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MPC’s Stroker McGurks’s Ghost of America Set To Take Off!
As one of Hot Rod Magazine’s original staffers in 1948, Tom Medley’s cartoons and photography chronicled America’s post WWII car culture. His character “Stroker McGurk” put a whimsical wink on a hot rodding’s outlaw image and was a popular feature in the magazine. MPC originally released two kits featuring McGurk – one of his wild surfboard, the Surf Rod and featured here, The Ghost of America salt flats racer.
Styled around a WWI fighter plane, Stroker’s salt flats racer features a detailed Allison aircraft engine, “Model A” type radiator, machine gun and rolling wheels. Of course, it wouldn’t be complete without Stroker McGurk himself appropriately wearing a fighter pilot uniform and head gear!
MPC’s re-release features expanded decals and a color Stroker McGurk sticker in our Retro Deluxe vintage-styled packaging.
Be sure to grab both the Stroker McGurk Surf Rod and The Ghost of America at your hobby dealer.
MPC Space:1999 Models: Announcing 22″ Cargo Pod Eagle
Since our 22″ Space:1999 Eagle hit the market, modelers have been clamoring for more and continue to ask what is coming next. Here is our official announcement that the next Space:1999 kit will be a 22″ Eagle with Cargo Pod! I don’t have much time at the moment, so I’ll dive right into the details as we know them right now.
Of course it includes the flatbed “cargo” pod, but comes with a couple options. It will come with a full winch assembly along with the magnetic hoist. Yes, magnets will be included. The kit will also come with four nuclear waste canisters. You can rig one up to work with the magnetic hoist or use all four to fill the flatbed.
The kit will be a full Eagle kit. We will be swapping out tooling inserts that replace the tools that injected the passenger pod parts for tools that will inject cargo pod parts. I say this to be clear that it will not be possible to produce separate pod kits for our 22″ Eagle. Doing it this way keeps both the tooling investment and production costs lower in order to deliver the kit at the lowest price possible.
We haven’t announced the pricing or release date yet. Due to using one sprue of new parts and including things like the magnets, expect it to be a bit more expensive than the standard 22″ Eagle. It will probably be available in mid-summer. The development of the new parts so far has proceeded at a brisk pace, and we will be tooling the parts soon. Expect to see our buildup at Wonderfest in May, 2017.
While I’m mentioning Wonderfest, let me remind everyone that we offer a substantial award in the model contest for the best use of a Round 2 kit. We give prizes to both the adult category and the best to come out of the junior & teen groups. Historically, we like to see either pristine builds using one of our kits OR the significant use of one of our kits in a creative new design or kit bash. They hope to set a new record of 700 entries this year. Sounds like an amazing opportunity!
I also wanted to mention that due to an unexpected delay with the Special Edition Eagle that spotlights Brian Johnson, we are not certain at this point if the kits will ship before the end of the year. There is a chance, but it is slim. If it doesn’t release by the end of the year, it shouldn’t be much further than a week or two into January.
Anyway, on with the pics of the Cargo Pod Eagle!
Coming off the Shelf – We All Scream for Ice Cream!
MPC is getting ready to release another appetizing kit, honoring the legendary George Barris. Here comes the Ice Cream Truck! The second release in our Barris Kustom Commemorative Edition series. This kit is loaded with more goodies than you can shake an ice cream cone at, which includes: an ALL NEW decal sheet – with transparent stained glass window graphics, pad printed Firestone tires, miniature display box and an optional clear blue parts tree! To top it off, we’ve also included an eye-popping display base to show off your groovy build! Some of the “double-scoop” featured parts include: an ice cream cone steering column, twin custom seats, custom exhausts, one-of-a-kind instrument panel, front wheels that turn, stylized wheel covers, rear doors that swing open and an injected Chevy V-8 with scoops.
We have to believe every item in this kit will beg for your attention. Even the belly band! Production samples just arrived yesterday and they are looking good. The Ice Cream Truck is on the water, and should be arriving at to your local hobby dealer before you know it. So, hope you enjoy building it as much as we enjoyed developing it!
To all our builders out there, have a safe and enjoyable Holiday Season. And thank you so much for your support.
Don Garlits’ Swamp Rat 14 Rear Engine Dragster Features Bonus Materials From MPC!
You already know that we released drag racing’s top on-track duo, Don Prudhomme’s “Yellow Feather” and Tom McEwen’s 1972 rear engine dragster, but we’re now set to reissue the Big Daddy of them all, Don Garlits’ successful Swamp Rat 14 dragster! This is the one that pioneered the rear engine setup as we know it today.
As with all of our Retro Deluxe kits, we’ve gone to extra lengths to make this the best version of Big Daddy first rear engine dragster. The kit features a bonus booklet with complete specifications, a recreated and more accurate decal sheet, pad-printed slicks and like the Snake and Mongoose kits, this issue come with a custom display base. While we’ve featured the famous tracks of Lions and Orange County in those kits, we’re featuring Garlits’ “home” track of Gainesville, which hosts the popular Gatornationals. As fitting the car, we’ve portrayed the Gainesville track in the proper era and this one is complete with the timing tower (note the kit shown is simply there for reference).
Finally, we’ve corrected the car’s actual numbering. The original MPC issue noted the car as Swamp Rat 1-R, and we knew that Don successively numbered each of his real-life dragsters. So, we checked and direct from Big Daddy himself, he let us know that the car’s correct version is Swamp Rat 14.
Make sure to get your kit and add to your growing collection of drag racing’s greatest legends – only from MPC!
1:32 Kitbash: 1930 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup – Part 3
This is the final part of my 1930 Ford Model A Roaster Pickup kitbash using the Lindberg 1:32 Customizable Show Rod 2-pack and Lindberg 1:32 1930 Ford Model A Pickup.
Parts are painted, now it is time for assembly.
As mentioned in part 2, I assembled the motor using the “Rear Mill Bucket” instructions. As shown above.
Next I assembled the frame (A1), body (A3+A4+A5+A6), dash (A17), steering wheel (A19), windshield (a9), glass (A25), bed (A7a), grille (A2), tail gate (A8), and interior of the cab (A10) as shown in the Model A Pickup instructions. I replaced the gear shift with the chromed one from the Super Roadster (part R10).
Coming off the Shelf – A Little Monza Madness!
AMT is happy to announce the release of another Original Art Series kit, the Monza 2+2! This vintage-style box is blanketed with rich, colorful artwork – scanned directly from artwork created “back in the day”.
The Monza 2+2 can be built one of two ways: the neat for the street, stock version, which includes V8 engine, super-detailed chassis and interior. Or, you can go all out and build it custom with our Stage II show car, which includes: custom front/rear body caps, backlight/quarter and rear window louvers, sidemount exhaust, “Formula” steering wheel, Ansen “Sprint” mags and a set of ALL NEW pad printed Goodyear “Rally GT” tires! And if that doesn’t get you excited, we’ve also thrown in an expanded decal sheet with all sorts of extra goodies PLUS our signature Original Art Series 12″ x 9″ print, suitable for framing and hanging on your wall.
This tantalizing kit is on the water as we speak and is expected to hit the market any time now. So keep a watchful eye out for the Monza 2+2. A fun-to-build kit that is sure to please!
1:32 Kitbash: 1930 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup – Part 2
Goto PART 1
This is part 2 of my 1930 Ford Model A Roaster Pickup kitbash using the Lindberg 1:32 Customizable Show Rod 2-pack and Lindberg 1:32 1930 Ford Model A Pickup.
Above are the parts from each kit that were used. Note that I will reference 1930 Ford Model A Pickup kit part with an “A” in front of the part number, “B” for the Lucky Bucket and “R” for the Super Roadster.
First I removed the fenders from the frame (A1). Cutting along the the red lines as shown above. I discarded the fenders (i.e. set them aside for future projects).
Next I separated the hood from the cowl halves (A5,A6), cutting along the red line. The hood halves were not used on this build, so discard. The cowl halves (A5,A6) and the body sides (A3,A4) were then glued together.
I wanted to shorten the pickup bed (A7). The excess is be used in next step, so you would need to remove at least 7mm, I went with 11mm. I will refer to the halves now as parts A7a and A7b. I also trimmed 11mm off the bed on frame (A1). The excess from A1 is discarded.
The body (A3+A4+A5+A6) is missing a firewall so I used part A7b to create it. I cut it into the pieces shown above and then cut 3 pieces down to fit in the cowl (A5+A6). The pieces were about 7mm wide and A7c was cut to fit the curve of the cowl. Parts A7c, A7d and A7e were glued to the body.
Next I cut a “hole” in interior’s floor (A10) to make room for the drive shaft (R30) from the Super Roadster.
I cut the hood ornament from the grille (A2). I didn’t like it.
I used the motor halves (B16,B15) from the Lucky Bucket. I cut a half circle from the end of the support rods that enable the engine to sit perfectly in place on the frame (A1) with very little modification. Note I had to cut a half circle notch off the frame at the front of the engine to leave room for the belt (B43). For the motor assembly I used the “Rear Mill Bucket” version, option B on the instructions for the Lucky Bucket, but with different exhaust. I will show this in my next post.
Next I painted the parts as shown above. My paint scheme was inspired by the vintage Lindberg Freaky Ford kit. (as mentioned in Part 1) I painted the frame (A1), body (A3+A4+A5+A6), dash (A17), bed (A7a), grille (A2), and tail gate (A8) a metallic grape purple, first hitting them with a dull medium blue then the purple to give the color a little more depth. I painted the wood planks on the bed to look like wood and the grille and gauges chrome. The interior of the cab and the seats were painted tan. The front radius rod (A12), headlight assembly (A18), bumper (A20), windshield frame (A9) and 4 wheel hubs (R55) were painted chrome. The small front wheels (R27,R28), rear wheels (R32,R33) and drive shaft were painted black. The rims on the wheel were painted orange and whitewalls were added.
Look for my next post for final modifications and assembly.
MPC Models: 22″ Eagle Special Edition
[UPDATE] The kit will not ship by the end of the year. Look for it towards the end of January or February. This is primarily due to misprints on the decal sheet. -JH
Okay, guys. Time to let a cat out of the bag. We will be offering a special edition of the 22″ Eagle. This release gets a few very special extra goodies thrown in for the Space:1999 aficionados out there.
It starts off with an 18″ x 24″ poster featuring the box art from the kit. Logos have been minimized to really show off the great art on its own. We have gotten several requests to offer this poster. So here is your chance.
Next, we are adding a big sheet of additional decals that feature some specific paneling arrangements that were shown on the filming miniature. It comes with additional marking and “weathering” to randomly spread across the model. This allows the builder to use no paint, or just use a base coat, then apply all these new decals to achieve a great look without additional masking and painting. This special sheet is has been produced by Cartograf of Italy, known world-wide for their outstanding quality.
Last, and best of all, this edition comes with a signature card signed by the Eagle Transporter’s designer Brian Johnson! This is not a blind draw, “chance” offering. Every kit will come with an authentic hand-signed card. Brian is a BAFTA and Academy Award winning special effects wizard with credits on films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, ALIEN, ALIENS and The Empire Strikes Back, not to mention his contributions to other Gerry Anderson productions such as Thunderbirds. This is a truly unique opportunity!
So… details…
If things go well, (and they are so far) the kit will be available before Christmas. We suggest it should retail for about $200, but you will need to check with your usual retailer. The kit will be available for a limited time and in limited number. Right now, we are looking at an edition of 500 copies, but if we get an overwhelming response, we may do more. When they are gone, they are gone.
I’m sure many will wonder if we will ever sell the add-ons separately. The answer is that we may offer the decal sheet later on, but not for a while and definitely not until we have sold out of this edition.
Click on this preview to see all the details.
Then, either click and print this form and fill in the info for your usual hobby dealer.
Or download a PDF here. Fill in the form fields and email it to your dealer to reserve your copy.
Showroom Perfect: AMT’s Pre-Painted 2016 Camaro SS
If you want to build and display a showroom replica of Chevy’s beautiful Camaro SS, AMT has just the kit for you.
We’ve taken our newly-tooled 2016 Camaro SS model, containing a highly detailed engine and intricate rear suspension, and applied a factory finish to make building a beautiful version of Chevy’s number one muscle car a lot easier.
Featuring a Garnet Red Metallic body, AMT’s pre-painted Camaro SS kit also has finely detailed badging, painted and pad-printed engine markings and multiple paint operations on the engine and exhaust systems.
We’ve also added some great detail to the interior including the door panels, dash and seats.
Already a great kit to build and enjoy, this pre-painted edition will easily shine in your model kit showroom!
KIT CHAT: Look who’s comin’ back to town!
There are those who thought he was gone forever. But a few of us simply knew better! An infamous, clever character from decades past is coming back to town and a hobby dealer near you! Can you tell who it might be? Check out the “slightly modified” first test shot image below…
If you guessed STROKER McGURK, you’d be… CORRECT! Stroker, the “Hot Rodder’s Buddy” and was created by the talented Tom Medley in 1948 for the pages of HOT ROD magazine. Medley was a photographer and humorist for HOT ROD, dating back nearly to the publication’s inception. During the 1960s, Model Products Corporation released three different Stroker-themed model kits that captured the essence and fun of Medley’s character.
Sadly, Tom passed away in 2014, but he has not been forgotten! His son, Gary, has been working hard and a beautiful new book on the life and times (and incredible creativeness) of his father is to be released soon. In a coincidence of good fortune, Gary contacted us about the MPC kits around the same time the Round 2 team was thinking they’d be great to see again, after so many decades of disappearance. A conversation was struck, positive plans made and now MPC is crankin’ on a radical reissue of the first Stroker kit selection early in the new year!
With Gary’s very kind help, the kit will include a couple added goodies inside! You’ll just have to wait and see what those are… We will say that the kit will include an exclusive coupon – mail it in when you order a copy of the book on Tom Medley, to get it at a special price!
As well, with thanks to the fine folks at Hot Rod magazine, the kit will retain its original splendor, sporting the vintage HOT ROD logo on the packaging! We love it when a plan comes together…
Stay tuned for the official release date, coming soon.
Grab the glue, it’s all for you!
