AMT Junior And Craftsman Kits

[250 Testa Rossa]

Would love to see the Corvair if they do it. I'll take ten of them if Round 2 ever comes out with it.

[horsepower]

One of the old annuals I've heard nothing about but I know existed because I built one when it was new, was the '59 Pontiac two door hardtop. I don't think it would have been made into a '60 since about the only item on the body that was even close would have been the top

[Dave Darby]

I spoke with John Mueller back in 2013 at a car show in Maquoketa Iowa. He told me that Round2 had brought him in to go through each and every mold/tool they had. While I am not at liberty to say just what they found, I can tell you that a few things that were thought to have been lost forever are still there, and we'll probably see them at some point. So Round2 does have a pretty good handle on what they have.

And just in case you are tempted to PM me and ask, sorry, but I can't tell you. All I can say is just keep buying what they make, and you will see some pretty cool stuff come out of the next few years.

 

[Edsel-Dan]

OK, Since I had TWO of the Boondock Bomber 50 Buick

I can say this

They were the Desert Race/Rally series and NOT the Flowere Powere seires

Weren't those two series run at the same time???

The Buick was molded in White, in fact ALL 3 of the Diferent kits in that series I had/Have were White ONLY

Boondock 59 Buick, Turista Tourismo 62 Galaxie, and El Ranchero Grande 61 Falcon Ranchero

(though called a 62 on the box)

The Decal sheet was shared in all that series

All the names were on it, not just for the kit you bought then!!

 

The Buicl was STOCK only No customising pieces

I do not recall if the Galaxie had Custom parts or not

The Ranchero DID, I remember gluing the roof piece on it at one time!!

Had to repair the roof after taking it off!!!

 

The AMT 59 Ford was the Galaxie, Yes it did still have the Fairlane 500

across the trunk lid, but the fisrt 0 in the 500 was the trunk Lock so was kept!!

Galaxie script replaced the Fairlame script on the rear fenders!

Revell's Skyliner Retractable hardtop has ALWAYS been a Fairlane 500

Just look at the rear fenders!! Fairlane 500 Script and NOT Galaxie

ONLY Rev-Germany corrected this on their 50th anniversary re-issue

Rev-USA did it again on their SSP run molded in white even though they

used the re-worked Original Box art just like Rev-Germany did on their issue

 

I Have (or Had) one of the Jr Trophy 59 Galaxie

Mine was molded in White!!

Painted black & White as a Police car when I got it!!!

 

[pack rat]

They were the Desert Race/Rally series and NOT the Flowere Powere seires

Weren't those two series run at the same time???

 

Both series were released in 1969 or so as I recall; this was back when AMT was hurting and scrambling to make something marketable from every tool they could find. I recall seeing the Desert series on the shelves before I saw the Flower Power series, but that was loong ago; they could have appeared at the same time.

There was a Buick in the Flower Power series, but it was the '62.

I only have two Desert Racer kits (the Galaxie and the '63 T-Bird) and one Flower Power kit (the '60 Mercury).

Like your Desert Race kits, all of mine are molded in white, and yes, the Galaxie was based on the annual but contained just the stock parts with little, if any optional parts.

The "Tequila Mockingbird" Desert Racer T-Bird is a reissue of a somewhat inaccurate promo.  Amt issued two versions of the T-Bird hardtop promo in '63; one with rear fender skirts, and a second version with no skirts and incorrect Sports Roadster emblems on the front fenders; the Tequila Mockingbird is an unassembled repop of the second version (pic).

Yea, I know; it's not officially a Craftsman, but it is one in everything but name   

 

[Edsel-Dan]

I would LOVE to be able to fill in the missing Desert Race series kits I missed

BUT...

Little to NO $$ and the tooling for Most lost makes that Impossible!!

 

The 'Bird above looks Nice!!

[regular guy]

Builders

That's great the Desert/Flower Power series came molded in white but

the Junior/Craftsman series were molded in color.

They were so the junior builder could get some confidence and finish a kit without painting it.

Reissuing Junior or Craftsman in white would make it just another halfway effort,

Junior/Craftsman kits should be reissued in original '60-64 boxes and

maybe have a sticker on celophane saying it's from 'Special Projects of AMT',

Thanks!

[ChrisBcritter]

Re the Nova wagon: from the "What's a hanger shot?" thread at Round2:

And a new question, re the ’63 Nova wagon – are any of its other molds (interior, chassis, engine) still existing? If so it seems that the body could be saved in the same way the ’65 GTO was by restoring the rear wheel wells and re-engraving the door lines and trim. Just try to get one of those wagons now for less than $100!
Thanks,
Chris

Reply

• JohnG says:

  February 12, 2015 at 10:37 am

  I have not personally heard the story about the ’59 Buick being in England and have no info whatsoever. So, I can’t really comment one way or another. With the tooling changing hands several times over the decades, not a lot of info has survived to be passed on.

  Unfortunately, we’ve looked but haven’t found any inserts for the ’63 Nova Wagon. It’s disappointing because I really like that kit too.

- See more at: http://www.collectormodel.com/round2-models/2224-whats-a-hanger-shot/#comment-13806

 

And a new question, re the ’63 Nova wagon – are any of its other molds (interior, chassis, engine) still existing? If so it seems that the body could be saved in the same way the ’65 GTO was by restoring the rear wheel wells and re-engraving the door lines and trim. Just try to get one of those wagons now for less than $100!
Thanks,
Chris

• JohnG says:

Unfortunately, we’ve looked but haven’t found any inserts for the ’63 Nova Wagon. It’s disappointing because I really like that kit too.

 

And a new question, re the ’63 Nova wagon – are any of its other molds (interior, chassis, engine) still existing? If so it seems that the body could be saved in the same way the ’65 GTO was by restoring the rear wheel wells and re-engraving the door lines and trim. Just try to get one of those wagons now for less than $100!
Thanks,
Chris

Reply

• JohnG says:

  February 12, 2015 at 10:37 am

  I have not personally heard the story about the ’59 Buick being in England and have no info whatsoever. So, I can’t really comment one way or another. With the tooling changing hands several times over the decades, not a lot of info has survived to be passed on.

  Unfortunately, we’ve looked but haven’t found any inserts for the ’63 Nova Wagon. It’s disappointing because I really like that kit too.

- See more at: http://www.collectormodel.com/round2-models/2224-whats-a-hanger-shot/#comment-13806

Edited October 6, 2016 by ChrisBcritter

[Casey]

On 10/5/2016 at 7:40 PM, ChrisBcritter said:

 

• Unfortunately, we’ve looked but haven’t found any inserts for the ’63 Nova Wagon. It’s disappointing because I really like that kit too.

- See more at: http://www.collectormodel.com/round2-models/2224-whats-a-hanger-shot/#commen

I wouldn't mind seeing the '63 Chevy II Nova 400 wagon return, but without the "rest" of the kit in hand and in ready-to-use condition, I don't see Round2 investing the money to backdate the body.

I also can't see the majority of people paying $30+ for a curbside kit with no engine, fully molded in chassis details, and a *gasp* molded-in-color body, either. The days of selling for a buck each are long gone, too. 

Edited November 1, 2018 by Casey

[Snake45]

I also can't see the majority of people paying $30+ for a curbside kit with no engine, fully molded in chassis details, and a *gasp* molded-in-color body, either. The days of selling for a buck each are long gone, too. 

I'd gladly pay that for the right subject matter. Paying that and even a bit more now for restorable glue bombs and "distressed" promos on eBay, and happy to have them. But then I guess you'll remind me that I'm probably not a "majority" of anybody, either.

[ChrisBcritter]

The '64 Galaxie survives to this day as a Craftsman kit - how much do they retail for?

[unclescott58]

Still waiting for the Craftsman kits to make a come back. Hopefully their 1/32 scale Scale Star kits are selling well enough to get Round 2 thinking about bringing some of these Craftsman kits back.

Scott

 

Edited December 16, 2017 by unclescott58

[Mike999]

Hopefully their 1/32 scale Scale Star kits are selling well enough to get Round 2 thinking about bringing some of these Craftsman kits back.

Hard to tell, from a totally unscientific survey of 2 local Hobby Lobby stores.  The 1/32 Falcon Ranchero is still on the shelves at full retail so must be selling fairly well. But the 1/32 Avanti went to the Clearance aisle shortly after its release.  Some Avantis are still hanging around there.

[Casey]

 

[unclescott58]

On 12/13/2017 at 1:28 PM, Casey said:

 

I want all three! 

[unclescott58]

On 1/24/2017 at 12:55 PM, Snake45 said:

I'd gladly pay that for the right subject matter. Paying that and even a bit more now for restorable glue bombs and "distressed" promos on eBay, and happy to have them. But then I guess you'll remind me that I'm probably not a "majority" of anybody, either.

I also want the '66 Skylark and '66 Thunderbird above too.

[Casey]

On 12/15/2017 at 7:44 PM, unclescott58 said:

I want all three! 

The Comet isn't to difficult to find, as RC2/Model King reissued it in 2005 or so:

 

Hmmm, looks like the kit above was in the Round2's possession recently...

Edited November 1, 2018 by Casey

[Mark]

1 hour ago, unclescott58 said:

I also want the '66 Skylark and '66 Thunderbird above too.

'66 Skylark exists, as the Modified Stocker.  The Craftsman and opening-hood kit were produced from one tool.  The last issue of the Modified Stocker has the stock Craftsman wheels in it as I recall, as well as some customizing parts from the annual kit.

[unclescott58]

1 hour ago, Casey said:

The Comet isn't to difficult to find, as RC2/Model King reissued it in 2005 or so:

 

Hmmm, looks like the one above was in the Round vault at one point....veeeeeery interesting. 

I have the Model King Comet. It doesn't mean I wouldn't buy another one though. 

Edited December 16, 2017 by unclescott58

[unclescott58]

1 hour ago, Mark said:

'66 Skylark exists, as the Modified Stocker.  The Craftsman and opening-hood kit were produced from one tool.  The last issue of the Modified Stocker has the stock Craftsman wheels in it as I recall, as well as some customizing parts from the annual kit.

Oh, I know the history of the Skylark kit. 

[unclescott58]

2 hours ago, unclescott58 said:

I want all three! 

I meant all four! Not all three. A slip in typing. 

[SfanGoch]

2 hours ago, Casey said:

The Comet isn't to difficult to find, as RC2/Model King reissued it in 2005 or so:

Sez you. I've a saved search on eBay for this kit and gotten ugatz for notifications for almost two years. It's a nice kit; but, not for $50+ as seen on some sites.

[Casey]

11 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

Sez you. I've a saved search on eBay for this kit and gotten ugatz for notifications for almost two years. It's a nice kit; but, not for $50+ as seen on some sites.

Two sold for ~$55 in November on eBay, and there's a nice assembled original kit in red currently listed for ~$50...

[SfanGoch]

I'll wait for either R2 and/or MK to re-release it sometime in the next 15-20 years.

Edited December 16, 2017 by SfanGoch

[Junkman]

On 25/01/2017 at 6:56 PM, unclescott58 said:

Still waiting for the Craftsman kits to make a come back. Hopefully their 1/32 scale Scale Star kits are selling well enough to get Round 2 thinking about bringing some of these Craftsman kits back.

Scott

 

I do hope so too, but am concerned that the scale limits sales by its very nature.
There is only one serius 1/32 collector/builder I know and I think these kits were predominantly hoovered up by the slot car folks in the olden times.
The big question is whether they can still entice those slotters, if only for nostalgic reasons.