Last of the Novas - MPC's Squad Rod (OOB)

[Faust]

When it comes to the Automotive Dark Ages, there are a few certainties you can almost always rely on. One of those is that it was a bad time to be a storied nameplate, because the chances of you surviving with your name intact was pretty much nil. That’s why I love that era, from about 1973 to about 1987 so much; the cars in it were so lacklustre and neutered that people can’t help but want to forget them.



One good example is the Nova. While most people will choose to remember the late ‘60s and early ‘70s muscle-era pocket rockets, the truth is the Nova died a long and slow death, wasting away until replaced by the exciting, modern and much-ballyhooed Citation! (Nevermind it’s resurrection as a badge engineered Corolla…) For me, the thrill isn’t the early Novas that everyone remembers. Nope, it’s the cruddy, wheezy late models, the shadows of their former selves, that turns my crank.



For that reason, I was very excited to finally be able to get my hands on a copy of Round 2’s version of the MPC 1979 Nova – Squad Rod! As if the last Nova wasn’t sad enough, the MPC attempt to create a Police Hot Rod is just, well… disquieting. Check out this loserly last stand at the link below!



adamrehorn.wordpress.com/mpc-1-25-1979-nova-squad-rod-out-of-box/

[dogfish7]

Just bought a copy of this kit to try and make a replica Super Sport out of it.

[fordrodnkustom]

Not sure about a cop rod or whatever but it made a pretty good race car in the day.

[Faust]

Nice pic, Ron!

I remember so many of these things being hot rodded or otherwise modded back in the day. I know a lot of people liked them for racing... and let's face it, you can't make it worse...

[harron68]

Anything can become a hotrod . . . with the right parts! The "squad rod" actually looks interesting. If it's basically a stock kit with a few engine mods, it could be a small town or county cop car on a budget. It could do work cruising around parking lots, downtowns, whatever. As a racer on a budget, here also, it could work. Or, with a fancy paint job and different wheels a mild custom or even a low rider. Put it in rusty form with holes and full primer, red steelie wheels and a hot rod primer body and it could be a retro "rat rod." A plain Jane vehicle has a ton of possibilities. As you wrote, later Novas ring your bell!

[Mr.409]

Very good review Adam, thanks for posting! I've actually wanted to see how this kit looks, and now after reading that I think I need one. These later year model Novas are pretty good in NHRA's Stock Eliminator class (especially the '75-'77 versions) so I'd like to build one as a Stocker. And if a four door conversion kit was available, it would be cool to build one in factory stock condition, as some of them were sold as new here in Finland.

[Faust]

Thanks, Mr. 409! I'm glad you liked the review, and that it was helpful.

It was hard for me to get this kit, and it doesn't seem to have had as wide a release as some other Round 2's.

I'd love a 4-door. I love four-door anythings, including Corvettes!

[Mr.409]

I agree, Four door versions would be cool in 1/24 or 1/25 scale, I could build lots of cars the way they were sold as new around here where 4D cars were the most common.

But in 1:1 scale I have to say that I really prefer Two Door. Actually so much that I bought a 4D Sedan '62 Chevy II and converted that myself to match with the factory made 2D Sedan. Someone might think "Why the heck did he do that?", but the fact is finding a 2D Sedan in here is hard, and most importantly too expensive. So I made one.