mk11

Now try to find one with this on it ...

New, sealed... will trade for almost any unbuilt variant of the revell custom chevy van or the recent tamiya mustang. ... unless something more interesting is offered :)

Concave headlight reflectors(buckets) would be a slight improvement...

Doesn't really matter. First time I'd seen that instruction sheet. Just curious to see how close one could get mining the parts packs.

Anybody try this route to a custom deuce?

Therein probably lies the answer to why most of the early kits were so beautifully rendered. Oversight was probably near microscopic by people with pride in their company's product; plus they had the budgets to hire the best craftsmen. As for today, I've heard people wonder if occasionally the oversight ends after the lawyer receives the license fee

What Roger said was a reference to the original AMT '60 bed and cab being molded in one piece... and is a very good idea. Opens the door to styleside and flareside box options. I can't really add much to what's been said (definitely not alone in being a Ford truck fan) but you can pretty much take it to the bank that most of the early kits are as close as you can get to an identical copy in miniature. Those sculptors were masters of their craft. Sure, minor imperfections exist, but don't really jump out. Very few modern tools can hold a candle to these and one especially represents as close to a nadir in applying computer tech to a subject as you can get for a model of a classic subject. gigo. The true craftsmen are few and far between. Anyways, Steve, checking out an original 1:1 with a few key measurements will bring you back to a stellar example of the art of model engineering brought to us by amt sixty-odd years ago Great choice for a new subject.

Still trying to imagine the timeline/relationship of the '69 annual/longnose and the '70 bodies but it looks to me that amt figured out a way to retain some of the core elements of the annual when they cast the longnose body. The main reason we haven't seen the the original '69 body released again is probably that what was left of the original mold was altered with the '70 design elements externally. A comparison of the '69 and '70 kits shows that the latter is as 'all new' as a '73 F100 is relating to a '72. The basic elements of the molding/parts are shared (interior, glass, hood, inner body parting lines/details) between the two kits but the outer body shell details, engine and chassis (reverting to what looks like a modified version of their '67/'68 chassis ) are changed. Another indicator of a shared foundation is the longnose '69 chrome shot -including '69 grill- included in the Mach Won kits. Be interesting to see a comparison of inner body details between the '69 annual body and the longnose. Some of this is obviously pure conjecture ... but it suits me until I hear an actual insider tell a better story

Yessir. Looks like the general rule on the F350 series was bigger wheel openings. most of this other stuff can be found in this thread ...

Sow's ear to a silk purse before our very eyes !

Sounds like another lesson learned... Sounds like another lesson learned...

Thanks. Thought since you were using that pic you might have one of those resin round headlight conversions. The one I bought from blue oval was useless, just riddled with bubbles. I'll make my own from the bronco grill. Btw, the square and round headlight trucks were built side by side on the line for '78; trim level was the determining factor for installation.

Have you a picture to show of your '78' grill? Does it have round or rectangle lights?

Soooo, where do we get some of those big and little vintage tires? I've got a couple of the old 'Firestone Gum Dipped' skins here but I'm gonna need more be nice to see some sets in a parts pack. ...upon closer inspection, these 'stones are actually Darlingtons; not quite what I'd hoped, but maybe close enough in a pinch...