AMT Annual kits

[Harry Joy]

This probably seems obvious to folks who've been building cars for a long time, but I am somewhat confused over what constitutes an AMT "Annual" kit. I've searched the net with little luck, as everywhere I see it mentioned everyone assumes you know what they are. I have gathered that they are older AMT kits, often the "3-in-1" kits, but what else defines them?

I ask this after having finished three AMTs in a row (just paint left on the third), and the last two were pretty primitive compared to the first. I suspect that I'll be mainly building AMT for a while, since they seem to have catered to the GM/Chrysler 60s/70s cars I prefer. It would help to know what is meant by "Annual".

[THarrison351]

Annuals were model cars produced for the same year (hence annual). 50's and sixties were mainly AMT and Johan. Molds were updated or all new with input from domestic manufactures. Most of the kits were like the promos offered by auto manufacturers. Some even shared parts with the 3-n-1s.

[High octane]

Harry, back in the late 50's and also in the 60's, model companies such as AMT, SMP, and JoHan offered "annual" kits such as a '58 Chevy, then the '59 Chevy, then the 'Chevy, or Ford, Pontiac, Buick, etc. Just like a real car (1:1) dealership. your local hobby shop offered a new Ford for that year and the new model in the next year to follow. A boys dad could buy a brand new Buick at the dealership every year, and the kid could do the same thing at his local hobby shop. Later on in the mid-60's (?) MPC also jumped on the 'annual" bandwagon and produced some brands of cars in model kit form every year as well. I hope this helps and answers your question.

[Harry Joy]

OK, makes more sense. So how do you know if a kit you have is or isn't an annual?

[Snake45]

OK, makes more sense. So how do you know if a kit you have is or isn't an annual?

Well, you could just ask here.

The old annuals, in general, aren't as detailed as kits from the '80s up. Many/most will have simplified, one-piece chassis with wire axles. (Some will have more detail, but not as much as current kits.) Most of the old annuals will still have custom or racing parts, where newer kits are usually just one-version builds.

Some of the old annuals actually have more accurately shaped bodies than "new" kits, however, which is why so many of us still prefer them to the new stuff.

[Harry Joy]

Thanks man. So my own nose will tell me what I have then. Again, makes sense. Of the three AMT kits I've done in the last few months, there was a definite difference between kits. The first was the 1966 Olds, then the 1969 Riviera, and I am about to complete a 1972 Pontiac GTO (as soon as I have a dry couple of days). The Riviera and the GTO are very much alike, and the Olds is more modern. But even the Riviera and the GTO seem to be from slightly different eras.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Basically, if the kit was produced the same year as the real car, it's an annual.

One of the easiest ways to tell is by the box.

AMT, SMP & Johan used generic boxes for almost all of their kits from the late 50s through the early 60s regardless of make or model.

The contents were identified by a stamp or label on the boxes end panel.

Individual artwork came along in the mid 60s for the most part.

Johan had what was called a "flat box" which came along about 1963 & went all the way through to the late 60s.

If you have anything you're questioning, just post a photo of the box on the forum & it will be simple for many of the members here to tell you whether it's an original "annual" or a re-pop.

The '66 Olds you spoke of I'm guessing was a Johan Toronado? There was never a full sized '66 Olds kit produced & the 442 came later.

The Toronado would have come in a "flat box". Plus, as far as I know, it was never re-issued, so it would be an annual.

The '69 Riv was re-popped many times, so unless it came in a box that looked a lot like this, it's not a true annual.

 

 

The '72 GTO would have been an MPC kit.

I'm not 100% sure on that one.

 

Steve

[High octane]

Here's a couple photos of some annual kit boxes Harry.....................................

[Harry Joy]

Thanks guys.

The 1966 Olds 442 is a much more modern kit, not one of the annuals. The info everyone has given has helped enormously!

I have not seen anything resembling an original box, and mostly have been curious about the term itself and what it applies to and reissues are likely the only thing I'll ever come across. Collectibility is not something that interests me - just knowing what I am looking at with some of these re-pops. The GTO instructions have a RC2 brand from 2006 in the fine print, but the kit seems somewhat antique, and filled with flash and molding issues. I have enjoyed the heck out of building it, but have wondered throughout the build how I can know what is inside a box before I buy it. Looks like Snake is right in that there may be no way to know, without asking one of you.

It all may be meaningless in the long run, as these are the cars I like, so I should just keep buying them. I guess one other question would be if some cars were molded multiple times by AMT. Are there cases where the same car was molded twice? Seems sort of far-fetched considering the difficulties AMT has had since the 70s.

[BIGTRUCK]

the 72 GTO

[StevenGuthmiller]

I'm not really sure about the MPC kits, but that looks to be likely an original issue of the '72 GTO, ie. an annual.

If not, it's an early issue.

I know this kit has been re-issued several times.

 

Steve

[Snake45]

 I guess one other question would be if some cars were molded multiple times by AMT. Are there cases where the same car was molded twice? Seems sort of far-fetched considering the difficulties AMT has had since the 70s.

There are at least a few cases of this. '66 Ford Fairlane and '67 Comet Cyclone come to mind--'70 and '72 Corvette, too. Oh, they also did two completely different '57 Chevies.

Thought of a couple more--'66 Riviera, '67 Impala, and '67 Mustang fastback.

Edited October 26, 2015 by Snake45

[gtx6970]

As a general rule annuals will have the model year its supposed to represent is molded into the bumpers.

Obviously , there are exceptions. As an example AMT re-issued some of these annuals after the original issue date,,. Called craftsman kits/versions. In most cases they are the same kit with maybe very very minor changes

[Harry Joy]

Hm. I haven't seen years molded on bumpers.

[disabled modeler]

Hm. I haven't seen years molded on bumpers.

Harry...some of the GTOs,etc. had rubber/urethane type painted bumpers than matched the body colors...box art is just probably making it hard to tell or just not accurate looking for the car.  I love the old Craftsman kits...! 

[gtx6970]

Hm. I haven't seen years molded on bumpers.

?

 

[High octane]

As a general rule annuals will have the model year its supposed to represent is molded into the bumpers.

Obviously , there are exceptions. As an example AMT re-issued some of these annuals after the original issue date,,. Called craftsman kits/versions. In most cases they are the same kit with maybe very very minor changes

The year is not molded into the bumpers, but rather in the license plate area both front and rear.

[gtx6970]

1958 Bonneville annual kit - 1958 molded in the license plate areas - aka the bumpers

 

1968 Coronet annual kit - 1968 molded in the license plate areas - aka the bumpers

[Art Anderson]

Thanks man. So my own nose will tell me what I have then. Again, makes sense. Of the three AMT kits I've done in the last few months, there was a definite difference between kits. The first was the 1966 Olds, then the 1969 Riviera, and I am about to complete a 1972 Pontiac GTO (as soon as I have a dry couple of days). The Riviera and the GTO are very much alike, and the Olds is more modern. But even the Riviera and the GTO seem to be from slightly different eras.

Harry, your question is a difficult one to answer easily, as the so-called "Annual" kits came from three different manufacturers:  SMP 1958-61, AMT 1958 to at least 1976, and MPC 1965-1985-86,  Each model company had it's own set of kit characteristics (as you might imagine) even though SMP and AMT were closely related, AMT finallly absorbing the tooling done by/for SMP by about 1961 or so.  MPC had some relationship early on with AMT Corporation, a few of their earliest model car kits having actually run and marketed by AMT as AMT kits (their '65 Dodge Coronet 500 being one example of this.  JoHan also at least let AMT Corporation package a few of their kits under AMT's label, which likely was done given AMT's vastly greater market penetration back then.

Some common characteristics of "Annual Series" model car kits:  The "so-called" (by most of us) Annual Series model car kits were almost always produced as "3in1 Customizing Kits, regardless of the brand name:  Parts for the stock version, plus an assortment of racing parts (roll bars, seat belts, open steel wheels (early on, those were in addition of chromed wheel covers molded as part of the stock wheels, later on, separate stock wheel covers to be glued to those open steelies), perhaps a few racing goodies for the engine, and race car decals on the decal sheet(, and  "customizing parts" (stuff such as custom front and rear ends, often designed by the professional customizers of the era when the model kit was first issued, some custom interior goodies, some cars had "lakes pipes", almost always some custom wheel treatments, custom fender skirts, continental spare tire units, swept-back antenna's, accessory spotlights, lowering blocks for hammering the car down low (you could even make 'taildraggers" or give your model car a "California Rake", and custom paint treatment graphics decals). For most of the years of Annual Series model car kits, chassis were assembled into the body shells by means of 2 or 4 steeply threaded self-tapping screws that you threaded into molded, hollow posts, two at the front, two at the rear--exactly the same way that promo's were assembled in model companies' factories.

Originally, the Annual Series Customizing model kits had no opening hoods, no engines in the engine bay either.  AMT & JoHan both did that, as their Annual kits were little more than the promotional model, but with added parts for building any one of three versions as noted above.  However, beginning in 1960, AMT added engine detail and opening hoods to their Thunderbird & Corvette kits, extending that feature across all their Annual series kits by 1962, with the exception of Corvairs--even though they were still largely promo-based.

Given that the Annual model car kits were almost always based on the tooling for dealer promotional models, the companies did engrave the year of the car on the license plates, which could be molded onto the plated bumpers or molded as part of the body shell, depending on where the automaker(s) placed the license plates on the real car.  As promo's were created to meet the demands of automakers, if the particular automobile manufacturer decided to forego a "next year's model" promotional, the model company who'd done that car (or pickup truck) might still produce the model for a year or more.  AMT did that with their 1963 Ford F100 Annual Kit, in 1964 : As there was to be no 1964 promo of that truck, AMT's people simply smoothed out the license plate detail, thus eliminating the "year", molded more of them, sold them as a "New Ford Pickup"!

Back then (the 1960's), the market for 1/25 scale 3in1 model kits was HOT.  Model kits of this year's new cars were eagerly anticipated, but with only a few exceptions, there was almost no market for "last year's model".  However, AMT did reissue some older promotional models as simple screwdriver assembly models for younger hands, a notable kit series having been the AMT "Craftsman Jr." Series--and in that series, there were at least a couple of subjects that had been done as promo's, but never as a glue-together 3in1 kit (the Craftsman Jr. 1960 Chevrolet Impala Nomad station wagon comes to mind here).  But, as a general rule, back then, once the promotional model and 3in1 Annual Series kit production runs were finished for a particular year, the tooling was set aside, some apparently scrapped or allowed to deteriorate (rust damage).  In the 1980's, though, AMT/Ertl did bring back a few of those old annuals, often no longer having custom or racing parts, just as the stock versions--still assembled in pretty much the same way, with the exception of having raised "nubs" on the upper (inside) surfaces of the chassis plates, where the screw holes had been, for simply gluing the chassis into place (after all, we kids and teenagers from teh 1960's had grown up by 1987!).  That reissuing of older 60's and 70's annual series kits was also done by JoHan, who also reissued a number of 50's and 60's promotional models from old, existing tooling, under their X-EL brand, and a series of reissued screw-driver kits of 60's-late 70's promo-based kits (with no customizing options) as "USA Oldies".  But along the way, Monogram (now Revell) and AMT/Ertl tooled up some new kits of 60's and 70's cars, but as completely modern, more "state of today's art" kits, with little or nothing in the way of optional parts in the kit boxes.  That can add to confusion, of course.

Art

[FordRodnKustom]

Harry, your question is a difficult one to answer easily, as the so-called "Annual" kits came from three different manufacturers:  SMP 1958-61, AMT 1958 to at least 1976, and MPC 1965-1985-86,  Each model company had it's own set of kit characteristics (as you might imagine) even though SMP and AMT were closely related, AMT finallly absorbing the tooling done by/for SMP by about 1961 or so.  MPC had some relationship early on with AMT Corporation, a few of their earliest model car kits having actually run and marketed by AMT as AMT kits (their '65 Dodge Coronet 500 being one example of this.  JoHan also at least let AMT Corporation package a few of their kits under AMT's label, which likely was done given AMT's vastly greater market penetration back then.

Some common characteristics of "Annual Series" model car kits:  The "so-called" (by most of us) Annual Series model car kits were almost always produced as "3in1 Customizing Kits, regardless of the brand name:  Parts for the stock version, plus an assortment of racing parts (roll bars, seat belts, open steel wheels (early on, those were in addition of chromed wheel covers molded as part of the stock wheels, later on, separate stock wheel covers to be glued to those open steelies), perhaps a few racing goodies for the engine, and race car decals on the decal sheet(, and  "customizing parts" (stuff such as custom front and rear ends, often designed by the professional customizers of the era when the model kit was first issued, some custom interior goodies, some cars had "lakes pipes", almost always some custom wheel treatments, custom fender skirts, continental spare tire units, swept-back antenna's, accessory spotlights, lowering blocks for hammering the car down low (you could even make 'taildraggers" or give your model car a "California Rake", and custom paint treatment graphics decals). For most of the years of Annual Series model car kits, chassis were assembled into the body shells by means of 2 or 4 steeply threaded self-tapping screws that you threaded into molded, hollow posts, two at the front, two at the rear--exactly the same way that promo's were assembled in model companies' factories.

Originally, the Annual Series Customizing model kits had no opening hoods, no engines in the engine bay either.  AMT & JoHan both did that, as their Annual kits were little more than the promotional model, but with added parts for building any one of three versions as noted above.  However, beginning in 1960, AMT added engine detail and opening hoods to their Thunderbird & Corvette kits, extending that feature across all their Annual series kits by 1962, with the exception of Corvairs--even though they were still largely promo-based.

Given that the Annual model car kits were almost always based on the tooling for dealer promotional models, the companies did engrave the year of the car on the license plates, which could be molded onto the plated bumpers or molded as part of the body shell, depending on where the automaker(s) placed the license plates on the real car.  As promo's were created to meet the demands of automakers, if the particular automobile manufacturer decided to forego a "next year's model" promotional, the model company who'd done that car (or pickup truck) might still produce the model for a year or more.  AMT did that with their 1963 Ford F100 Annual Kit, in 1964 : As there was to be no 1964 promo of that truck, AMT's people simply smoothed out the license plate detail, thus eliminating the "year", molded more of them, sold them as a "New Ford Pickup"!

Back then (the 1960's), the market for 1/25 scale 3in1 model kits was HOT.  Model kits of this year's new cars were eagerly anticipated, but with only a few exceptions, there was almost no market for "last year's model".  However, AMT did reissue some older promotional models as simple screwdriver assembly models for younger hands, a notable kit series having been the AMT "Craftsman Jr." Series--and in that series, there were at least a couple of subjects that had been done as promo's, but never as a glue-together 3in1 kit (the Craftsman Jr. 1960 Chevrolet Impala Nomad station wagon comes to mind here).  But, as a general rule, back then, once the promotional model and 3in1 Annual Series kit production runs were finished for a particular year, the tooling was set aside, some apparently scrapped or allowed to deteriorate (rust damage).  In the 1980's, though, AMT/Ertl did bring back a few of those old annuals, often no longer having custom or racing parts, just as the stock versions--still assembled in pretty much the same way, with the exception of having raised "nubs" on the upper (inside) surfaces of the chassis plates, where the screw holes had been, for simply gluing the chassis into place (after all, we kids and teenagers from teh 1960's had grown up by 1987!).  That reissuing of older 60's and 70's annual series kits was also done by JoHan, who also reissued a number of 50's and 60's promotional models from old, existing tooling, under their X-EL brand, and a series of reissued screw-driver kits of 60's-late 70's promo-based kits (with no customizing options) as "USA Oldies".  But along the way, Monogram (now Revell) and AMT/Ertl tooled up some new kits of 60's and 70's cars, but as completely modern, more "state of today's art" kits, with little or nothing in the way of optional parts in the kit boxes.  That can add to confusion, of course.

Art

 

Very good synopsis. Thanks for sorting  that out. This all makes me wonder where do the "frictions" fit in all of this?

Edited October 26, 2015 by FordRodnKustom

[Edsel-Dan]

Actaully, The Stockj Hubcap became the outer rim later,

Look at Original 58-60 annuals, and see that the Hubcap is a

Separate piece added to the Open Steelie outer.

I have Original's of the 59 & 60 Impala & 60 El Camino to prove this

Plus, Look at the Model King 59 Imperial!!!!

I also have that one

 

Craftsman re-issues, (Even in Other series, ie 59 Buick in Desert Race/rally Series Boondock Bomber)

had One-piece Promo Stock hubcaps with the axle boss.

Tires in those kits were also Promo tires with only the front Open for the rim/hubcap

This was also true on 58, 59 and 60 Annuals

 

In actuality, Annual meant Kits Updated every year just like the actual cars.

This happened through the early 90's!!

And Most later had Fewer optional parts

MPC's, Later AMT's 88-96 Chevy Pickups are an Great example here!!

I do have a few of these, and since they did come out Annually, consider then as such!

Their 80-81 Bronco's did not have Much in the way of Options at all

Same with this one

 

I believe the First True Annuals were only offered 2 years.

The Revel/AMT 1.32 series kits first offered as 55's

The re-issued as 56's with updates.

Revell offered the 56's in TWO box art.

With the Combination AMT/Revell label, and later with just their own Revell label.

Some were re-issued in 59 or so As Customs.

All but 2 have been re-issued in their SSP series of Limited run kits.

that series included the Ford Sunliner Convertible, Cadillac DeVille convertible,

Chrysler Newport/New Yorker hardtop, Mercury Montcalm/Monerey? Pheaton 4dr hardtop,

Buick Roadmaster/Century hardtop, and Lincoln Continental Mark2.

The Mercury & Buick have NOT been re-issued sine they were Customized.

Surprisingly, Though the Ford Was customized after the 56, It was returned to Stock before being re-issued

while the Chrysler was left Customized!!

Maybe the stock parts were left intact on the Ford tooling, while Not on the Chrysler??

 

The 32 & 40 Fords were added to the AMT kit line up in 1960,, but these we do not

consider Annuals, as they were Not current vehicles (They were 20 & 28 years old then)

Also, the 1962 Tooling on the 57 Chevy, 57 & 56 Fords, are not Annuals,

 

 

[Harry Joy]

1958 Bonneville annual kit - 1958 molded in the license plate areas - aka the bumpers

 

Ah! Got it now. I was reading things a little too literally. I pulled out one of the old boxes I have, of the 1964 Mercury Marauder, and it is molded just like that.

 

Thank you very much, Art Anderson. Most educational post. Read it once already, about to read it again to stick it in the memory banks more thoroughly! Edsel-Dan, that will go into the same flawed cranium!

Edited October 27, 2015 by Harry Joy

[Harry Joy]

In the 1980's, though, AMT/Ertl did bring back a few of those old annuals, often no longer having custom or racing parts, just as the stock versions--still assembled in pretty much the same way, with the exception of having raised "nubs" on the upper (inside) surfaces of the chassis plates, where the screw holes had been, for simply gluing the chassis into place (after all, we kids and teenagers from teh 1960's had grown up by 1987!).  T

Thanks again, as I said above. Gotta say, on both the Riviera and the GTO I've got on the bench now, those "nubs" are driving me nuts. I hate using filler unless I absolutely have too. On the Riviera, I sanded out the trunk to remove the sink marks, and thought I did an adequate job of it. Until I put a metallic finish on the model. I gave in and puttied the trunk on the GTO. Looks like I beat the sink marks on this one.

[Bob Ellis]

Up until 1966 or so, AMT kits were annuals (for that year only after running the promos) and Trophy Series kit (new or first time tools for a car). The Craftsman were regurgitated promos. For instance in 1964, there was a new tool 1958 Impala, but the original annual 1958 Impala never was issued again. In 1967 a few annuals became Trophy series kits. Confused yet?

The massive reissuing of annuals began in 1969 when AMT brought back the 64 Impala and Galaxie, 65 Galaxie, 65 Riviera, 65 Olds 88, 65 Lincoln, 65 GTO and more. These reissues, because of the box art, are usually more valuable than the annual original.

Some of the annuals have been reissued to death. Very few kept the date on the bumper though and many parts on the trees disappeared because AMT wanted to save money..

[Edsel-Dan]

Yes, a good number of Annuals have been re-issued, The 64 Marauder being the latest to get that treatment

During the Presteige series several Annuals came back, Some for the First time ever!

63 Galaxie & Impala, I believe as well as 63 Vette Convertible .

During the same time they had the Customizing Series with First time re-issues of the 66 Wildcat

I bought re-issues of the 64 Impala and 65 Riviera in the mid 70's

in the 'Street Rods" series

I got the 63 Split-Window Vette later in the Same series

I have a Re-issue of the 61 Ford Sunliner Convertible in Trophy Series box.

It has Only a Drawing pf the car on the top of the box, all call outs are on the ends and sides

Besides the box art, I think Only the decal sheet is different

When was this one re-issued??

 

Of the Annuals, I believe the 64 Impala has been re-issued the Most.

Since the Customizing series, Buyer's Choice, etc, the 65 Wildcat & 64 Mercury Marauder have

been re-issued 3-4 times each.

 

It is easy to tell an Original kit from a Modern re-tooling.

Look at the AMT 62 Bel Air & Impala SS Convertible 

Modern, The Annual would be Much like the 63 & 64 kits.