Bob Ellis

Great work

Your Prestige '63 Impala is the Craftsman kit with the hood opened up and an engine added. The custom parts are from the annual kit.

The '64 Impala original kit engine came as a single carb 409 or a blown 409 with a scoop. I believe it has always been the same. The '63 Impala had a single carb 409 and 8 injector 409 (4 2s injectors). BTW, the 63 an 64 chassis and engines appear the same (original kits) but they are slightly different. The re-issued '63 Impala (1988 and later) has an awful 409 engine and no firewall. This was designed in the '70s by AMT to update the Craftsman Impala but laid sleeping until ERTL woke up the kit. Must have been 2 tools of the '63, or AMT reverted the annual kit back to a promo for the 1966-68 Craftsman releases. In any case, the current versions of the '63 are a hybrid. I liked the Street Rods reversed Moons wheels and tire combo. AMT must have lost the tire tool as they are loooooog gone. The Woodward Avenue '64 Impala kit of 1969 had some of the headlight/taillight parts and dated bumpers. Mostly all the annual parts. The GOW bulbs were missing as was the battery box. The next issue T408 (1972-73) had the head lights filled in and not well either. Gone were the dated bumpers with chassis lugs, chassis screws and 25-30% of the parts. Still a great kit. The head lights can be fixed.

I had posted the comparisons of the MPC Challenger and the Palmer/Lindberg Challenger. Throw in the AMT version and you have a big range. IMHO, none of the 3 are great, but maybe the AMT has the most potential. Overall detail is better. Sorry about the separate roof. The Palmer/Lindberg was actually a decent '71 Challenger that appeared to be a successful rip-off of the MPC kit. Too bad they changed it to '72-'74. Maybe you can use the body as the roof is solid. My experience mating the AMT guts to a MPC body was a major PIA. The frame and engine compartment dimensions are way different. I think I am okay at gluing the top to the body on the VP car. Seems to be the most painless option.

The AMT '64 Impala HT has been re-issued a million times, well, almost. Not all the 1964 annual parts have returned, but the roll bar is included. Also included is a convertible boot. Some parts were added like the Cragar mags. This kit is supposed to replicate the 1973 issue T408, but not with the Street Shaker name. This latest issue has more parts than the 1973 issue, but less than the 1964. Attached is a jpeg of the map on the bottom of the box showing the parts. Hopes this helps you.

The last issue of the Round2 1966 Mustang had a convertible boot included, didn't it? Just cut the roof and add visors.

This summer I bought 2 sets of the small bumper/original grille from Missing Link. I think it was $15-20 each? 1971 is the last year of high performance cars in the USA. The 1972s are dreadful. So, the BOSS 351 and Mustang 429 are significant 1971 cars. The 1971 Mach I was a star in the Bond movie, Diamonds Are Forever.

Doesn't the AMT 1973 Mustang racer kit have these?

The red taillights were filled in when it became a classics kit in the '70s.

Greg, you misunderstood me. I didn't say the above kit or the reissues are rare. What is rare, is the 1973 issue with a 1963 body and a 1967 backup light in the middle of the tail lights. The box bottom has the have the 25th anniversary advertisement on it. That is on the bottom of 1973-1974 kits. Has to be molded in white plastic as well. Lots of reissues of that box cover and same kit # for sure, but 1973 didn't reoccur. I have only seen 2 of the 1967 back up light '63s in the last 40 years. I am sure others are out there, but they are elusive.

Ok, I think what we have hear, is a failure to communicate. I did not buy 20 pairs x $2.99 shipping= $59.80 ship either. Model Car Mountain gave me a discounted ship. Maybe like $5-6 total.

Yeah, by 1974, the government put a Cease and Desist on modifying new cars for performance.

Remember this kit was designed as a promo, not a kit. So while the body shape is good, it lacks modern kit details. It came out as an annual in coupe and convertible updated every year until 1967. The annual '63 convertible and THE CAT had working front headlights. After the '67 annual run, it became a All American kit in a couple variations of boxes containing a 1967 Corvette. The above box is the artwork for the 25th anniversary kit (1973). AMT took the 1967 and backdated it to a 1963. Thanks to 1967, it now contained a 427 that was not available in 1963 (except on the track as a Mystery engine, so build it that way.) Also the 25th anniversary kit being a 1963, had a 1967 back up light between the tail lights. This is a rare kit as I have not seen this kit since I bought it new in 1973-1974. The 1967 never came back. just the 1963.

I bought 20 pairs. They are perfect for 1965-1975 big cars. To me, they approximate belted tires.

That 64 Olds Cutlass was nice. Did it ever get finished? I noticed it had a different chassis.

Chevy called those 4 door hardtops, Sport Sedan. 1976 is the last year ever (1956-1976). Nice work

A lot of people like to malign this AMT '64 Impala kit. To me, it is one of the greatest kits ever made due to the subject matter and fidelity to shape. The headlights are a victim of the AMT reduction of costs planning. First they were a very nicely shaped promo style lights, later to become open glass operating lights in the kit form. In the 1969 reissue, the glass lenses remained in the grille though the working light box and bulbs were gone. In 1973 the kit returned as STREET SHAKER where AMT closed the headlights with those bulbous funky chrome lenses. Better they left the clear lenses, but they didn't. Be thankful they turn the whole car into a Modified Stocker like the '64 Galaxie kit. Comparing the AMT to the Revell is like comparing apples and oranges. The AMT was designed as a promo and the Revell as a kit. You can, if you are clever, make an AMT very nice.

I have about 10 projects in the que. The Good; I can let some have the paint cure and work on others. The Bad; I lose parts.

I just bought it. They did not use the original box art. Seems like it was $40?

I just noticed that your kit is very old. It shows AMT Troy , MI on the instruction sheets.

I must have a copy of the F&F resin 4dr 70 Impala. It is a hardtop not to be confused with a 4dr sedan with B posts. I think the rear windows are different?

I can never clear coat in the Summer near Boston when the humidity is more than 70%. The problem is also that the evaporation of the volatiles in Summer cause the humidity to condense as the gases expand and get cold against the hot, thus water is in or on your paint work. You need A/C, good weather or some additives to reduce the fast evaporation of the volatiles.

The site is back now. Everyone can enjoy it again. Peteski is correct, everyone can donate a little to help it keep going. It is a lot of work and it has been all on Bob Black's shoulders recently. Bob has about 11 years of his life into this site. It would be sad to have it disappear permanently.

Slim, that is the good one. The bad cowl was almost a semi-circle without a flat in the center. Both the body and the hood are bad.

It was a better kit before AMT converted the annual kit into a Warren Tope racer. But, you did a great job making it look real good.