THE KITS

AMT put a lot of work into this kit both inside the box and in their judicious use of the molds. They continued to release this kit with minor modifications for many years. There are at least seven issues that I'm aware of. The first issue was kit #2030 which featured a three-quarter front view drawing of a yellow Deora on a blue background. Issue #T252 was nearly identical with different box art and less emphasis on the origin of the car. The A Brothers were not mentioned after the initial releases. The box simply states Dodge Deora. To make the most of the tooling a new angle was employed to sell another, of what amounts to, the same kit to the same buyer; this time with a topless image. The Topless Pickup, kit #2033, was the original issue minus the optional clear bed-cap parts and presumably minus the top. This represented more marketing-style over substance because it didn't come molded as a topless truck, the modelers were simply instructed to cut the roof off themselves! The box top featured an Op-Art background behind the topless Deora. An earlier hemi-powered topless version was known as Alexander's Drag Time Dodge, kit #2032. Hmmmmmm. In AMTs continued search for the Deora's possible identity comes the Custom Cabana, kit #T298, a trendy backwoods camper with wide, knobby all-terrain tires! This was stretching credibility just a little too far. The camper made a brief reappearance as the "Vantasy" to cash in on the growing van phenomenon, kit #T201.The final time styrene flowed through these molds was in 1985. It was a preview of collaborations to come as MPC/ERTL used the AMT molds for their issue, kit #6221. Called simply Deora Show Car, it is the easiest release to acquire. Its box top shows a builtup of the open-bed pickup with the camper option on the side of the box. This issue included interesting graphic decals and GoldTone paint for tinting the chrome accents. MPC issued it in bright yellow plastic. The wide, bumpy all-terrain tires are it for rolling stock but you have your choice of babymoons/chrome rims or turbine style rims. The original AMT kit is a reasonable representation of the Deora but has many inaccurate details. The most glaring being the clam-shell entry with a drop-down lower door. This was obviously the easiest way to make the kit. Given the complexity of the real thing I understand the reason. The kit includes side windows that the real Deora never had. The open, useable bed is also incorrect, as is the radiator placement. Some of the first issues included a hokey option that appeared on other AMT kits of the era; white styrene tire caps with Firestone sidewall markings that could be glued over the vinyl tires to give the kit a more aggressive look. The decal sheet was understandably quite plain but did include a car show placard and sponsor logos. Enough pressure-sensitive woodgrain plastic was included for the upper area of the rear taillights with enough to spare for the tonneau or the bed cap. Interesting to note about the kit is its correct depiction of the front leaf springs passing through the axle. This was used to lower the real Deora's stance. The babymoons and chrome rims are correct for this original show car. In '71 the Davis family was still showing the Deora but it had wire wheels as Bradley had originally proposed. The three non-camper issues featured the hard tonneau cover or a clear bed cap option. The others left you with your choice of the camper or nothing at all. Building the Deora in any configuration in no simple task. An area of particular difficulty is the endgate/windshield to body fit. I normally glue this piece in place in the closed position to avoid the fitting problems. It's difficult to keep an even seem around the entire front-opening area. The other high-maintenance area is the rear roll pan. Abandon the instruction sheet for this part. To get a good, unobtrusive finish on the body the rear pan must be attached and the seam dealt with before painting. However, with the pan in place it becomes necessary to relieve portions of the frame in order to slip it into final position. No big deal really. The rest of the kit is pretty simplistic. You can install the front roll pan after painting without too much fuss. The camper option is, to be kind, very poor fitting. The wide knobbies can be easily replaced with better higher-profile 1/25 scale tires from a kit of your choice. Any discussion of this kit would not be complete without mentioning that it was one of the very few kits with a Chrysler slant-six engine. Until Lindberg put out its slant-six, the availability and low cost of the MPC kit made this one a natural choice for kit-bashing a six for a favorite MOPAR project. With all the options available for the Deora there are still modelers who want it their way. While not a regular sight at model shows, Deoras do pop up from time to time in unusual livery or somehow personalized. I've seen clever builders replicate the Hot Wheels Deora complete with surf boards, one-piece wheels, imitation "spectra-flame" finish and silver underbelly. No matter what you decide to do with your Deora you will be doing it with the full knowledge of its place in customizing history.