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Hurst Hemi Under Glass Questions


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Dear G&J,

I just completed building the Polar Lights /AMT Hurst Hemi Under Glass kit . I thought this was a "66" but AMT has just re-released another "Hemi under Glass " kit . This one is also suppose to be a "66" but it has a different nose, more like a late sixties cuda . The P/L AMT kit has the "Valliant" looking nose from , I'm guessing , the first Barracuda .

My question is , what years and variants of ths cah were there ?

I seem to recall seeing a "69" type of front end , almost like the one on the new re-release from AMT ,I don't belive there were any after this style .

Also any idea's where I might find some photo's so I can fill in the sponsor decals , whats up with that ? I'm pretty shure I can come up with the correct decals from my spares box , if I only knew what they were!!

As an aside , issue #110 was pretty amazing , I really loved the stock car comparason , and I don't build Stock Cars!!! BUT ISSUE #111 has to be the best ever !!!! WOW , keep up the great work , hmmm Top fuel eh?

See you around the clubhouse

Steve D. :? :?

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Steve, Nobody’s ignoring you. I just don't have the time right now to do the research but your question IS intriguing to me. I am up to my eyeballs right now painting customers slot car bodies and will look into this as soon as I can.

Jairus

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Well I just returned from the local hobby shop , and initially I was pretty excited because they did indeed have the "new " Hemi under glass kit . Riding home I could barely keep myself from tearing the box open , to check out this "new' kit .

The box art shows an early cuda painted gold on the top with white sides , hmm , I thought the "Hurst" cars were always gold and black . Not that I'm an expert or any thing , it just seems strange I don't recall ever having seen it . Also clearly visible is a Hillborn type injection unit with the tall stacks , which I believe the real car had . Another thing is the nose , I loved that early "cuda" nose . Not the one it looks like it shared with the Valliant fastback , but the next one that had two distinct pieces .

Upon opening the kit I was disappointed to find the same kit I had just completed . The old AMT/Polar Lights kit , even the decals were the same YUCK . This is one of those kits where the contents don't match the box art , not even close ,oh well , back to the drawing board :cry:

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Steve,

Three different versions of the Hemi Under Glass were originally built, each based on the Plymouth Barracuda ranging from 1966 to 1968.

The "Hemi Under Glass" was an exhibition project by Hurst that was piloted by driver Bob Riggle and fascinated spectators everywhere. Riggle drove the Hemi Under Glass up until 1975 when he moved back to his home in Arizona.

Bob Riggle built a replica of the 1968 version of the Hemi Under Glass, completed in 1995. Whereupon he once again toured the country with the car amazing crowds with his full-track length wheel-stands!

Below is a picture of the replica:

6773.jpg

(Photo courtesy of fast-auto.net)

The only version of this car that AMT has is the old MPC 1966 Hemi Under Glass. This version has been re-released over and over, once under the “Street Freaks†banner. It is still a popular seller and you should not lament that it isn’t the right car just because some idiot in marketing chose the wrong box art. Yes, AMT made a mistake but most of the brain trust running AMT now were secretaries and office boys 5 or 6 years ago. They just don’t understand.

38418.jpg

(Photo courtesy of milezone.com)

However, you have an excellent option before you. Take the kit you just brought and go back to the store and buy another kit: “The AMT 1969 Barracuda!†Then, use the body from the 1969 and the chassis from the ’66 Hemi Under Glass to build the version you want! Actually, you don’t need decals; use the ones in the kit. They are close enough! The box art is fantasy and that version never existed as far as I can tell. You were right in that all the cars, ’66 – ’68 were black and gold. If I'm wrong then I'm sure some one will write and set us straight!

Good luck and post some pics when you are done.

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Steve D., Jairus gave you some good info. for this kit. Let me indulge with some additional information.

The kit in this latest release from AMT is indeed the 66 variant with, unfortunately, the wrong box art.

In reality there were a few different Hemi Under Glass Cudas. There were 68/69 versions that varied from the black and gold paint scheme to a gold and cream color (like that on the box art) to an all gold version. The 69 version ran for many years thereafter wearing the paint scheme that is shown above provided by Jairus's research.

I actually had the pleasure of seeing that very car perform at New England dragway in New Hampshire in 76. At that time the car was still being driven by Bob Riggle whom was a pretty popular player in the exhibition racing game. He also drove the Hell on Wheels tank wheelstander, the Paddy Wagon. Pinto wagon wheelstander and avery wild vehicle called the Maxi Taxi, which was based on a dune buggy body.

The Hemi Under Glass kept running into the 80's by a father/son team of Jack Ehrmantraut and son running fiberglass Camaro bodied wheelstanders.

If you want some good research pics for the 68/69 version all you have to do is refer to the first or second issue of Model Cars magazine for a very good photo spread of that very car.

I hope that this has been some help to you.

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