AMT 1960 Ford Ranchero

[Chuck Most]

I see pics of the new parts have already been posted, so here are a few quick snapshots of the wheel issue...

Here you can see the metal axles hanging out for all to see...

Yep... MRC wheel adaptor sleeves to the rescue for this one.

[Guest]

Or you could use a set of the old style wheel backs with the longer stubs on them and save those for a project where they will actually be seen. From what I saw, the wheel backs looked like they were detailed fairly well. Looks like the only pluses for this kit are the new parts. But, that's pretty much what I was expecting.

[Rob Hall]

I see pics of the new parts have already been posted, so here are a few quick snapshots of the wheel issue...

Here you can see the metal axles hanging out for all to see...

Yep... MRC wheel adaptor sleeves to the rescue for this one.

That's pretty hilarious...I guess no one at Round 2 took the time to look at other vintage kit wheelbacks before tooling up the new ones...what are these 'MRC wheel adaptor sleeves' ?

[Chuck Most]

Or you could use a set of the old style wheel backs with the longer stubs on them and save those for a project where they will actually be seen. From what I saw, the wheel backs looked like they were detailed fairly well. Looks like the only pluses for this kit are the new parts. But, that's pretty much what I was expecting.

The other thing I'm toying with (since this first one will be a curbside) is to sling that spare '64 Comet chassis I know I have laying around somewhere under this body. The new wheelbacks are pretty well detailed- they sort of look like the ones in the '60 Starliner or '62 T-Bird kit- that same type of design.

That's pretty hilarious...I guess no one at Round 2 took the time to look at other vintage kit wheelbacks before tooling up the new ones...what are these 'MRC wheel adaptor sleeves' ?

The MRC Muscle Car Hop Up wheel and tire sets came with a couple sprues of adapters, for fitting the wheels to whichever kit you wanted to use the wheels. They had various adaptors for fitting to wire or plastic stub type axles. Among these parts were some for the old AMT wire axles- I trimmed a couple of extra ones to bridge the gap.

[Guest]

The other thing I'm toying with (since this first one will be a curbside) is to sling that spare '64 Comet chassis I know I have laying around somewhere under this body. The new wheelbacks are pretty well detailed- they sort of look like the ones in the '60 Starliner or '62 T-Bird kit- that same type of design.

I'm not familiar with the '64 Comet chassis. What's it like?

[Rob Hall]

I'm not familiar with the '64 Comet chassis. What's it like?

Promo style w/ everything molded in...good for a curbside build.

[horsepower]

We'll unless I read the box wrong the new ranchero comes with a caddy engine ! Also gas cans, bumper jack custom roof, Fender skirts plus much more!!

read closer, he won the Ranchero as an award, driving his '33 Willys, that had the Caddy engine in it. If we got the car that he won "Little Eliminator" with it would be nice, an early version of the Willys Coupe that we already have, if I remember it was basically a stock body unlike the release that we have now (the one with the "cammer" motor.

[Randytheroadrunner]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but a Mustang chassis would be a good start to make the Ranchero more realistic.

[Chuck Most]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but a Mustang chassis would be a good start to make the Ranchero more realistic.

It has been, but go back through the thread and check out Roger's (plowboy) conversion of the '66 Fairlane chassis, another viable option if you want a full-detail 'Chero.

[ChrisBcritter]

Boy, I wish they'd sell the new parts as a conversion kit!

How do the new wheels and tires measure up in size (inner and outer diameter) to the old AMT or Jo-Han compact car tires? They could be just the ticket for my '61 F-85 wagon.

[Chuck Most]

They're a bit big- they pretty much render the wide whites in the kit narrow. The tires provided are similar to the ones in the '64 Comet, but are open all the way through.

[Eshaver]

I'm surprised none of the resin casters has ever stepped to the plate and offered the A M T versions of their "Compact" tire . Lucky for me , I know someone fairly close who I can buy sets of these off of as he sells parts .

[Rob Hall]

I'm surprised none of the resin casters has ever stepped to the plate and offered the A M T versions of their "Compact" tire . Lucky for me , I know someone fairly close who I can buy sets of these off of as he sells parts .

Modelhaus does...part #s are T240 (blackwall), T250 (wide whitewall), T260 (narrow white wall)...

[Chuck Most]

The 'curbside' one I'm meddling with...

You can see the hood (which I've already glued down) is a bit smaller and a slightly different shape than its opening- time to break out the filler!

Here's the kit chassis with the MRC sleeves in place.

And the trimming I've done to the fenders, so the grille will settle back further and bring the headlights back so they aren't bulging past the fenders...

And just for kicks... Roger, here's the '64 Comet chassis, which looks like it'll need the rear inner fenders trimmed off to fit the 'Chero body.

[Guest]

Looks good Chuck! I'm still on the fence on whether I need this kit or not. I already have one '61 on the shelf. Plus, the '61 I just fooled around with. I really like how that '60 grille looks though.

I had to cut most of the rear fender wells off of the '66 Fairlane chassis too. Don't really need them anyway since they're molded to the body.

It looks like the wheel has most of the white wall on the tire covered up. Is that how they are?

Another chassis that might work since it has to be cut off anyway is the one from the Revell '64 Fairlane. The gas tank is already moved to one side for the muffler. The under hood core may even fit better than the one from the '66. The '66 core is actually too wide.

Edited December 17, 2013 by plowboy

[Edsel-Dan]

Tires actually look like the Compact tires from the Annuals and promos.

I have 2 61 Ranchero's a Styline and Desert "El Ranchero Grande"

1 64 Falcon Promo, and others with then, and the look the same.

Rims look too large compared to the tire.

[Guest]

Rims look too large compared to the tire.

Yeah, they do. More than likely, they're also 15". I'm pretty sure they had 14" wheels at the most, maybe 13". Not sure, but they look an awfully lot like the wheels that came in the '62 Bel Air from many moons ago.

[Chuck Most]

Yeah, they do. More than likely, they're also 15". I'm pretty sure they had 14" wheels at the most, maybe 13". Not sure, but they look an awfully lot like the wheels that came in the '62 Bel Air from many moons ago.

You guys are absolutely right there- the wheels appear to be 15", with the tires at 14.

[1972coronet]

I *believe* that the wheels were 13" , and had 4 retainers .

14" with 5 retainers were V8 and-or Disc brake equipped models .

[RancheroSteve]

All Falcons and Rancheros had 13" wheels until 1965. The six cylinder cars had four bolt wheels, the V8s (late '63 & up) had five bolt wheels.

[ChrisBcritter]

Just to clarify, what is the inside diameter of the new tires? MM or inches is fine.

[peekay]

Modelhaus does...part #s are T240 (blackwall), T250 (wide whitewall), T260 (narrow white wall)...

I used the T260 tyres, 13" steelies and Falcon hubcaps from Modelhaus on this one. Their Falcon wheels combine the hupcap and wheel in one chromed piece but I sanded the wheel part off until I just had the hup cap and glued it to the plain steelie. This made painting easier. I'm very tempted to buy the new kit just for the new grille (and clear headlights) for this model.

[Tom Geiger]

I'm very tempted to buy the new kit just for the new grille (and clear headlights) for this model.

Get one and build it! Then you can display a 1960 and a 1961 Ranchero side by side.

My 1960 built using an original 1960 grill and bumper from a broken Falcon promo

And my 1961 police car. Yes, they do sit side by side on my shelf!

[Chuck Most]

Just to clarify, what is the inside diameter of the new tires? MM or inches is fine.

9/16"

[Chuck Most]

If you go with the Comet chassis, you might have to adjust the front axle, so the tires will be centered in the openings-

I also used the Mercury's black wall tires, and those are the kit wheels... I filed down the flange from the outer rim to reduce their diameter and make them look more like the stock small-diameter steel wheels.