regular guy

' Are there any of the Styline parts ' Got to the bottom of it. 3 different grills.Some rear pans and taillights. No custom hood or quad headlights. Not a 'all the parts ever made' version obviously.

' Are there any of the Styline parts ' This current version I don't know. AMT Classics 3 complete kits box shows custom hood and quad headlights. Sure look like Styline parts. You probably just get that and not all the Styline parts.

' scratchbuild a functioning steering gearbox? ' I wouldn't do that! Think an old axle shaft bent at the end is going far enough. Actually 'posable' wheels is going far enough. Probably half the people just glue them straight. Then you can play 'Crash off the cliff' when you're done building it!

' MPC '60 Corvette kit' That kit has lots of parts but they are all small block. The '63 Corvette roadster kit has the 427. Good idea to look at that and figure out how to put it in '57 or '60. Probably just cut the wheelwells and stick it in there. I don't remember seeing too many big block conversions. But I'm up for it.

' chrome plated seats ' If you mean the ones from new parts pack, I think that is a step in the right direction from AMT. Put some flashiness into these kits. Yes you can overdue it.A little too much purple thick carpet or a paint job with too much going on. Then it looks like a circus wagon. I don't go for the 'revisionist' look of some of the builds.The 'subdued timeless clssic' look. Period correct builds do have some 'uncool' features like wide whitewall tires but the are correct.

' MPC produced but AMT boxed 28 A Sedan as well ' I went searching for AMT Ford sedans.Gave me a headache. Best solution for Sedan fix. Get a '32 Phaeton Ebay.Get a Flintstone '32 Sedan Body. Flintstone may have '28 or '29 Sedan body but at this point I had enough of looking. '32 will be fine with me.

Pretty wide ranging comment there. Buick Oldsmobile Pontiac AMT are not bad but not great true. Mopars.You need to get Yankee Challenger to get a 70 E Body. Superbird is out there.Coke bottle B body something.Okay selection. Anyhow.AMT is strong with the vintage Fords.They are nostalgic. They are probably in process of reworking '32 Ford roadster they 'recovered' by grabbing Lindberg.

Okay.The Corvette checks out good.Autoworld site says '6in1' and lists a whole bunch of parts. So.What other AMT kits have 'added' features? More than steerable front wheels and up to 6in1 or 7in1. The '57 and '62 T birds might be likely kits for that. AMT seemed big on Fords.

Okay.Looks like there were a couple of them. Is there a next level of 'better kit' not including the custom parts? The MPC 60 Corvette looks like the top dog of 'better' kits.7 in 1 as Model Roundup says it. That kit is out right now. Does it really include all the parts of best release? Hard to tell from description on Hobbylinc.I will look at Autoworld page for it

' clearance at HL' Well you probably won't be getting your spares from Hobbylinc. These are leftover kits from a year ago and they are playing hardball and keeping price at $25. Anybody know of other classic AMT kits with 'special features' like steerable wheels? A couple have extra engine with engine stand. ! ' '58 Fairlane/Custom 300 HT. If there is an annual out there it ain't gonna be cheap! The XR6 i would go over $20 for.Anything else.Forget it!

Done.Clay has been ordered.Pheww! Finally! It's Van Aken Plastilina Grey Green.If you want to be deluxe about it you can get one of the Chavant clays. That cleared my mind for the time being. All we are doing is making a radiator shell and a passenger compartment w/small trunk. Like Track T roadster but with a Road Racing theme.

Let me point out that this '57 is a different generation than the '56. Here's Wikipedia explaining just some of how that works. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Fairlane_(Americas) Add to that Ford had a blizzard of different models and sub models within those that it's a chore figuring them out. Then look at the next generation 59-60. So you can pick which one to build.These two the 56 and 57 or 60 Starliner that is out now. AMT pretty much covered each generation of Ford full size through the 50's and 60''s.

AMT put some extra effort into this kit whenever they came up with it. Two good features about it. On top of opening hood and doors it has steerable wheels.Not too many AMT kits have that. The custom parts include headlight buckets and hood that are like Advanced Customizing parts. Plus on side of box it has those color drawings with text describing features. So all in all a pretty good issue.

The real deal is yours truly needs to crack down and get that clay! Plus start drawing! Still struggling with two options: Full body 'Panels' Just build the frame to function and cover it up in a couple of places with fiberglass formed panels. A radiator shell.A passenger compartment w/cowl.A trunk/rear deck. Could just lay out both.Then look at them and decide. That is sort of the reason to build in scale first.

Here's a post with a lot of info about T frames.

Back to the frames. Took a look at frame from Lindberg Bucket T Pickup kit. It's a racing frame.It's flat.Rearend mounts solid ON TOP of frame.That's dragster. It has 'settings' on frame so you can build it with and without snout mounted blower. Also blower points towards early dragster. It was a big adventure putting a blower on in those days.Late 50's. Like Garlits with the first couple of his cars.

Yep! Looks like she was living in the valley. Because down the hill looks flat and residential. Hollywood hills would be not so flat and some taller buildings in the background. Looks like around her Frankie and Annette beach movie era. Think there is more info on the car over on Kustomorama. One of the big customizers did the work on the car. Very smart buy.Not the usual just buy a luxury car move. She may have raised in LA area.A local product. A local we say.

Thanks Casey There's an idea.AMT should use that box art on reissues. If AMT is using the 'Ebay rule' to see what demand is.It may be awhile.I think there are tons of them for sale. A brand new reissue might be a different story though. Here's a picture of a '57.Funny car pictures are nice but who could say to Annette?

If you want to build something different in altered.Build '55-57 T bird. Today somebody would say 'Don't do that to a classic T Bird' . In the 60's they were just used cars. They look pretty strange sitting up high but that would be period correct!

Thanks Ace Don't think I will trash Double Dragster kit just for simple flat frame. Little change of pace here. Ad from 60's of Altered's.Kits were very popular.I like the roofless one.They were banned I think from drag strips after awhile.

Thanks Greg I have the other Parts Pack box.The one with engines and a body. Really looking for the Competition Frame from the Revell parts pack. It's so simple I can just build it out of some kind of tubing. It's a 'flat' frame.No kick up in the rear.

' The part packs allowed you to create your own kit ' That's the idea.There is a slight problem but I think there's a solution. Don't seem to be any Tubular Roadster Chassis's around. Can make them out of chrome sprues and touch up with Model Master chrome paint.

Scratch build complete cars! There we go! That's the way to build something different! Read the ad where it says 'It's not a kit of course'. I have been wondering about that. That's a forgotten trick from the early 60's.So that's what those parts packs are for!

AMT Engine selection. The most interesting engines they have are the early Hemi and Ford 427 'Cammer'. They need to wangle some Cadillac or Oldsmobile engines. Can't put a Cammer in a period correct 50's early 60's build. Yeah.I know advanced builders can take a Revell Caddy or Olds engine and put it in AMT Ford kit.

Greg That's it.Looks like you picture yourself 'behind the wheel' of a shoebox Chevy! Here's an ad that is pretty cool. A little tip for AMT. Maybe use the drawing of a model format with your major web page for kit.