AMT car screws

[Rkozare]

when did AMT gut rid of the four screws in their model cars? I used to like them in my younger days.

[pharoah]

My guess is somewhere around 1965-66.

[disabled modeler]

Some still had them in the 1969 annuals...I love those kind of kits too.

[southpier]

and i still have the scars to prove it

[Mark]

I'm pretty sure the '71 Thunderbird annual kit still had them, as did the '70 Galaxie police car which was still available in '72 if I remember right. They did start phasing them out in the late Sixties though, in reissued annual kits like the '65 Chevelle wagon, '65 El Camino, and others.

[gtx6970]

I was thinking late 60s to early 70s.????

I know for sure MPC and Johan both still used them on the 1970 models.

[pharoah]

I guess I didn't build enough AMT kits in the late 60's.

[gtx6970]

ps, just ckd an MPC 1972 Charger and it has the screws in the rear only

I think the newest AMT kit I have on hand is about 1962 or 63 ( and they all have them )

[1972coronet]

I have an MPC promo of a 1975 Dart Sport , and it has screw-retainers at both ends . Heck , even the MPC 1974 Barracuda promo-come-kit (last available around 2004 or so) has screws !

I'm thinking that the type of screw changed in c.1966 ; a finer-thread versus a very coarse thread in earlier kits (at least Revell and , perhaps , Jo-Han) .

[Bob Ellis]

AMT

1964 is really the last year of all kits having 4 chassis screws ( If you forget about 1970/1 Torino/TBird/Chevelle/Wildcat/LTD)

In 1965 a lot went to 2 rear screws like the GTO, Mustangs and Impalas

In 1966 some used plastic pins, either the big Mercury or big Buick.

In 1967 the Corvair and Impala had no screws

The 1968 Torino had 2 front screws

I don't remember any of the 1969s having screws

MPC

Used rear screws up to 1972 on some kits

[charlie8575]

The screws I've pulled out are a strange design- knurled instead of threaded. Worked better with plastic? I've wondered because I haven't the foggiest where to get those and I don't want to put old, rusty screws but into my rebuilt glue bombs I invest a lot of time cleaning up.

Anyone know a good screw size that works well?

Charlie Larkin

[gtx6970]

I have an MPC promo of a 1975 Dart Sport , and it has screw-retainers at both ends . Heck , even the MPC 1974 Barracuda promo-come-kit (last available around 2004 or so) has screws !

I'm thinking that the type of screw changed in c.1966 ; a finer-thread versus a very coarse thread in earlier kits (at least Revell and , perhaps , Jo-Han) .

pretty sure all actual dealership promotionals used screws up till I think the early 80s . The over the counter repops of recent years I've seen screws or plastic nails

[disabled modeler]

The screws I've pulled out are a strange design- knurled instead of threaded. Worked better with plastic? I've wondered because I haven't the foggiest where to get those and I don't want to put old, rusty screws but into my rebuilt glue bombs I invest a lot of time cleaning up.

Anyone know a good screw size that works well?

Charlie Larkin

Charlie....Id be happy to have even rusted ones...always seems they are missing them.

[Edsel-Dan]

My 72 Annual Chevy Cheyenne had 2 through the chassis to the

Radiator wall, but the Jeep Commando did not have any!!

My guess, it that there was NO promo of the Commando, so

it did not have them, it had a More detailed chassis, etc.

The Pickup was still offed as a Promo through the 72 Model Year

so,I believe that is why the screws were left in use.

I believe the AMT Countdown series were the first re-issues I bought

with Pins used instead of Screws.

Jo-Han had Pins when I first started getting them. (USA Oldies)

Except for the Police Pursuit 68 Fury, 66 Cadillac Ambulance/Hearse kit

and Chrysler Turbine Full detail glue kit They Never had Screws.

They Original Annual 68 Furys Might have, but the 4dr Sedan Never did.

I have a few Original issues, so I can check that.

Same for thr Ambulance/Hearse.

The Biggest changes those saw was the replacement of the 1/16 inch Wire rod axles

with 1/8 inch plastic ones, and the Clear red (& Blue on Police Fury) went from

Painted/Tinted clear parts, to Molded In color.

I found the red to strip much easier than the blue

I believe that the "Drive" Screws were Custom made for AMT, MPC & Jo-Han

and that who ever did so is no longer arround.

That is why Standard Sheet-metal type screws are used now

(71 Thunderbird, 70 Ford Police, 70 Pontiac Bonneville Convert, etc)

I believe #4 is the size Wood or Sheet-Metal to get at the local Hardware store.

That is what I have used anyway.

[Chuck Most]

The SnapFast and SnapFast Plus kits never stopped using them, though sometimes they only used a pair of screws on one end and a tab/slot arrangement on the other.