build quality of the AMT Dodge D50?

[MrMiles]

how well does the AMT dodge D50 go together? is it a nice fitting build or will there be a lot of problems. this is the one i am referring to?

https://www.autoworldstore.com/products/pre-order-amt-1980-dodge-ram-d-50-pickup-coke-1-25-scale-model-kit-due-june-2022

 

thank you

[ctruss53]

I think it is sad that you have to ask something like this. I wish AMT and Revell would step up their game.

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by ctruss53

[gman]

I had a previous issue of that kit from the early 2000's- considering its age and the fact that it is an ex-MPC kit, it wasn't as horrible as some but there was lots of flash over many of the parts along with some warping. Can it be built? For sure, but it doesn't compare to some other reissues (AMT, MPC etc) of older tools. We'll have to see what Round 2 has done with the tooling.

[MrMiles]

4 minutes ago, gman said:

I had a previous issue of that kit from the early 2000's- considering its age and the fact that it is an ex-MPC kit, it wasn't as horrible as some but there was lots of flash over many of the parts along with some warping. Can it be built? For sure, but it doesn't compare to some other reissues (AMT, MPC etc) of older tools. We'll have to see what Round 2 has done with the tooling.

Ty. I'm going to hobby lobby tonight. If I can find it on sale I will pick it up. I won't pay full price 

[1972coronet]

I've built probably five of them since their introduction (1980 ? 1981 ?) , with four of those being the original issue; two were the 4WD iteration (2nd issue). Last one I built was in 1991 or so -- when they were still produced in the U.S. 

I can't speak to the latest reissue, as I've not seen it (other than the build-up which @hpiguydid +/- a year ago). I can't imagine that it's any worse for the wear, as it wasn't reissued ad nauseam like may of the other MPC offerings. 

It goes together well -- even my 12 year old goofball self had no assembly problems with those original MPC issues. 

[MrMiles]

well my local hobby lobby is pretty bad. i havent gone there in a year or so, and i went last night and they had basically the same kits they had 1 year ago. there was a couple of new kits, maybe like 3 of them. i had a long list of kits that i liked that came out end of last year or this year, and they only had one of them, and when i looked at it in person, i realized it wasnt one i really wanted. 

i still cant get over how expensive kits go. 40 dollars for a basic repop kit. i can no longer buy a kit that i like, its going to need to be one that I really love. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

22 minutes ago, MrMiles said:

...i still cant get over how expensive kits go. 40 dollars for a basic repop kit. i can no longer buy a kit that i like, its going to need to be one that I really love. 

Kinda like being a kid on an allowance again, eh?

[MrMiles]

1 minute ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Kinda like being a kid on an allowance again, eh?

 

it just means i am going to be much pickier in my purchases. 

[ctruss53]

28 minutes ago, MrMiles said:

still cant get over how expensive kits go. 40 dollars for a basic repop kit. i can no longer buy a kit that i like, its going to need to be one that I really love. 

$40 is not expensive. Not in todays money. $40 today is like a $10 kit when I was a kid in the early 1980's.

Honestly, if you think about it, $40 for a kit is cheap because of all the lawyering that has to be done in order to sell a kit now days. That is why kit companies repop old kits. To keep the cost at only $40.  If they have to engineer all new tooling AND do all the lawyering to license the thing, kits would cost a lot more.

[MrMiles]

10 minutes ago, ctruss53 said:

$40 is not expensive. Not in todays money. $40 today is like a $10 kit when I was a kid in the early 1980's.

Honestly, if you think about it, $40 for a kit is cheap because of all the lawyering that has to be done in order to sell a kit now days. That is why kit companies repop old kits. To keep the cost at only $40.  If they have to engineer all new tooling AND do all the lawyering to license the thing, kits would cost a lot more.

around the year 2000 they were about 15 dollars for a revell or amt kit. the tamiya kits were higher. that is 26 dollars in today's money. that is where it probably should be, especially for kits that are older than me with no detail, and some of them hardly fit together without modifications. i get that things need to increase in price, but even just a few years ago they were significantly cheaper. 

 

i dont mind paying top dollar for a quality kit. many of what they are remaking are not very good, which is why i had to create this original topic, to see if the kit is junk or one that is ok. which as someone earlier commented, is sad that it even needs to be asked

Edited May 18, 2023 by MrMiles

[ctruss53]

On 5/18/2023 at 8:11 AM, MrMiles said:

i dont mind paying top dollar for a quality kit. many of what they are remaking are not very good, which is why i had to create this original topic, to see if the kit is junk or one that is ok. which as someone earlier commented, is sad that it even needs to be asked

This is the real problem.  AMT, and Revell are not keeping up in the quality department.

I don't consider $40 to be a lot of money for a kit. Especially when those prices are the cheapest out there for new kits. Tamiya and all the other Asian kit companies charge more. And if you look at the prices of the fancier kits like Belkits, Alpha Model, or especially Model Factory Hiro, you will happily pay only $40 for a kit. But the quality is amazing.

Edited May 24, 2023 by ctruss53

[spencer1984]

I like the kit...no major problems with casting quality or assembly, and the parts breakdown allows for a lot of variation on how you build it.

[RichCostello]

My Walmart has the Coca Cola version.

[MrMiles]

15 minutes ago, RichCostello said:

My Walmart has the Coca Cola version.

i didnt know any walmarts still sold kits. i havent seen one at any of the wm near my area

[Dave G.]

In order to match the real truck you need a few parts to not fit right !

By the way, I remember when AMT kits cost $1.25. In fact lurking in my memory banks trying to surface is something like $1.00 plus tax. But the $1.25 is real clear. I got a paper route before advances on my allowance of $.35 blew the roof of the house. Then I could afford the kits I wanted and the quantity.

[MrMiles]

I haven't seen this kit at hobby lobby yet but I was able to find a couple of others that I liked on sale 40% off. I drove to the one about 45 minutes away and they had better stock 

[TarheelRick]

I bought one on the clearance aisle at WM for $19. My WM now, or at least last time I was there has only 7 or 8 41 Plymouth Coca-Cola kits and they have been marked $19 for at least 2 1/2 to 3 months.  I asked one of the sales associates if they were ever going to mark them down further and he said they were waiting for corporate to give them the go-ahead.  I may need to get back up there and see if they still have them, I just saw a really nice later model Plymouth coupe gas dragster and I believe with a little love that sow's ear could be made into a respectable gasser.

[Dave G.]

9 hours ago, MrMiles said:

I haven't seen this kit at hobby lobby yet but I was able to find a couple of others that I liked on sale 40% off. I drove to the one about 45 minutes away and they had better stock 

I haven't figured out my nearest HL 40% off sale pattern lately. It used to be every Friday but it seems random now. When I pop in there they either have the sale and no 37/38 Ford pickup or the pickup and no sale. I have one of those trucks which I want to build as the 37 but would like to build a 38 for a Christmas theme with tree in the back.

I'm building the AMT  53 Coca Cola pickup now ( all stock). I caught that on the 40% off.

[oldcarfan]

I haven't built one for a few years, but it was decent for an 80s MPC kit.

[Tom Geiger]

Back to the original topic.. yes I’d say it’s a nice kit. Full detail with all separate chassis and drivetrain parts. Engine has both stock and Turbo versions. It goes together well for an enjoyable build. 

The kit has been reissued enough times that you should be able to find one cheap on eBay, it’s been a $5-10 kit at shows. I bought several that way.

Now the evil ? thoughts.. that chassis fits under a 40 Ford sedan delivery like it was made for it. I am planning on using the turbo version under some sort of street rod and I know I’m not the first to do it!

[ctruss53]

On 5/20/2023 at 9:19 AM, Dave G. said:

In order to match the real truck you need a few parts to not fit right !

By the way, I remember when AMT kits cost $1.25. In fact lurking in my memory banks trying to surface is something like $1.00 plus tax. But the $1.25 is real clear. I got a paper route before advances on my allowance of $.35 blew the roof of the house. Then I could afford the kits I wanted and the quantity.

Well, paper routes now days pay about $0.30 - $0.50  per paper depending on the day.  So you can make good money and afford $40 for a kit.