Man have the polystone vehicles improved over the years! (1 Viewer)

[Louis Badolato]

As I work on Chapter 6 of the book (polystone vehicles), I find myself pulling some of the early vehicles out for the first time since the last Symposium, and comparing them to the newer vehicles that I have never unpacked before. We have belabored the issue of the tracks recently, but the overall quality of these vehicles has improved exponentially. The sculpting, painting and overall appearance of these vehicles has steadily improved from their introduction in 1999 to the present, with the tracks finally catching up. There's only one place left for obvious improvement: hollowing out the cabs of closed top trucks to put figures in a detailed interior, and inserting hinged doors and clear plastic windows in place of the blue painted ones in present production. Once K&C clears this final hurdle, their vehicles will be as realistic as is possible in this medium and price range.

 

[Steven Chong]

... There's only one place left for obvious improvement: hollowing out the cabs of closed top trucks to put figures in a detailed interior, and inserting hinged doors and clear plastic windows in place of the blue painted ones in present production. Once K&C clears this final hurdle, their vehicles will be as realistic as is possible in this medium and price range.

At the Chicago show, Andy mentioned that we would be seeing hollowed out cabs with clear windows on K&C vehicles in 2007.

 

[Louis Badolato]

At the Chicago show, Andy mentioned that we would be seeing hollowed out cabs with clear windows on K&C vehicles in 2007.

If you look at the first GMC Deuce and a Half Truck (DD7) you realize that Andy made an unsuccessful attempt at implementing this idea as early as 1999. Andy wanted to sculpt a vehicle with a removable canvas roof for the cab as well as a removable canvas top for the truck bed, which would permit figures to be placed inside the cab and would permit a view of the supplies sculpted inside the bed. While excellent in conception, the model suffered from extraordinarily poor execution. The side windows in the cab are cut out, but the windshield is still solid polystone. This is probably intentional, to prevent the viewer from seeing the complete lack of interior detail in the cab (I mean it, no steering wheel, no seats, no dash, just an empty rectangular cut out) or the fact that the walls of the truck are far to thick.

Since that first attempt, however, K&C has not released an closed cab vehicle with open or clear windows and interior detail to date, although they did create a prototype of a wrecked Deuce and a half, with a broken windshield and hollowed out cab. While this vehicle was never put in production, there is a photo of it on one of the dioramas on K&C's website, entitled "On the Road Again": https://www.kingandcountry.com/dramatic.jsp. I am happy to hear Andy told you he was ready to take another crack at it.

 

[sceic2]

Every once and a while I look fondly at the pictures on Bill Sager's Site of the many early DD and WS K&C vehicles and figures that I have sold or traded. I sometimes wonder if I made mistakes in selling or trading them. After all, isn’t a collector supposed to achieve perfection by having every single item in a manufacturer’s series?

But then I look at the newer vehicles and figures that their sale or trade brought to me and I really appreciate the vast improvement in styling, form, and color. I then find myself not regretting a single vehicle or figure that’s gone. They (the older versions) just don’t have the appeal that the newer versions have in terms of quality or realism.

I have said it before and I will continue to say it, I believe we are in the golden age of mate finish toy soldiers. I still cannot pass my collection without pausing; taking my time to really look at them and learning to really appreciate the workmanship and skill that the craftspeople have that make my collection so great each and every time I see them. I only spent the money to buy them; they (the craftspeople) made the things and how they look just so wonderful. It takes an owner with vision to move the hobby to where it is today. Yes, Andy has had what I think is the most significant impact on my hobby, but others like those of Honour Bound, New Model Army, the new Britains, FOV, John Jenkins, Conte, and the many other owners have and are continuing to make this a very exciting time to be a collector. If I can convince my heirs to continue the tradition that I have started, after I have gone my merry way, they should have a collection to behold.

I don’t know what it is about toy soldiers, perhaps it is that they are so fascinating or have such a sense of wonder associated with them. What ever it is, I truly do love this stuff.

 

[Steven Chong]

...This is probably intentional, to prevent the viewer from seeing the complete lack of interior detail in the cab (I mean it, no steering wheel, no seats, no dash, just an empty rectangular cut out) or the fact that the walls of the truck are far to thick...

Andy also mentioned more interior detail inside the cabs.

 

[Louis Badolato]

It would be hard for there to be less detail than in that Deuce and a Half, as there was none!

 

[jazzeum]

Not to mention that it, along with the ambulance, are two of the ugliest vehicles made. But, hey, they were early efforts. Makes you appreciate what you have today.

 

[OzDigger]

It will be great when those blue painted cabs are gone and the vehicles match the figures in detail. Detail aside, K & C have long been leaders in the overall finish of their vehicles.

Btw, is now a good time to start the chant for some real spokes in those motorbike wheels