JS23U

Hi, I haven't found any place for introducing me so I will do here: My name is Jens, I live in Germany. I build (well, currently I rather collect) virtually anything that can be built into a stock American car or truck. As long as it is old enough... Concerning this topic: I have the 69 MPC Fleetside annual (red plastic). I found this one as not very accurate. It rather is a 68 MPC annual with the new for 69 hood and a bit of changes around the side markers, IIRC. At least MPC did nothing to update the side trim which changed for 69. My opinion is that the AMT 69 kit is by far the better one. Don't have any 1970 kit, so I don't know if these are better. As someone already said the 69 AMT kit was available in another box (T330) with spectacular box art. It is shown in front of an open garage. The contents of the box are the same as the annual kit, even decals and instructions are the same. Also I have a 72 GMC Jimmy (T428), the orange car with the Honda bike. I have an issue with the box bottom of the 1973 25th anniversary, as someone already told. Decals date from "73". My version differs from another one I found on the net as it has clear windows, the other one's are black tinted. My kit has the deep dish steelies on the chrome tree, the other one doesn't have them. Also one of the stock full wheel covers is in another place on the tree! 71 and 72 GMC Sierra Grande: The last one the original poster showed is the 1971 kit. The orange one with the stock cab. The red one is the 72 annual in two versions of the box. I believe the one without the "72" is made and sold after the 1972 model year was over. Maybe they kind of made an additional run of boxes for leftover parts ?! I have seen a lot of kits from MPC and AMT with either the year shown or "NEW" or even nothing on it, like on this one. Also I have some boxes of 1970 annuals and the Motor City Stockers where the price suffix after the kit number is either not printed at all or it is blacked out. For me this is a hint that they sold these kits still after 1970, maybe at slightly higher prices.