Mark

Around here, we have been getting new items and not the "usual stuff".

Looks like most other epoxy putties. Mixing involves taking equal quantities of parts A and B, and kneading them together until the mix is a consistent color, with no streaks or spots visible. I haven't tried the Tamiya putty as I am using another two-part epoxy putty, however the Tamiya product should be perfectly good. When storing any two-part product, keep the individual parts in sealed bags, separate from one another. When using it, never let tools or mixing implements come into contact with both parts. Even the smallest amount of one half will start the other half to hardening over time.

The '70 Toronado kit was produced by Jo-Han in their facilities, and packaged in AMT boxes. I don't recall a Jo-Han version prior to the USA Oldies boxing that appeared around 1975. The '70 Olds 4-4-2 kit was also produced by Jo-Han, it was sold in both Jo-Han and AMT packaging.

The early ones are for real, as I have a couple of them. '70 through '72 look faked up to my eyes.

Seeing as it was Lesney that did the RJ issue, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it has fewer parts than the Modern Classics issue. Lesney bought AMT in 1978, then promptly started changing things around: blocking off parts, putting in fewer tires, substituting rub-on transfers for decal sheets. Not surprising they went belly-up only three years later...

My analysis of the Modern Classics issue comes from looking at one of two sealed kits I bought in the early days of eBay. I first checked the instruction sheet, then the parts trees. I do have a Reggie Jackson issue but didn't look at that one.

Just checked a Modern Classics issue kit. It's less de-contented than other kits in the series (most notably the '57 Thunderbird). Racing roll cage is gone, Halibrand wheels are gone, replaced by five-slot wheels similar to those in a lot of concurrent AMT Street Rods series kits. Ironically, that move necessitated the inclusion of a second set of tires, the hollow stock car tires AMT used in the late Sixties and early Seventies. Earlier issues had only four tires. The stock Firestone Supreme tires have pad-printed whitewalls (those started disappearing from AMT kits around this time, 1974-1975). The dual supercharger setup and racing headers are still included, as are the custom bumpers and optional-for-1964 rectangular headlamp bezels. The kit represents an early 1963 car, underhood detail includes the long/skinny battery that was used in early production cars. At some point in the 1963 model year it was replaced with a more conventionally shaped unit. So if you wish to build a 1964 car, that detail needs to be addressed. I'd suspect the Reggie Jackson issue has the same parts as the Modern Classics issue. I know the MC issue has no decal sheet, and I believe this to be true for the RJ issue also.

Prior to the Reggie Jackson issue by several years was the Modern Classics issue. All of the kits in that series had a lot of optional parts deleted, the Avanti was no different. But it did include the complete stock version, which is probably what most builders would want.

In general, the earliest issues of any given kit will have sharper engraved detail, less flashing, and better fit than later ones.

The racing team looks interesting, I had the Gordini back when AMT did those double kits. I wouldn't mind having another shot at that one. Hopefully Heller will throw some effort behind finding better distribution here. They have some interesting items, their older kits are quite well done. If more people here would have better access to them, I'm sure they could sell more of them.

Well, the warehouse is eventually going to run out of the "same old stuff", and stores will restock with whatever the warehouse now has...

C-cab looks like it is based on the Tweedy Pie kit, while the T-bucket is another parts pack mashup (not that that is a bad thing!). Hopefully at some point Atlantis will run that suspension parts tree through the plating equipment, and get around to putting the Buick V8 engine pack into the rotation. And if they do decide to tool a '27 roadster body, sign me up for a few.

Well, if the shelves are picked clean, then when they are restocked there will be a few different items. The two stores here both had the Modified Stocker hauler set (at $40.99) and sold me one of those. Last Monday they had the Monogram ex-Badman '55 Chevy, and sold me that one also.

Specifics?

Before painting or assembling anything, test fit the major parts and take note of which underside/backside/inside areas will be visible on the finished build when turned over, as if for contest judging. I tend to paint everything just to make sure.

Patience, go slow, use the right tools for the job. Thin saw blades that fit an X-Acto handle, even the hot knife tip for a small soldering iron have saved parts for me in the past with little damage to repair later

That Revell Cammer (Henry J, Austin, Willys pickup) is to be avoided like the plague.

More talented than a lot of them too...

Can't help with the decals, but as for the wheels I would definitely make one master in order to cast as many good ones as you need.

I have done some vacuform bucks in the past, using the same industrial resin used to make molds for packaging. I then had someone who does industrial packaging stick my molds on the perimeter of one of his jobs. I polished the molds, occasionally got some good parts but often had problems with dust and cloudiness. I'm now thinking the molds may have been too polished. After the holidays, I'm going to contact that guy and pick his brain regarding the finish on his molds. I've got my own small machine now, but still have some of that old mold resin (but stand ready to buy new if needed)...

Not every insurance company and agent reports everything. My nephew had someone hit his car some years back, when he sold it a couple of years later he checked the Carfax, it had nothing regarding that one. Every time Carfax runs a new ad campaign, they include more and more disclaimers, they can't catch absolutely everything.

Model Car Garage has some, but theirs are aimed at the earlier Moebius pickups. I wish there were products specifically for the AMT trucks.

"Will pay out of pocket" often = "will drag my feet until it becomes too late to report, then deny everything". I'd make sure there is a report at the very least. I run everything through insurance, that's why I have it...particularly "uninsured motorist" coverage. Next time you drive somewhere, count off the vehicles as you drive, and figure that, at the very least, every fourth or fifth one has no insurance. In some areas, make that every other one. No money for insurance, no money to pay for any damage they might do...

A lot of older annual kits have the transmission tailshaft molded as part of the chassis. That goes back to their origins as dealer promos. Scratch a tailshaft and add it to the kit transmission...problem solved.

Probably a kit, with the custom stuff on it. You don't see many promos, and I don't know whether or not there was a friction version. Pretty sure those would be acetate plastic anyway. All were '61s. None had an engine until AMT stuck the '66 Impala engine in for the 1977 budget series reissue. I don't know why Ford wouldn't have wanted a promo for '60, but the bumpers from the '60 Falcon interchange and what little trim was on the body didn't change between the two. Wheel covers are even the same, though '60 has black-filled recessed areas while '61 has white. AMT moved a lot of those, there was an annual kit as well as the flat box Styline kit which was sold through '62. Looks like a nice project, I have a couple of old builds which are radical customs (shortened, chopped top, etc).