This is a comparison of the 70s MPC Demon kit vs the 2024+ reissue MPC Demon.

For many years, I wanted the older Demon kit, and a few years back, I ended up getting one that was open, and it still cost some $200. Then, like an obvious turn of events, MPC decided to reissue the dang thing after some 50+ years. Whelp, $200 (or over $500 for a brand new one when I was looking) turned into just over $30 with shipping. Is it better than the original? I wanted to find out.

Face value, the cars look amazingly similar. Exterior-wise, the detail work is about the same, however, I can give a big nod to the newer kit for having less flash. That said, the older kit’s hood fit a LOT better, the grille is already chromed, and the taillights are easier to use.

The new car DOES come with a super nice decal sheet – one that makes the older one look sick. It has hood decals, white & black stripes, demon decals, interior decals, and much more.

It also has correct side stripes instead of the inaccurate ones of the original. I had to make the rear light stripes for the original yellow car. Bit of an effort, but it came out really nice. Now, the beautiful new decal sheet does have a major flaw. It is GARBAGE quality. Every stripe I used cracked in multiple places, rendering the rear ones utterly unusable. I got the black side stripes to work, but they’re also vigorously cracked.

The front fascia setup is, however, a nice upgrade from the older kit despite having to chrome it yourself. The grill itself is a bit more prominent, the headlights are a better size, and the overall detail is very good. The front bottom pan is also easier to use, and the wipers on the newer car are better sized compared to the old.

The engine bay is 100% a bonus for the newer kit. I unfortunately cannot show you because I decided to up the engine to a 440ci Magnum from a Charger kit, but rest assured, the 340 small block that is included in the new kit is better detailed, has nicer decals, and will look more along the lines of the 340 in the yellow car. The original MPC kit’s engine is crap (and mine was missing), so I took one from the ’71 Duster 340 kit. The new car’s firewall is equally mediocre, but the radiator now includes the hood close/brace instead of the horrible chrome slab that you see on the yellow car.

There were most likely ZERO 440 Demons from the factory, but I have an inkling that there were some created by a few Frankesteins back when, and some in today’s time as well. What I can say is that the 440 looks a whole lot meatier in the bay than the small block, and I’m glad it was easy. Little trimming, some smaller fanbelt pieces, and some exhaust work – kinda some of the stuff one would do IRL.

The chassis is kinda lousy for both cars, but I will give the newer Demon’s front-wheel setup a further negative. There is a pin-and-tab setup that makes you level the pin yourself while gluing it in place so that the wheels have the correct stance. The older kit is terrible too, but this was downright stupid – what with MPC making new moldings.

At the end of the day, the new model IS better and by a good bit. Did ole’ yeller make a terrible showing? No. However, the yellow car needed a lot more help to be spangly than the newer one, and it is still selling in the $200 range nowadays. That was before adding a side mirror, a new motor, new exhaust tips, a better battery, new rims, better tires, rechroming the rear bumper, adding a rearview mirror, and reprinting the stripes (designing one of them completely). I’d say that some $150 or more dollars would be enough to sway anyone to build one over the other, but the new model kit IS better in most ways as well.

Buy a $9 chrome pen for the grille, and make sure to copy the decals in case you need to reprint them. Buy the new kit to build, and save the old for an investment.

7.1 vs. 8.3