Sunbeam Tiger reissue questions

['70 Grande]

To anyone who has the newly-reissued 1/25 AMT Sunbeam Tiger kit on their workbench, I have a couple of quick questions.

1).  Are the tires inside this reissue the same as in previous issues of this kit?

2).  Has the kit's decal sheet been updated in any way?

Would love to see some pics if anyone has the time to add them to this post!

Thanks!

['70 Grande]

Okay, so I did find the answer to my 2nd question; it looks like this reissue has an all-new decal sheet!  

So, can anybody provide some info on the kit's tires?

[MeatMan]

Don't know what the old ones looked like but here is what comes now. Tires are okay, not impressive. It comes with four wide and four narrow. I haven't taken the parts out of the plastic except for the tires and decals and really don't want to open it yet, as I don't plan to build it this year.

['70 Grande]

The new decal sheet looks great! I guess they ran out of room for numbers "8" and "9" on it tho!

Those are the vintage tires from previous issues of this kit. Sadly, their tread pattern is so pronounced that they look more like off-road tires to my eye.  Sure would like to see some new sports car racing tires produced by a kit maker some day soon!

[GT4494]

I have the both original and the Blue printer edition.  Hearing about the re-issue I may leave them in their boxes and try the new one.   I do have a set of minilite  wheels with tires that would look good on it though

[Can-Con]

Has anyone tried the tires from the AMT '70 Monte Carlo low rider on those wheels? The low rider tire are more modern radials but they are 13 inch. May fit and look much better than those things.

[MrObsessive]

UGGGGGH! Those tires are TERRIBLE! Tires on a model and how it sits IMO either make or break it. If/when I ever get this kit (or build the one I already have), getting replacement tires------preferably white walls, are definitely in order!

Steve, your suggestion sounds like a good one! I wonder if one of the Pegasus low rider tire sets would work........at least there's white walls on some of the ones I've seen.

[Chuck Most]

Has anyone tried the tires from the AMT '70 Monte Carlo low rider on those wheels? The low rider tire are more modern radials but they are 13 inch. May fit and look much better than those things.

Didn't the Blueprinter reissue of this kit come with those tires as an option?

Or am I thinking of the Buyer's Choice Opel GT? I seem to remember seeing those tires boxed with one of AMT's European car kits. 

[Daddyfink]

Yes, those have to rank up there for the worst tires ever made, followed by two piece tires from the 70's! 

How about the tires from the last issue of the Revell Datsun 510?

[keyser]

The Get Smart car had the 13" compact car ww in it. The awful skinnies were in the first issue of Tiger in 70's I guess, and the wide stuff too. They look OK on a Jeep or dune buggy, but stink otherwise. I was bummed when I saw those in re-issue. 

[RatRod]

I think the tires from the Original Art Piranha would work!!! Those, and a little suspension tweaking would make for a nice little replica!

[Bob Ellis]

When the Get Smart version came out they used AMT compact tires. Current configuration fits. maybe the Modelhaus 265s fit

[MrObsessive]

When the Get Smart version came out they used AMT compact tires. Current configuration fits. maybe the Modelhaus 265s fit

Unless someone else down the road is gonna repop those Bob, if you didn't get 'em before they shut their doors, they're just simply unobtainium now.

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Only caveat I'd have about the AMT lowrider tires and especially the Pegasus meats or the Revell lowrider /Miata Dunlops is that they're a bit beefy in width (but great if that's what you're after).

Something similar in size that came out with next to no fanfare are the more vintage compact tires in the most recent '61/'60 Ranchero "Little Elminator" reissue (may even have whitewalls iIrc).  Thems what need a more strictly period-looking tire, those might be worth a look.

[Reeves Racing]

The old decals looked like this

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2016 by Reeves Racing

[Richard Bartrop]

I built one of these back when they were still being sold under the Matchbox label.  At the time, I'd also picked up an Entex RX-7 kit at a clearance sale.  The Mazda was not a very good kit, but it had a very nice set of rubber tires, and the RX-7 wheels looked very close to a set of alloy wheels that could be had on some Tigers.   They fit perfectly on the Tiger, and looked way better than the tires that came with that kit.   If you can somehow find one of the Entex Mazda RX-7s at a reasonable price, it's something to consider.  It's actually 1/28, which is why it fits.  It was originally released by Nitto, and has also been sold by the Taiwanese companies Blue Tank, and HR.

Edited August 6, 2016 by Richard Bartrop

[samdiego]

I've just noticed that the instructions completely overlook the nicely done 60's era two piece payphone that's on the same tree as the dash. I've been looking at reference photos for hours and I'm not seein' where on the car this could possibly go. Why is there a nicely done 60's era two piece payphone? Seems like an odd thing to tool in a Tiger kit. 

I'm planning on using the Revell Lowrider tires, they fit the Minilites nicely but the wheels may need to be trimmed through the axle stem for track width. I'm not using the fender flares. There are two types, I have both the 60 and 64 Implalas and don't remember which set I grabbed. One set feels like PVC, the other kit's tires were more rubbery. I'm using the rubbery set.

[64Comet404]

I've just noticed that the instructions completely overlook the nicely done 60's era two piece payphone that's on the same tree as the dash. I've been looking at reference photos for hours and I'm not seein' where on the car this could possibly go. Why is there a nicely done 60's era two piece payphone? Seems like an odd thing to tool in a Tiger kit. 

 

The telephone was part of the original Get Smart kit, which the Tiger was created from, and would fit between the seats. The only other pieces from the spy version are the hinged panels and the lifting mechanism for the hood-mounted machine gun.

['70 Grande]

I've just finished clean-up on most of the chassis and suspension pieces for this kit before they go into the paint booth.  Boy, it seems like there's alot of "vagueness" to how some of the parts assemble-together and go into the main chassis piece.  

The part #37 Engine Mount has me somewhat baffled.  I can see how its supposed to mount to the Front Suspension Upper plate piece, but I'm perplexed by how the engine then mounts to it.  And it seems like this part #37 can be mounted one way to make the engine stand "taller/higher" inside the engine compartment, or flip it over and it'll make the engine "shorter/lower" inside the engine compartment.  The instruction's illustration really isn't clear on how this piece should be mounted.

Guess I'll have some test-fitting to do!

[unclescott58]

I've just finished clean-up on most of the chassis and suspension pieces for this kit before they go into the paint booth.  Boy, it seems like there's alot of "vagueness" to how some of the parts assemble-together and go into the main chassis piece.  

The part #37 Engine Mount has me somewhat baffled.  I can see how its supposed to mount to the Front Suspension Upper plate piece, but I'm perplexed by how the engine then mounts to it.  And it seems like this part #37 can be mounted one way to make the engine stand "taller/higher" inside the engine compartment, or flip it over and it'll make the engine "shorter/lower" inside the engine compartment.  The instruction's illustration really isn't clear on how this piece should be mounted.

Guess I'll have some test-fitting to do!

I do hope you tell us what you find out.

 

[Bob Ellis]

Too bad nobody from AMT 1960s is still around to ask questions . It wouldn't surprise me if the Sunbeam kit was designed at the same time as the Cobra kit. Then in 1965-1967 they decided to sell it as a Get smart kit. I have a built Get Smart and the Round2 hood machine gun doors will come in handy.

[stavanzer]

Well, I know that my Sunbeam will have the Cobra Weber Carbs installed.

Nice to know about the vague fit, though. Nice be forewarned about the need for fettling to get it to get things right.

[Snake45]

Too bad nobody from AMT 1960s is still around to ask questions . It wouldn't surprise me if the Sunbeam kit was designed at the same time as the Cobra kit. Then in 1965-1967 they decided to sell it as a Get smart kit. I have a built Get Smart and the Round2 hood machine gun doors will come in handy.

I think the Alpine/Tiger came along later. Pretty sure that the first issue was the Get Smart Alpine with 4-cyl engine, around 1968 or so, and it was made into the Tiger later. I doubt the kit would have ever been done if not for Get Smart. TV/movie cars were pretty big sellers at the time.

[Bob Ellis]

True movie car kits sold well but the idea of a Cobra killer Sunbeam should be equal. I remember when AutoWorld took my $2.00 for a stock 1958 Edsel kit that was in their catalog They dropped it and returned my money. They formulate plans and then drop them after pre-orders are disappointing. There is something odd about the kit that makes me thinks that Smart was an after thought. Maybe I am wrong?

[keyser]

Tiger first issue was in later 70's, molded in yellow, ugly flares. Prior to that, only Get Smart.