User:Huw Powell/Model Products Corporation

'Model Products Corporation', usually known as 'MPC', was a subsidiary of General Mills and a manufacturer of promotional model cars, model rockets, model trains, and plastic model kits, including the Lionel brand trains.

MPC manufactured Lionel trains from 1970 to 1973. General Mills continued to produce Lionel trains through 1986, but its train-making arm was then known as Fundimensions. Collectors and operators generally treat this as one era and use the names interchangeably DIRECT QUOTE

The first pages of MPC 1978 catalog announced the company's new line of kits. MPC proudly announced the first introductions of a superb new kit series based on the epic film, STAR WARS; the copy read.

"Everything possible has been done to execute this series in a manner consistent with the quality of this remarkable film" DIRECT QUOTE

As celebrated as the Monkees are, the story of the Monkeemobile is not very well known. In actuality, there were two identical cars built, one pictured above, which was actually the first car built (we had stated incorrectly in GRRRaffiti last issue that it was the second car) and one pictured below that is owned by customizer George Barris. How a Pontiac was chosen to become the Monkeemobile is one of those classic stories of someone knowing someone who knew someone else. The catalyst to the project was George Toteff, the CEO of Model Products Corporation, better known as MPC. In addition to manufacturing models, Toteff also built the "GeeTO Tiger" model drag strip that toured the country as part of that promotion.

Toteff had on contract a well-known customizer by the name of Dean Jeffries, who designed custom variations on some MPC model kits and performed other consulting duties as well. At the same time, Jeffries was also contracting to Universal Studios, which would be producing the show. He was chosen to build a customized car for use on the Monkees TV show, which at that point hadn't begun production, and a car had not yet been chosen

More than 7 million MPC Monkeemobiles were sold, a number surpassed only by The Dukes of Hazzard's "General Lee" 1969 Dodge Charger in overall model kit sales

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MPC joined the kit/promo business in 1965. Round 2 now owns both AMT and MPC, all the tooling and use of brand names, logos, etc. and Round 2 currently issues many MPC kits in original-style packaging and using the original logo.