AMT '36 ford gasser coming next year !

[bobss396]

11 hours ago, Mark said:

The drag version out of the box most certainly does build a late Fifties gasser.  After about 1960, nobody really serious ran a Thirties Ford anyway; those guys were all scouring the countryside and junkyards looking for Willys coupes.

I was referring to a Malco Willys, SWC gasser era. But you are right. There are still gasser classes today, no straight axles and the high suspensions.

[Mark]

Definitely a late Fifties gasser.  With some of these kits, the instructions still show the interior as a location for the Moon gas tank.  That was banned in 1960 after a couple of clutch explosions that turned really bad.

[Ace-Garageguy]

14 hours ago, Dtimmerman89 said:

I wonder if they fixed the body alignment issues that plagued all of the priors. I'd love to use that chop top with the rest of the front panels. 

IIRC, the chopped top was retooled in the latest issue (which I bought to get the really nice chrome-reverse rims).

Again IIRC, the retooled version does not have as nice proportions or flow or lines as the old version, and fits even worse.

I have most versions of the AMT '36 in stock...but some are in AZ.

EDIT: I only have ONE kit of the latest release, and it's possible that the one I have was warped somehow, maybe by being pulled from the mold too early, but my recollection of it, and my putting it all back in the box in disgust, remains.

EDIT 2: As Mark states, the kit is easily built into a reasonably period-correct gasser with what's always been in the box.

Edited 11 hours ago by Ace-Garageguy

[Mark]

You've really got to watch for warpage with this kit, especially with that roof-to-lower body deal.  Forget about putting the roof on in final assembly; cut the steering column off right where it passes through the floor so you can put the steering wheel in.

One of my brothers built a 1:1 '36 five-window coupe that was pieced together the same way!  Lower body from one car, roof from another (lower body had sat upside down on dirt for many years).  That was done before he bought the body.  On top of that, he swapped out the cowl, replaced both doors, and found a deck lid (he didn't get one with the body).  Five cars to get one body, and that's not counting the hood, fenders, or frame.

Someone mentioned the 5W coupe kit...don't hold your breath waiting for it unless Round 2 tools another body.  They had to recut the door line on the existing body to restore the 3W coupe.

[tim boyd]

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

IIRC, the chopped top was retooled in the latest issue (which I bought to get the really nice chrome-reverse rims).

Again IIRC, the retooled version does not have as nice proportions or flow or lines as the old version, and fits even worse.

I have most versions of the AMT '36 in stock...but some are in AZ.

EDIT: I only have ONE kit of the latest release, and it's possible that the one I have was warped somehow, maybe by being pulled from the mold too early, but my recollection of it, and my putting it all back in the box in disgust, remains.

EDIT 2: As Mark states, the kit is easily built into a reasonably period-correct gasser with what's always been in the box.

I was not aware that there was a difference between the original kit chopped top and the 2014 reissue....gotta check that one out, for sure.  Thx for the heads-up on that one, Bill.

For this build which used the 2014 reissue, I recall the usual issue of top to body fit, but nothing beyond past experiences with earlier kit releases. 

Does suggest that Mark's comments about warpage may be playing a role here.  For this one I do recall fitting the top to the body before painting and assembly, and some molding/filing was required to finesse (somewhat) the fit between the two parts....TB   

[Kenmojr]

In my youth I built a couple of these AMT 36 Ford kits (1960s). Love them...

[papajohn97]

I LOVE this kit. I recall my older big brother building a custom version back in '61 with the initial release and it left a big impression on me. I built the chopped-top custom version of the 2014 re-release six years ago and gave it to my younger big brother a few years later.....I miss it!

I've been wanting to build another one but the re-release became hard to locate & $$$. So glad R2 is re-popping this kit, one of the best looking '30's lead-sled kits out there IMO. May have get two so I can do a gasser as well?