AMT `68 Roadrunner

[FASTBACK340]

I was wondering about this re-issue. Thanks for posting your comments Tim.

[hgbben]

I like that the tires have the red line on one side and the white letter print on the other. But that Jo-han body is much more crisp compared to the Round2.

[Guest]

There is a thread on this subject. It was on page two. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=77994

[disabled modeler]

I have to admit I do think the Johan body is better to me...I do love the old box art its very nice. I even like the Johan style chassis better un less there going with a screw bottom chassis. swaped it out on my wagon conversion build to the Johan one.

Edited January 12, 2014 by disabled modeler

[1930fordpickup]

Very good read Tim.

[Chris White]

thanks Tim, this research and writing seems like something you are good at

[rasafyff]

Just picked the newly re-issued AMT RR kit up last nite. This kit appears to be basically a repackage of the "Millennium" kit with a few minor changes. First, the re-issue has a an interesting set of tires. One side has raised white letters with "Goodyear Polyglass GT L60-15" script and the reverse side though non-scripted has a single Red-line stripe. The Millennium kit tires are identically scripted but are NOT white lettered nor Red-line striped on the reverse side. The kit has the same Hemi power-plant with stock exhaust as before. The intake manifold options of dual in-line crabs or cross-ram intake with Hemi styled air cleaner remain the same. However, the custom build options of dual velocity stacks or dual custom air cleaners are no longer included like the Millennium kit. Also, like the earlier AMT release the body does not have molded in "Road Runner" badges/scripts. And, like the prior AMT offering it does not include any decals.

Did everyone notice.

iThe kit does have the Roadrunner decals.

[tim boyd]

"Just picked the newly re-issued AMT RR kit up last nite. This kit appears to be basically a repackage of the "Millennium" kit with a few minor changes. First, the re-issue has a an interesting set of tires. One side has raised white letters with "Goodyear Polyglass GT L60-15" script and the reverse side though non-scripted has a single Red-line stripe. The Millennium kit tires are identically scripted but are NOT white lettered nor Red-line striped on the reverse side. The kit has the same Hemi power-plant with stock exhaust as before. The intake manifold options of dual in-line crabs or cross-ram intake with Hemi styled air cleaner remain the same. However, the custom build options of dual velocity stacks or dual custom air cleaners are no longer included like the Millennium kit. Also, like the earlier AMT release the body does not have molded in "Road Runner" badges/scripts. And, like the prior AMT offering it does not include any decals."

**************

Not to offend anyone, but there are several errors in this post. As Raymond noted, the new reissue does have the RoadRunner decals. It also has the dual velocity stacks and custom air cleaners. And the "RoadRunner" badge is re-engraved in the rear trunk lid. For more details and photos, click on the link to my earlier post #

[tim boyd]

Quoting from above...

"Just picked the newly re-issued AMT RR kit up last nite. This kit appears to be basically a repackage of the "Millennium" kit with a few minor changes. First, the re-issue has a an interesting set of tires. One side has raised white letters with "Goodyear Polyglass GT L60-15" script and the reverse side though non-scripted has a single Red-line stripe. The Millennium kit tires are identically scripted but are NOT white lettered nor Red-line striped on the reverse side. The kit has the same Hemi power-plant with stock exhaust as before. The intake manifold options of dual in-line crabs or cross-ram intake with Hemi styled air cleaner remain the same. However, the custom build options of dual velocity stacks or dual custom air cleaners are no longer included like the Millennium kit. Also, like the earlier AMT release the body does not have molded in "Road Runner" badges/scripts. And, like the prior AMT offering it does not include any decals."

**************

Not to offend anyone, but there are several errors in this post.

As Raymond noted, the new reissue does have the RoadRunner decals.

It also has the dual velocity stacks and custom air cleaners.

And the "RoadRunner" badge is re-engraved in the rear trunk lid.

For more details and photos of the actual kit contents, click on the link to my earlier post #76 on page 4 of this thread.

The Best to everyone...TIM "

[johnbuzzed]

How is the overall quality of this kit?

[250 Testa Rossa]

Are there any photos of the molded in yellow version?

[MrObsessive]

Thanks for posting your review on Fotki Tim! I left some comments there for you.

[tim boyd]

Thanks for posting your review on Fotki Tim! I left some comments there for you.

Bill - got them and agree.

Thanks for taking the time to add your insight to the discussion and Best Regards....TIM

[fender6575]

I wonder if these "minor adjustments" are enough to correct Amt RR body to please eyes of demanding modeler? Im gonna try on mine

-Sand upper fender line more straighter

- Sand quarter window opening lover line more horizontal.

-Sand rear wheel opening bigger to match Johan body

-Add plastic sheet to lower rear quarter panel behind rear wheel and modify lower body character line more horizontal. There is too much angle difference between upper and lower sheet metal press lines. Now you can move rear bumber slightly lower so rear bodyside view do not look too narrow and have too much angle.

-Modify suspension so that there is slight rake

Hope these will work

[MrObsessive]

I wonder if these "minor adjustments" are enough to correct Amt RR body to please eyes of demanding modeler? Im gonna try on mine

-Sand upper fender line more straighter

- Sand quarter window opening lover line more horizontal.

-Sand rear wheel opening bigger to match Johan body

-Add plastic sheet to lower rear quarter panel behind rear wheel and modify lower body character line more horizontal. There is too much angle difference between upper and lower sheet metal press lines. Now you can move rear bumber slightly lower so rear bodyside view do not look too narrow and have too much angle.

-Modify suspension so that there is slight rake

Hope these will work

The only difficulty with sanding the beltline straighter is that you still might end up with a body that has the rear quarters too low IMO.

Just looking at Tim's pic here, the rear quarters on the body suffer from a "pinched" appearance. Almost as if they tooled the body from the Coronet------and of course in the 1:1 world, those two cars shared very little body wise.

Unfortunately, the AMT body suffers from the same malady that afflicts the Revell '67 Coronet...........it looks to me like a car that was hit in the back and wasn't restored properly.

If it were me, and of course I'm considered a bit radical when it comes to things like this, I'd angle cut the entire rear section lengthwise starting from the leading edge of the C pillar where the "kickup" starts, and terminating all the way back to the rear fender just above the side marker light. You would need to do this on both sides, and then raise the rear quarters ever so slightly.......not maybe more than 1mm or so, and then fill in the void with plastic and putty. To make it easier, you would need to remove the roof then reattach it later on. Now that would leave the rear part of the car at an outward angle not straight as you see in the picture. You'd then need to perhaps sand that area straighter, or cut out that section, tweak the angle on it, and then reattach it.

A lot of work, but original Johan bodies are getting harder and harder to find.

IIRC, Jon Cole did something like this in correcting the body on the '58 Plymouth, which is a whole 'nuther story in itself!

[fender6575]

Thank you for great advices. You are absolutely right where problem lies. I m little hesitant to make cuts middle of bodypanels. Im afraid they will show through later after my paint and polish jobs. I was thinking if I could fool the observers eyes. Little more material added to lower leading edge might end quarter panels looking taller and straighter. I have old Johan B bodies to compare, but It would be great if I can get more mileage from my amt mopar kits with simpler modifications. Only opening rear

wheel openings to correct dimensions helps a lot.

It is so sad that many otherwise very interesting and suberbly engineered kits suffer badly proportioned bodies. Correcting these kind of issues is often very difficult. Tutorials how to correct bodies for 67 GTX, 58 Belvedere, Amt 68-69 B-bodies etc are welcome. There might be little market for corrected resin bodies if available too.

[sak]

Just curiuous but.... if a rich uncle left you a badass vintage car, would you measure every angle and section? Would you be offended and refuse the car if something was a fraction of an inch short or extra? Just saying. Cars came from the factory with various defects. Trim not extending all the way to a door. Different door gaps ect ect. Wouldnt it be easier to just pretend its correct. Unless the guys from barrette jackson are frequent house guests..nobody will notice. Sorry for the rant.

Edited January 20, 2014 by sak

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Well, one key reason somebody probably wouldn't dissect a badass vintage car in such a way is that it has a job other than resembling something 25 times larger as closely as possible.

Just sayin'...

[Craig Irwin]

For some people "it ain't right" is good enough, but it really bugs the rest of us,

[johnbuzzed]

For a great deal of us (more than likely the majority) if it looks good, it is good. I can deal with a body that's not 100% perfect in proportion to the real car. Not many models really are. I don't mind a body line that's not exactly where it should be, nor a little "pinch" here and there, even a misplaced chrome spear. As long as the top doesn't appear to have been chopped or the body has three taillights instead of two per side. What I want to know about is the quality of this kit- is there a lot of flash, is the chrome OK, are the details still relatively sharp, are the parting lines really nasty? Has anybody gotten a kit with problems along the rocker panels- like a short shot of plastic?

[fender6575]

Yeah! Great conversation and opinions here. I think that amt Roadrunner is very good kit and have many kitbashing possibilities. Also real 68 Roadrunner is handsome car because of almost perfectly proportioned body. Nice muscular rear quarters and all. Unfortunately Amt kits body is not so good looking. If there is way to modify it little to look as good as real runner I d like to learn. I have several of earlier issues and will buy these newly released issues also. When real car has exceptional desing features it is important to me that overall appearance of models reflect them well. For example I really like 69-70 Mustang fastback. Aggressive front end with leaning grille and well placed headlights makes one of the best musclecar designs ever. Well, what do you think if Revell/Mono Mustangs look as good on your shelf? Is it easy to achieve the appearence even if models are otherwise technically well built, but front end is not corrected? On the other end. I kind of like MPC 67 Gto kits. Steel mold is in poor shape. There is lot of block sanding and panel line engraving required. Flash and moldlines are everywhere. But basic shape is there. While not perfectly prototypical, it get the look of 67 Gto.

My other hobby is restoring classic cars so paint and body is the most important single thing that makes the car. Even there I pay real close attention how the bodylines and panel gaps are made. Trust me there is lot of bodylead and shaping required to fit available repro panels to original factory standards or even more...

But nomore offtopic here. Please continue and tell building possibilities of AMT Roadrunner. Sorry my bad English. It is twenty years since I was at school and there is so many forgotten words

[johnbuzzed]

I finally read your article, Tim. I guess I'll be buying one soon. Thanks for the info.

[drodg]

Tim thanks for your review on Fotki. I have a question or two since the model comes as a non exterior décor group Roadrunner and the seats would be correct for the upgraded interior on a 68 Roadrunner I think considered the interior décor group. I am wondering could you buy a 68 Roadrunner with the upgraded seats without the exterior décor group? My other question did all hardtops come with the exterior décor group? I think all hardtops had the upgraded seats. Maybe? The model can be built as a hardtop or a coupe if I am not mistaken. I did have years ago a 68 Roadrunner coupe with the upgraded interior but it had the exterior décor package. Sorry if these questions sound kind of confusing.

[tim boyd]

Tim thanks for your review on Fotki. I have a question or two since the model comes as a non exterior décor group Roadrunner and the seats would be correct for the upgraded interior on a 68 Roadrunner I think considered the interior décor group. I am wondering could you buy a 68 Roadrunner with the upgraded seats without the exterior décor group? My other question did all hardtops come with the exterior décor group? I think all hardtops had the upgraded seats. Maybe? The model can be built as a hardtop or a coupe if I am not mistaken. I did have years ago a 68 Roadrunner coupe with the upgraded interior but it had the exterior décor package. Sorry if these questions sound kind of confusing.

David...good questions there. When I factory ordered my '74 Road Runner, the exterior and interior décor groups were separate options...you could get one or the other or both (I got both!). As for '68, from what I recall, the Exterior Décor Group became available at midyear, about the same time as the Hardtop bodystyle was added. It may have been that the upgraded seat became available at the same time. I didn't know that the kit seat was the upgraded one. And I don't know if there was an Interior Décor Group at that point. I recommend you look at the Hamtramck Registry website and go through the '68 Plymouth Color and Trim/Interior pages they have posted there. That will tell all, I'm sure....

Best regards..>TIM

[drodg]

Thanks Tim. I did check the Hamtramck sight but unfortunately the trim guide etc must be from the start of the model year. It doesn't really show much of anything as far as information on the upgraded interior. I went ahead an ordered Keith Mark's decals so I will be doing an exterior decor group. Thanks again for all the info you provide us!