41 replies to this topic

[Daf57]

Hey guys,

Curious about the part packs by Revell and AMT... I ran across one of each on ebay and snagged them. The Revell is the Chevy 283ci - and it's all chrome! The AMT is unplated and contains 4 full engines - Chrysler 392 Hemi, Pontiac 421, Corvair 145, Chevy 283, and some chrome grilles and stuff. These are so cool!

So what is the history here? When were these offered? 70s, 80s, 90s, current? Was/is it to encourage or help with kit bashing? Both packs appear to be much more detailed than a kit engine. It's weird that the Revell mill is chromed - was it intended to be displayed alone? Fill me in on these cool parts packs if you can - I couldn't really find much on google or a search here.

Thanks!
Daf

[1972coronet]

These Parts Packs originated in the early 60's , as means for engine swaps and-or scratch-built dragsters . In the 70's , during the truck and van craze , parts for those vehicles were released , primarily by Revell ; AMT was going through changes at the time .

[Rob Hall]

The Revell chrome engine parts packs were reissued sometime in the last 15 years or so and were quite a dud on the market, IIRC.

[Scuderia]

The Revell chrome engine parts packs were reissued sometime in the last 15 years or so and were quite a dud on the market, IIRC.

Yeah they were, you can get the reissued Revell ones for pretty cheap. I got one on ebay for just a few bucks to try it out for my 70 stang project. It didn't fit the existing mounts so i tossed it in the spares box.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Both the Revell and the AMT parts packs were introduced in the '60s to let people do scale engine swaps, just like the big guys. They've been re-released over the years. Besides the Chevy you found, Revell also re-released Pontiac, Cadillac, and Ford 427 V8s, and they're easy to find. There are Revell original-issue Buick Nailhead, Chrysler Hemi, turbine engine, and a different small-block Chevy parts-packs as well, and they are very hard to come by.

Some of the parts-pack engines were also to be found in kits. Notably, the same Buick as in the parts pack (almost...the oil pans and bellhousings differ) appeared in the Revell Tommy Ivo Showboat kit, and the Tony Nancy double dragster kit. The parts-pack Pontiac was almost identical (minus the Cragar blower drive) to the engines in the Mickey Thompson Challenger kit, and the Ford 427 parts-pack engine (slightly modified) appeared as a 406 in the Ed Roth Mysterion. The Chrysler Hemi parts-pack engine is in the Revell Miss Deal Studebaker drag car kit. Revell also made an excellent Olds V8 that was never released as a parts-pack.....at least I've never seen one.

The AMT engines are a little better in some ways than the Revell ones, in my opinion, but they will all make very fine models.

Revell and AMT also made custom hot-rod chassis as parts-packs (AMT did a tubular chassis with torsion-bar front suspension, and Revell did both tubular and rectangular tube roadster chassis and a couple of different dragster chassis, among others), several bodies, bubble-top glass, trim and light packages, various wheel and tire sets, and chassis accessories (quick-change rear ends, springs, radius rods). AMT also did an Allison 1710ci V12 aircraft engine, all chrome, and a set of dragstrip accessories for dioramas.

Aurora did a few too. I have some of their wheel sets and a 427 Ford. As John Shoe mentioned, there were some truck and van upgrade packs as well.

Edited by Ace-Garageguy, 31 October 2012 - 12:51 PM.

[Bernard Kron]

During the initial "Golden Age" of car modeling in the early 60's the Parts Pack phenomenon was shared by most of the major model brands (Revell, AMT, Aurora and Ulrich). It was a reflection of the fact that modelers had rapidly discovered that they could build cars that differed radically from the basic models contained in a kit box by kit bashing. AMT had most likely triggerd the whole thing with all the parts leftover from its 3-in-1 kits. At that time this was what distinguished car modeling from most other forms of plastic kit modeling. Various attempts to revive the Parts Packs in subsequent years have largely been met with poor commercial success but great enthusiasm among modelers. Personally, I rely heavily on Revell engine Parts Packs because I do so much scratchg building and build primalrily in the era when these Parts packs were originally produced. Today the Parts Packs have been supplemented and augmented by the aftermarket resin suppliers.

If you're interested in just how many of these Parts Packs have been produced you'll enjoy this web page which is a remarkable illustrated list of these things: http://robdebie.home.../partspacks.htm. You will notice that there a far many more engines and other parts selections than those that have been more recently reissued. The Parts Packs that were never reproduced have become incredibly rare and command ridiculous sums on e-bay.

Edited by Bernard Kron, 31 October 2012 - 01:47 PM.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Great link Bernard. i'm only missing a couple.


WARNING DANGER DANGER: though constantly advertised and mindlessly repeated as containing 2 Pontiac and 2 Chevy engines, the AMT pack #38677
ONLY CONTAINS ONE OF EACH, with optional equipment to build either-or. I have several of these and have been through it a bunch of times with sellers, etc.

Edited by Ace-Garageguy, 31 October 2012 - 12:58 PM.

[jw78z28]

wow didn't know they made that many parts packs. would be real cook if they would reissuie the grease bikes.

[kobuzz]

WOW! I need to find some of these!! Really like the drag frames and some of the motor packs!

[Joker]

Thanks for the info Bill.
The turtle decked body is in there too right ?

[Bernard Kron]

,... It's weird that the Revell mill is chromed - was it intended to be displayed alone? ...

I've never seen any explicit discussion on this, but my theory is that since so many parts on these engines needed to be chromed, in the interest of keeping all the parts on a single tree they just chromed the whole thing. It's such a simple explanation it must be true...

[G Holding]

Nope, just motors. 283, 392,421,Corvair pancake, Allison

[Ace-Garageguy]

Yes, actually the T bucket body IS in it. I just double checked two on the shelf, and it's there in both.

Edited by Ace-Garageguy, 31 October 2012 - 02:22 PM.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Oh boy, here go the prices.

[Scuderia]

I've never seen any explicit discussion on this, but my theory is that since so many parts on these engines needed to be chromed, in the interest of keeping all the parts on a single tree they just chromed the whole thing. It's such a simple explanation it must be true...

Lol when i got mine i took the tree out the box n put the whole thing in soup..

[MachinistMark]

The one I have has it too

[Dan Helferich]

Revell also had 4 motorcycle kits in the parts pack series. A BSA, a Triumph, a Harley and a Honda. All neat little kits. I still have 2 of the Triumphs.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Revell also had 4 motorcycle kits in the parts pack series. A BSA, a Triumph, a Harley and a Honda. All neat little kits. I still have 2 of the Triumphs.

Yup, they're on the link Bernard posted.

[Dennis Lacy]

I think this set is definitely worth getting at least one of. There are some very nice competition engine parts, much nicer than Revell's parts pack Chevy and Pontiac engines.

Here's an example of the supercharged Pontiac engine I put together earlier this year:



And, the altered roadster body is definitely in this set because I used it, also earlier this year, to make this:



The roadster body includes a parts tree with a radiator shell, roll bar parts, seat, steering wheel, dashboard, parachute and a helmet. These parts drop onto the Fiat chassis from the Double Dragster kit.

Edited by Dennis Lacy, 31 October 2012 - 06:01 PM.

[Daf57]

Thanks so much for all the replies and info! What an interesting subject.