Looky what I found…And some history on the kit
As I have stated here before, classic Monogram kits are my drug, and Emil at Skyway Models in Seattle is my pusher! For me the older the release the better, originals are best if they are not too spendy. So when I went to buy super glue and primer yesterday, I took my usual lap around the old kit shelves and wha bam! It seems a fella had come in and sold his stash of Tom Daniels kits to Skyway! Man, too many to list here, but to name a few T’rantula, S’cool Bus, Lil’ Van, Red Baron, Beer Wagon, Paddy Wagon, even a few of Tom’s cartoon construction equipment kits which are rare as hens teeth! So I had been looking to get Tijuana Taxi for a while now, and decided to pick this one up. Shrink wrapped and all parts intact on sprues in the bag! Now at first I saw it was a 2009 release, no worries I have not seen an earlier one anywhere, and I try and give Emil most of my modeling business. Then I did some reading, seems that in this case 2009 IS an original release. The molds from the 60s were damaged beyond repair at some point and Revell (Monogram) decided to have it re-tooled as close to the original as possible. Apparently Rommel’s Rod is the same way. At any rate, I have this one on the “next” list after my Tomcat is done.
2 additional images. Click to enlarge.
David Mills said on April 20, 2019
Oh yes Rob when will you be starting it?
Rob Anderson said on April 20, 2019
After my F-14 build. Maybe a month or so? The Tamiya kit builds fast.
Craig Abrahamson said on April 20, 2019
Yikes …! Ain’t seen one of them in a coon’s age. Nice find. 🙂
Rob Anderson said on April 20, 2019
They are pretty common on ebay, but it is hard to know what release they are.
Robert Royes said on April 20, 2019
Will be waiting for the build !
Matt Minnichsoffer said on April 21, 2019
Ok, so how many of us remember when these were new?
Rob Anderson said on April 21, 2019
I do, I had one of the original releases when I was a kid. I was surprised to find out that this one was a “new” tool. My guess is they reverse engineered an original release one. I love the orange plastic!
DE4EVER said on April 21, 2019
🙂 … Greetings … 🙂 :
Nice one Rob ! That one is a true classic, happy too see it posted here soon.
Tom Bebout said on April 21, 2019
Like finding the proverbial needle in the hat stack hey Rob? Looks good.
Rob Anderson said on April 21, 2019
Finding one in the shrink wrap is a bit rare, I have seen quite a few on ebay, but ebay has been hit or miss for me on kits in general. A couple have been ok, but others were not in as good a shape as the seller let on. The trick will be not to go back next week and if they are still there get T’rantula or Beer Wagon, or……
Greg Kittinger said on April 22, 2019
Bring it! I built S’Cool Bus as a kid, and a couple other wild kits.