65 alcon AWB Improved

[FoMoCo66]

This is the amt 65 falcon from the cal drag combo kit. I have a love for falcons but do not appreciate what amt did to this kit. The frame is severely undersized, the interior is lacking detail, the front axle is not moved forward, and there is no firewall. I hope to improve most of these issues. The first thing I started with was making the frame bigger, using some plastic sheet on the side for this. I still need to add some on the back.

I was also confused why amt thought that the interior tub was acceptable for the fire wall. So I decided to construct one out of evergreen sheet styrene. 

The front axle was also moved forward and the wheel well enlarged. I think this looks way better and more reasonably proportioned.

Here's a scratch built oil pan as well.

Thanks

Elliot

[Shark]

I like your modifications so far, will be following along with your build. Some kits just leave you shaking your head when you get them out of the box for the first time.

[FoMoCo66]

46 minutes ago, Shark said:

I like your modifications so far, will be following along with your build. Some kits just leave you shaking your head when you get them out of the box for the first time.

Thanks man, I definitely know what you mean. A lot of the AMT annuals had this done to them when the tools were butchered, yes butchered not modified.

[stavanzer]

Cut Them Some Slack.

AMT was losing money, kids were turning away from model kits, and old tools had to be re-used because there was little budget for new tooling.

Little did the (Don Draper types) in charge know that 50 years later, folks would be B++++in' about their Cheap Re-purposing of old tooling that was going to be scrapped anyway into money making "Toys!" to 12 year old kids......... They saved AMT and that is what paid them. Not Realistic Depictions of fictional race cars.

I'm glad that folks are so creative now and can fix what they see wrong, but dumping on these isn't fair. "Butchered" is hardly fair.

 

[FoMoCo66]

37 minutes ago, stavanzer said:

Cut Them Some Slack.

AMT was losing money, kids were turning away from model kits, and old tools had to be re-used because there was little budget for new tooling.

Little did the (Don Draper types) in charge know that 50 years later, folks would be B++++in' about their Cheap Re-purposing of old tooling that was going to be scrapped anyway into money making "Toys!" to 12 year old kids......... They saved AMT and that is what paid them. Not Realistic Depictions of fictional race cars.

I'm glad that folks are so creative now and can fix what they see wrong, but dumping on these isn't fair. "Butchered" is hardly fair.

 

I know that it would never have been a good business move on amts part to keep the stock molds. In all honesty im glad they did something to them to keep them around, otherwise they would have just been lost to history. 

[stavanzer]

36 minutes ago, FoMoCo66 said:

I know that it would never have been a good business move on amts part to keep the stock molds. In all honesty im glad they did something to them to keep them around, otherwise they would have just been lost to history. 

Indeed. You can have Lousy, Toylike kits. Or no Kits at all.