Now I know where they went!

[Oldcarfan27]

Anybody else wonder why AMT never reissued the 60s Corvette roadster with the rotating headlights? It's because they need to reissue this kit to get them. (Hint, hint)

Makes sense now: neither kit has been out ever since. Here's hoping the original tool still exists and that they didn't use it to create the 63 roadster that they currently have. This 67 is classically cool.

[Snake45]

I see this sheet tells you to cement the headlights in either open or closed position. The original '63 roadster included a retainer piece that held the headlight bar in place so it could be rotated. I have one in the stash to restore. 

[Greg Wann]

I have one of these original mint cat kits.  I also have the original 63 mint Corvette kit with these rotating light systems, AMT or SMP.  I have a mold that makes these light parts.  I would probably need to make a new mold though.

Edited September 24, 2018 by Greg Wann

[Tom Geiger]

I just cut my headlight out and made my own!   Yes, that is a rusted and dented Corvette. One of one.  Yes, I know.

[Greg Wann]

Darn shame you never heard of zeibart so it would not get all rusty.  Lol

[Snake45]

I just noticed that on both the box art and the instruction sheet, the Corvette's stock front turn signals have been smoothed off (removed). I wonder if the kit body was made that way, or if the instruction sheet tells you elsewhere to remove them, or what? 

[mk11]

[pack rat]

14 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

I just noticed that on both the box art and the instruction sheet, the Corvette's stock front turn signals have been smoothed off (removed). I wonder if the kit body was made that way, or if the instruction sheet tells you elsewhere to remove them, or what? 

The Cat's body was molded with a smooth lower pan minus the turn signals as pictured on the box.

Edited September 24, 2018 by pack rat

[Snake45]

4 minutes ago, pack rat said:

The Cat's body was molded with a smooth lower pan minus the turn signals as pictured on the box.

VERY interesting! I wonder if that means they made a complete new set of body molds for this kit? Because the '63 reissues all have the poor mold alignment in the turn signals that all the original annuals did. The CAT has a lot of other unique parts, too, such as the side exhausts, not seen in any other variant. 

Or is it that after the '63 annuals, they set the roadster molds aside and made new ones with solid headlights, which got updated each year until they were finally backdated to '63, and then when it came time to make this one, they just dug out the original '63 roadster molds and used them for this? 

 

[Little Timmy]

3 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

 Yes, that is a rusted and dented Corvette.

I had no idea, that Fiberglass could rust.......

[ZTony8]

Only the die cast Corvettes rust. Anyone else see the irony in that the real cars are plastic and the toys are metal?

[Richard Bartrop]

24 minutes ago, ZTony8 said:

Only the die cast Corvettes rust. Anyone else see the irony in that the real cars are plastic and the toys are metal?

No more than all those plastic models of metal cars.

But it would be an interesting challenge to simulate the look of abused fiberglass.

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, ZTony8 said:

Only the die cast Corvettes rust. Anyone else see the irony in that the real cars are plastic and the toys are metal?

I have three diecasts that are exhibiting paint bubbling and/or evidence of metal corrosion under the paint. Believe it or not, all three are Corvettes. 

[Mike999]

2 hours ago, Richard Bartrop said:

But it would be an interesting challenge to simulate the look of abused fiberglass.

Here's some good research material.  I want to build a couple of abused Vette kits myself.  First link is to a 35-page thread on the Corvette Forum, "Patina Corvettes."  Second link is to a company that specializes in "project car" C2 Vettes. It's kind of heartbreaking...

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums/c1-and-c2-corvettes/3621641-patina-corvettes-old-paint.html

http://www.autosource.biz/Ad/1965_Corvette.htm

[Greg Wann]

Here are some kit photos of the 63  and Cat kit.  The light bar parts are from the 63 annual kit.  This kit has the two tiny chrome front turn signal lights.  The two hoods are in the CAT kit.  There are differences in the two kit bodies, the CAT is on the right.

[Snake45]

7 hours ago, Greg Wann said:

 The two hoods are in the CAT kit.  

 

 

 

Interesting! And the kit instructions seem to show a third hood, too. 

[Jon Haigwood]

As I remember, back in the y they would "glass in" the headlights. As in move the headlights to the grille and glass in the headlight covers. I know of one 64 that had the headlights glassed in, fenders flared, 427 hood scoop and a gold flake paint job. (which I need to duplicate for a friend). Trying to find pics of the headlights

[Jantrix]

17 hours ago, Little Timmy said:

I had no idea, that Fiberglass could rust.......

Every once in a while Tom throws that model back on the forums just to see how how many people he can catch with it. Go ahead and show them the back of the car now Tom.