Tognotti King T ?

[bigphoto]

Some help please! Did MPC/AMT or subsequent owner ever repop this kit or was it modified into something else

or is there a kit that I can use as a base for the car.

[Ken]

I think that the outkast show car released a few years ago contained the complete chassis and suspension to this car. I think you should still be able to find them on the auction sites for reasonable prices. I know that around here they did not sell that quick. HTH

[haymanlj]

I have a box that includes Wild Dream by Joe Wilhelm and King 'T' by Don Tognotti. It is kit number 2164-200 from AMT. I don't know about anything else on the King. Jack

[Modelmartin]

The Tognotti T was sold separately. I have one. Brass era Ts are tough to duplicate because there were so few. Some of my resin parts would help you out but you would need to use an AMT T-bucket on the early fenders with the cowl modified. My 1915 fenders are correct for the front but not for the rears. You would need to scratchbuild the corrct early turtledeck. I think the MPC Carl Casper Paddy Wagon has the right fenders. My advice is to find an original kit or built-up. You would save yourself a lot of grief!

[FloridaBoy]

I am a refugee from the sixties when the original model was made by AMT. I NEVER saw that model or even knew of its existence back then, and I was pretty much deeply involved back then. Then in '94, at a swap meet, I saw the model unbuilt, and picked it up for $15, and sure enough, it was an AMT Trophy Series kit which you can make 2 complete models. One was Joe Wilhelm's Winged T, and the other was Tognotti's T. I thought originally before opening up the box, they would be cheap adaptations of the AMT Double T kit, but boy was I wrong. I mocked what parts in the box I could without disturbing the model too much, and they were definitely new molds.

I sold it a couple of years ago and got a price for it I couldn't refuse.

I saw an article on the history of T models and it was reported by the researcher/modeler that the tooling was sold to MPC. Where it is now, I sure don't know, and if I see it again, I would not hesitate one second and pick it up. For those who haven't seen it, both the Wilhelm and Tognotti models are nothing short of terrific T's to base your own rod upon.

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

[Phirewriter]

The tooling for the King T (and the Wild Dream) was made by MPC to begin with and simply reboxed for AMT. In the early 60s the V.P. of AMT left to start his own company (MPC) and as a result AMT was offered first right of refusal to box any new kits for a short time. The now rare 1928 Model A sedan from AMT is another one of these kits that became MPC's 1928 Woody/Pick Up kit (after mold modifications) As stated before many of MPC's kit were modified in to other subjects, the chassis for the Wild Dream can be found under the recently re-released Ice Cream Truck.

Mike

[lordairgtar]

The Wilhelm car was also sold separately as the Wilhelm's Wonder.

[bob paeth]

The Wilhelm car was also sold separately as the Wilhelm's Wonder.

The builder of the "T" in question was in fact, Don Tognotti, a quiet and unassuming man. He owned the Grand National Roadster show when it had its' 50 th anniversary. Shortly after that show he committed suicide after taking his wifes life. She had been very ill for a period of time and Don couldn't bare to see her suffer anymore. For those who knew him, he is still missed.

bob

[bigphoto]

Thanks to all for the info. It looks like my friend will have to pay the long dollar for a kit of the T.

Now I just need to find a site with good pics of the 1:1 car.

[Gray Smith]

Thanks to all for the info. It looks like my friend will have to pay the long dollar for a kit of the T.

Now I just need to find a site with good pics of the 1:1 car.

I might be able to help your friend out with a Tognotti T kit since I bought one a few years back at a model contest...its way not complete, BUT it does have the fenders, the body(I think) and the basis for the chassis as well as a complete front suspension..It also has the box, and the full set of instructions...it was missing a bit of other stuff(rear suspension, interior, and I want to say the chassis isn't correct) but it may be a starting point. I need to head down to the basement and dig it out and actually see whats left. I know I did scrounge the front suspension parts to use on another build...but i'll see if I can round those up as well. Pm me and let me know what your friend is looking for.

Gray

[Howard Cohen]

I met Don at the 50th Roadster show when I was getting a press pass. He handed it to me and my friend and treated us like royalty while we were there, even though we had never met. We talked briefly about the 'King T' and I recall he said it was on the east coast, hopefully being restored. His death was a shock but I am glad I had the chance to meet him. He was a true gentleman.

Don built many other cars in addition to the King T but that was his most famous. He also had a speed shop that was very well known in California.

I have 2 basket cases that I am slowly restoring and one of these days, they will be done. Now that I see there are other kits that use the same chassis, I can save myself a lot of time and trouble. I bought a parts kit, with original dual car box, off Ebay 2 years ago for about $15. I have attached the 2 different box arts.

There are photos of the King T online. Just search Google.

[jbwelda]

a fairly mint in box example of this kit recently, like within the past week or two, went for about 225$

it really is a cool kit. i especially like the wild dream but don tognotti was a local guy here and that was

his early major claim to fame, the king t.

[Casey]

On 10/30/2007 at 4:43 PM, Phirewriter said:

 the chassis for the Wild Dream can be found under the recently re-released Ice Cream Truck.

I was just reading the MPC chapter in Terry Jessee's Hot Rod Model Kits, and it was mentioned the Li'l Evil T kit from 1975 "was a combination of parts from MPC's original Tognotti King T with the chassis components from the Switchers 1927 T coupe kit."

 

Do the Switchers '27 T Coupe and Ice Cream Truck share a chassis/frame, and maybe the suspension, too?

 

The Switchers '25 T was reissued in 2003, so that should share many of the parts from the '27 T Coupe:

Edited November 2, 2018 by Casey

[tim boyd]

Casey....I'm a little late to the party on this thread, but to answer your question, but all the MPC Switchers Model T's used their own bespoke chassis/drivetrain/body/engine/suspension/interior setup.  Nothing recycled from the King T/Wild Dream tool 

As for the Evil T, that kit is also 100% derived from the Switchers tool, with the exception of the fender/running board casting which is straight from the original MPC King T tool. 

TIM 

[horsepower]

For those who are looking for the suspension pieces you're unfortunately out of luck since most of it came from Don's mind at some very good emgineering. It was independent front AND rear suspension the front could be made with some good photos, and some of the front suspension pieces from the Buttera kits with the jag suspension, but the rear is way off from any kit parts and was years ahead of anything else in the hot rod world.it was fully independent but used a passenger car center section with a drop in third member, it may have used some second generation Corvette parts but I'm not sure about that. I do think it might have used the '55-'64 Chevrolet rear end for the center section and third member, BUT don't hold me to that it's been years since I've seen the article about the construction. I do know that when it was restored to running driveable condition a few years ago they flew in the original painter to duplicate his job on the original, and when it was sold at Barrett Jackson Scottsdale auction Gene (Winfield) was sitting in the passenger seat when it crossed the stage.you might even find paint formulas for the paint, I know that GM's Evening Orchid a '65 color used to be available for spray can from Testors but has been discontinued, it's really close but not the exact color. I seem to think it was a Ford or Studebaker color, but again I'm aging and my memory ain't as good as it used to be.

[Casey]

On 11/4/2018 at 2:55 AM, horsepower said:

For those who are looking for the suspension pieces you're unfortunately out of luck since most of it came from Don's mind at some very good engineering.

Some good info about and reference pics of the Tognotti T can be found here: https://www.tbucketplans.com/tognottis-king-t/

Pics from the above link:

[Deathgoblin]

The rear end looks like it's off a Jaguar E-type.

[Deano]

18 minutes ago, Deathgoblin said:

The rear end looks like it's off a Jaguar E-type.

I thought that, too, but if you read the linked article you will find that it's basically scratchbuilt around a 55 Chevy rear end.  When Tognotti'sT was built Jag XK-Es were like 3-years old and not so common in the junk yards.

[Deathgoblin]

Good to know!    That's actually really neat!

[Dave Darby]

On 11/4/2018 at 3:55 AM, horsepower said:

For those who are looking for the suspension pieces you're unfortunately out of luck since most of it came from Don's mind at some very good emgineering. It was independent front AND rear suspension the front could be made with some good photos, and some of the front suspension pieces from the Buttera kits with the jag suspension, but the rear is way off from any kit parts and was years ahead of anything else in the hot rod world.it was fully independent but used a passenger car center section with a drop in third member, it may have used some second generation Corvette parts but I'm not sure about that. I do think it might have used the '55-'64 Chevrolet rear end for the center section and third member, BUT don't hold me to that it's been years since I've seen the article about the construction. I do know that when it was restored to running driveable condition a few years ago they flew in the original painter to duplicate his job on the original, and when it was sold at Barrett Jackson Scottsdale auction Gene (Winfield) was sitting in the passenger seat when it crossed the stage.you might even find paint formulas for the paint, I know that GM's Evening Orchid a '65 color used to be available for spray can from Testors but has been discontinued, it's really close but not the exact color. I seem to think it was a Ford or Studebaker color, but again I'm aging and my memory ain't as good as it used to be.

Actually, the suspension is the easy part. Pretty much the entire King T chassis and running gear can be found under the the MPC Outcast and Fire Truck kits.

[Greg Myers]

Kits discussed 

[Casey]

[lordairgtar]

13 hours ago, Casey said:

I don't recall those kits being shrink wrapped. Did that start way back then? I remember 1967 kits being wrapped though.

[Casey]

5 hours ago, lordairgtar said:

I don't recall those kits being shrink wrapped. Did that start way back then? I remember 1967 kits being wrapped though.

Yeah, the same seller had multiple "sealed" vintage MPC kits which appeared to have been more recently shrink-wrapped. I don't recall ever seeing model kits with end-crimp sealing like these kits have.

[Mark]

MPC kits were shrinkwrapped from day one.