History of AMT & MPC's Action Line Pickup Kits

[Evilbenny]

I saw that too Custom Mike. I would like to have a set of those decals for a "thinking outside of the box" build.

[JS23U]

Hi,

I haven't found any place for introducing me so I will do here:

My name is Jens, I live in Germany. I build (well, currently I rather collect) virtually anything that can be built into a stock American car or truck. As long as it is old enough...

Concerning this topic:

I have the 69 MPC Fleetside annual (red plastic). I found this one as not very accurate. It rather is a 68 MPC annual with the new for 69 hood and a bit of changes around the side markers, IIRC. At least MPC did nothing to update the side trim which changed for 69. My opinion is that the AMT 69 kit is by far the better one. Don't have any 1970 kit, so I don't know if these are better.

As someone already said the 69 AMT kit was available in another box (T330) with spectacular box art. It is shown in front of an open garage. The contents of the box are the same as the annual kit, even decals and instructions are the same.

Also I have a 72 GMC Jimmy (T428), the orange car with the Honda bike. I have an issue with the box bottom of the 1973 25th anniversary, as someone already told. Decals date from "73". My version differs from another one I found on the net as it has clear windows, the other one's are black tinted. My kit has the deep dish steelies on the chrome tree, the other one doesn't have them. Also one of the stock full wheel covers is in another place on the tree!

71 and 72 GMC Sierra Grande:

The last one the original poster showed is the 1971 kit. The orange one with the stock cab. The red one is the 72 annual in two versions of the box. I believe the one without the "72" is made and sold after the 1972 model year was over. Maybe they kind of made an additional run of boxes for leftover parts ?! I have seen a lot of kits from MPC and AMT with either the year shown or "NEW" or even nothing on it, like on this one. Also I have some boxes of 1970 annuals and the Motor City Stockers where the price suffix after the kit number is either not printed at all or it is blacked out. For me this is a hint that they sold these kits still after 1970, maybe at slightly higher prices.

Edited February 19, 2013 by JS23U

[Jordan White]

I would hope that if this subject were ever to be re-released, that they would do a new tool of the chassis/drivetrain so that it's not the lame hunk-o-junk chassis with everything molded in.

[heepey]

And redo the engine bay so that it is right.

[charlie8575]

I'd love to see some these reissued or new tools created.

The tow truck is cool....then again, anything model-related featuring Armenians (Kevorkian's garage) usually are (not that I have any bias....) I do wonder if that was/is a real establishment? Given the address, I could see it as real, but curiosity gets the better of me.

From what I remember, wasn't the "Cooter" tow truck re-issued once in the not-too-distant past?

Charlie Larkin

[charlie8575]

Is it just me, or is the name on the bed of this tow truck kind of creeping you out?

Kevorkian (translated: "son of Kevork", which name along with Giragos is usually translated to "George"), is a fairly common Armenian name, Mike. And while they might be related, who knows?

Charlie Larkin

[Fabrux]

I just now noticed that the Blazer/Jimmy kits have 6-lug wheels up front and 5-lug wheels out back...

[mikemodeler]

I just now noticed that the Blazer/Jimmy kits have 6-lug wheels up front and 5-lug wheels out back...

That only becomes a problem when you go to do a 4 tire rotation!

[Longbox55]

The spare wheel is 5 lug also. The 6 lug wheels would be the correct ones for that application, the 5 lug are for 2wd.

[Edsel-Dan]

The Cooter's kit was never re-issued. It was in the line up for a while, but never came back.

The Yellow/White built box art is the first of this truck to return after the Cooter's kit.

And we have been told it is based on 2-3 different sets of tooling.

ie; original bed from 72 Annual, cab converted from 72 GMC Shortbox Stepside kit.

New Chevy grill, etc.

[Ridge Rider]

Thank you Chris for your kit history articles. They are very informative as well as the discussions about them. Keep em coming it is appreciated.

[jw78z28]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/170997042983?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

found this one on ebay

[Fabrux]

That must be the other box mentioned by Don Sikora back in post #16. Cool!

Edited February 28, 2013 by kataranga

[mnwildpunk]

Oh my brother probably still wants to kill me over the fact that I was a lil guy and loved playing with his models especially his rolling thunder mpc kit I killed that thing. I've always wanted to find another to build it again but have never seen one

[Edsel-Dan]

The "Rolling Thunder version of MPC's Longbox Stepside is evidently the Rarest version

of that kit.

I have the 74 issue showing a Gold built with the Motorcycle, and 'Heavy Pedal'

black built on the box.

Rolling Thunder is Blue, and includes the "Sleeper Box" behind the cab.

I too wish Moebius, or some one else would do a new Modern tooling of this era Chevy/GMC pickup series!

And Yes, Many have the Same side trim over all years. Interior is the same too.

Though Some issues have an arm rest, or center seat, while others don't

I would be very happy to have the 72 re-issued again as it was last time. It has gotten So expensive

for such a Recent & Common kit!!!!!

[mnwildpunk]

Great wouldn't ya know I trashed a rare kit that stinks

[plasticfrog]

I have the 74 issue showing a Gold built with the Motorcycle too..and has 400 onder the front fender turn light. I have never seen this befor.

[Edsel-Dan]

MPC's First LONGbox Stepside issue

I have a near mint Unbuilt, (Would still be if I had not opened it!!!)

and 3-4 Built for parts/resto.

The Black version was called 'Heavy Pedal'

The Blue "Rolling Thunder"

I have 2 Unbuilt of the Heavy Pedal

Got one With the Model King "Deluxe Parts Pack"

(Open Road Mini Motor home/Racer's Wedge) kit

Only paid $30.oo + shipping too!!

CHEAP!!!!!

All that is missing from the Gold box art 74 issue are the hubcaps/rims

and F70 or G70 tires for a Complete Stock build!

[Armornv]

Forgive me if I missed it, but I didn't see the red AMT?Ertl issue of the fleetside in the list. I bid on one a little while back on ebay but didn't win. Missed it by a dollar.

Photo was from the auction.

Again, I hope I didn't just miss it, but I had never seen this one and thought it should be mentioned.

[Fabrux]

Well lookit that! I'll need to find that auction to figure out when that kit was issued.

[mikemodeler]

Well lookit that! I'll need to find that auction to figure out when that kit was issued.

I believe that was issued after the original yellow and white re-issue in the 90's and before the "hot trucks' series that had a blue and white version.

[Fabrux]

According to my research, it was issued in 1998. Updated the initial post.

[Art Anderson]

I'm not sure if this kit shares the same tooling, but I thought I would include it for completeness sake. In 1998 AMT released a metal body kit of a 1969 Blazer. This kit also has different wheels and tires than the usual Blazer kits which suggests a separate tooling.

This diecast had to be done from newly-cut tooling, simply because while injection-molding is injection-molding, the difference in materials used for the injection molding process are completely different--each has its advantages, and its limitations. The biggest, and most important difference will be the inside surfaces of the body shell: Where styrene plastic can flex a bit to allow demolding of a body shell having some "undercuts" inside, particularly on the inside surface of the body sides--which cuts down some on the amount of plastic being used, which means the cooled body shell has to flex outward a bit to come away from the inner core mold--Zamak (the metal used virtually universally for diecasts) does not give any tolerance for such--therefore, the inner core mold for a one piece body shell mold must have straight sides with a few degrees of "draft angle" to allow the solidified metal body shell to come away from the inner core mold freely--with no chance of any flexing outward of the body sides themselves.

In addition, raised details on the exterior of a diecast body almost always will be thicker/heavier than those on a plastic counterpart; and the door & other recessed panel lines perhaps twice as wide and that much deeper. In the case of recessed panel lines, those require raised "ridges" in the tooling. While molten styrene plastic doesn't readily harm such tiny, thin-section "ridges", with the much higher heat used in Zamak diecasting (heated to very dull red heat), over time that heat from the molten metal will destroy the hardness of those little ridges, causing them to begin breaking off, resulting in noticeable imperfections in door and panel lines. For this reason, diecast tooling doesn't last nearly as long as that used for injection molding styrene plastic.

Art

[Edsel-Dan]

I believe Ertl offered that 69 Blazer as a Toy then decided to offer it as a kit

It was offered Before the Yellow box art Styrene 72 kit.

I have tried several times to get one, but have missed out

One thing about this kit. The body is in 2 main pieces.

The primary body with sides, etc, but the Hood & windshield frame are

the second piece.

The Roof is a separate Plastic piece.

Tires, as far as I remember from the Blueprinter/Replica newsletter are Hollow-Back

hard styrene!

[disabled modeler]

I always liked the GMC Grande pickup...had one as a kid...nice model