Just a few AMT kits coming this year !!

[Rob Hall]

1 hour ago, Zen said:

Why is the Cougar molded in red? 

Probably aiming it at kids (65 yr old ones?) with the flashy Hot Wheels packaging...

Edited yesterday at 04:58 PM by Rob Hall

[Can-Con]

54 minutes ago, Motor City said:

The '68 does not have a vinyl roof.

I have both the '68 kit and promo, Correct, neither has a vinyl roof.

[Perspect Scale Modelworks]

51 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

Probably aiming it at kids with the flashy Hot Wheels packaging...

Interesting. I know kids like Hot Wheels, but I wonder how many "kids" are into '69 Cougars. More like a 40+ thing. It seems "kids" today are into Mustangs, Challengers, Chargers, Lambos, Ferrari, BMW, tuners, etc.

It doesn't seem like the kit manufacturers are concerned about bringing kids into the hobby, and if they think this is how to do it, then...

[Rob Hall]

25 minutes ago, Perspect Scale Modelworks said:

Interesting. I know kids like Hot Wheels, but I wonder how many "kids" are into '69 Cougars. More like a 40+ thing. It seems "kids" today are into Mustangs, Challengers, Chargers, Lambos, Ferrari, BMW, tuners, etc.

It doesn't seem like the kit manufacturers are concerned about bringing kids into the hobby, and if they think this is how to do it, then...

Just a lazy way to churn out more variations of old kits... like the Coke licenses.  IIRC, the nice 'Retro Deluxe' boxing of the '69 Cougar had some molded in red also. 

Edited yesterday at 04:58 PM by Rob Hall

[Justin Porter]

2 hours ago, Perspect Scale Modelworks said:

Interesting. I know kids like Hot Wheels, but I wonder how many "kids" are into '69 Cougars. More like a 40+ thing. It seems "kids" today are into Mustangs, Challengers, Chargers, Lambos, Ferrari, BMW, tuners, etc.

It doesn't seem like the kit manufacturers are concerned about bringing kids into the hobby, and if they think this is how to do it, then...

Round 2 isn't taking aim at kids with the Hot Wheels packaging but rather at the subset of Hot Wheels collectors who collect the brand just as much as they collect the toy cars themselves. Much like the Coke releases, the hope is that Hot Wheels merchandise collectors see the package, grab the kit, and put it on a shelf as just one more thing wearing the flaming wheel. 

[Perspect Scale Modelworks]

24 minutes ago, Justin Porter said:

Round 2 isn't taking aim at kids with the Hot Wheels packaging but rather at the subset of Hot Wheels collectors who collect the brand just as much as they collect the toy cars themselves. Much like the Coke releases, the hope is that Hot Wheels merchandise collectors see the package, grab the kit, and put it on a shelf as just one more thing wearing the flaming wheel. 

That sounds more like it and proves my point that they're not interested in marketing scale kits to "kids". What a shame.

[Justin Porter]

I feel fortunate that I don't have to rely on AMT to manufacture model car kits that appeal to kids. Aoshima does it admirably.

[stitchdup]

13 minutes ago, Justin Porter said:

I feel fortunate that I don't have to rely on AMT to manufacture model car kits that appeal to kids. Aoshima does it admirably.

how are those? i want an ae86 for my collection but i dont want to do a anything over complicated as its just to fill a gap in my collection

[Justin Porter]

11 minutes ago, stitchdup said:

how are those? i want an ae86 for my collection but i dont want to do a anything over complicated as its just to fill a gap in my collection

Pretty nicely engineered with the focus being on using clever tooling to keep costs and parts count down. I built one of the RX-7's myself and was impressed with what a good little miniature it was even without paint.

[Dave Darby]

6 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

Just a lazy way to churn out more variations of old kits... like the Coke licenses.  IIRC, the nice 'Retro Deluxe' boxing of the '69 Cougar had some molded in red also. 

If you've got 'em, run 'em. I think it's been a while since the 69 Cougar was out last, and if that's what it takes to get Hobby Lobby to carry it, so be it.  Unless you want to loan Round a quarter million plus to cut a new tool. 

[Mark]

People forget (younger ones never knew) that years ago, the model manufacturers kept a lot of items in the catalog for years on end, just changing box art every couple of years.  Not just AMT.  Revell kept their Gasser and Fifties Chevy kits out for years with the occasional box change.  Monogram did so too, not even changing the box for items like the Badman and Early Iron Ford roadster pickup.  And how many times did they rebox their funny cars (Barracuda, Duster, El Camino, and '57 Chevy) in the Seventies?

None of the manufacturers are going to do only new items, they're going to throw in a bunch of reissues too.  90% of the people buying these things aren't going to the toy shows like a lot of us, and aren't aware that they might be able to find an older issue of the same kit for cheap.  To an occasional builder, it's an impulse buy; they see it, think it's cool, and buy it.

[sfhess]

7 hours ago, Rob Hall said:

Just a lazy way to churn out more variations of old kits... like the Coke licenses.  IIRC, the nice 'Retro Deluxe' boxing of the '69 Cougar had some molded in red also. 

IIRC they were orange.

MPC 69 Cougar "Super Cat" was molded in red

 

Edited 18 hours ago by sfhess

[sfhess]

My first thought on seeing the Chevelle was "Who's going to buy that, with the Revell version available?"

[oldcarfan]

6 hours ago, Justin Porter said:

Pretty nicely engineered with the focus being on using clever tooling to keep costs and parts count down. I built one of the RX-7's myself and was impressed with what a good little miniature it was even without paint.

 

Are those the 1/24th kits? I can vouch for them. I have several of the Initial D kits waiting to be built. My kids were deeply into Anime just before COVID and we took to a convention in Dallas, Texas. I found a vendor who had a couple cases of the kits and my wife let me off the leash to get a bunch.

[Justin Porter]

25 minutes ago, oldcarfan said:

Are those the 1/24th kits? I can vouch for them. I have several of the Initial D kits waiting to be built. My kids were deeply into Anime just before COVID and we took to a convention in Dallas, Texas. I found a vendor who had a couple cases of the kits and my wife let me off the leash to get a bunch.

These are the 1/32nd scale kits. I do have some of the 1/24th scale Initial D glue kits from Aoshima and from Fujimi in stock as well though. They tend to be very easy sells and are often a gateway for Gundam builders who want to try out car building.

[blubaja]

10 hours ago, Perspect Scale Modelworks said:

I wonder how many "kids" are into '69 Cougars. 

 

[OldSkool81]

7 hours ago, stitchdup said:

how are those? i want an ae86 for my collection but i dont want to do a anything over complicated as its just to fill a gap in my collection

I really wanted a kit of the new limited run Countach LPI 800-4, and Aoshima was the only one offering it. Great price, great details and quality, even putting many 1/24 and 1/25 kits to shame!

Edited 16 hours ago by OldSkool81

[CapSat 6]

7 hours ago, Justin Porter said:

Round 2 isn't taking aim at kids with the Hot Wheels packaging but rather at the subset of Hot Wheels collectors who collect the brand just as much as they collect the toy cars themselves. Much like the Coke releases, the hope is that Hot Wheels merchandise collectors see the package, grab the kit, and put it on a shelf as just one more thing wearing the flaming wheel. 

What gets me is that Hot Wheels does have a Cougar like this in their 1:64 die cast mainline line up, but the paint scheme depicted on the box is some sort of made-up thing. 

I think this is a potential missed opportunity…why would they not design decals that are copies of one of the paint schemes the 1:64 car was offered with? Some of Hot Wheels’ graphic treatments are actually very cool. 

Also, offering optional big wheels and rubber band tires (like from that Resto Rods series, from which AMT offered this very model), that might mimic the Hot Wheels stance would perhaps make it a more interesting offering. 

Oh yeah- forgot…lazy…

 

 

 

[tim boyd]

The original AMT 1968 Riviera annual kit does not have a vinyl roof. Here's one my brother Robert started in 1968 and I finished sometime in the early 1970s (note the cracks in the old AMT lacquer paint job).....There was a seperate add-on vintyl roof and trunk area piece in the kit...perhaps that is what you remember. (More on this below the picture...) 

 I don't have the original 1969 Riviera annual kit, but I do have several reissues including the first reissue (I think), the 1977-ish"Countdown" series boxing.  None of those have an engraved vinyl roof either.   

Here's a shot with the optional add-on vinyl roof/trunk piece mentioned above.

Hope this definitively closes the inquiry on this (   )...TB 

 

[Luc Janssens]

Isn't Round2 via their mpc brand re-releasing the '72 Mercury Montego stock car racer? Thought I've seen this passing in my FB feed.

[Luc Janssens]

45 minutes ago, tim boyd said:

The original AMT 1968 Riviera annual kit does not have a vinyl roof. Here's one my brother Robert started in 1968 and I finished sometime in the early 1970s (note the cracks in the old AMT lacquer paint job).....There was a seperate add-on vintyl roof and trunk area piece in the kit...perhaps that is what you remember. (More on this below the picture...) 

 I don't have the original 1969 Riviera annual kit, but I do have several reissues including the first reissue (I think), the 1977-ish"Countdown" series boxing.  None of those have an engraved vinyl roof either.   

Here's a shot with the optional add-on vinyl roof/trunk piece mentioned above.

Hope this definitively closes the inquiry on this (   )...TB 

 

Wasn't this kit also released under Amt's selected vintage subjects program? Seem to recall it had some great turbine wheels included.

[Rob Hall]

33 minutes ago, Luc Janssens said:

Wasn't this kit also released under Amt's selected vintage subjects program? Seem to recall it had some great turbine wheels included.

The '69 Riviera has been reissued several times over the years, the '68 was only in '68 I think.. looks like it's maybe been 20 years since the '69 was last out, definitely time for a Retro Deluxe issue which is what it sounds like is coming.

Edited 6 hours ago by Rob Hall

[Luc Janssens]

2 minutes ago, Rob Hall said:

The '69 Riviera has been reissued several times over the years, the '68 was only in '68 I think.. 

Oops yes, the '69.  But they all come with these turbine wheels?

[Rob Hall]

9 minutes ago, Luc Janssens said:

Oops yes, the '69.  But they all come with these turbine wheels?

The Countdown Series from the 70s did, I remember building one as a kid.  Pretty sure the 1996 reissue did (was in the Countdown Series box art).   Not sure what the 2005 issue came with, don't have that one. 

Edited 6 hours ago by Rob Hall

[PintoKING]

2 hours ago, Luc Janssens said:

Isn't Round2 via their mpc brand re-releasing the '72 Mercury Montego stock car racer? Thought I've seen this passing in my FB feed.

Yea, I saw that too, but it is actually a 1971. Sure hope it will include the stock interior for a factory-stock version.