MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation)
27 years in operation (1957–1984)
About MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation)
MPC produced plastic model kits and toy vehicles, holding licenses for Star Wars, General Lee (Dukes of Hazzard), and other popular properties. Their annual car model kits competed with AMT and Revell. MPC's Star Wars model kits from 1978 onward are prized by collectors.
History of MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation)
MPC began as Multiple Plastics Corporation, a moulder of inexpensive plastic toys and figures, and became Model Products Corporation, one of the significant American plastic model-kit manufacturers of the 1960s and 1970s alongside Revell, Monogram and AMT.
Its strengths were annual car kits — new-model American cars issued each year, often as three-in-one stock, custom and racing builds — and licensed subjects. The Dukes of Hazzard General Lee, the Star Wars kits produced under licence from Kenner's parent arrangement, and Battlestar Galactica vehicles put MPC in front of an audience that had not previously built models.
MPC was acquired by General Mills' Fundimensions division and later by Ertl, and its tooling has been reissued repeatedly under several brand names — which means many "vintage MPC" kits on the market are 1980s or later reissues from original moulds. The tooling is old and the mouldings show it.
Timeline
- 1957Multiple Plastics Corporation begins moulding plastic toys in Michigan
- 1964The company becomes Model Products Corporation and enters the model-kit market
- 1972Annual American car kits and licensed subjects lead the range
- 1978Star Wars model kits reach a large new audience
- 1984The brand passes to Ertl, and MPC tooling is reissued repeatedly thereafter
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- MPC Star Wars X-Wing model kit
- MPC Dukes of Hazzard General Lee kit
- MPC annual car model kits
- MPC Battlestar Galactica models
- MPC plastic slot car sets
Identifying & Dating MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) Toys
- Look for "MPC" on the box and moulded into parts trees or chassis pieces, often with a part number and "Made in U.S.A.".
- Box art style and the copyright date are the standard means of distinguishing original issues from later reissues.
- Reissues from MPC tooling may carry Ertl, AMT/Ertl or Round 2 branding on the box while the plastic still says MPC.
Collector's Notes
- Sealed original-issue kits with their factory shrink and correct box art are the collected items; built kits are worth very little unless exceptionally well made.
- Licensed subjects — Star Wars, Dukes of Hazzard, Battlestar Galactica — carry the strongest premiums, and original 1977–1980 issues are worth far more than the reissues.
- Check for warped and short-shot parts, missing decals and hardened glue on open kits. Decal sheets from this era yellow and crack and are the usual reason a complete-looking kit is unbuildable.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) founded?
MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) was founded in 1957, based in Mt. Clemens, MI.
Is MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) still in business?
No. MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) ceased operations in 1984, after 27 years in business.
What is MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) best known for?
MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) is best known for MPC Star Wars X-Wing model kit, MPC Dukes of Hazzard General Lee kit, MPC annual car model kits, among other toys.
Where was MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) located?
MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) was based in Mt. Clemens, MI.
What kinds of toys did MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) make?
MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) is categorized under model kits, plastic toys, vehicles.
How can you identify genuine MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) toys?
Look for "MPC" on the box and moulded into parts trees or chassis pieces, often with a part number and "Made in U.S.A.". Box art style and the copyright date are the standard means of distinguishing original issues from later reissues. Reissues from MPC tooling may carry Ertl, AMT/Ertl or Round 2 branding on the box while the plastic still says MPC.
Are MPC (Multiple Plastics Corporation / Model Products Corporation) toys valuable?
Sealed original-issue kits with their factory shrink and correct box art are the collected items; built kits are worth very little unless exceptionally well made. Licensed subjects — Star Wars, Dukes of Hazzard, Battlestar Galactica — carry the strongest premiums, and original 1977–1980 issues are worth far more than the reissues. Check for warped and short-shot parts, missing decals and hardened glue on open kits. Decal sheets from this era yellow and crack and are the usual reason a complete-looking kit is unbuildable.