Mad Max Model Kits
Japanese Model Kits
Japanese Kits
There have been consistent rumours that a Japanese kit was made of the Interceptor (in the 1980's, not the more recent 2003/2004 kits), however I have never actually seen one of these, or met anyone who has produced any evidence of such a kit. At this point I believe that an actual "Mad Max" Japanese interceptor kit did not exist at the time of the films, but if you do have any information on this, please contact me.
However, Thomas Miller informed me that there was a series of model kits called "Mad Police", made by a Japanese company (possibly Fujimi), with box art that looked like it had been taken from the Mad Max movies. Possibly these are what people have been mistaking for the Mad Max Interceptor model referenced above?
Thanks also to Chad Maggio & Rippin Rob
David Von Behren owned one of these kits, and was able to send me some pictures of how he built it, which are included below. David wrote the following about the kit:
"I purchased the Mad Police Interceptor sometime between 1982 and 1983 at Southglenn Mall in Littleton, Colorado at a toy store called Toys by Roy which is now long gone. I paid about $8 for the kit and I remember one other in the series being on the shelf at the same time.
The kit came molded in white plastic and comes with an electric motor mounted in the trunk. This was typical of many 'curbside' Japanese kits, an electric motor, poseable steering and no engine detail. The kit also came with at least two large missiles that were supposed to be mounted on the trunk/rear roof area. The kit also came with a woman figure wearing a helmet and face mask very much like the ones some of Humongous' gang wore in Mad Max 2. She is also holding a shotgun in her hand with the stock braced on her hip. I've managed to misplace the missiles and the woman but when I find them, I'll send you some more photos. The bullet holes in the windshield are decals that came with the kit, along with the "POLICE" decal on the roof. The wheels have slots on the outside edge of the rim, supposedly for chewing up your opponent's car while battling it out in the wasteland. The dashboard is definately not a stock Trans Am piece. It was made to look very futuristic with hard angles and a bunch of extra gauges. The kit came with two seats, but I threw both away and put in a formula one driver's seat from another kit. The body comes straight and clean out of the box with no damage. I added dents and bullet holes with the help of an X-acto knife and a cigarette lighter.
These are things I added to the kit:
The forward machine gun poking out of the front passenger side. The flamethrower, spare tire (from the A-Team van kit) and gas filler cap on the trunk. The dented chrome push bar with the chain and arm hanging off of it. The arm is Mr. T's left arm from the A-Team van kit which was released about the same time. I also added the roll bar visible through the back window and the mesh screen on the rear window and the driver's side. The hood scoop did not come with the kit. I added it from my parts box. The kit came with a standard Trans Am scoop."
Additionally, there was also a set of die cast toys in Japan which used the name "Mad Max" on the box. I've only ever seen one of these, and I'm not sure if the name "Mad Max" referred to that specific model only, or to a complete line of toys. In any case, these toys seemed to have no relation to the Mad Max movies, the toy in question being just some kind of die cast truck. I did have a picture, but I lost it(!), if anyone else can help out with another pic, please let me know.
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