I have determined that my MPC/Round 2 Models General Lee has the wrong engine) in it. It has a 426 Hemi (spark plugs and wires go through the valve cover) where all the TV series General Lees have either the 383 or 440 (spark plugs under valve cover, and a completely different valve cover) R or RB series V-8 (not a Hemi!).
Is there a 1:25 scale model that includes the 383 or 440 B or RB V-8 I need?
The 426 was used on feature film General Lee, but I’m looking to do a TV series car. If I can’t find the right engine, I’ll have to glue the hood shut so none of my MOPAR friends will see I have the wrong motor.
At least, maybe, you can see there’s enough difference that I’m interested in getting a more correct engine in her. Of all the online reviews and build reports, I can’t find one that’s addressed the incorrect engine.
Any help locating a kit with the correct engine would be appreciated.
Scarecrow, that has to be one of the weirdest item descriptions I’ve ever seen.
"I cannot GUARANTEE that ALL items are FREE of any ALLERGENS you may be affected by ? So as much as it bothers me to say this, we ask that you either not purchase from us or accept the fact that your item may or may not arrive with various odors. "
"I do not work for free, do you work for free ???
I do ask every buyer that if they do not like my S&H terms, policys, prices etc. please just move on and buy your parts from someone else who works for free, as life is just too short."
The Zrevell 68-69 Charger kits have a 383/440, as does the Revell 69 Daytona. AMT’s 68-69 Roadrunner and GTX kits also have it.mthe 383/440 engines are identical visually.
From the pics I’ve seen, the front of the 383 and 440 are a bit different (see photos above).
I settled on buying a Lindberg models 1964 Dodge 330. It comes with both the 383 V8 and a slant 6. The 383 will go in my MPC (Generation 2 Models) General Lee, and I’ll build the Lindberg with the slant 6. This was actually cheaper than any of the Mopar big blocks on eBay!
Yeah, I was thinking of dropping the Hemi from the General Lee model into the '64 Dodge, but from what I can tell with the parts on the sprue and in the bag, it’s not a very detailed engine. The only way I could figure out it was the 426 Hemi was that it had dimples in the valve covers for the spark plugs. Other than that, it’s just a blob of plastic in the shape of a V-8 block. Not very inspiring. Plan B was to simply fill in the dimples in the valve covers and maybe - maybe - run some wires where the spark plugs should be on the R/RB V8.
I don’t think the intake is right from the MPC kit for those NASCAR Hemis. Easy enough to scratchbuild, I think (famous last words!). There is an “alternate” double carb intake in the MPC kit. I dunno… Fake a little detail to suggest even more?
Note:
Base price (of that '64 Dodge Hemi): $4,600
For comparison, “Original pricing for the 1964 Corvette Coupe was $4,252. The 1964 Corvette Convertible was for sale priced slightly lower at $4,037.” - Vettefinders
One thing at a time. I’m already getting ahead of myself with the General Lee. I’m supposed to be finishing a 1:48 USN YP-59A “Airacomet.” LOL
That idea of a 425 hp mill shoved into that Coronet…
reminds me of when the Royal Navy was experimenting with Griffon engines and later turboprops in lightweight airframes. Before inventing counter rotating props, test aircraft could flip themselves upside down and over into the island when applying full takeoff power.
Yeah that guy has serious issues. I was going to get a set of slicks off of him but wanted to make sure they were the right dimensions for the kit that I’m going to be working with soon. The work for free thing might have come from me because after I asked him to measure them he got a real attitude with me and wrote me a long response claiming that he didn’t have enough time to go and measure everything for everybody. I called him out on it by just saying letting him know that he could have just answered my question alot nicer and alot shorter and it looked like he had plenty of time to me given the length of his response. Dude’s got issues…real issues.[:|]
I second that. I’ve dealt with this guy before too–mind you, only once when I believe I was desperate for a part that I’d ruined and couldn’t possibly re-create, but his prices can be absolutely outrageous, and he’s not very customer-friendly from what I remember. Whenever I see his name as seller, I DEFINITELY “move on”. [whstl]
If you actually look closer at the MPC kit it is also the wrong type of Charger. The MPC is a charger 500. What i actually did was use the Revell Charger RT kit with the 440 in it and used the decals and push bumper from the MPC kit. I also used the turbine style rims from another old kit i had to complete the build.
They DID actually fix this, when someone here pointed out the correct body was available in their F&F charger kit. So the last one or two issues are corrected.
Further research has also revealed that the 426 Hemi engine in the kit is an RB block engine, like the 383 and 440 CID engines used in the TV series General Lees. The difference is in the heads and valve covers. The kit has dimples in the valve covers where the spark plugs go (through a tube) into the head, which was my spotting difference for the Hemi. I can avoid fitment any issues by swapping valve covers onto the kit’s engine block, rather than the entire motor.
I’ve also seen reports of the LA series 318 CID “Small Block” being used in some of the cars, but not any of the first three (with the crossed flags behind the rear window) that I wish to model. My guess is Warner Bros. didn’t get too particular about the engines as they dried up the market buying 300+ '68 and '69 Chargers (and they had to resort to a few '70 Chargers for the 2005 movie (24 were used in filming), where the Hemi was, finally, actually used). It might be interesting to see someone model a General Lee with the 318 CID LA.
Although this is an old topic, I’ve been interupted in building my model with home and auto issues. Life happens. I resumed research for a Toastmasters speach I’m giving. Project 7: Research Your Topic. As I grow as a model builder, I’ve noticed that I do a lot more research in order to build more authentic models. In this case, I’m nearly overcome by “paralysis due to analysis,” but this gives me an opportunity to introduce my passion to my fellow Toastmasters, and maybe get a few people back into modeling.
So, the current MPC/Round 2 Models kit (without the Confederate flag on the box art, but included on the decal sheet, as available from Amazon) is correct? If there’s an error in the current kit’s body, I can’t find it, but I’m more than welcome to learn I have another kit to hunt down to get the right body shape. The engine was the worst mistake found. Well, that and I’ll have to scratchbuild the roll bar/cage, and possibly the pusher bar. That’s a lot easier and cheaper than hunting down another kit. The Revelle has it’s shortfalls, too. IIRC from past discussions, had a vinyl roof that had to be smoothed out. That’s a lot of body work that’s highly visible.
I’m happy to report the wheels have been fixed. You no longer have to look for the AMT Eckler Corvette kit just to get the correct American Racing Vectors. I plan on stripping the chrome plating and painting with Vallejo Air black and aluminum, but they have the right number of spokes (the shortfall of the earlier General Lee kit wheels IIRC)
!!! And I use that term mildy mind you. [whstl]){kind=link}
