Amazing Moon Mixer back story? - Does anyone know?

[flounder]

First, big thanks to Don Culley for the Apollo 11 link. I got one for 10.00 plus shipping. And guess what I discovered - The actual Apollo 11 capsule is a better match to the box art than the kit capsule. They must have given Dave the prototype to work with.

I also need a little background for the build-up article. Does anyone know who at Revell put the capsule on the back of one of the other kits in the series? My guess is they started with the T-Bone stake since that and the Patent Pending are the ones in the series NOT illustrated by Dave Deal.

Does anyone have any more info? Thanks for whatever you can contribute.

Scott

[donculley]

The Mixer, Guber, and Meter Cheater were all released in 1970 , the T Bone and Pending were issued a few years later . My guess is that the Moon Mixer was Dave's creation , maybe it was suggested he come up with a car with a tie in to the space race craze and the Apollo moon landing . The later issues I've always assumed were just Revell's way of making up new kits using most of an already on hand mold to save on tooling costs ,like the Dragon Wagon became the Hangman, etc..

[Count Dragula]

I'm glad that you asked this question,Flounder.

Our Good Friend,Bob Paeth created all of the kooky Corvair Powered showrods.Dave Deal Did the Boxart,and had nothing to do with the creation of this Revell kit series. All of the information that I am about to give comes directly from Thomas Graham's book called "Remembering Revell Models". I highly recommend this book as well as its sister Book "Remembering Monogram Models". I have a copy of both.The information I am about to give comes from the Revell book.

First Off here is the series with release dates:
1.  H-1207 Kookie Kar Meter Cheater. 1970-71. Box Art by Dave Deal
2. H-1210 Amazing Moon Mixer 1970-71. Box Art By Dave Deal
3. H-1213 Der Guber Wagen  1970-71. Box Art By Dave Deal
4. H- 1330 T Bone Stake 1975-76  Reissued in 1978
5. H-1338 C-Cab Rod Patent Pending 1976 Reissued as 3134 Advents "Medicine Man".

All of these kits were designed by Bob Paeth which were street rods with an antique body,sporty mag wheels and a corvair engine.
Here's a cool fact for you all....The three Dave Deal artwork kits mentioned above all have a "Portrait" Of Bob Paeth on the Box's Artwork.Not only did Bob tell me this in one of our Phone conversations,this information is  a thread in the archives somewhere here on the Coffin Corner.

The story of the Moon Mixer kit from Graham's Revell Book goes as follows:


"One day Revell Engineer Lonnie Flanders showed Bob Paeth something interesting: He put the 1/96th scale Apollo Space Capsule on the bed of a truck,and it looked like a cement mixer.Thus the Flatbed was transformed into the "Amazing Moon Mixer"."

Note:It's a common belief that the T Bone Stake is leftover from the Moon Mixer,although I can find no documentation of this being factual considering the T Bone Stake came out 4-5 years after the Amazing Moon Mixer.

I hope this information helps answer your questions about the Amazing Moon Mixer and its sister kits!!!!

Todd

[flounder]

Thanks for the info, Don. Good bit of history there about the Deals kits coming first. I wish I could find out if it was Dave or someone else who put the capsule on the back. It is definitely the capsule from the Apollo 11 in the box art. So I have a clue.

[flounder]

Just saw Count's post. Thank you!

I thought I remembered parts of the story - the engineer and the capsule. I always wondered who the spaceman was. I had the opportunity to chat with Bob a few times. It's cool to see him immortalized (again) in box art. I'm updating the article with this information. Well done. Todd and Don!

[Count Dragula]

Here is a quote directly from Bob Paeth and a link to the thread it's in (from 2007):

"You won't find me bragging about the wheels and tires on the Corvair powered line of kits. These were all designed on a "shoe string" budget and the wheels and tires were a way to save money. BTW, has anyone realized that the mixer on the "moon mixer" is from the Revell kit of the Gemini space capsule ? What a way to save tooling costs !!!!!!!!!!



bob"

coffincorner.proboards.com/thread/2047/dave-hesslers-moon-mixer

Todd

[flounder]

Another perfect quote - The article build is NOT using the kit tires. I found some resin Richard Carrol tires in my stash. If I remember right one of the members here sent them from the land of OZ. I also made a set of Moon disks to go with them. (Visual pun) Fun with modeling.

It's as if see could see my bench when you posted that bit of info. It's going in the article too!

Thanks!

Scott

[davemarek]

Awesome...I had used the Fire iron tires on mine and helped quite a bit. Looking forward to it my friend

[flounder]

Dave! Always good to hear from you. I hope things are going well in the Pro design world.

I went back into the Reader's Gallery and studied your Moon Mixer for quite a while. I considered ripping off the NASA tread idea, but the Richard Carrol tires won out. You will see the similarities to your version. Since this is for the magazine, It will get done pretty soon.

Take care, Bud.

Scott

[davevan1]

I'll add this note.....and IF I can find it I'll post it.
Back in the day before any of the Revell Corvair powered kits came out, in Car Model magazine there was a contest coverage article. One of the models was the Revell 1/96 Apollo kit that the builder had added street rod type axles to. The capsule was horizonal with the nose tipped down Pro Stock style. This MAY have triggered Dave to design Mixer.....or at least it was the first automotive use of the 1/96 Apollo kit!!! Thanks

[flounder]

I think I remember something like that too, Dave.

Credit for the mixer idea is earlier in the thread. A Revell designer named Lonnie Flanders brought it to Dave Deal.

[Count Dragula]

Jul 26, 2022 23:42:09 GMT -6 flounder said:

I think I remember something like that too, Dave.

Credit for the mixer idea is earlier in the thread. A Revell designer named Lonnie Flanders brought it to Dave Deal.

Read my post again.
Dave Deal designed the box art ONLY. He had NOTHING to do with Amazing Moon Mixers kit design. Zilcho!
BOB PAETH designed the Amazing Moon Mixer model kit along with the rest of the series mentioned in this thread. 
Please make note of this fact in your upcoming article.
Not trying to be difficult. Just stating the facts,sir.
Todd

[davevan1]

Agreed on designer......still wonder if the contest build was influence.

[flounder]

Hey Count,

Thanks for clearing that up. I went back and checked my rough draft. I got it right there, just mixed it up here. I appreciate the catch. Putting incorrect information in print can lead to bad juju.

Dave - I wonder too. Denny's Zingers ar a good example.