AMT Mustang II Hell Drivers Thrill show car

[rickcaps55]

On 9/14/2024 at 1:49 PM, webestang said:

Be nice if this got reissued.........

I would love to see a 74 or 75 coup come out back in 74 i had bought one for my wife it was the Gia it was a fun car.!

[webestang]

28 minutes ago, rickcaps55 said:

I would love to see a 74 or 75 coup come out back in 74 i had bought one for my wife it was the Gia it was a fun car.!

Nice! My M-II was 78 hatch with a 302/auto, loaded with everything including factory sunroof. I bought it 92 for $850 and had her for 3 years. 

Lost storage and had to part her out, did make about $1200. The steering wheel I saved because I think it's cool and trying to figure out how to put in my 88 5.0....LOL

 

Edited September 18, 2024 by webestang

[Sledsel]

23 hours ago, Mark said:

The MPC Dyno Don Mustang II was a '75.  When MPC did funny car or pro stock kits that shared the stock body, they did one per year, in between annual kits, to get more use out of the tooling.

It was released in late '74 and was the same body as the Firefighter released mid74.

[Mark]

17 minutes ago, Sledsel said:

It was released in late '74 and was the same body as the Firefighter released mid74.

Nope, nope, and nope.  '75 body on this built one, notice the revised hood opening.  The Dyno Don kit was run after the 1975 annual kit.

[Bob Ellis]

On 9/17/2024 at 7:58 PM, Sledsel said:

Ok, what I know of the MPC Mustang II's:

1974 was a new tool

1974 the Firefighter and Dyno Don prostock released

1975, body retooled to a 75 (hood and header panel was different)

1976 the kit '75 was reboxed as a 76

1976 the Cobra II was released

1977 the previous kit was reboxed

1978 the King Cobra version was released

1978, 80, 83, 85 and 2005 the Pro Stock kits were released with different boxes.

ALL pro stock versions are 1974 bodies.

Now, an interesting observation from the AMT/Ertl Street Custom Mustang II was AMT in the box but boxart was an MPC. Suspension shown on the side panel was an MPC kit.    

So is the MPC variant still around? Hope so

The MPC Cobra parts do not fit the AMT body very well because it's a different tool.

[Sledsel]

17 hours ago, Mark said:

Nope, nope, and nope.  '75 body on this built one, notice the revised hood opening.  The Dyno Don kit was run after the 1975 annual kit.

 Nope nope nope.... The Dyno Don was a 74 release, maybe a later '74 release.

They may have changed the body before the '75's came out. I'm gonna have to dig out my Firefighter and Midnight Mustangs to look at the bodies now. LOL

[Mark]

Yes, late '74 release AFTER the '75 annual.  The annuals started hitting department store shelves as early as August.

[tim boyd]

Back in the mid-late 1970s I was doing some commission work for AMT from time to time (along with going to college working part time, and building my own MPC contest models).   One of the projects they assigned to me was to build the 1/16th scale (I think) Japanese (Entex...?) kit of the Mustang II Mach 1 fastback.  AMT wanted it to show at their annual Sales Rep Meeting as a representation of the size and features of their upcoming series of 1/16th scale kits (1955-57 Chevy Bel Air/Nomad et al, T-Bird, 64.5 Mustang).  I painted it Testors Brown with a tan interior and i recall it being a fairly good kit other than that the tires appeared (to my eyes at least) to be undersized....TB 

 

[Ragtop Man]

1 hour ago, tim boyd said:

Back in the mid-late 1970s I was doing some commission work for AMT from time to time (along with going to college working part time, and building my own MPC contest models).   One of the projects they assigned to me was to build the 1/16th scale (I think) Japanese (Entex...?) kit of the Mustang II Mach 1 fastback.  AMT wanted it to show at their annual Sales Rep Meeting as a representation of the size and features of their upcoming series of 1/16th scale kits (1955-57 Chevy Bel Air/Nomad et al, T-Bird, 64.5 Mustang).  I painted it Testors Brown with a tan interior and i recall it being a fairly good kit other than that the tires appeared (to my eyes at least) to be undersized....TB 

 

We need a pic of THAT one!  I recall the MII with some favor, my Dad had a '74 in the signature silver "Mach 1" trim that was a stone, with the V6 and a stick. The '77 was much better, had the 302 and the 4-speed, for the era a nice gutty little whip. In fact, my first street race (don't tell the vehicle rep!) was in that car and it did shut down a '76 305 Camaro. 

[chevyhotrod56]

On 9/19/2024 at 8:42 AM, Bob Ellis said:

The MPC Cobra parts do not fit the AMT body very well because it's a different tool.

74 the gas cap is under the body line 75 it's above the body line

[chevyhotrod56]

https://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/170673-did-this-car-inspire-mpc-to-do-the-mustang-fire-fighter-whats-in-the-name-pro-stocker/

[rickcaps55]

On 9/12/2024 at 8:23 PM, Motor City said:

Hopefully this will follow:

This one should be first.!

[Dave Darby]

2 hours ago, rickcaps55 said:

This one should be first.!

The wheel wells are logged out for the Pro Stock version. I wouldn't hold my breath. Unless they tool another body. I'd like to see it, too.

[Ragtop Man]

On 9/18/2024 at 12:02 PM, webestang said:

Nice! My M-II was 78 hatch with a 302/auto, loaded with everything including factory sunroof. I bought it 92 for $850 and had her for 3 years. 

Lost storage and had to part her out, did make about $1200. The steering wheel I saved because I think it's cool and trying to figure out how to put in my 88 5.0....LOL

 

That was my father's FoMoCo company lease car, very similar. '77 302/4-speed, but he had the forged alloys and no side molding. Red interior and pinstripe, sharp car for the era. There is a pic someplace of me laboriously rubbing the II down with old skool Simoniz and cheesecloth. 

 

[Dave Van]

On 9/14/2024 at 2:49 PM, webestang said:

Be nice if this got reissued.........

I'd have to buy a few...............

 

 

[Dave Van]

On 9/14/2024 at 1:43 AM, ChrisBcritter said:

Does Round2 still have the molds for the ramps?

The Mustang II only had card stock printed ramps. They will not be in this reissue per R2. The Ford and Mercury kits had plastic ramps in them. 

[sfhess]

39 minutes ago, Dave Van said:

I'd have to buy a few...............

 

 

Check this out:  77 Mustang II Coupe Resin Body - Morgan Automotive Detail

 

[tim boyd]

10 hours ago, Dave Van said:

I'd have to buy a few...............

 

 

Dave,,,,in case you missed my earlier post above, I built the original Otaki (?) 1/16 Mustang II Mach 1 fastback kit that I presume came from this same tooling set.  AMT commissioned me to assemble and paint the model to show their sales reps at their upcoming annual sales meeting so that they would better understand what AMT's coming lineup of 1/26th scale kits (Bel Air, TB, Mustang, et al) would look like size and feature wise.  I recall it being a surprisingly good kit except that the wheels and tires were woefully undersized.  Then again, this was nearly 50 years ago so I shouldn't trust my memory to remember things exactly as they were!   TB 

[ClassicDarts]

Just bought the 2005 RC2 AMT issue at a show last week for a very reasonable price. (for these days, anyway)

Wasn't too familiar with the kit, never had a Mustang II kit before... but was aware how some RC2-era kits showed one tool on the box cover and have something completely different inside. Little did I know that this kit was a prime example of it. LOL (MPC kit on the box, AMT kit inside)

No big deal, it was cheap and it looks to be a fairly decent representation of one, aside from the chassis, etc.

Anyway, notice how they changed the Hell Drivers box art slightly from the original... the original box cover is almost identical, but shows the car with the "styled steel wheel" stock rims... the new one shows it with minilites.

I guess the basic kit will be the same as the 2005 issue? Where the only wheels included are the minilites... presumably a remnant from the AMT Mustang II Python kit? (ironically, the '05 cover shows it with stock wheels even though they're not in the box... you can even see where they're supposed to be on one of the two chrome trees, but were blocked off. But again, the car on the box isn't even an AMT kit in the first place)

I promptly bought a set of 4-lug styled steel wheels and better tires from a more recent AMT Pinto kit (as they're identical anyway) for $10 more than the kit itself cost.  oh well

Maybe the new one will include the stock wheels since Round2's kits are generally much better quality than the RC2 versions even if they're often still made from the same molds. It'll undoubtedly have much better tires and decal sheet, if nothing else.

The '05 issue's tires look like truck tires (though somehow undersized or at least ill-fitting for the rims)

Edited October 26, 2024 by ClassicDarts

[Carmak]

21 minutes ago, ClassicDarts said:

Just bought the 2005 RC2 AMT issue at a show last week for a very reasonable price. (for these days, anyway)

Wasn't too familiar with the kit, never had a Mustang II kit before... but was aware how some RC2-era kits showed one tool on the box cover and have something completely different inside. Little did I know that this kit was a prime example of it. LOL (MPC kit on the box, AMT kit inside)

No big deal, it was cheap and it looks to be a fairly decent representation of one, aside from the chassis, etc.

Anyway, notice how they changed the Hell Drivers box art slightly from the original... the original box cover is almost identical, but shows the car with the "styled steel wheel" stock rims... the new one shows it with minilites.

I guess the basic kit will be the same as the 2005 issue? Where the only wheels included are the minilites... presumably a remnant from the AMT Mustang II Python kit? (ironically, the '05 cover shows it with stock wheels even though they're not in the box... you can even see where they're supposed to be on one of the two chrome trees, but were blocked off. But again, the car on the box isn't even an AMT kit in the first place)

I promptly bought a set of 4-lug styled steel wheels and better tires from a more recent AMT Pinto kit (as they're identical anyway) for $10 more than the kit itself cost.  oh well

Maybe the new one will include the stock wheels since Round2's kits are generally much better quality than the RC2 versions even if they're still made from the same molds. It'll undoubtedly have much better tires and decal sheet, if nothing else.

Hopefully Round2 continues its practice of opening all of the formerly blocked runners and the stock styled wheels (or possibly a set to deep dish slots) will return. We may also end up with some or all of the Python parts and some of the GT road race parts.

[SteveG]

11 hours ago, Carmak said:

Hopefully Round2 continues its practice of opening all of the formerly blocked runners and the stock styled wheels (or possibly a set to deep dish slots) will return. We may also end up with some or all of the Python parts and some of the GT road race parts.

The stock styled wheels are missing from the tooling, beside the Minilites there is a set of 5 spoke mags that might be Keystones that are suggested for the Drag version.  Sorry, I don't have an actual test shot here at home to review at this time, just a parts photo.   I didn't spot any extra Python or GT roads race version parts but honestly, I'm not that familiar with all the AMT Mustang II variations so I could be wrong.  

-Steve

[vamach1]

Sometimes you find buildups where you least expect it.  I got these Mustang II’s from a garage sale held at Barris Kustoms in Ventura CA yesterday.  There were not a huge amount of models (some new and sealed or opened) but I also picked up some posters and postcards.

I gave them a bath and took a few more pictures.

Edited November 4, 2024 by vamach1
Added photos.

[Dave Darby]

1 hour ago, vamach1 said:

Sometimes you find buildups where you least expect it.  I got these Mustang II’s from a garage sale held at Barris Kustoms in Ventura CA yesterday.  There were not a huge amount of models (some new and sealed or opened) but I also picked up some posters and postcards.

Looks like a Python on the bottom. I've never seen a built one before. Looks even better than the box art.

Edited October 28, 2024 by Dave Darby
Spelling

[vamach1]

On 10/27/2024 at 5:53 PM, Dave Darby said:

Looks like a Python on the bottom. I've never seen a built one before. Looks even better than the box art.

Forgot to mention I paid $10 for both cars.

Edited November 6, 2024 by vamach1
Price

[slusher]

On 10/27/2024 at 7:55 PM, vamach1 said:

Forgot to mention I pad $10 for both cars.

What’s your plans for them?  Clean up or rebuild or leave as is?