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Flashback: AMT Scirocco


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Dodgefever,

Thanks for indicating what the rear suspension pieces look like; that helped me decide to purchase this kit once it becomes available!

Had both the car (a '77) and still have an unbuilt kit. The rear suspension beam is almost dead-on, but the struts need to be replaced both front and rear. The rest of the kit isn't too bad as a base for detailing. The race car bits are a nice bonus but the tires are junk all the way around.

One of the cars I still wish I had (kept the owners manual). That thing weighed only 1800 lbs - imagine what some modern motor horsepower would get you!

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The race car bits are a nice bonus but the tires are junk all the way around.

The chrome wheels inside this kit appear to be a pretty standard, deep-dish 14" racing-style, correct? So, what would be good, appropriate 1/25 replacement racing tires to use on a build of this kit? My thinking is that they'd need to be reasonably-wide, (maybe 10" or 12" in 1:1), treaded, and have a fairly-low sidewall height/profile. Do any other kit's tires come-to-mind as good replacements?

Edited by '70 Grande
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The chrome wheels inside this kit appear to be a pretty standard, deep-dish 14" racing-style, correct? So, what would be good, appropriate 1/25 replacement racing tires to use on a build of this kit? My thinking is that they'd need to be reasonably-wide, (maybe 10" or 12" in 1:1), treaded, and have a fairly-low sidewall height/profile. Do any other kit's tires come-to-mind as good replacements?

They are pretty standard design racing wheels. I can check some of the other kits I have and see if anything comes close to a good fit.

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David,

That would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Mark,

Checked a bunch of kits for better tires and found none that fit the racing style wheels from the kit (even looked at 1/24 and 1/28 scales I have just in case). The rim scales out to around 13" which is kinda tough to find. There is another stash of kits I can look through and will let you know.

One option you might consider if you want to use the kit racing wheels. The larger tires are solid and appear to have enough material that you could sand all the tread off and still have something to fit the wheels.

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The rim scales out to around 13" which is kinda tough to find.

This is the same problem with the AMT '69 Corvair-- 13" wheels and tires. The old 13" Firestone Super Sports haven't been seen in ages, so perhaps Round2'll include either the BFG Advantage or Michelin X tires when this is reissued?:

9580bf6a-f611-46a6-a37f-af8dc08db0f9.jpg

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This is the same problem with the AMT '69 Corvair-- 13" wheels and tires. The old 13" Firestone Super Sports haven't been seen in ages, so perhaps Round2'll include either the BFG Advantage or Michelin X tires when this is reissued?:

9580bf6a-f611-46a6-a37f-af8dc08db0f9.jpg

The Scirocco kit does have two different sets of tires sized for 13" rims. The narrow ones are pretty bad (appears to be the one on the right) with something like two rows of tread. The wider ones can look better with the tread shaved off and mounted on the racing style rims.

David

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The Scirocco kit does have two different sets of tires sized for 13" rims.

Yes, Eric posted a picture in the first post of this topic:

D4021E27-5A4C-43DF-92BB-77A5B6597EDC-446

I suspect the Firestone Super Sports tires shown on the left are not coming back, but I guess we'll have to wait and see when the kit is released.

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Did a little more searching and found a website that I had forgotten: http://www.scaleproduction.de

The site is in German so do a google search on the name and you can get translated pages.

They have a very good selection of 13" wheels and tires that are supposed to be 24th, but look like they will fit the 25th scale VW.

Edited by djflyer
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A reissue of the Scirocco kit would be fun. With some kit bashing using the Revell GTI and Cabriolet kits it could be updated quite nicely. The aftermarket - that wasn't really around the first time these kits came out already has a lot of stuff that would be good.

The rear suspensions that the early Golfs and Sciroccos had was very simple - but also very effective.

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...but the tires are junk all the way around.

I've been doing some research and kit-searching for some better tires to put onto this 1/25 Scirocco kit once it has been reissued, and I think a good tire-solution for building a Scirocco race car might be the small-but-wide racing tires found inside the somewhat-recently reissued 1/25 Revell Pete Brock BRE Datsun 510 sedan race car kit. These were newly-tooled/nicely-done tires from Revell, and seem to match the size specs needed for a race Scirocco pretty closely.

Thoughts, anyone?

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Those tires aren't exactly new- they're the lowrider tires that have been around since the late '90's, just without the printed whitewall. They might be a tad wide, but don't quote me on that- I'll have to dig out the Scirocco kit I have in the stash and see for sure.

If they worked as far as width, and you could live without the lack of sidewall detail, I think you'd be okay.

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Chuck,

I'll be interested in what you find regarding those BRE Datsun 510 tires. I wasn't aware that they had come from '90's Revell lowrider kits; (not my forte). The flared-fenders on that Scirocco seem quite wide, so I'm thinking they might still fit under them for a racing Scirroco. Just hope the kit's chrome wheels will fit well inside them. Thanks for checking this out for myself and other builders!

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  • 1 month later...

If it helps you to decide which version you want to build, my mission is accomplished.

A reissue is most welcome.
I missed the kit the first time around, since as a juvenile in Germany at the time I had little interest in it and preferred to spend my pocket money on much more 'exotic' stuff, like Jo-Han Oldies.
Now I regret it, but not to the extent that I'm willing to pay the scene tax levied on the originals.
If reissued, I'd buy at least two, one to build a replica of my friend's '78 Oettinger, one to build a low spec with rectangular headlights, which is the truest interpretation of the original design. I'd try to use the oily bits from the new Revell Golf kit.

Another rather unusual (for AMT) kit of the time that hasn't been mentioned yet is the Ford Capri MKII, which would also be a welcome reissue, if the tool still exists.

amtcapri.jpg

 

It would also yield a fairly decent Cologne V6.

I have one of these in my stash. Would love a few more because I want several builds of it. Sweet kit

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  • 3 months later...
  • 1 month later...

I hope this reissue comes with those huge fender flares, roll cage and wire wheels... I wanna build one as a racer!

Whether you want to build it as an agile stock runabout for the city, or a radical road racer with bulging fenders, AMT’s VW Scirocco kit has the parts you need! This detailed German engineered econo-car model from the late 70s is back with its many optional parts to turn it into a formidable road warrior! Complete with racing decals and Retro Deluxe™ packaging.


KIT FEATURES:
• 1/25 scale, skill level 2, paint and glue required
• Molded in silver
• Stock and road racing versions Optional smoke-tinted windows
• Many optional road racing components including fender flares, roll cage and more
• Bonus mini display box
• Vintage Retro Deluxe™ packaging

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