It’s not a surprise when companies try to associate themselves with what’s “new” and “cool”. While modelling in the 2020’s might not be quite so fixated on this, there was a time when modelling was a more general hobby and companies did try to ride the coat tails of profitable and hoped-to-be profitable enterprises.
There are lots of kits of vehicles from famous TV shows produced from the ‘60s to the ‘80s, so it really comes as no surprise that Monogram also decided to produce a kit from the much-hyped “New Monkees” TV show that aired in 1987. Sadly, Monogram’s bet didn’t pay off, and the New Monkees Mustang GT Convertible doesn’t carry the same cultural weight as the original Monkeemobile, Knight Rider’s KITT or even Magnum PI’s Ferrari 308.
However, they did indeed kit the New Monkees Mustang, and I came across one last year at an antiques store. It was so weird, such a piece of ‘80s kitsch, that I had to get it. Now you can check out what you might have missed back in the day at the link below!
This is almost like two different reviews: The Monogram kit and then the New Monkees. Both of which I didn’t much care for.
As my return to modeling back on the 1970s to the mid 1980s was almost strictly focused on military aircraft modeling, but towards the end of that round of modeling I did gravitate to Asian race car model kits. What you’ve shown as Monogram’s super basic kit format just wouldn’t of interested me even if the subject would have.
As for the New Monkees and their TV show, both were abysmal failures in every sense of the word, and neither was a hit nor lasted on TV.
All I remember of the original Monkees is their one hit that I really liked: Last Train to Clarksville.
Man, the savage disdain for the New Monkees is incredible! It is totally warranted, though!
I can certainly see why this kit would not be up your alley, Joel_W! It is a phone-in of epic proportions, just like the show it was based on.
Still… I may just leave the plastic bare. I may do the silver, but gloss and buff the plastic as the actual paintwork. I only bought the car because I thought it would be “New Monkee” special in some way, and it would be fun to mock it and its source material. That’s proven to be true… well, the latter part. The only “special” part is the swirly plastic, and I’d hate to see that get lost to the ages.
Sounds interesting. Do it all stock, but leave the plastic alone. Hmm… What do you guys think?
I guess you could do that. I mean, it does kind of remind me of those old make-it-yourself toys from the 60’s where you poured colored plastic into molds of cars to make the body, which then snapped onto a battery-powered chassis. The box top showed people making tiger stripes and stuff, but when you’re 8 and pouring it the final result looks like a New Monkeemobile kit by Monogram.
Adam,
I wasn’t a weekly tv viewer of the original show that 1st hit the B&W air waves back in the mid 1960’s as I was at college till 1968 when I transferred back home, but didn’t watch hardly any tv during the week. My interest in the Monkees was basically as a boys band which would have fallen into what is now referred to as Bubblegum music. As I said before, the only song that they ever cut that I liked was Last Train to Clarksville. I guess that you can say that the music and the show was geared to target the 12-16 year old crowd.
As for the car model, I’d just leave it in the box as a collectable. To bad that you cut off the plastic wrap as that certainly will hurt it’s value down the road.
I didn’t buy it so I could keep it in the box, though. A model still in the box is a missed opportunity to see what it’s like. Heck, I even opened the sealed Mazda Familia I had! I love to see a model, handle its pieces, and get a feel for what I’ve got. Sometimes it’s impressive, but most times it’s lame; and that’s why I love doing it!
To me, what it’s worth down the road is nothing compared to the fun I’m having with it now - I couldn’t do a very good write up of the car, and it’s swirl-tastic plastic, without opening it all up!
Now, too, anyone else who finds one sealed can check my review to see if it’s worth opening (for most, it won’t be), so maybe I can preserve someone else’s investment!