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Posted

Truck modelers of the 70's, will probably remember well the "BIG RIG SET" series of 1/25th truck & trailer combos offered by AMT in the 70's when truck kits was the rage.

Any forum members could indicate how many BRS "combos" where made availble by AMT troughout the 70's:

What kits started the first BRS series... early, mid 70's?

-Pete 359 T500 / Reefer?

- Pete 352 /Gulf tanker?

Remember the Beer ones I got in the second half of the 70's, these where quite popular:

-Coors DD Freightliner/reefer

-Pabst DD Freightliner/reefer

-Miller Astro 95/ reefer

-Bud Pete 352/reefer

-Schlitz Mack CL/reefer

Also remember the last one I saw: GMC General/NAV trailer....last combo set? any other sets under the Matchbox years?

....Finally you may also remember that a small color folder was put in many AMT tractor kit boxes back in 1977-78, advertising poster of real trucks of the 70's : Petes 359, 352, KW Aerodyne W900 Centenial, to name a few, remember ordering the Yellow Pete 359 (Winslow stripped) huge poster...looooong gone.

Any one as kept the folder or as still have one of these truck posters...sure would be nice to see them , after all those years;)

Posted

Hello - I have pics of them all but I can not get them to upload to photobucket to post them here, I tried. I got them as scans maybe thats the problem.

As far as I know there were 12 in total, 6 beer sets and 6 others, the other 6 are the hard ones to find.

1 - Peterbilt 352 & Gulf Tanker Trailer

2 - Ford LNT-8000 & Haulaway Trailer ( auto transport trailer )

3 - Kenworth W-925 ( Watkins ) & Reefer Trailer (Watkins )

4 - Mack R685 ( Green Truck ) & Peerless Log Runner Trailer

5 - Peterbilt 359 Calif. Hauler & Box Trailer

6 - GMC General & North American Van Lines Trailer - Some of these are very rare and have in the corner where the spacer goes a GMC Step Side Pick-up truck

The 6th beer set you dont have listed was a Kenworth K-123 with the same trailer

I would be glad to e-mail the pics to you if you wish, I also have scans of all the Trucks sections out of the AMT Dealer Catalogs from 1969 to 2005.

Hope this helps

Posted (edited)
Hello - I have pics of them all but I can not get them to upload to photobucket to post them here, I tried. I got them as scans maybe thats the problem.

Go to Tiny Pics web site. You can instantly up load photos for web site attachments there.

Edited by chuckyr
Posted

Oh man, don't get me started on this subject!!!!

The very first sets were called "Truck N Trailer set", not "Big Rig set". The Big Rig sets came along later. I currently own one of the rarest, the Ford LN8000 and auto transporter set. I had the Peterbilt (T500) and reefer trailer but sold it along with my North American Van Lines set for 1700.00! I kid you not! Theres a guy that had every single set except those two and made me an offer I couldn't refuse!

The North American Van Lines was the only set to include a model (stepside GMC pickup) in the corner "fill in" box which was normally just an empty box.

There were rumors of a set that had the Watkins Kenworth with the pup trailers but i've never seen that one.

I think the pictures of the sets I sold may still be in my picturetrail albums?

www.picturetrail.com/lotso

They would be in the pics of the model kits in my sons room.

Posted

HEY! You guys forgot about the "tounament of thrills" set! It had the C600 ford, Haulaway trailer, and the stunt cars (49 merc) I think...just trying to help........matt

Posted

:rolleyes:

Besides the big rig seta of the 70s, AMT also came out with what they called The Big Rig Gift Sets. They were the same sets but had a little different variety to them.

In 1970 they released the

Peterbilt 359 Conventional (T500)

with the Fruehauf 40' dry van trailer (T507) these were listed as Kit # G431

Peterbilt 352 Cabover (T502)

with the Fruehauf Tanker trailer (T506) listed as Kit # G432

In 1971 they released the

Kenworth W-925 Conventional (T519)

with the Trailmobile (2) 27' Trailers (T521) listed as Kit # G434

Ford LN-8000 Conventional (T504)

with the Haulaway Autocarrier (T523) listed as kit # G535

In 1972 They released

Autocar A64B Conventional (T526)

with Trailmobile (2) 27' trailers (T521 listed as kit G436

Ford LN-8000 Conventional (T504

with Trailmobile 27' trailer (T525) listed as G437

GMC Astro 95 Cabover (T510)

with 40' Van (T524) listed as G449

White SD Cabover (T530

with Trailmobile Moving Van (T564) listed as G464

In 1976 They released

Kenworth W-925 Conventional (T519)

with Fruehauf 40' van (T507) listed as G819

Mack R-Serioes Conventional (T535)

with Peerless log trailer (T528) listed as G820

Now as far as the ones listed as just Big Rig Sets none of them came out till the late 70's after the Big Rig Gift Sets had been released. The first Big Rig Set was released in 1977

In 1977 they released

The Schlitz Beer set was The Mack Cruise-liner (T553)

with Fruehauf trailer (T554) Set # G824

The Pabst Beer set was The White Freightliner DD (T555)

with Fruehauf trailer (T556) Set # G825

The Miller Beer set was Gmc Astro 95 Cabover (T558)

with Fruehauf trailer (T559) Set # G826

In 1978 they released

The Coors Beer set was Freightliner DD Cabover (5105) Set # G827 and or

with Fruehauf 40' Reefer Trailer # 8767

This set also comes under # G828 and or # 8775

In 1979 they released

Pretty sure that this is a repop from 1976

Mack R685T Conventional (T535)

With Peerless Logging Trailer (T528) Set # G829

The Budweiser Beer Set was Peterbilt 352 Cabover (T551)

with Fruehauf 40' trailer (T552) Set # G828

This same set also comes under set # 8768

The AMT Corporation Set was Peterbilt 359 wit sleeper (T500)

with Fruehauf 40' Panel Van (T507) Set # G433

The North American Set was GMC General (5001)

Trailmobile Moving Van (5201) Set 3 ????

I have no number for this set as I dont have it in my collection

Thats makes a total of 22 different sets that were made under 2 different names 1st came the Big Rig gift sets, if I remember correctly they came out around Christmas Time. Than came the just plain Big Rig Sets released at different times of the year.

The number change on the same seys came about in the late 70's went the Kidde Company bought out the AMT/Ertl company.

:P Jeff :P

Guest 59elcamino
Posted

Then there was the US Mail Truck Set , a cabover Ford C600 and 26' pup trailer .

Posted

Thanks for all your inputs, especially Jeff. :lol:

Over 20 sets, in (approx) 10 years ...more then I tought, intresting to see that the sets are starting with the letter "G"...(group?) instead of AMT's common "T".

Some never heard of, others are a bit odd: Autocar A64B or KW W925... with twin '27 trailers!....odd that AMT people did not match the twin trailers with the Freigthliner SD... (CF combo!) or Ford C600 tractor kits!

Those first "G" sets must be worth a lot in factory sealed mint version, they seem to be a bit more rare then the later Beer "G" combos.

If not mistaking the later Beer ones where very popular & widely available, most retail stores had many,many,many in stock: Kmart, Woolworth's, Sears, including all LHS. Back then, bought all my beer ones at local K-marts for less then 20 bucks back (late 70's). ....now on eBay sells for approx 11 time more! (also notice that the beer combos are much more common on eBay then the first sets). True that those BRS did hit the retail store shelves in late fall...just right in for the holidays season.

Also true that e few sets where available in "ONE box": Thrills of tounaments C600-Auto trailer, later US Mail C600-27' trailer....and the 2 very first ones back in late 60s: Dirt Hauler & moving van tractor combo...(these 2 tractor & trailer sets where more "toy like" stuff).

Combos BUT not boxed in 2 different boxes with "corner" BRS box.

Thanks again to all..............no one has the truck poster folder on Fotki or other ;)

Posted

One time, I saw an Autocar A64B combo with a tanker trailer. I don't know if it was a regular or chromed tanker, but I'm positive that the tanker was included as part of the complete package and not simply a separate kit being sold alongside it.

Posted

There are others.

AMT "Dirt Hauler"

2021-300

This was a generic cabover with a dump trailer. Supposedly released b4 the original California Hauler Peterbilt(T500)

T558

It was the AMT Lowboy Trailer with the AMT CAT D8 Bulldozer.

1/43 scale sets

T781

Pete 359 w/dry van trailer 7-UP

T782

KW K123 and dry van trailer Good year

T783

KW K123 and dry van trlr Pepsi

T784

Pete 359 and reefer Dannon yogurt

T785

Pete 359 Wrecker-semi tractor set

T799

Pete 359 and dry van trlr K Mart

Posted
There are others.

AMT "Dirt Hauler"

2021-300

This was a generic cabover with a dump trailer. Supposedly released b4 the original California Hauler Peterbilt(T500)

You're correct. The Dirt Hauler was released in '68, the California Hauler in '69. Even before the Dirt Hauler was released, AMT released the same truck as a North American Van Lines tractor.

  • 1 year later...
Posted

Hi Jeff,

On the bottom of this message you reply with a question mark about a number of a box you don not have. Do you have the other sets??

Hessel

<img src="http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

Besides the big rig seta of the 70s, AMT also came out with what they called The Big Rig Gift Sets. They were the same sets but had a little different variety to them.

In 1970 they released the

Peterbilt 359 Conventional (T500)

with the Fruehauf 40' dry van trailer (T507) these were listed as Kit # G431

Peterbilt 352 Cabover (T502)

with the Fruehauf Tanker trailer (T506) listed as Kit # G432

In 1971 they released the

Kenworth W-925 Conventional (T519)

with the Trailmobile (2) 27' Trailers (T521) listed as Kit # G434

Ford LN-8000 Conventional (T504)

with the Haulaway Autocarrier (T523) listed as kit # G535

In 1972 They released

Autocar A64B Conventional (T526)

with Trailmobile (2) 27' trailers (T521 listed as kit G436

Ford LN-8000 Conventional (T504

with Trailmobile 27' trailer (T525) listed as G437

GMC Astro 95 Cabover (T510)

with 40' Van (T524) listed as G449

White SD Cabover (T530

with Trailmobile Moving Van (T564) listed as G464

In 1976 They released

Kenworth W-925 Conventional (T519)

with Fruehauf 40' van (T507) listed as G819

Mack R-Serioes Conventional (T535)

with Peerless log trailer (T528) listed as G820

Now as far as the ones listed as just Big Rig Sets none of them came out till the late 70's after the Big Rig Gift Sets had been released. The first Big Rig Set was released in 1977

In 1977 they released

The Schlitz Beer set was The Mack Cruise-liner (T553)

with Fruehauf trailer (T554) Set # G824

The Pabst Beer set was The White Freightliner DD (T555)

with Fruehauf trailer (T556) Set # G825

The Miller Beer set was Gmc Astro 95 Cabover (T558)

with Fruehauf trailer (T559) Set # G826

In 1978 they released

The Coors Beer set was Freightliner DD Cabover (5105) Set # G827 and or

with Fruehauf 40' Reefer Trailer # 8767

This set also comes under # G828 and or # 8775

In 1979 they released

Pretty sure that this is a repop from 1976

Mack R685T Conventional (T535)

With Peerless Logging Trailer (T528) Set # G829

The Budweiser Beer Set was Peterbilt 352 Cabover (T551)

with Fruehauf 40' trailer (T552) Set # G828

This same set also comes under set # 8768

The AMT Corporation Set was Peterbilt 359 wit sleeper (T500)

with Fruehauf 40' Panel Van (T507) Set # G433

The North American Set was GMC General (5001)

Trailmobile Moving Van (5201) Set 3 ????

I have no number for this set as I dont have it in my collection

Thats makes a total of 22 different sets that were made under 2 different names 1st came the Big Rig gift sets, if I remember correctly they came out around Christmas Time. Than came the just plain Big Rig Sets released at different times of the year.

The number change on the same seys came about in the late 70's went the Kidde Company bought out the AMT/Ertl company.

<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="B)" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" /> Jeff <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

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