'57 T-BIRD from AMT...it's historic!

[customline]

Found this on Ebay last week and whattayaknow? It's an old promo! In fact...well....

I'm going to give it a quick show-n-tell before I start this adorable replica... first thing I was befuddled about was the all chrome engine.

I'm not too keen on having to strip the engine before I can start but later on I did.  I think Easy-Off has a short shelf life. Anyway, the tires seem nice but the wheels are a bit odd. The stock inners are plated and are molded as steelies. You use the stock wheel covers or make them deep dish chromies...but the outers for the chrome reversed rims are not plated ( ? !).

Instruction sheet is road-map style and not very helpful. Just rudimentary illustrations and the usual goofs; you know the routine.  Luckily, it ain't complicated.  I can probably figure it out ?

There is an adjustable ride height feature and the interior tub is a simple two piece affair. The kit furnishes a hardtop (without porthole ?)  and a custom fast-back roof. There is a nice optional Connie kit and the radiator support is not ruined by the screw bosses. They will be hidden completely. ? if you enjoy detail painting as much as I do, you will be a happy camper as this kit provides an abundance of possibilities. 

ⁿ

 

For the windshield, it looks like the glass fits into a slot and then you add the plated frame to it.  thats how I plan to play it anyway. Maybe it will become clearer when I get there. ? 

It looks like a nice easy build and, of course, there is opportunity for improvements.  I will be building it pretty much OOB and I will start with the 312.  Thanks for looking. If you have experience with this kit, your sharing will be appreciated and your comments and praise are always welcome.

[NOBLNG]

Cool looking Kit Jim!? Is the electric shaver included??

[Can-Con]

Not actually an old promo, just an old kit originally issued around '62. 

Those wheel rims were originally plated and a lot of custom parts got deleted over the years.

Here's links to a couple of the earliest versions instruction sheets on the Drastic Plastic club site.

Neet to compare what changes were made over the last 60+ years.

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/ford/1951-1960/amt-57-t-bird-troph/

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/ford/1951-1960/amt-57-t-bird-troph1/

 

,,AND the infamous "Here Comes the Judge" issue,,

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/ford/1951-1960/amt-57-thunderbird-/

[espo]

The chrome engine parts was sort of an AMT thing when this kit was released. As for removing the chrome, if you haven't already, simple kitchen cleaning bleach works pretty fast and clean as well. 

[customline]

 

5 hours ago, espo said:

The chrome engine parts was sort of an AMT thing when this kit was released. As for removing the chrome, if you haven't already, simple kitchen cleaning bleach works pretty fast and clean as well. 

Yup. I've seen a few of 'em.  I will never build an engine that's all chrome. I remember from my early days that they just don't look good. Well, in those days the glue was all over the chrome. I was pretty carefree about such things ?.  I have some bleach and the next time this comes up I shall try it. Thanks, David.

[customline]

7 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Not actually an old promo, just an old kit originally issued around '62. 

 

 

The second photo. they said it...not me. Read it. It's funny how they made it sound like a good thing ?.....excuses, excuses......

[customline]

7 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

Cool looking Kit Jim!? Is the electric shaver included??

I haven't found it yet. Still looking ?. There's a big trophy-looking thing. I'm saving all those stupid diorama goodies. It's a collectible by itself. I'll put them on ebay and make a fortune ?

[Can-Con]

18 minutes ago, customline said:

The second photo. they said it...not me. Read it. It's funny how they made it sound like a good thing ?.....excuses, excuses......

I did notice that, sorry if it sounded like I was accusing you.  There was a promo but this wasn't it.

I truly believe sometimes the person doing the writeups don't do the research they should before starting to type.?

Here's a link to Dave Darby's excellent review of the latest issue of the kit. He had pics of the original promo in the story too. 

Edited June 23, 2024 by Can-Con

[customline]

All right, then.....I got in to it today and put the engine together enough for paint. Then I used it to explore how it goes into the frame.  The front portion of the frame is poorly molded and it appears I need to make improvements here.

8

that little ....nipple....didn't seem like it would do the job so I removed it and replaced it with something more positive. I also found the engine would not sit correctly in the frame due to the exhaust pipes on the frame. I removed them. Worry about that later. The front engine mount needed some attention too. I had to consult a photo of a frame in order to replace the less-than-useful mount cross member.

I closed up the frame and replaced the engine mount cross member with one a tad better. .080 styrene rod bent cold. took a few tries. Faked in the lower A frame tie-ins. Good enough!  I'm tempted to cut out the molded drive shaft and put in a real one but I didn't want to get too deep on this one. Just some minor upgrades.  Yeah.

QUESTION: 

How come every picture on the box shows the 'Bird wearing white walls but there is no trace of white walls in the box?  I don't get it 

 

[customline]

1 hour ago, Can-Con said:

I did notice that, sorry if it sounded like I was accusing you.  There was a promo but this wasn't it.

I truly believe sometimes the person doing the writeups don't do the research they should before starting to type.?

Here's a link to Dave Darby's excellent review of the latest issue of the kit. He had pics of the original promo in the story too. 

Nah, it's cool. But ain't it a laugh that they sell you a kit that was tooled in the fifties and tell you that you hold in your unworthy hands a piece of history! What an honor! There is incomplete casting of the engine mount cross member. And this one is from '03, I think. Is this kit still being sold new? I hope not. I will have my way with it though. ?

[customline]

How about a mock-up?  

the ride height has been lowered but not because it was AMT's idea. Earlier in this thread I asserted the ride height was adjustable.  Nope. Not true. But it is easily done by drilling a few holes. I think it makes the tires look too big. White walls would help. Gotta look in my stash.

[customline]

21 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Not actually an old promo, just an old kit originally issued around '62. 

Those wheel rims were originally plated and a lot of custom parts got deleted over the years.

Here's links to a couple of the earliest versions instruction sheets on the Drastic Plastic club site.

Neet to compare what changes were made over the last 60+ years.

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/ford/1951-1960/amt-57-t-bird-troph/

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/ford/1951-1960/amt-57-t-bird-troph1/

 

,,AND the infamous "Here Comes the Judge" issue,,

https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/ford/1951-1960/amt-57-thunderbird-/

Just looked at the old kit instructions. The "Judge" version had a great instruction sheet. Information that I can certainly use. Thank you ! You have to wonder about the thinking on the sheet in my kit. It's almost like they didn't care ?. The way this kit devolved is pretty sad.

[Ace-Garageguy]

15 hours ago, customline said:

The second photo. they said it...not me. Read it. It's funny how they made it sound like a good thing ?.....excuses, excuses......

You might want to read it again.

What it actually says is "the mold that made these 1/25 promos was later converted into a model kit tool, the same tool that made this kit you are about to build".

There are several major differences between the "promo" and the kit derived from it.

For instance, the actual promo had the windshield frame, hood, and headlight rims molded into the body shell as one piece.

The underside of the actual promo is the typical stamped metal, friction-motor job.

EDIT: The ORIGINAL AMT "Styling" kit was in fact almost the promo offered as a kit, but it is an entirely different animal from the kit you have. It included the one-piece body (the windshield frame is broken in the photo below), a stamped metal chassis, and the promo's cast metal bumpers. It was also molded in light green, as well as the red shown below.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/amt-ford-thunderbird-styling-kit-25-1899416906

Edited June 23, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

14 hours ago, customline said:

Nah, it's cool. But ain't it a laugh that they sell you a kit that was tooled in the fifties and tell you that you hold in your unworthy hands a piece of history! What an honor!

Though the kit was originally tooled in the '50s, it was done at a time when promos were developed from factory blueprints, and because of that, the kit is quite well proportioned.

And because of that, in spite of its warts, it can be the basis for a very fine model...with a lot of remedial work.

Unfortunately, some scale fidelity has been lost during the tooling design process (primarily to make the thing come out of the mold more easily), fit of many parts is poor, and the blobular chassis was the standard early AMT kit style.

[customline]

Well I'm just having fun with this little 'Bird today. I added more plastic to the front spring areas to make the frame look more "there".  It's not very accurate but it's a slight improvement. More can be done in that area but I thought I should do something about the driveshaft- it's been bothering me. The material is very thin around the "shaft" and I was able to slice across the u-joint and just run my #11 down both sides. Gone-zo!  Wrapped some .005 over the top and found a shaft from one of the Revell coupe/roadster kits. I added a "snout" to the front joint so it will look like the tail shaft housing poking through the "X". Behold:

I think that replacing the blob rear end with a "real" one wouldn't be difficult but I'm happy with leaving it here. This was going to be a OOB build ?.  The engine was painted yesterday with very well shaken Ace gloss red and it seems like it doesn't want to dry. I chased all the panel lines because they were kinda weak. One of the front fenders needed some repair work. Some parting lines needed sanding but mostly the body is good. The inner wheels are in a bowl of Clorox for the night... that's about it. Thanks for your interest and I welcome your thoughts ?

[stavanzer]

Still looking very Nice.

[stavanzer]

HPI Guy did a build of this kit too, with all the 21st Century add-ons to the base kit you started with. (Decals, Extra Chrome parts, Printed Tires)

 

[Lunajammer]

This is one of those offerings I call a "canvas" kit. Its relatively straight lines (not many compound curves), vintage features and plentiful custom parts make it a canvas of creativity for customizing, chopping, shaping and kit bashing. I love it.

[NOBLNG]

I’ve always thought that Ford should have stretched the wheelbase on the ‘57 T-Bird. It kind of looks like an altered in my eye. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

22 hours ago, stavanzer said:

HPI Guy did a build of this kit too, with all the 21st Century add-ons to the base kit you started with. (Decals, Extra Chrome parts, Printed Tires)

That's...horrible.

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, NOBLNG said:

I’ve always thought that Ford should have stretched the wheelbase on the ‘57 T-Bird. It kind of looks like an altered in my eye. 

Funny...I've always thought it was one of the most perfectly styled and proportioned cars on the planet.

Kinda one of the reasons "improvements" almost never are.

Edited June 25, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[NOBLNG]

11 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Funny...I've always thought it was one of the most perfectly styled and proportioned cars on the planet.

Kinda one of the reasons "improvements" almost never are.

Well the AMT version is a little worse than the real one.? And it wouldn’t take much of a shift to get rid of the tail heavy look.?

[Ace-Garageguy]

59 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Well the AMT version is a little worse than the real one.? And it wouldn’t take much of a shift to get rid of the tail heavy look.?

Which is why I've always preferred the '55-'56, but I still think the '57 is beautiful just the way it is.  

[customline]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....hey, what do you call it when you buy a thunderbird and then you fix it up and re-sell it for a profit? I'll let you think about it. ?

Got the engine put together. Not the greatest Y-block out there but good enough for an old screw-bottom.  Had to swap out the 6V battery for a 12V. Nobody told them, I guess.  Decided to hinge the hood. I hope it works.  My inner wheels are still in the bleach but they're nearly done. Too slow for my liking. Gotta get some commercial grade oven and grill cleaner. Zero chrome in 5 minutes. I must say, though, the lacquer coating under the plating seems to be dissolving in the Clorox. We shall see. Here's some pix. Many thanks for everyone's comments. BTW, I agree with Bill about the styling of this 'Bird; I may forego the Continental kit. And the stock hard top - something doesn't look right about it. Could be me, though. ?

[customline]

On 6/23/2024 at 11:46 PM, stavanzer said:

HPI Guy did a build of this kit too, with all the 21st Century add-ons to the base kit you started with. (Decals, Extra Chrome parts, Printed Tires)

 

I watched some of this. Everything was fine until HPI guy started on the chrome engine. It made me very ......I dunno....I couldn't watch it. Knowing where it was going, it was full stop for me. I appreciate you putting it up though, it was enlightening ? to say the least.?