fireball"



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PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm trying to build a 1/16th scale Daytona using the conversion kit I just recently received, and I'm using the DOH Charger as a starting point. The conversion kit came with no instructions, so I pulled out the instructions from a JNJ 1/24th conversion kit to get some idea of what I need to do. Also pulled out a Pro-Modeler Daytona kit, a MPC Charger 500, a '69 Revell Charger, and a AMT DOH Charger to get some idea as to how to do the big scale conversion. The rear window is fairly straight forward, the under side of the nose too, the areas where the hood meets the nose, and the leading edges of the fenders is where I'm not so sure of how to mate up the nose with those areas. The hood comes to a point in the center, and neither conversion nose matches that point in the leading edge of the hood, and guessing the leading edges of the fenders have to be filed flat. Also, I'm trying to locate the steel wheels for this build as well. Any help, or advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Bobby The Cabdriver



Joined: 19 Oct 2018
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Location: " Keep Austin Weird?"ugh...

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 2:26 am    Post subject: MPC Petty Charger 16th scale Reply with quote

See, that's exactly what I'm talkin about, no charger Hood comes to a point in the center. 68 and 69 have a body Line running down the center of the hood but it stops before the hood rolls off into the grill if you want a better idea on what you're Hood& fenders need to look like you need to look at a 70 because 70 fenders and Hood are what Daytona's used. Same thing for 71 to 74, none of them come to a point in the center and Power bulge Style hoods (Super Bee&R/T for 71,Rally for 72-74) don't have a body Line running down the center at all. I'm going to drop out of this conversation right now, I've seen your work with the 16 scale cars and it's beautiful, your work not the base model but you do a great job with them and I'm not knocking what you do I just don't particularly like these kits.
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Bobby The Cabdriver



Joined: 19 Oct 2018
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Location: " Keep Austin Weird?"ugh...

PostPosted: Tue Dec 11, 2018 2:12 pm    Post subject: MPC 16th charger Reply with quote

The recent Revell 1970 Charger kits also have the hood coming to a point incorrectly, I just looked at mine.
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badfoot



Joined: 08 Apr 2018
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't come to this site much except to look at what people build and to learn about nacar models and the real nascar race cars. but I want to say that my great uncle owned a dodge dealership but that was way before my time of being born. but me and my family are pretty much mopar people...tho bobby the cab driver claims hes an all out knowlegable person on mopars that I want to stop his claims about the production charger vs. the model kit incorrect hood and body shape.

I am not here to bash anyone but to point out what I know...and what google can turn up only if people will search there.

the 69 charger hood for a standard body car does somewhat come to a point,,,its very subtle and not very noticeable.

the 70 charger hood I will presume is different cause of the way the front bumper is designed but does have the same subtle point.

the Daytona has a subtle point to it as well.

the Daytona charger was kinda the same ordeal as the superbird...it used different front fenders ..they were pre production fenders with no holes for the side lights and no holes for the tire scoops.
the superbird used modified coronet fenders and a modified hood to fit the body.

so if you are building a Daytona or Superbird and use aftermarket parts or kit pars its up to you how to attach and modify to get things put on to your liking. as far as a kit being out of scale or off in some way ..they all may be off in some aspect. its up to the builder to make it how he likes it. if you don't like the kit or subject..don't build one...but at least research before saying anything when you may find what you said is wrong.
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badfoot



Joined: 08 Apr 2018
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

btw...71 to 74 chargers have a subltle point to the hood as well..no matter if its a flat hood or bulge hood...my brother happens to be a charger fanatic and only owned one 69..but my dad had a 74 se...and my brother has owned probly a dozen 71 to 74 models....why check google images next time before you say something is off and you will clearly see the point in the hood as well as I do
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Bobby The Cabdriver



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Location: " Keep Austin Weird?"ugh...

PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 3:05 am    Post subject: MPC Petty Charger 16th scale Reply with quote

Yeah but not at the level the way these models are designed, it is so gradual almost its unnoticeable and if you look at some models they come to a point like a Pontiac. It's been a very long time since I had my last charger (thank-you speculators of the world) and I will take it back. I had a 66, a 67 and a pair of 68 in another life and none of them had a hood that came to a point. I will retract my statement, to a point! LOL! But some of these model cars have hoods on them it look like they came off of a 68 Firebird! But what Fireball was talking about was the fact that the aftermarket resin nose that he bought was flat across the middle and you basically repeated what I told him about Daytona's using pre-production 70 Charger fenders and Hood. And you're right, 68 to 70 Charger hoods do come to a very gradual point, but are absolutely not flat across the middle, nor do they have a body Line running down to the grill opening. I've never owned a 71 and up charger but I sold some parts off of them and I am mistaken about that, I guess. You would know better having one in your family.
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badfoot



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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will have to make one more post and I am done on this issue cause im not here to step on anyones toes or hurt feelings.

the Daytona resin parts may not have been molded in the correct shape that the other guy has for his conversion and he may need to mod his hood or body and other parts to make it look 100 percent if you want to count rivets.

but it has been said on this forum and maybe a few others that the hood is different on a 68 69 and 70 years.. there was a difference in the size of the indention body lines where the part of the hood sinks lower where the turn signals are or are supposed to be ..one of the kit manufacturers didn't get that right or that maybe it was different on the real car..i really don't know which way but that was on the 1/24 or 1/25 kits

now fireball is working on a 1/16 so there still may be some issues to work out but I don't see the hood being the problem...I think the conversion kit is off.

I looked online on 2 other forums and seen the hoods look spot on and near perfect to the factory hoods on the 68 69 and 70 yr models in 1/25 and 1/24 scale as well as the hood on the dukes 1/16 kit looks spot on.....I don't see any Pontiac look to it or any point as you have stated.

PLEASE GOOGLE FOR PICS !

I will say this ..I do think the edges of the fenders are too long on the 1/16 and may need to be filed down or the builder may need to mod his conversion nose or hood . I am sure he will get right with time and patience.
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