Exotic Intrepid ?

The only mid-engined "American" cars I can think of (street as opposed to competition) are the Bricklin, the DeLorean, and the Mustang I prototype. The DeLorean is available as a scale model due to its appearance in the Back to the Future movies.

I don't know any Intrepid street-legal car model kits (as opposed to NASCAR versions), but there is a company that sells premade models for use in scenery for architectural displays. Their products include model Intrepids, tho' they don't call them by name.

Hope this helps!

Stephen "FPilot" Bierce/IPMS #35922 "For the price of hiring one American worker in America an industrialist can hire fifteen Chinese workers in China. Remember that next time you shop at Wal-Mart."--Tepid 11:17

snipped

How about the Fiero, Corvair and the Pantera (well, it's sorta Merican') ? Although they may qualify as rear vice mid-engine

Allen

Thanks Stephen, you made me realize that there were Chev. Corvettes mid-engine prototypes kits : Astrovette and Corvette Indy.

But I've never heard of a mid-engine Mustang I. Was that ever made in kit (1/24 preferably) ?

Thanks Allen and you are right about the Fiero (japanese design, mid-engined) and Pantera (DeTomaso/Ghia desing, mid-engined). I think there is a model of the Fiero; I believe it (real one) was also frequently used with third-party bodyworks à-la-Ferrari as in the McCormick and Castle Coyotte (kit and real one). The Corvair is definetly a rear engined chassis and it's engine at least, was used extensively with dune buggies (VWBeetle chassis).

Do wou know if a Pantera kit (1/24 preferably) was ever made ?

I'm sure there was a Pantera kit. I seem to recall it being part of someones "Jackson five" series and being molded in in bright green but all I can find are dicast ones. Hewy Elvis put a bullet in his when it wouldn't start so it's historical enough to have been a model somewhere :)

As far as the Fiero the following site documents no less than 10 kits including an Indy 500 Pace Car. I wasn't aware of the Fiero being Japanese designed. Are you sure you're not confusing it with the Toyota MR2? Allen

Depends on where the engine is in relation to the rear axle. Mid-engined cars have the motor mounted 'fore the axle. Rear-engined cars have engines mounted behind the rear axle.

I think I've seen die-cast Intrepids out there but I couldn't say by whom. Nor do I know the scale.

Pierre, you're the first person I've met who likes the lines of the Intrepid. I gave up on Chrysler after the Diplomat went extinct. That, and the lousy build quality of my Omni.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

From what I've read Ford doesn't like to remember the car and doesn't even have one in its collection. They used to sell them here at the Lincoln-Mercury dealership but I don't remember ever seeing one on the road.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

I don't know. This was a concept car, very different from the production Mustang from '64 1/2-on.

ARII has one. I don't know if it's in current production but I bet you could get one through HobbyLink Japan or Rainbow Ten.

My Dad owns an Intrepid, and I've driven it many times. It's a nice car. A DJ buddy of mine owned an Omni. That one su##@red and ultimately tried to double-suicide him.

Stephen "FPilot" Bierce/IPMS #35922 "I don't know whether to be comforted or appalled that the Grace of God extends to a man so undoubtedly wicked as Ronald Reagan. I feel both my nation and my God have been taken away for me for all time."--Tepid 6:05

Bonjour,

Fiero : I stand corrected, the Pontiac Fiero seems to have been american-made. "The Mr2 design was purely Toyota, with Roger Becker of Lotus assisting in the development of the suspension systems and the overall vehicle performance. An interesting tidbit to note here is that while some feel that Toyota got the idea of the Mr2 from GM's Fiero, both design teams actually found out about each others cars while still in the design phase". (ref.

)

Pantera : I just got a 1/24 kit :-) but it's from Heller :-( ... few details, possibly the same molds as ARII. Also found traces of an IAMI GTSS kit but it is discontinued :-<

Other inspiration for chassis, engine:

- I had forgotten about the finest american mid-engined car, the Ford GT-40, soon to be revived and of which there are ample scale models

- Some more research led me to Metalcrafters (

), concept and prototype (real) cars builder employed by Daimler-Chrysler and others; they are involved in the Chrysler ME 4-12 prototype and are said to have built or at least designed some mid-engined Intrepid ?!?

Ahhh... the search continues ... Thanks all !

This subject (Pantera) came up over on the Hobby Heaven board. Apparently Testors boxed a Pantera at one point. It might be the Heller kit or the "Tilt" kit also mentioned.

I'll have to check my auto pics and see if the Mustang I is in the collection. I know I have the II.

Don't count your GT40s before they get to the store shelf. I think it was dropped due to a lack of orders from the distributors, another tidbit I picked up over on the HH board. :(

Bill Banaszak, MFE

I've definitely seen the Pantera by a few different manufacturers. I may have the Tilt kit and I seem to remember an ESCI kit too. Have you looked on ebay? hth

The Keeper (of too much crap!)

Er... What is a "Tilt" kit ? Is it a supplier ?

Tokyo Marui. The Japanese characters look like 'tilt' in English.

Well, I still have not found a 1/24 1998-2003 Dodge Intrepid/Chrysler Concorde model.

For mide-engine Intrepid, my research so far stands such :

The Dodge Intrepid 1998-2002 design was borne out of the Dodge Intrepid ESX

1995 prototype by Dodge and Metalcrafters (first shown January 1996), itself probably influenced by the 1989 Millenium cab-forward concept car. The ESX series were built as alternative energy vehicule. The Intrepid ESX was a sleek cab-forward sedan design. It was configured with RE-RWD, 1.3L diesel engine powering electric motors in the rear wheels. The Intrepid ESX 2 had a similar bodywork but covered rear wheels. It was configured with RE-RWD, 1.5L diesel engine, 20bhp AC induction electric motor and nickel-metal hydride battery pack. Noteworthy, the 6-passenger sedan has a drag coefficient of .20, has only eight body panels and weighs a mere 2400 pounds. The Intrepid ESX 3 had its lines revised à-la-Cadillac Cien/Evok of late, with a predominance on sharp edges. It was configured with RE-RWD, "clean" 1.5L diesel engine, lithium-ion battery and electronicly advanced EMAT powertrain.

The only real mid-engine cars from that maker I have encountered were the new Chrysler ME 4-12 prototype and a series of Dodge M4S (a.k.a. PPG Turbo Interceptor) built around 1986 as Indianapolis pace cars (one of which appeared in "The Wraith" movie).

I took pictures of the Intrepid mid-engine show car at the L.A. autoshow years ago. I wish they came out better. I will have to scan them sometime. The car was a deep red. The tailight design was used on the Dodge Stealth car.

If you would like to see another mid-engine Dodge, watch the movie called "The Wraith" with Charlie Sheen. He drove a black version of the Intrepid, although I don't know which one. It's a revenge movie with street drags as the hook. Ron

I didn't notice your reference to The Wraith" before. Ron

For reference, I meant Aerovette (ex.: kit #85-7638 Revell Monogram, 1/25,

64 pieces).

The Astrovettes I, II III were different concept cars.