Carmak

Based on what we have to look at I would also speculate the pink car was made from a first tool. Possibly there was a sticking issue in the original mold so when a second mold was made (or the first mold was modified) it had more slide or lifters to better get the body out. I have a couple 57 T-bird promos but they are still packed. The best way to track tooling are the little tooling marks and errors typically on the inside or bottom of a given part, they are like tooling finger prints.

I would speculate the red car (which is an acetate promo) was molded straight and later warped. You can tell from the other pictures the red car has warp (less warp than typical but warp nonetheless).

Great pics Dave! From the rear the part lines (tool design) and the "1957" font in the bumper of the red promo and the craftsman kit sure looks to be from the same molds. I have attached a pic of the front of the craftsman so you can see the part lines.

In the last picture of your review, you show the blue 62/63? issue craftsman kit. Do I remember correctly that it does not share any tooling with the 3-in-1 kit?

This is a simple question with a very complicated answer. My answer is too long but is still way over simplified. It is my understanding that AMT didn't end so much as it evolved until AMT/ERTL ended kit production (2007/2008). After that Round2 leased, then acquired the AMT tooling and rights in 2012 (along with many other brands noted already). I do not know if any former AMT designers work for Round2 but it is possible. When AMT was purchased by Lesney and then again by ERTL some of the design staff stayed with the company and even moved to Iowa (home of ERTL) from Michigan. Over the decades of operation scores of kit designers and tool makers came and went. As a kit seller the basic business model changed from making promotional models that could be re-purposed into model kits (50's to mid 70's) into complete kits from scratch of both contemporary and vintage kits. Lots of evolution. For example, you could argue the last true AMT kit was made in 63-64 which is when George Toteff left AMT (to found MPC). George was pioneer in high quality one piece model car bodies while he worked at AMT and is considered one of the founding fathers of the model kit hobby. It's a complicated answer.

Wow. My original issue 69 RR is also green. Bummer is that mine has paint flaking off. One of the interesting details of the original issue is the "PLYMOUTH" trim on the trunk above the Road Runner trim. The PLYMOUTH is incorrect (not on the 1:1 car), and later issues did not have it. Tim Boyd documented this detail in his wonderful Collecting Muscle Car Model Kits book.

This is a great build so far!! What did you use for the door cove decals?

I agree with Tim that is probably TT-1 green. My convertible is FF-1, and it is much more of a silver frost green than TT-1. The picture of the underside of my trunk is the original FF-1 paint.

I will try to set aside my personal wants for clone kits and discuss the ones mentioned on this post so far. * We know Round2 is watching the various groups and e-bay to gauge sales demand. I know almost every vintage kit has a group of people that are very passionate about it, I am talking widespread demand (almost everybody wants one). * We also know Round2 is generally conservative with the cost of their tooling (craftsman kits and/or simplified chassis). Since we are talking about cloning, I will look at the least complicated original kit/promo design. Also note Round2 has stated they PERFER their clone kits to be all new (not a few parts from this kit and a few parts from that kit plus some new tooling) so I am assuming new clone kits will be from scratch (I know there are exceptions). Let's look at the demand and cost of the projects: Demand Cost Charger III Medium Medium 70 Cougar Medium Medium 66 Skylark High Low 71 Cyclone High Medium (stock only) 66 Barracuda Medium Low Based on this quick review I would say the 66 Skylark would be the best bet of this group. You can argue with my demand and cost ranking, but I suspect Round2 uses a process similar to this (albeit more detailed) when choosing projects.

Thanks Jim! I took her to prom in the 80's (yes, we were all idiots and sat on the car). The green top is original and was one year only. She is currently getting some poorly repaired accident damage repaired. I hope to have her done by 2025.

When the B-body lineup was updated in 1968 the 2drs and 4drs got all new exterior styling with a lowered windshield and new side and rear glass. The lower volume convertible and wagon bodies got the new exterior styling but retained their 66-67 B-body glass and roof design along with all of the convertible and wagon unique interior pieces. If you think about the 66-67 B-Bodies they were a quite square edged design. This picture below is my 68 Coronet convertible (in-process restoration), and you can see how squared off the side glass is compared to a hard hop.

She sent digital images to Wal-Mart, and they printed/bound the calendar.

My wife makes me a Box Art calendar every year. This is the 2024 edition. She knows my tastes pretty well

Strange thought. If you shorten the chassis 5/32" it should fit nicely under the newly released 70 Mach Won body.

Those old Monogram deep and deeper slot mags are always the right choice! Looking great so far!

Other than the Chassis it looks like you have a nice clean rebuilder there. You are lucky those rear wheel openings look stock, they often get hacked. Is your plan bone stock or some level of custom/hot rod?

Found some very cool survivor builds from the mid 60's. Two of the builds are custom built AWB cars. The 67 Charger is the MPC Color Me Gone.

Original Issue MPC 69 Charger built with the custom tail panel and the C pilar fillers like the rendering.

Mark, You are correct!! I have never noticed it before (it took a magnifying glass to read it ).

I have a 61 Sunliner from 67. Got it from the original builder.

A few of the kits were re-issued as different body styles: The 59 Buick HT (mine is a convertible), the 63 Impala HT (mine is a convertible), the 61 Ford Victoria HT (mine is a Starliner) and the 63 Galaxie HT (mine is a convertible).

I vote 67 Galaxie

I had a 67 500 2drHT years ago. I actually prefer the 500 side trim and grille over the R/T.

I have seen the same thing. The JoHan and Monogram "Classics" kits just don't have any demand.

This is a collection I recently pulled from a local attic. 25 annuals, 2 Monogram dragsters and a craftsman Jr. Of the annuals only the 62 Fury was ever re-issued. To echo what Steven Guthmiller has been saying, more often than not annuals were one and done kits.