New Kit From Round 2 - AMT 1963 Ford F100 Styleside (Unibody) with Camper Top

[leafsprings]

Finally purchased my first '63, many great improvements, much better than the original. That said, as I said early, the unibody always had limitations, can not be expanded into anything other than a unibody style without serious surgery. Back in the day, let's say 1968, the "Kats" could have spent some coin and reworked the cab to give us a Flareside body (the already done '53 bed) or separate Styleside body (the already done '60 bed), but they didn't, just a few nick nacks added to the same old unibody design. This is main reason I purchase 4 new '60 F 100 kits, very adaptable, can be built in many different variations. Wonder what the sales numbers are for the '63 kits vs. the '60 kits? Any insiders know the numbers yet?

Edited November 28, 2024 by leafsprings

[thatz4u]

2 hours ago, leafsprings said:

Finally purchased my first '63, many great improvements, much better than the original. That said, as I said early, the unibody always had limitations, can not be expanded into anything other than a unibody style without serious surgery. Back in the day, let's say 1968, the "Kats" could have spent some coin and reworked the cab to give us a Flareside body (the already done '53 bed) or separate Styleside body (the already done '60 bed), but they didn't, just a few nick nacks added to the same old unibody design. This is main reason I purchase 4 new '60 F 100 kits, very adaptable, can be built in many different variations. Wonder what the sales numbers are for the '63 kits vs. the '60 kits? Any insiders know the numbers yet?

I built 2 of the 1960 F-100's, they are adaptable...

 

[slusher]

6 hours ago, thatz4u said:

I built 2 of the 1960 F-100's, they are adaptable...

 

Great pair Al!

[Brian Austin]

On 11/28/2024 at 10:29 AM, leafsprings said:

Finally purchased my first '63, many great improvements, much better than the original. That said, as I said early, the unibody always had limitations, can not be expanded into anything other than a unibody style without serious surgery. Back in the day, let's say 1968, the "Kats" could have spent some coin and reworked the cab to give us a Flareside body (the already done '53 bed) or separate Styleside body (the already done '60 bed), but they didn't, just a few nick nacks added to the same old unibody design. This is main reason I purchase 4 new '60 F 100 kits, very adaptable, can be built in many different variations. Wonder what the sales numbers are for the '63 kits vs. the '60 kits? Any insiders know the numbers yet?

The '65-'66 Ford pickups are available by Moebius.  As far as I know, the "Kats" at AMT only offered the unibody style pickup.  Years ago I bought some old built-up unibody kits for kitbashing into separate-cab trucks.  Now with those Moebius kits I don't need to.

[tim boyd]

19 hours ago, Brian Austin said:

The '65-'66 Ford pickups are available by Moebius.  As far as I know, the "Kats" at AMT only offered the unibody style pickup.  Years ago I bought some old built-up unibody kits for kitbashing into separate-cab trucks.  Now with those Moebius kits I don't need to.

No insider knowledge on the kit sales, but sounds like (from what little I have heard) the '60 has done somewhat higher volume. 

Keep in mind that the '68 reissue of the '63 unibody annual kit was just that - a reissue of an old and otherwise unused tool that originally doubled as a dealership promo -to generate some fresh sales revenue.  Not well known but AMT was not all that financially healthy by 1968, and they were trying all sorts of low-investment reissues to generate some fresh sales volume.  Also not well known is that the unibody cab included a unique door design vs. the flareside (stepside) and cab and chassis 1l1s - so a proper conversion would have really been pretty much an all-new kit for AMT at a time they could not afford to do that for a relatively lower volume kit offering.  

For me personally the '63 unibody lwb was the perfect choice for an early 60s pickup kit, but as a number of you have reasoned in posts above, other configurations would have also been popular - especially with today's hobby kit buyers....TB 

[leafsprings]

On 12/3/2024 at 3:43 PM, tim boyd said:

 Also not well known is that the unibody cab included a unique door design vs. the flareside (stepside) and cab and chassis 1l1s - so a proper conversion would have really been pretty much an all-new kit for AMT at a time they could not afford to do that for a relatively lower volume kit offering.  

Thanks for your input Tim, yes, I agree, would have cost some coin to re tool the '61-'63 cab for anything else other than a unibody, and IMO, the reason AMT never did the '64 Ford pickup (shown below), would have required a lot of new tooling and cost a lot more money. Too bad AMT gave up on new model Ford pickups right when sales started to explode on real 1:1 pickups in the mid 60's to early 70's. 

Edited December 11, 2024 by leafsprings

[stavanzer]

3 hours ago, tim boyd said:

No insider knowledge on the kit sales, but sounds like (from what little I have heard) the '60 has done somewhat higher volume. 

The '60 Offers more "Bang-for-the-Buck" at first glance. Two full kits (Truck and Trailer) plus plenty of custom parts. To anybody new to the hobby, the '60 just looks Cool! Also, I've seen lots of the '60 at Hobby Lobby, and none of the '63 kits. That might be an explanation also. I think both will be steady sellers. I hope H.L. keeps them on the shelf, the same way they keep pushing the tired, warped Firestone F-350 and the '78 Dodge. The Dodge seems to sell well here in Bakersfield, as I have seen it sold out and re-stocked a couple of times. The bonus Dirt Bike helps, I think. To a younger buyer, both the Ford and the Dodge are just old trucks. But, the Dodge has a Tool Box, Jack, and the Dirt Bike, so again, the Value equation comes into play.

[Robberbaron]

On 12/3/2024 at 8:51 PM, stavanzer said:

...I've seen lots of the '60 at Hobby Lobby, and none of the '63 kits. That might be an explanation also...

With the volume that HL sells, this could be the singular reason that the '60 is outselling the '63.

While it's totally subjective, my own personal opinion is that the styling of the '57-'60 generation is also just much more pleasing than the following generation's unibodies.

[stavanzer]

1 hour ago, Robberbaron said:

While it's totally subjective, my own personal opinion is that the styling of the '57-'60 generation is also just much more pleasing than the following generation's unibodies.

The styling question is a pool too deep for me to plumb, but I like both. And the '63 is my favorite, since I was born in 1963. So, my year...

[drodg]

A few weeks ago I am kinda watching a Christmas movie that my wife had on called a Christmas less Traveled with Candice Cameron Bure that features a 1963 or 1964 Ford F100 in it.  The truck is gorgeous and of course it is red.  I thought to myself I want to replicate that with the new 63 AMT F100 pickup.  That will likely be a project after the first of the year.   Once again other than Tim Boyd's build I haven't really seen many builds on that truck.  Mostly it is the 1960.  
 

[drodg]

I do want to say I really wasn't watching the movie but when I saw the F100 I started watching it.    Just want to clarify..... lol 

[Dave Darby]

2 hours ago, drodg said:

A few weeks ago I am kinda watching a Christmas movie that my wife had on called a Christmas less Traveled with Candice Cameron Bure that features a 1963 or 1964 Ford F100 in it.  The truck is gorgeous and of course it is red.  I thought to myself I want to replicate that with the new 63 AMT F100 pickup.  That will likely be a project after the first of the year.   Once again other than Tim Boyd's build I haven't really seen many builds on that truck.  Mostly it is the 1960.  
 

I looked it up, and it appears to be a 64. The 63 Ford is a unibody (one piece cab and bed). The 64 has a separate bed. Moebius 65-66 trucks will be closer, body style wise.

[tim boyd]

7 hours ago, drodg said:

A few weeks ago I am kinda watching a Christmas movie that my wife had on called a Christmas less Traveled with Candice Cameron Bure that features a 1963 or 1964 Ford F100 in it.  The truck is gorgeous and of course it is red.  I thought to myself I want to replicate that with the new 63 AMT F100 pickup.  That will likely be a project after the first of the year.   Once again other than Tim Boyd's build I haven't really seen many builds on that truck.  Mostly it is the 1960.  
 

A few months back I completed a fairly involved kitbash of the 1963 AMT Unibody kit (my build originated with the original 1963 release, not the new kit....gGGRRRR!...); it has been submitted to one of the model magazines and presumably will appear in print sometime later next year....TB 

Edited December 5, 2024 by tim boyd

[rattle can man]

Still haven't seen the '63 in the wild here.  Neither LHS or HL

[drodg]

15 hours ago, tim boyd said:

A few months back I completed a fairly involved kitbash of the 1963 AMT Unibody kit (my build originated with the original 1963 release, not the new kit....gGGRRRR!...); it has been submitted to one of the model magazines and presumably will appear in print sometime later next year....TB 

Thanks Tim and I will look for that!!

 

[Carmak]

I have also noticed more 60 F-100 builds than 63 F100 builds.

I have three thoughts:

* With the separate bed the 60 allows more flexibility with builds.

* The 60 is the only version of the 57-60 F100 generation available. Moebius got to the market first with their 65 & 66's to represent the 61-66 F100 generation. 

* The 60 is available at Hobby Lobby

 

[Luc Janssens]

11 hours ago, Carmak said:

 

* With the separate bed the 60 allows more flexibility with builds.

 

Me too. I only bought the '60 because the kit is open to more options,, it also looks more truck-like than the later model. Do hope, that somewhere down the line Round-2 does a 4x4 

Edited December 7, 2024 by Luc Janssens

[leafsprings]

I agree Carmak, much more flexibility if you want something other than a 1/2 ton pickup! I'm presently working on a '60 F 500 ( 1  1/2 ton ).  Only modification to build a F 500 is cutting out the front fender a little larger and adding a larger front bumper and wheels and of course, a larger truck donor frame. The '63 conversion into an F 500 will keep you busy a long while. 

[Brian Austin]

Converting the present '60 kit cab into a work truck still needs a bit of work in itself, as the photo of the real  think suggests.  A new back wall and window would have to be created.  I'm sure that there will be a resin cab or two at some point, but that gets pricey.

I could have sworn that there were a flurry of '63 kit builds shortly after release.

[leafsprings]

17 hours ago, Brian Austin said:

Converting the present '60 kit cab into a work truck still needs a bit of work in itself, as the photo of the real  think suggests.  A new back wall and window would have to be created. 

True, it would have been nice if we got back of cab details in the re issue, but luckily, bodies generally cover the back of the cab area. As you mentioned earlier, the '65-66 Moebius pickups are the best candidates for kit bashing and modifying in the '61-66 series of pickups.

[Mr. Metallic]

I'm just wondering when they'll release the 63 with the go kart as originally done in 63. They spent the money to retool the kart, and the truck, more money in the coffers to marry them up. 

[tim boyd]

7 hours ago, Mr. Metallic said:

I'm just wondering when they'll release the 63 with the go kart as originally done in 63. They spent the money to retool the kart, and the truck, more money in the coffers to marry them up. 

Me too, Craig, me too.  However, I am not sure that Round 2 invested the money to retool the Kart Bonneville streamliner body shell, though, when they redid the Kart for the '60 Chevy pickup few years back.  

Best...TB

[leafsprings]

Deluxe tu tone paint treatment on a '63

[slusher]

Picture has a nice two tone!

[stavanzer]

On 12/10/2024 at 6:47 PM, leafsprings said:

Deluxe tu tone paint treatment on a '63

I know it is just the way the image was printed back then, but the side trim looks like it is Red, White & Blue. In Blue over White Tu-Tone, it look very Patriotic.

Inspiring Paint Scheme. I'll keep this in mind when I build Mine.

Thanks for sharing it.