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Sometimes factory mess-ups can be good.


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I just picked up a 2002 release of the AMT '29 Ford Model A Roadster (the one with a cream and tan car on box) for $12.

Opon opening the box and baggies, aside from the custom parts mentioned in the instructions. I found an extra body, hood, frame, interior, windsheld, front & rear suspensions, plus an oval "swiss chease" shaped slotted grille (and surpirseingly, a 32 Ford grille (WTF??), and a convertable boot that look like they belong to the Ala Cart kit that it shared its parts with the Model A in the 1963 double kit, but was (I t'hank) deleted in the later issues of the Model A. Later on the Ala cart parts were restored and released as a seperate kit in 2001.

Overall, I was really surprised that this kit had Ala Cart parts because I paid only $12 for something I could get 2 kits out of. But here's the downside....it's missing a whole lot to build it like the nose, pick-up bed parts, bumpers, headlights, chorme do-dads and etc (it does have the Hemi engine though, sans the tri carb parts). Oh well! Maybe i'll track down a builder or started 2001 issue for cheap hopefully.

If Round II plans to reissue the 29 Model A again in the near future, expect these extra parts to be gone (possibly for another seperate issue of the ala cart) and for them to charge $27.99 for each one, along with making golden tin versions for $50.

Other manficture screw-up stories (good and bad) I had are a revell 58 impala with 3 extra chorme trees, a rsx with a part of it's body missing due to a "Short shot", a 98 trans am in the Motor city muscle issue that had 6 sets of the low-pro tires I kidd you not! (made the parts bin happy for a bit).

And now for the worst... a AMT 69 chevelle that the first one I bought was missing the chrome tree & custom bumpers, and then the second one had a TWISTED frame! Luckly I had the frame from the other one or I woulda been SKREWED!!!

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That's not a "mess up" Those parts have been in most of the reissues but just not mentioned on the box or instructions. The '32 rad was added in the late '60's "Mod Rod" version.

The Ala-Cart released in 2001 is a completely new kit, nothing in common with the original kit at all.

I remember seeing contents of the 1984 and 1990 issues of the Model A, and they did NOT have the extra ala cart parts like my 2002 issue does. That's why I assumed all issues after the double kit version deleted the parts, but I could be worng

I Didn't know there was a version of the model A that had a 32 ford grille as an option. Thought it was an odd tooling mixup like the super bee parts in the 05 issue of the GTX.

The ala cart from 01 was a new tool? I thought they restored the orginal parts and issued it seperatly, but prolly molds and castings were lost or damaged. How was it anyways? Good, bad, or innaccurate?

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Humm ,,, Ya know ,,, I never really thought that much about it before but I bet there's almost all the parts in the latest reissue to build both, a stock roadster and the Mod Rod.

Far as I can tell without actually going down stairs to look in the box, I don't yhink you'd need much more than another windshield. Almost back to two kits in one box.

It's not just the windsheld I need to build it, it needs the front nose pieces, pick-up bed sides (though I could prolly make them), and bumpers (if it had any). I could get away with useing a 32 ford grille/nose for something different.

I could prolly find parts i have on hand to make something out of it, but if I really need something i'll give ya a PM. TNX anyway Steve, and thank you for the info!! Lots appreciated!

BTW, how is the New Tool Ala Cart from 2001? Is it good, bad, or is fussy/innacurate/ihatethisPOSthrowitaway bad? Can someone post pics of it's contents and differences. Which brings me to another thought, if they're both 1/25th, will parts from the new tool Ala Cart adapt on the orginal tool?

Also, if any o you guys have any funny/weird/crazy/sad/feel good stories regarding manficturing errors in sealed kits you bought. Post 'em here!!

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The '32 grille has been in all issues of the AlaKart, from the start back in 1962. The Mod Rod version was identical to the original Ala-Kart kit except for decals and box art, IIRC. TIM

So it does actually contain the pick up bed, carson top, bonnet, nose, and wheels? And all the chromed parts specific to the Ala Kart?

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When the retooled Ala Kart was issued, it generated a lot of commentary. Not always good. Nose was wrong shape, the Chrysler Red Ram Hemi was a tad on the small side (but works fine in other applications), maybe a few other issues. I like them for parts.

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When the retooled Ala Kart was issued, it generated a lot of commentary. Not always good. Nose was wrong shape, the Chrysler Red Ram Hemi was a tad on the small side (but works fine in other applications), maybe a few other issues. I like them for parts.

Except that the real Ala Kart had the smaller 241cid Dodge Red Ram Hemi (Dodge offered that engine 1955-58), which is a fair bit smaller in outside dimensions than the old Chrysler 331/354/392 Hemi.

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  • 3 weeks later...

One time (bout 2006) I bought a AMT F&F Mitsubishi Lancer, upon inspecting the contents there was (molded) chinese writing under the body and chassis. Also on the bags the parts came in there was random giberish printed on it.

IIRC, it said something like:

DOGH FHADFSH GUDFNDNFE CATAS HUGNE CUNDH ADAHSTU GONG HUNSD DFHFTI ITNNFI GNFDBHG INSAS INGO IGFHFH PORGAH JNHUN

I'm not kidding, thats what it really said. I just remembered this because I saw the box eariler today.

I had a pic of it, but it was on the old camera (awfull unit BTW) and it prolly went to the garbage not too long ago. I had it on the old (horribly SLOW!!) windows XP also, but we deleted all of our pics from the old camera to gain RAM and Megabytes. So basicly it's gone, even the baggie because I get rid of all unuseable kit material (DOH!!), and the kit also. Due to maingleing parts from it because it was so horrid!

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the reissue ala kart, like mentioned got mixed reviews when it was released. i bought a couple of them though and i think they are pretty kool, i think the decals are a shade off and some other issues but the motor looks nice and compact, heres a shot of one i built recently to show the general level of detail

nicemotorandinterior.jpg

veryniceleftfrontprofil.jpg

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