1/25 AMT '69 Cougar Eliminator

[tubbs]

I have a glue bomb at home with 390 markings on the body (too bad its twisted al to heck) anyways, it has a boss 429 with a tunnel ram on it. I know it came in that kit because it's unpainted and it's a real ugly color plastic.

[curb]

For those of you that want to build a better Cougar, get the '73 Cougar for the Correct Inner front fenders..And some other parts..

[Don Sikora II]

Between the original annual and the Countdown Series kit, there was a funny car-only kit, #T342. The Street Machines kit was first released during the Matchbox/Lesney era. My kit is PK-4169. This issue of the kit includes a Boss 429 engine.

Edited January 15, 2015 by Don Sikora II

[Don Sikora II]

AMT/Ertl released the '69 Eliminator in 1991, adding new steel wheels, rear spoiler, Eliminator decals, hood scoop, but is the engine still the big block Ford? The box side shows a picture of a real Boss 302 engine, so no help there. Maybe someone who has this reissue could verify which engine is included, please?:

Then AMT/Ertl reissued the '69 Cougar 428CJ kit in 1992:

So, it sounds like Ertl made some changes in the early '90s, perhaps just creating new tooling inserts?

The '69 Eliminator kit with the yellow car on the box includes a newly tooled Boss 302 engine with a 4-speed transmission. It was a pretty extensive rework of the Street Machines series kit. In addition to the changes you mention, there were a lot of interior changes including new bucket seats, a new exhaust system, and other tweaks too.

The CJ428 kit incorporates many of the changes done for the Eliminator kit, but instead of the Boss 302 it includes a 428 big block with an automatic transmission that supposedly was sourced from MPC's '73 Cougar kit. This kit also has different wheels, a different air cleaner, and a different shifter. The decal sheet is different as well.

All AMT/Ertl/RC2 '69 Cougar reissues after these two kits include the Boss 302 engine and wheels from the Eliminator kit with the yellow car on the box, but some of them show a built CJ428 kit on the box (it's a blue model) with the big block and 5-spoke wheels. The kits I have like that (one version is in the gold checkerboard Wal-Mart box) include the parts from Boss 302 Eliminator kit but the decal sheet from the CJ428 kit, so it gets really confusing. The Wal-Mart ProShop pre-paint kit also has the Boss 302 parts but the CJ428 decal sheet.

Will be interesting to see which parts are in the upcoming reissue. From the box, it looks like it should be the Boss 302-powered Eliminator.

[Don Sikora II]

Sorry, that was the picture I was missing, but just added it. I saw the Boss 429's (unplated) valve cover in the pic, but were new Boss 429-specific cylinder heads created at that time, too? An additional engine block, too, maybe?

A lot of the Boss 429 was recycled from the optional engine AMT included in some of its Pinto annual kits! The only Pinto I have with the Boss 429 is a '72, and most of it is the same as what was used in the Street Machines issue of the Cougar. Think the engine carried on until the '74 Pinto, so they might have just used that as is, but I'm not sure. Maybe Mark B. knows.

[tubbs]

The '69 Eliminator kit with the yellow car on the box includes a newly tooled Boss 302 engine with a 4-speed transmission. It was a pretty extensive rework of the Street Machines series kit. In addition to the changes you mention, there were a lot of interior changes including new bucket seats, a new exhaust system, and other tweaks too.

The CJ428 kit incorporates many of the changes done for the Eliminator kit, but instead of the Boss 302 it includes a 428 big block with an automatic transmission that supposedly was sourced from MPC's '73 Cougar kit. This kit also has different wheels, a different air cleaner, and a different shifter. The decal sheet is different as well.

All AMT/Ertl/RC2 '69 Cougar reissues after these two kits include the Boss 302 engine and wheels from the Eliminator kit with the yellow car on the box, but some of them show a built CJ428 kit on the box (it's a blue model) with the big block and 5-spoke wheels. The kits I have like that (one version is in the gold checkerboard Wal-Mart box) include the parts from Boss 302 Eliminator kit but the decal sheet from the CJ428 kit, so it gets really confusing. The Wal-Mart ProShop pre-paint kit also has the Boss 302 parts but the CJ428 decal sheet.

Will be interesting to see which parts are in the upcoming reissue. From the box, it looks like it should be the Boss 302-powered Eliminator.

wow, what an evolution of a model kit. how rare are some of those kits. are they fairly available? (especially the red 428 CJ kit). so Ford fans, if the new release comes out and has the small block, and I want to build a big block, what is the best kit to pirate the bib block from? I would guess an older mustang? this is very helpful information, thanks to all.

[Don Sikora II]

wow, what an evolution of a model kit. how rare are some of those kits. are they fairly available? (especially the red 428 CJ kit). so Ford fans, if the new release comes out and has the small block, and I want to build a big block, what is the best kit to pirate the bib block from? I would guess an older mustang? this is very helpful information, thanks to all.

Yes, the AMT '69 Cougar seems to follow that old joke about George Washington's axe. If nearly every part has been replaced a couple of times or otherwise revised, is it really the same model?

Don't think the red CJ428 kit is that hard to find, or very expensive. I bought a second one in the last year for less than what the new kit will probably cost. Think I paid $12 for a sealed one at a swap meet.

If you can't find it and want a big-block the easiest place might be one of the AMT reissues from about 10 years ago of the ex-MPC '73 Cougar kit. That kit has nearly the same engine as the CJ428 kit, but it might have been tooled a second time for one of the kits since there's some subtle differences between the two engines. The '69 kit also has a ram-air aircleaner that's not in the '73 Cougar.

[sfhess]

Up to and including the "street machine" kit the XR 7 medallions were on the roof pillars and the low-back seats were in the kit. Looks like the medallions were removed and the high-back seats (correct for Eliminators only) were included in place of the low-backs.

[Casey]

I want to build a big block, what is the best kit to pirate the bib block from?

I would suggest the FE-series big block found in both the AMT '67 Mercury Comet Cyclone or Fairlane GT/GTA kits. They're available for $10, are from '90s/modern tooling and quite nice IMHO, and, they include both 4-speed and auto transmissions.

[Bob Ellis]

The current AMT '69 Cougar is somewhat of a Frankenstein. Round2 may reproduce the original box, but the contents will not be the same as '69 annual.

The hood scoop shown was pulled from the MPC '69-73 Cougar kits or made from scratch by ERTL.

I am pretty sure the original 390 engine is missing, but you never know. I have serious doubts that Round2 will restore the emblems, but again, maybe we will be surprised?

[Snake45]

I don't think they're attempting to repro the original box. I think they're doing a new one in the style of the '69 annuals.

At least, that's what they've done with the '66s, '67s, and '68s. I like them.

[Don Sikora II]

I don't think they're attempting to repro the original box. I think they're doing a new one in the style of the '69 annuals.

At least, that's what they've done with the '66s, '67s, and '68s. I like them.

From the sell sheet Casey posted, Snake's right the new Eliminator box is in the same style but completely different from the original Cougar annual box. I like these "continuation" boxes too, and I hope the concept continues.

[sfhess]

Original kit was an XR 7, current kit is an eliminator.

I always kinda wished that they had included the twin scoops shown on the box art of the original kit in the actual kit.

Edited January 15, 2015 by sfhess

[Draggon]

So then this one and its predecessors is not related to this?

[Don Sikora II]

So then this one and its predecessors is not related to this?

No, that MPC '69 Cougar is a completely different kit. MPC updated it to a '70 and offered hardtop and convertible annuals. It then was revised into the '71 Cougar and was tweaked again for the 1972 and '73 annuals. Of the MPC Cougar kits, only the 1973 version has been reissued. First by MPC in the mid 1980s (black car with gold decals called "The Cat") and then most recently as an AMT/Ertl kit maybe ten years ago. In between the reissues, the MPC kit's 428 big-block engine inserts were removed from the mold (or possibly copied) and used in the AMT '69 Cougar for the CJ428 version kit in the early 1990s.

Edited January 17, 2015 by Don Sikora II

[Bob Ellis]

That Super Cat MPC '69 Cougar is sort of an annual issue and was molded in red. I had a couple once, and I remember the same stock wheel covers as was put in the '70-73 Cougar kits. The last issue of the '73 version had a convertible boot from the '70. The tool was updated 4 times after the Super Cat, at least.

I was not impressed with the MPC Cougars as they didn't fit well. The front ends were jacked up and low in the back. The AMT Cougar went together much better.

This new Round2 '69 Cougar will not have an original box exactly. It's been tweaked to show an Eliminator instead of a XR7.

[Don Sikora II]

The molded-in-white version of this kit is out. It does have the Boss 302 engine and 4-speed. Haven't compared it to other issues, but it looks like the same parts as the circa-1991 AMT/Ertl Eliminator with the yellow car on the box...but the chrome tree also has the four baldy caps from the original annual now too. The side of the box shows the Ram Air air cleaner from the CJ428 kit, but it's not in my kit or on the instructions....all those messed-up RC2 issues from 10 years ago still causing confusion?

Tires are four of the F60-15 Goodyear Polyglas GTs with tampo lettering, and there's a new (or at least heavily revised) decal sheet with Eliminator stripes in white and black, engine compartment markings, gauge faces, several sets of license plates, and two small AMT logos.

[Edsel-Dan]

The Street Machines issue did not include the stock engine or exhaust.

I am wondering if during this run ans the cross over from Lesney ownership to Ertl

cause those parts to be Permanently lost!!

I wish they would have returned them to the box, as I have 3 67/68's to restore

and need the engine & Cross-over exhaust from the Original XR-7 version.

I built one of the Countdown series with the original engine & exhaust,

and had hoped since it came out so close after that, that the Street Machine issue

had them as well. Needless to say I was very disappointed to find I could Not build it stock!

The Eliminator & CJ issues needed replacement engines, but, sadly, the original

did not come back (Like I said, Likely lost during Lesney to Ertl change over

having been removed from the tooling for that issue!!

I do have the Eliminator & CJ issues, and my get this one, but am saddened to realize,

I will have to forgo fully restoring even One of my 67/68's!!!!

[fseva]

I've had some welcome success with a few recent Round2 re-releases, and I thought that they had finally turned the corner and were now producing kits based on older tools that were actually in pretty good condition. So, I tried their Cougar Eliminator, and I was surprised once more.

My assumption was way wrong. Not that the tool for this kit should have been retired, but the entire design of this kit shouts, "Cheap!" You know how R2 likes to say that their wheels and tires are worth the price of a kit, and this time I have to agree - in fact, I'm almost to the point where I'm going to agree that this is the only part that is worth paying for!

Let me start with the chassis - there are so few parts here that it's really a shame they could not have done what they did well, but they sure did cut corners and cheapen the thing. The underbelly of this beast features a 1-piece chassis on which the following parts are attached: 1-piece front suspension - this part is so weak, I doubt you'll insist on being able to turn the wheels (one of the "features" of this kit); dual exhaust that has mounting posts at only one side of the mufflers that are too short when compared to the printed material, with no corresponding mounting holes in the chassis - you will wish there was something to go by because the 2-piece rear suspension and drivetrain will be mounted in between the dual exhaust with the mufflers crowding the same space; add 2 badly out of scale shock absorbers and we can call it "a wrap".

One additional point about the chassis is a design issue, but perhaps to some it's no issue at all. There is a beautifully engraved texture on the chassis that looks right out of the drug-enduced hippie culture - what were they thinking? Why bother? Are you going to show off this chassis? Not me, man!

Moving on to the interior, there is a 1-piece tub with poorly engraved sides and a back seat molded in place; the customary 2-piece buckets and steering wheel; a nicely engraved dash that was ruined by a fault in the right side of the part that looked like a blob of glue had gotten onto the mold before the plastic was poured, and it obscured part of the clock face.

Have I said enough? There just isn't any more in the way of good stuff, but if I discover a wonderful fuzzy feeling from a final assembly that goes like a miracle, I'll add it to this review... but don't hold your breath!

[Rob Hall]

It's a 45+ yr old tool (with a few parts that were new tooling about 20 years ago). You can't expect a modern platform interior, etc in something that old. This kit has been reissued many times, so it's content is well known.

Edited March 7, 2015 by Rob Hall

[THarrison351]

I've built it a couple of times and like several AMT kits from the 60's (I think the chassis is from the 1967 Cougar), bodies and sometimes interiors were updated, but the engines and chassis were neglected. I think when chassis was released on the '67 it was a welcome change to the typical promo chassis with everything molded in and wire axles through the engine block. These kits were mean't for kids and kids wanted to roll them around on the floor. It's not a great kit, but can be finessed into something nice.

[fseva]

I've built it a couple of times and like several AMT kits from the 60's (I think the chassis is from the 1967 Cougar), bodies and sometimes interiors were updated, but the engines and chassis were neglected. I think when chassis was released on the '67 it was a welcome change to the typical promo chassis with everything molded in and wire axles through the engine block. These kits were mean't for kids and kids wanted to roll them around on the floor. It's not a great kit, but can be finessed into something nice.

And I have to say, your build looks very nice! I hope mine looks as well when I've finished. By the way, I was out of the hobby for about 40 years - just got back a few years ago, and much of what is old hat to guys who've been in the hobby all their lives is news to me. And I never was into the nitty-gritty of engines, etc., so you'll have to forgive me if I don't seem to know what I'm talking about... because I don't! All I know is what I have in front of my face at the time, and this kit is so bad, I have to wonder how desperate R2 is that they'd even bother to release this one...

['70 Grande]

If this reissue has the Boss-302 engine inside it, I think it's the best rendition in styrene of that fabulous Ford engine ever done!

[Snake45]

I've built it a couple of times and like several AMT kits from the 60's (I think the chassis is from the 1967 Cougar), bodies and sometimes interiors were updated, but the engines and chassis were neglected. I think when chassis was released on the '67 it was a welcome change to the typical promo chassis with everything molded in and wire axles through the engine block. These kits were mean't for kids and kids wanted to roll them around on the floor. It's not a great kit, but can be finessed into something nice.

Agree completely, and that's a nice job you've done on it as well.

[jbwelda]

hey at least its got attractive/deceptive box art!

and can you show us some of that drug induced engraving on the chassis? I can't figure out if you are serious or not.

jb

Edited March 7, 2015 by jbwelda