AMT's Ford F350 pickups

[Tom Geiger]

Hopefully, they've also add the FORD lettering on the hood and some lug nuts to the spoke wheels. I had the MK version. But, traded it away. I think it would be a good idea for a resin caster to cast the fiberglass camper top for this kit.

My LHS has this listed on his "coming soon" page with a price of $35.25 CDN. Something in the little blurb caught my attention:

"Tooling modifications have been made to backdate the kit and improve accuracy. Improvements include the re-engraving of door key holes, front fender reflectors and retooling of the correct front bumper."

Back when I did the box art truck for Model King, I advised Dave that the FORD was missing off the hood and the tailgate, as well as the non-existent side markers. (the side markers on my built model were painted on). I also told him the model designation on the cowl was too faint. I suggested to include it all on the decal sheet and Dave did it. I had also suggested that they provide some different model designations for the cowl, giving the builder several choices for different builds. That one didn't make it on the sheet!

[mk11]

Would have been nice to have the original style Free Wheeln' decals...

 

 

but that goofy wheelbase nixed that

Edited September 23, 2017 by mk11

[mikemodeler]

Yeah, he's FOS for sure. I asked if it was an AMT copy in his listing. I can't wait to see what his answer is. It's identical in every detail to the AMT topper. Maybe I should report him to Round2.

Don't tell him that VCG resins offers that cap. Manny also has a resin copy of the solid side topper that was in the AMT Chevy snap kits.

[Ron Hamilton]

Hopefully, they've also add the FORD lettering on the hood and some lug nuts to the spoke wheels. I had the MK version. But, traded it away. I think it would be a good idea for a resin caster to cast the fiberglass camper top for this kit.

I got one today. The F-O-R-D lettering is not on the hood, but they included 2 sets in decal form, and the wheels still do not have any lug nuts. It's pretty clean, but it looks like a re-hash of the old kit, with no mods to the cab. I'll give it a closer look, and write a review of how I see it.

[migace]

I just got one as well. Since it offers the 2WD version I plan on trying to duplicate the 250 camper special. that the bed and chassis depicts. Anyone know of some ggod hup caps and wheels I can use? These camper specials are quite interesting as they had a super single rear wheel with the heavy duty dually axle. Going to do the full trim and fix the windshield line. two tone paint too.

Should turn out nice.

[migace]

http://www.2040cars.com/Ford/F-350/1979-ford-truck-f350-ranger-super-camper-special-standard-cab-notre-dame-eagles-522662/

[mk11]

For those interested in doing their own surgery on the box, this link to Mr Ellifrit's how-to album might be a help...

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Repstock/library/Ford%20pickup%20standard%20wheelbase%20bed?sort=6&page=1

mike

[mikemodeler]

For those interested in doing their own surgery on the box, this link to Mr Ellifrit's how-to album might be a help...

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/Repstock/library/Ford%20pickup%20standard%20wheelbase%20bed?sort=6&page=1

mike

Thanks Mike, still hoping he has these resin cast as my modelers ADD probably wouldn't let me finish this kit.

[Luc Janssens]

Question or rather remark, to me it looks like this axle set up, would be ideal to be used for wrecker bodies.

If so, wouldn't it be neat, if Round2 would to tool up, a new wrecker body for this kit?

;^)

[Devilsnake98]

Just received my kit of the re-release the other day, the tonneau cover is flat.

[Chuck Most]

I got one today. The F-O-R-D lettering is not on the hood, but they included 2 sets in decal form, and the wheels still do not have any lug nuts. It's pretty clean, but it looks like a re-hash of the old kit, with no mods to the cab. I'll give it a closer look, and write a review of how I see it.

Might want to plan on doubling up on those if you're planning on a dark color- I've noticed a lot of the Round 2 script and emblem decals lately will just disappear over a dark shade of paint.

[Casey]

the wheels still do not have any lug nuts.

Aren't the wheels he same "wagon"" wheels found in the Model King reissue from a few years ago? Or are they shared with the Bronco kits?

[Chuck Most]

Aren't the wheels he same "wagon"" wheels found in the Model King reissue from a few years ago? Or are they shared with the Bronco kits?

They're the plated wagon wheels from the Model King reissue- the Bronco kits had five-lug hubs and (IIRC) were not plated.

[greymack]

This sure is a nice truck with many possibilities .I got 3 of these kits now and might buy a few more . I was wondering if its possible to alter the cab to look like a 1962 f 100 cab anyone know ?

[Guest]

They're the plated wagon wheels from the Model King reissue- the Bronco kits had five-lug hubs and (IIRC) were not plated.

The MK Bronco kit wheels are chrome plated. They're ten holes and look a lot like the wheels that came with the '92 up F-150s.

[Chuck Most]

The MK Bronco kit wheels are chrome plated. They're ten holes and look a lot like the wheels that came with the '92 up F-150s.

Thanks for clearing that up! I thought they might have been the ten hole alloys, but for some reason I was thinking they were not plated.

This sure is a nice truck with many possibilities .I got 3 of these kits now and might buy a few more . I was wondering if its possible to alter the cab to look like a 1962 f 100 cab anyone know ?

Possible? Well, perhaps, but it would be a TON of work. I'd just go with a resin cab, like the Modelhaus or Motor City Resin casters kits.

[Guest]

This sure is a nice truck with many possibilities .I got 3 of these kits now and might buy a few more . I was wondering if its possible to alter the cab to look like a 1962 f 100 cab anyone know ?

No. You would be better off scratchbuilding it. The only thing the '62 has in common with a '79 is that they both have a Ford emblem on them.

[Maindrian Pace]

Thanks for clearing that up! I thought they might have been the ten hole alloys, but for some reason I was thinking they were not plated.

In the original Wild Hoss issue, they were not chromed.

-MJS

[mk11]

Finally got mine.. nice kit for what it is, but aside from a couple of non-essential details and a nicely redone '64-'77 style front bumper, nothing has really changed It'll accomplish R2's goals though... get a money maker on the shelves and beat Moebius to the punch

 

Beautiful chrome on this one, nicely refinished bumper. Too bad they didn't copy the correct one from the bronco.

 

 

Decal sheet was redone with gauge faces and Firestone decal for box cover. Hood has blower cutout lines, probably altered when they engineered the Bigfoot kit.

 

Here's hoping some resin caster will strike while the iron's hot and offer us a normal box...and maybe 73-75 and 76/77 grills

 

 

 

mike

Edited October 3, 2017 by mk11

[Chuck Most]

Bandit Resins still shows the '76-77 grille on their site, but I've heard it's OOP for mold repair at the moment. Better get with Kenny for the details on that...

[01blueedge]

There's a guy on some of the face book pages making the 73-75 and 76-77 grilles for these trucks

[Matt T.]

Here's hoping some resin caster has the sense to strike while the iron's hot and offer us a normal box...and maybe 73-75 and 76/77 grills.

Absolutely! I think those would sell great, and Bandit Resins has a history of providing pickup parts. E-mail Kenny @ Bandit, I did!

[kjc99]

Finally got mine.. nice kit for what it is, but aside from a couple of non-essential details and a nicely redone '64-'77 style front bumper, nothing has really changed It'll accomplish R2's goals though... get a money maker on the shelves and beat Moebius to the punch

Here's hoping some resin caster has the sense to strike while the iron's hot and offer us a normal box...and maybe 73-75 and 76/77 grills

mike

I'm hoping revell throws us a money maker as well and reissues the '80 flareside. I also have a resin copy of the 76/77 grill from blue oval laying around, and a bigfoot grill. Not sure if I'm going to use them on this kit though, I prefer the 79 grill.

Edited March 12, 2014 by kjc99

[unclescott58]

Got my '78 Ford pickup two days ago. And it's very similar to the kit I bought back in the summer of 1975. For all the faults others have mentioned about this, other than the windshield problem, I like it. A lot of people are complaining about the longggg... box used in this kit. And the inaccuracy of the 4-wheel drive set up.

Remembering back to the time when the original version of this kit came out in 1975. Offering the kit as 2-wheel drive F-350 Camper Special made a lot of sense. First one needs to remember, that 4-wheel drive pickups were no where near as popular then as they are now. Even here in the land of snow and ice. It wasn't until about this time that 4-wheel drive trucks were just becoming civilized. Before the late '60s-early'70s very few 4-wheel drive trucks were offered with automatic transmissions. Most were tall, rough riding vehicles designed for work only. As this started to change in the '70s more and more people started buying 4-wheel drive. By the '80s, in this part of country at least, 4-wheel was becoming the way to go. But in 1975, not so much.

Throughout the '60s and '70s slide in truck campers were very popular. So it was natural that AMT would design their model truck as a one ton camper special. I thought it was very cool at time. Still do. Only Ford offered the spare tire mounted in the right side box fender, as depicted in the AMT kit. This spare tire setup was only offered with the Camper Special package. Can you imagine crawling under your other pickups with a camper on to get after the spare? With the waning of the popularity of slide in campers, Ford did not offer this option on their new redesigned pickups for 1980.

As far as square vs round headlights. Square headlamps were first offered, and as standard equipment on the upper level Fords for the 1978 model year. The lower models still came with round headlamps in similar bezels. The square headlamps were optional on the lower level trucks, and became standard on all full-size Fords trucks for 1979. By the way, most versions had black painted bezels. Top of the line models they were chrome.

Another inaccuracy on this kit are the gas fillers. The '73, through I believe '76 Fords had this set up. The later trucks of this generation hid the fuel fillers behind doors/flaps. Not a big deal to me. But, incorrect none the less.

As far as real Firestone give away truck. I believe it was an F-150, not a F-350 as depicted with the model. I know it was 4-wheel drive. I have been able to find little to nothing on this truck on the web. I found few ads for the Super Stones sweepstakes with the prizes listed. But very little detail on anything else anywhere on the web. What do others out there know of the real vehicles given away in this sweepstakes. And were are they today?

All in all I like this kit. My plans are to build it as a 2-wheel drive Camper Special. After all Ford did not offer the F-350s in 4-wheel drive until 1979. With the grill being basically the same between '78 and '79, other than the incorrect front suspension for an F-350 4x4, one could claim it was a '79.

[mk11]

I'm kind of curious as to where that Stones truck ended up myself. The actual construction of the Stones Econoline, Courier and F150 trucks was featured, iirc, in the mar, apr and may '78 issues of Hot Rod under the heading of 'menage a trois'

As far as this low production version of one of America's best selling trucks being a 'natural' for amt to produce in scale, I don't guess that I'm the one to say but there is a thread on the fte site running to 70 (!) pages of natter on these trucks. Obviously some interest in these, but I still prefer to build a regular w/b truck.

I see R2 also didn't alter the pre-'77 chrome on the bottom of the cab and box. That wasn't such a bad idea as it makes it easier to build a wider variety of years, just sanding it off for the '77-'79 projects.

mike