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A model car is a miniature representation, or scale model, of an automobile or similar powered vehicle, generally reproducing the shapes of actually-produced vehicles. Other miniature ground-running vehicles, such as trucks, buses, etc. more...

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(but not railroad trains or tracked military vehicles) are usually included in the general category of model cars. The line between model and toy cars is not well-defined; some toys can be scaled and detailed well enough to be considered models also. Miniature cars which are poorly proportioned or lack significant detail are usually considered to be pure toys rather than models.

Model cars from kits

Model car most frequently refers to scale miniatures of real production vehicles, designed as kits for the enthusiast to construct. They can be created in plastic, die-cast metal, resin, even wood. The best kits have incredible levels of detail, even in parts unseen when the finished model is on display. Major manufacturers are Aluminum Metal Toys, Revell, AMT, Monogram, and Model Master but many smaller companies abound.

History

The model kit car hobby began in the post WW II era with Ace and Berkeley wooden model cars. Revell pioneered the plastic model car with their famous Maxwell kit derived from a toy. Derk Brand, from England, pioneered the first real plastic kit, a 1932 Ford Roadster for Revell. He was also famous for developing a line of 1/32 scale model car kits in England for the Gowland brothers. These kits were later introduced by Revell in the US.

AMT began producing assembled 1/25 "Promo" models in the early fifties. These were an outgrowth of promotional models manufactured for automobile dealers. Youngsters would be given the scale models to play with while the parents and the salesman haggled. Collecting and trading these "promos" soon became a popular hobby.

During the 1950's to 1960's, interest in the hobby peaked, as many companies started to profit from the interest in the promo cars. AMT, Jo-Han, Revell and Monogram started producing model car kits during this time, and it was considered a "golden age" for model kit cars. Most of these kits were known as "annual" kits, kit versions of the promos that represented the new cars that were introduced at the beginning of each model year. AMT, Jo-Han and later MPC were the primary promo manufacturers. In addition to building them stock, most annual kits were known as "3 in 1" which allowed the builder to assemble them as stock, custom, or racing versions. Model Products Corp. joined the kit/promo business in 1965. Among their first annual kits/promos, was the full-size Dodge Monaco, which was released with a gold metallic painted body and is a valuable collector's item today. These plastic models were intricately detailed, with body scripts, trim, and emblems, as well as dashboard details, exact duplicates of the real thing, in 1/25 scale. Typically, each automaker would license their cars to one model company. For example, Jo-Han produced Cadillac models and promos, AMT did Chevrolet and Ford cars. Often these companies would change, for example Jo-Han produced the 1972 Ford Torino, and MPC did full-size Chevrolets in the early and mid 1970s. Typically, the kits had more parts and details than the promos. For example, kits often had opening hoods, separate engines and suspension parts, while the promos were molded with hood as part of the body, and chassis with metal axles and one-piece chassis with suspension details molded in. 1969 and 70 Chevy Impala kits were made by both MPC and AMT.

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