AMT '66 Mustang New Release

[Bob Ellis]

On 10/2/2019 at 11:50 PM, Casey said:

Just found these images of the AMT T-137 Peony Pony kit, which is exactly what Dave stated it is. AMT calls it out as a 1965, but I don't know the differences between '65 and '66 Mustangs to tell which is correct for the Peony Pony issue. Now, who's going to build the model to match the box top illustration? ?☮️

The grill is a definite difference between a 65 and 66 Mustang

[vamach1]

7 minutes ago, Bob Ellis said:

The grill is a definite difference between a 65 and 66 Mustang

So the Peony kit did not even have an engine and single exhaust?  I guess at least it was updated when the 66 coupe kit was first released.  I’m guessing when these kits were first made no one dreamed they would still be desired and critiqued 55 years later. ?

[Bob Ellis]

1 minute ago, vamach1 said:

So the Peony kit did not even have an engine and single exhaust?  I guess at least it was updated when the 66 coupe kit was first released.  I’m guessing when these kits were first made no one dreamed they would still be desired and critiqued 55 years later. ?

No, I think you could call it an unassembled promo model. In the AMT Countdown series, AMT opened the hood and chassis with an engine.

[Mark]

The Flower Series Mustang kit was an unassembled promo.  The two annual kits were the 2+2 and a convertible with a separate, glue-on coupe roof with vinyl texture (so adding it wouldn't create a seam).  The coupe kits with engine detail are basically the unassembled promo with the body altered for a separate hood, combined with the annual kit's engine and chassis.  

[vamach1]

16 minutes ago, Mark said:

The Flower Series Mustang kit was an unassembled promo.  The two annual kits were the 2+2 and a convertible with a separate, glue-on coupe roof with vinyl texture (so adding it wouldn't create a seam).  The coupe kits with engine detail are basically the unassembled promo with the body altered for a separate hood, combined with the annual kit's engine and chassis.  

Did all the kits have the molded in single exhaust or did some have dual?

[Snake45]

1 minute ago, vamach1 said:

Did all the kits have the molded in single exhaust or did some have dual?

I know there were both, because I swapped a guy a single exhaust chassis who needed one, and he sent me a dual exhaust in exchange. 

[Mark]

The '66 convertible kit was later altered into the Sonny and Cher car (could be built as either).  I've got a couple of those, haven't looked at them in a long while but I believe it still had the single exhaust setup.  The duals were tooled when that chassis was used in the Mach I concept (the one that looks like a '67 fastback with a chopped top).  The other three variations on that kit had duals too, and that's the chassis that is in the coupe reissue, as well as the upcoming fastback.

The promo chassis had single exhaust, and to my knowledge that chassis was never used in anything else.

[vamach1]

31 minutes ago, Mark said:

The '66 convertible kit was later altered into the Sonny and Cher car (could be built as either).  I've got a couple of those, haven't looked at them in a long while but I believe it still had the single exhaust setup.  The duals were tooled when that chassis was used in the Mach I concept (the one that looks like a '67 fastback with a chopped top).  The other three variations on that kit had duals too, and that's the chassis that is in the coupe reissue, as well as the upcoming fastback.

The promo chassis had single exhaust, and to my knowledge that chassis was never used in anything else.

Thanks.  It makes a little more sense now.  I was not building models back in the 60’s and did pretty much everything I bought through the 70’s was a reissue and I probably did not even see most of the older kits until the 80’s at swap meets and model shows.

[mk11]

On 2/23/2022 at 6:43 PM, vamach1 said:

Did all the kits have the molded in single exhaust or did some have dual?

Promo on left, middle one perhaps used in the annuals and the current dual exh chassis on right...

                                                                                                                  

 

Edited February 26, 2022 by mk11

[Oldcarfan27]

4 hours ago, Mark said:

The '66 convertible kit was later altered into the Sonny and Cher car (could be built as either).  I've got a couple of those, haven't looked at them in a long while but I believe it still had the single exhaust setup.

With all the talk lately about the upcoming "Custom 68 Corvette", I'd be interested in seeing this one come back as a "Custom 66 Mustang Convertible".

[1972coronet]

1 hour ago, mk11 said:

Promo on left, middle one perhaps used in the annuals and the current dual exh chassis on right...

That light blue chassis popped a memory capsule -- same colour as the one I'd built in 1985 (I don't recall its reissue year; it did, however, have the custom spoke wheels and other optional customising parts). I'd painted it white (Pactra gloss white aerosol !) with black interior (also Pactra, but flat black); built completely stock. I'd built it for my then girlfriend, as her mum had an early-production '65 (colloq. , "64 1/2" -- no 'reverse' lights) with the six/ 3-speed manual with deluxe wheel covers (13" variety).

The 1987 Whittier Earthquake claimed it.

[ozmodeler]

On 2/20/2022 at 1:54 PM, Can-Con said:

Monogram "Son of Ford" '32 reissue too.

Nice one Steve, I just finished restoring "Son of Ford" I built way back in the 70's.I still love the kit and a very accurate body. The box art pic you've posted mentions Injected "boss 32" mustang engine , it's actually a Pontiac mill !

[SteveG]

12 hours ago, vamach1 said:

Did all the kits have the molded in single exhaust or did some have dual?

The original 66 Mustang GT Fastback kit had the same single exhaust chassis the other annuals.  The upcoming kit will use the 66 Coupes chassis with the molded in dual exhaust as Mark stated. 

-Steve

[vamach1]

45 minutes ago, SteveG said:

The original 66 Mustang GT Fastback kit had the same single exhaust chassis the other annuals.  The upcoming kit will use the 66 Coupes chassis with the molded in dual exhaust as Mark stated. 

-Steve

Perhaps the 68 Shelby chassis can be used for a 65-66 versions as I detest the molded in exhaust system, especially the single exhaust setup.  As you can probably tell I’m not nostalgic about 1960’s kits being the same as they were decades ago when with a few parts swaps they can be greatly improved.  We are all familiar with the 65 RM fastback.  All I can say is wouldn’t that be nice.

Edited February 24, 2022 by vamach1

[Dave Darby]

15 minutes ago, vamach1 said:

Perhaps the 68 Shelby chassis can be used for a 65-66 versions as I detest the molded in exhaust system, especially the single exhaust setup.  As you can probably tell I’m not nostalgic about 1960’s kits being the same as they were decades ago when with a few parts swaps they can be greatly improved.  We are all familiar with the 65 RM fastback.  All I can say is wouldn’t that be nice.

The rub is that it's much less expensive and complicated for us to do the kit bashing than it is for Round2 to modify tools, and that is weighed against ROI. I dont have a problem with the old promo style chassis, nor with kit bashing to get the extra detail. That's what separates the builders from the assemblers. I almost never build a kit box stock. Even when it's a replica stock.

[vamach1]

5 minutes ago, Dave Darby said:

The rub is that it's much less expensive and complicated for us to do the kit bashing than it is for Round2 to modify tools, and that is weighed against ROI. I dont have a problem with the old promo style chassis, nor with kit bashing to get the extra detail. That's what separates the builders from the assemblers. I almost never build a kit box stock. Even when it's a replica stock.

Same here.  The yellow AMT 68 Shelby is a GT350 which of course was a simple conversion to downgrade from the 428 to a 302.  I built that about ten years ago and just noticed I used the AMT 260 engine which has that funky oil filler tube which I should have chopped off.  ?

[Mark]

For a separate everything underbody, the AMT '67 Mustang/Shelby would be the way to go.

[vamach1]

22 minutes ago, Mark said:

For a separate everything underbody, the AMT '67 Mustang/Shelby would be the way to go.

Very true.  I know JC aka AFX has used that chassis in his builds  It’s a shame to have to bash two kits together just to make one nice one.  The HRM 68 Shelby GT350 convertible was a great example of bashing the convertible resin body based on the AMT 68 GT500 with the newer AMT 67 GT350 chassis and engine compartment.

Edited February 24, 2022 by vamach1

[Mr. Metallic]

On 2/19/2022 at 5:17 PM, Casey said:

 

I don't believe I've ever seen those 4 spoke Rader ribbed wheels before. Wild

[Mr. Metallic]

On 2/19/2022 at 1:48 PM, Casey said:

Does anyone know the manufacturer and model of the 5-spoke wheels included in the original 1/25 AMT '66 Mustang Hardtop/Convertible kit? Maybe that info is called out on the instruction sheet?

 

1:1 wheel inside the AMT facility:

 

Those are a great looking wheel. Glad i finally have a name to go with the ones on my Son of Ford build. But these AMT ones are cool because they have a bit more detail on the rim and are a different offset than the Monogram parts.

[afx]

40 minutes ago, Mark said:

For a separate everything underbody, the AMT '67 Mustang/Shelby would be the way to go.

Yep, I'll be stuffing the '67 chassis under the '66 GT fastback.  Already done the conversion on the '66 coupe.

Edited February 24, 2022 by afx

[Greg Myers]

All this kit bashing, swaping out detailed chassis, what do you do with the left overs ?

[Mark]

Bodies can usually be sold to hard body slot car guys.  I did that with a couple of Revell Willys kits when those were hot, picked them up at the right price, and got the chassis pretty much for free after selling the bodies.

[vamach1]

40 minutes ago, Mark said:

Bodies can usually be sold to hard body slot car guys.  I did that with a couple of Revell Willys kits when those were hot, picked them up at the right price, and got the chassis pretty much for free after selling the bodies.

I have cut out the doors on two bodies figuring one body will be useless after cutting a little beyond the door edge lines.  Then the other body can be cut a little inside and the donor door can be sanded down to fit into one body.  I grafter the front of a the newer AMT kit to an original issue 67 AMT gluebomb 67 that had a warped front end.  If all else fails they can be used as practice for painting.  If the results come out good I may use it to build a kit.  If not it can just go into the junk parts box.

[mk11]

Some thing else to make you go 'hmmmm'...                                                                                                                                                                                                              

The middle chassis yet another variation on the theme, coming from the original amt '69 fastback kit. One step up from the promo/annual single exhaust chassis, but has still has the pipes running under the axle and a pointy nose. Did they use this one also under the Iron Horse/Mach1 show cars as well or was it the newer style with the pipes above the axle?

Since the newer chassis is relatively the most accurate and they have resurrected the '66 fastback with the 3D, can we hope they would also think about redoing the original '69 body?