1/25 AMT 1971 Mustang Mach 1

[unclescott58]

Okay, I got my AMT 007 1971 Mustang in today's mail. And I'm a little disappointed. Round 2 did very little to improve this kit over previous releases. It's still the same old MPC '71 - '73 Mustang kit we've seen many times over the years. Hood cowl vents, bad mufflers, and all. The front end has been fixed, to look more correct for a '71. Smaller front bumper and all. Though I really had to look close at that front bumper to see if it really had been changed from the bigger '73 bumper or not. They also given us the correct flat dog dishes with trim rings in place of non-factory wheel options from past kits. I'm also disappointed to see it's molded in red. Even though that's the color I plan on painting mine. Red plastic is a pain if you plan building it any other color.

Sad to say, no decal options are not in the kit. Again, I plan on building mine to look like the car in Diamonds Are Forever. So it's not a problem for me. But, it would have been nice to have the optional sport stripes seen on so many '71 and '72 Mach Is. I guess one is going to have to go to Keith Marks for those.

Again in general, the kit is a bit of a disappointment. It's better than the Ertl/MPC '71 Boss 351. But not by much. And it makes me anxious to see what Revell's '71 Boss 351 will look like. Yet I don't regret buying this kit. I like the box art. And the changes they made are improvements over the 1973 version they kept reissuing over the years. 

 

[vamach1]

Well - cannot say It am surprised.  The vents in the hood are the worst.  Since it is molded in red filling those in will be a $%&* because then you have to sand it perfectly smooth and cover with primer and then hope it does not show through.  How do the decals look?  Prior to this only Keith Marks and Rayskits has the correct stripe on the trunk.  It would have cost maybe two cents more to include the optional “hockey stick” stripes to do a Mach1 since the “Boss 351” version years ago only had them in silver.  How well - there’s alway Revell since I already I already built my 007 Mach1.  Happy Holiday’s to all.

[Casey]

I don't think any of this is a surprise. It sounds exactly like what Round2 stated they were doing, as well, they did just that. Revised front end, new, correct wheels for the movie car, and decals to match. Also not surprising is the red color, which they did for the Christine '57 Plymouth Fury, too...also a movie car ("Silver Screen") tie-in kit.

I am almost 100% certain there will be future variations, and likely new/different decals options, too, so consider this a first release, intended for the collector with future variants targeted at builders.

[afx]

Red plastic - noo!

[unclescott58]

16 hours ago, vamach1 said:

Well - cannot say It am surprised.  The vents in the hood are the worst.  Since it is molded in red filling those in will be a $%&* because then you have to sand it perfectly smooth and cover with primer and then hope it does not show through.  How do the decals look?  Prior to this only Keith Marks and Rayskits has the correct stripe on the trunk.  It would have cost maybe two cents more to include the optional “hockey stick” stripes to do a Mach1 since the “Boss 351” version years ago only had them in silver.  How well - there’s alway Revell since I already I already built my 007 Mach1.  Happy Holiday’s to all.

You asked for a look at the decal from this kit? Here they are below. 

The more I look at the way they redid the front end on this car, the better I like it. I especially like the chrome corral/board/grille surround. This should be a big improvement over any other previous '71 - '72 Mustang kit, with their the old completely chrome grille inserts. 

 

[Motor City]

So if you got a resin hood without the incorrect cowl vent and sanded off the front fender sidemarker lights, it would be a decent kit?  

I like the sport wheels on the right better than the hubcaps and trim rings.

[vamach1]

Thanks for posting the closeup of the decal sheet.  The air cleaner decal is for a 351 Cleveland M code engine.  See more on that below.  The 385 series 429 engine Non ram-air C code engine with a C-6 automatic is pretty unusual which looks like what powered the hero red Mach1.  So rare that only Mach1 Mustangs were made with that combo.  So naturally more 429 sportroofs were made with ram-air (J code) and a C6 automatic (833) that it is very hard to find a picture online of a C code that someone has not later added the ram-air system except for one dirty one I found.  So Round2 perhaps the next version will be a Ram-Air SCJ with the correct engine, air cleaner and under hood plenum or a non-Ram air 351C M code.  The article I attached does mention the 302 2v was available in a Mach1 but those are pretty rare also because who would buy one except maybe a rental car company or a movie studio that wanted to roll a few doing movie stunts.  ?  So enough about engines and transmissions, how about the grille.  The chrome portion on the real grille is four separate pieces and is no thicker than 1/4 of an inch that are crimped on to the black grille.  So to replicate that only the very edge of part 103 should be left chrome.  It should also not come to nearly as much as a “point” in the middle. I like the side marker lights decals, the turn signal decals, the gauges and the trunk decal stripe and Mach1 fender and trunk decals.  Not sure if decal #3 is for the grille as this would not be applicable anywhere else on a Mach1.  Not sure what decal #8 is for - maybe the grille sportlamps but that would look silly laid over part #6.

So, a few improvements have been made but the 1960’s FE and Windsor engines, hood vents and engine compartment are still a big letdown.  The high and low horns also should be mounted on the inner fender panel near the non-existent windshield washer reservoir.  Borrow a fan shroud from another kit as of course there isn’t one in the kit but I could go on.  I guess this beats paying $50-$150 for a “vintage” version AMT kit.

One thing to note about the NACA hood and ram-air.  Both were standard on the Boss 351.  The same hood on the Mach1 was not synonymous the ram-air system, in other words you can have a NACA hood without Ram-Air but you cannot have Ram-Air without the NACA hood.  None of the 302 powered Mach1’s had the ram-air setup and it’s even hard to find a picture anywhere of a 71 Mach1 with a 302 2v but they were made.  None were made with a 351 Windsor.

In looking for more pictures I can across more information about the Bond movie cars.  One source says the Hero car was a 429 J code (with ram air).  The reason I have trouble accepting this as fact is that my understanding has been that every Mustang in 1971 that had Ram-Air (Boss 351 or 429CJ or SCJ) would have had the black or silver painted on the hood with the twist locks.  So this contradicts the appearance of the 429 Hero car.  As for the stunt cars, it appears the one used in Vegas was a 351 4v (with dual exhaust).  I suppose they could have painted the hoods all red if they did not match the other ones used in filming if they came with the two tone.  Anyway, so with the AMT kit you can build a 302 stunt car (and actually have the correct kit engine) and convert the exhaust to single, or build the 351 4v car by supplying your own 351 Cleveland engine and oval mufflers with perhaps a non-ram air system, or build a 429 (with your own 385 series block) with or without ram air under the hood but of course the kit never had the under hood plenum or correct air cleaner (similar to the real Boss 351) so you are own your own to recreate it too.  Happy building.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2020 by vamach1
More info

[vamach1]

Sorry for the information overload.  The ISO (In Search of Mustangs) website have done some thorough research.   ?

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2020 by vamach1
More info

[Bob Ellis]

I hear everybody's complaint but the kit seems better. I have stockpiled a bunch of AMT and MPC 1971-1972 Mach 1 kits in the last 10 years. Now they can sell the 1971-3 Eleanor Mustang molded in yellow?

[vamach1]

18 hours ago, Bob Ellis said:

I hear everybody's complaint but the kit seems better. I have stockpiled a bunch of AMT and MPC 1971-1972 Mach 1 kits in the last 10 years. Now they can sell the 1971-3 Eleanor Mustang molded in yellow?

I suppose they could but here’s why they haven’t (licensing issues aside).  They would have to mold the standard hood to pass it off as an Eleanor and include the 73 grille.  Once again I’m gonna hold my breath.  You’ll notice the word Mustang is nowhere to be found on the Halicki cars.  We all know what car it is but the only horse is in the grille.  ?

Edited December 23, 2020 by vamach1

[unclescott58]

Great info on the Bond movie cars. Thanks Rex. And no need to apologize for the "information overload." I for one, love thrive this type of stuff, and find it fascinating. How this will effect my build of the new AMT kit, I'm not sure? I'll plan on building mine straight out of the box. Painting most of the chrome grille corral (frame) flat black, other than the outer edge. By the way, I'm mot seeing the point in the grille frame as shown in the instructions. It looks better than that. 

Again, thanks for the info Rex. 

[Bob Ellis]

On 12/22/2020 at 5:44 PM, vamach1 said:

I suppose they could but here’s why they haven’t (licensing issues aside).  They would have to mold the standard hood to pass it off as an Eleanor and include the 73 grille.  Once again I’m gonna hold my breath.  You’ll notice the word Mustang is nowhere to be found on the Halicki cars.  We all know what car it is but the only horse is in the grille.  ?

Mrs Halicki is sort of a pain in the licensing area. I would bet Round2wouldn't bother

[Rob Hall]

Mine arrived today, It's definitely an improvement over the previous issues of the MPC kit (at least the ones from the last 40 years).   Photos below of the new grille/headlight area, front and rear bumpers.   They also included license plates (nice to see, previous didn't have them),  and new clear lenses for the 6 front lights.   Nice to see improvements on an old kit, the only current '71 Mustang, since the new Revell kit is probably at least a year or two away...

[Bob Ellis]

I know that the AMT and MPC 1971-1973 exhaust are incorrect with round cherry bomb mufflers. They were flat ovals. The ERTL/AMT 1969 Cougar has the correct exhaust and seem to fit okay. It's just annoying thinking that one must buy another kit or parts to make a correct model.

I bought this to fix a problem

Model Car Parts AMT 1969 Cougar Eliminator Chassis 1/25 | eBay

[Luc Janssens]

On 12/24/2020 at 9:48 PM, Rob Hall said:

Mine arrived today, It's definitely an improvement over the previous issues of the MPC kit (at least the ones from the last 40 years).   Photos below of the new grille/headlight area, front and rear bumpers.   They also included license plates (nice to see, previous didn't have them),  and new clear lenses for the 6 front lights.   Nice to see improvements on an old kit, the only current '71 Mustang, since the new Revell kit is probably at least a year or two away...

 

 

Rob, how does the "end caps" of the fenders look like, free of sink marks?

Thanks!

and yes it's certainly an improvement over the previous faux '71s

[Rob Hall]

6 hours ago, Luc Janssens said:

Rob, how does the "end caps" of the fenders look like, free of sink marks?

Thanks!

and yes it's certainly an improvement over the previous faux '71s

There are slight sink marks vertically near the ends of the fenders and flashing (the driver’s side has quite a bit of flashing on the edge and down the top edge of the fender).  

[Luc Janssens]

4 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

There are slight sink marks vertically near the ends of the fenders and flashing (the driver’s side has quite a bit of flashing on the edge and down the top edge of the fender).  

Thanks Rob!

Thought that would be a problem area, a separate insert-able grille piece would've prevented that.

[br67]

On 12/24/2020 at 10:48 PM, Rob Hall said:

Mine arrived today, It's definitely an improvement over the previous issues of the MPC kit (at least the ones from the last 40 years).   Photos below of the new grille/headlight area, front and rear bumpers.   They also included license plates (nice to see, previous didn't have them),  and new clear lenses for the 6 front lights.   Nice to see improvements on an old kit, the only current '71 Mustang, since the new Revell kit is probably at least a year or two away...

Thanks Rob - do the stock wheels look any good?

[Rob Hall]

Wheel covers look good.  Two sets of stock wheel covers included. 

[br67]

27 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

Wheel covers look good.  Two sets of stock wheel covers included. 

Thanks Rob - are they new tooling too?

[vamach1]

26 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

Wheel covers look good.  Two sets of stock wheel covers included. 

 

Don’t forget that “optional” Boss 429 engine. ?

[Rob Hall]

Just now, br67 said:

Thanks Rob - are they new tooling too?

The top set (flat disc w/ trim ring) are new.  The other set of wheeolcovers has been in past releases of the MPC Mustang...

[Rob Hall]

Just now, vamach1 said:

Don’t forget that “optional” Boss 429 engine. ?

Yeah, vestiges of past releases, along w/ the roll cage and wheelie bars, along w/ the monster hood scoop..

[Rodent]

Saw one at my LHS this weekend, priced at $34.99.

[Sledsel]

I have several of the faux Boss 351 kits, but I may need to get this one too. The front looks nice, I would just need to use the much nicer AMT tail light and bumper. The bucket seats in the MPC version are horrible IMO, so I may need to cast some from my original AMT 71 Mustang since they are much nicer.