Ace-Garageguy

Modular 2 and 4 cam engines (in Mustang kits) and the later "Coyote" engine are EFI (though I don't know which kits have which engines yet).The AMT Phantom Vickie has a nice modular 4-cam EFI engine too.

Yes, and therein lies more of the problem, and I should have elaborated. Which kit came first...5-window or sedan? If it was the 5W to be tooled first, what happened? If I recall correctly, the only difference in 1:1 '33 and '34 front passenger car fenders is how they're shaped to fit the grille-shells. Since AMT realized the frame tooling could be used for both cars, I never understood why, to get the '33 version of the sedan, they just didn't modify the pretty good '34 fenders to fit the '33 grille-shell, and copy the shape of the 5W cowl exactly. Modify the rear fenders slightly to fit the Tudor sedan body, if required. Same thing to get the '34 version of the sedan, but of course, use the 5W front fenders, grille, cowl shape and hood, and simply modify the rear fenders if required. On the other hand, if the '33 sedan came first, the '34 5W is a vast improvement. Which way did it happen??

Actually, none. The engine represented in the kit doesn't exist in reality. It's a liberally interpreted, much scaled-down version of an old aircraft engine.

I agree. I find the illustrations to be a lot more appealing than the photos. I mean...I REALLY WANT TO BUILD THIS...

Did the AMT '55 have poseable steering? I know the AMT '55 Nomad did (but it has a different fuel tank, etc.).

It seems that quite often, having a great big head goes along with having a tiny, tiny brain.

To elaborate on this a little...many of us get outstanding results using Duplicolor or PlastiKote primers made for real-car use, available at auto-parts stores. These primers come in a range of colors, typically gray, red, black and white. They also come in two 'thicknesses'. There's "high-build" (also called "scratch filling") primer that's ideal over heavy bodywork, and there's "sandable" primer (from both companies) that goes on much thinner and doesn't obscure fine details like the "high-build" products can. These primers can be 'hotter" than those made for models, and sometimes may craze the surface of the plastic you're working with, so testing on a non-visible part (or sprue) of EACH model you're working on is a good idea BEFORE you commit to using anything on a particular kit. This is the Duplicolor "high-build" gray over lots of heavy bodywork.

Looks like heaven to me...

http://www.round2models.com/models/amt/32-ford-victoria http://www.round2models.com/models/amt/ford-coupe Links to the Round2 site, proclaiming "newly tooled" parts. I believe'em, because there are differences between the originals in my collection and the new ones. Reworking the existing '34 5-window body shell into a good 3-window shouldn't be that difficult, really...assuming all the data for the 5-window exists in CAD form still.

If you look at Harry's content and read his current build-thread, you'll see he's been having some eye problems lately.

What about the recently re-issued AMT (Round2) '36 Ford (late 2013, I believe) and the '32 Vicky (March 2015), with included parts from the early issues (that haven't been available for years) back-engineered and newly tooled? I believe there are others...

The front is kinda odd too...

Beautiful model to start with, beautiful work as always. To get it to actually function, as in 'stop the car', wouldn't you have to train a rat or other critter to depress the brake pedal? Anything about that in the instructions?

Then there's Duntov's SS XP-64...

Well, what's so bad about that, really, aside from the childish name-calling? If the info posted by people who've actually bought the Del Rio kit is any indication, apparently some "issues" with the test-shot pointed out by people very knowledgeable about '57 Fords have been corrected. That's a win for everyone in my book.

That's a good point, really. The AMT 5-window and sedan kits share a frame, and it's fine. Tooling a correct 3-window body to offer in new packaging, using the existing frame tooling, could work nicely. The odd thing about these two kits is that the hoods and grilles of both of them should interchange, just as they do on the real cars. But for some odd reason, the hoods, grilles and cowls are different. Tooling money could have been SAVED by getting the cowls right on both models, so the same tooling could have been used to produce both sets of hoods and grilles. AMT realized both kits could share the same frames and guts, but missed it on the hoods / grilles. I forget right off hand WHICH of the two kits has most accurate hood-grille-cowl, but they're both off (I've measured real cars to verify this).

No. It's a unique version of the 3-window with an un-chopped roof. It's a horrible kit actually, but the body shell from the cowl back isn't really too bad...workable, anyway. Throw the rest away. Worst frame and suspension imaginable. This is the above body, chopped, on the later AMT frame...which is quite good.

Yes indeed. I think it leaked in from some strange parallel universe.

Great looking work.

Good looking cars, both. I really like the wheels on the yellow one, have been looking for something similar. Are they from the kit?

If I actually counted, at this point I'd probably have to question my sanity. But hey...it's like having a scale junkyard where the parts never rust or deteriorate. With this much stuff, I ought to be able to build just about anything...if I ever get the time again.

It all depends on how you define "problem". Though I've never done this particular swap in 1:1 or on a model, I can tell you the engine bay is plenty big enough. You'll encounter what you always encounter doing engine swaps in real vehicles OR models...mounts may need to be moved or modified, coolant hoses relocated, the driveshaft may need lengthening or shortening, the exhausts will need re-routing, and the steering box may need to be slightly relocated. It's also possible the front crossmember or the oil pan may require some surgery. I personally don't consider these things to be "problems"...they're just what you do. The '56 Ford pickup is on the same frame, shares much structure, and it came with a factory-available Y-block V-8 (Revell's kit has one). Good indication the later 'Bird engine will fit as well. And because the '53 Ford truck kit came with a DeSoto engine swap option, it's a good bet your T-bird engine will go in pretty easily too. Best bet is to tack your engine together and mock it up in the truck. Instant answer.

Found these while looking for something else. Interesting ideas for the body in the AMT double dragster, possibly...

X2.

Saw a dead TVR Tasmin at a little shop close to where I live. Went in to find out the story on it, and basically, nobody there knows anything about it or what to do for parts, manuals, etc. I'll be doing some work on it over the weekend, as I used to work on that funky old stuff when it was new. I've never been a fan of the styling particularly, but the cars are light, nimble, and have an interesting tubular space-frame.