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1/25 AMT '37 Chevy Coupe


Stevearado

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It was state of the art for late '60s, definitely a step up from AMT's '32 and '40 Fords. It stands up pretty well today and can be built into a real nice model--have seen many of them done well (have never actually built it myself, though).

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Early issues of the coupe (Stovebolt, Gasser, the "yellow drag car on the box" issue, and the Street Rods series issue all have the stock parts. The Salt Shaker Bonneville racer issue had a few parts added, but anything not needed for the version shown on the box wasn't in the box. That includes the front fenders, stock wheels, stock seat, and six-cylinder engine. The unique Salt Shaker parts (rear bumper, front axle, front fender filler pieces, chassis filler pieces for inner rear fenders) aren't in any other issue of the kit.

Ertl reissued the coupe after they bought AMT. That issue (yellow car on the box) doesn't have the six-cylinder engine or the stock seat. Some of the boxes for that issue have a picture of the stock engine on the side panel, with a "2 versions" or "2 in 1" sticker slapped on over it because the engine parts weren't in the box. You could build a stock-looking coupe, but out of the box it would have had a V8 engine and custom seats.

The first AMT/Ertl reissue of the convertible (pink car on the box) has the stock engine back in. The engine block/transmission halves and a couple other parts were (then) newly tooled. I don't think the radiator hose(s) were put back in; they might not match up with the new engine parts. No issues of the convertible came without a stock engine.

All issues of the coupe after the AMT/Ertl convertible reissue have the retooled stock engine, and also the stock front seat from the convertible (which is different from the one in the coupe). The craft store reissue coupe (orange car on the box) and the Stevens International repop of the 1969 issue might not include the stock engine assembly in the instructions though. I think the stock taillights from the convertible (again different) are in the coupe reissues too. The current Round 2 issue should be pretty much like the early issues again (stock coupe seat and taillights) but I didn't pick this one up because I've already got as many of them as I'll need in a couple of lifetimes. Hopefully this clears things up.

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They were supposed to have retooled a new three piece stock seat and stock tail lights. Along with added in upgraded tires (pad printed WW and drag slicks), and reproducing the original '67 decal sheet.

It's an almost 50 year old model tool, so caveat emptor. I wouldn't expect it to be any worse, or better than any of the other 50ish year old tools they've reintroduced. But unless you stick to a very narrow window of tooling time from say '88-'98 (basically the last days of MPC pre-merger, and the Ertl era) you're gonna get "good ole day" quality models.

Edited by niteowl7710
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The age of the tooling isn't always a big factor. I've got Revell '32 Ford three-window coupe kits (first issued in 1996) with a lot of flash on some parts, as well as some nasty parting lines.

Wouldn't that imply that the tool is in need of . . . "retirement"? And that's exactly what I want to avoid - getting a kit that has flash that's so bad, you can't tell where to cut the parts from the sprues! (can you say R2 Chevelle Convertible)

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Wouldn't that imply that the tool is in need of . . . "retirement"? And that's exactly what I want to avoid - getting a kit that has flash that's so bad, you can't tell where to cut the parts from the sprues! (can you say R2 Chevelle Convertible)

No. Never. I've been building off and on since the seventies. Flash, mold lines and ejector pin marks are just part of the experience. The idea of retiring a perfectly good kit because of such things is ludicrous.

Edited by Jantrix
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The '37 Chevy tool was mostly cleaned up (which it badly needed) with the Model King release mid-last-decade. The only part that seems to have suffered further in the newest issue is the steering wheel for the street rod version, which is now about unusable. The stock seat and other restored parts are well done.

When you count the new larger decal sheet, the tires (four pad printed wide whitewalls are a first for this kit), and the overall relatively good condition of the tool, other than that steering wheel, this is probably as close to the original 1967 kit issue as you can get without spending the $60-$80 to actually acquire the original.

TB

Edited by tim boyd
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No. Never. I've been building off and on since the seventies. Flash, mold lines and ejector pin marks are just part of the experience. The idea of retiring a perfectly good kit because of such things is ludicrous.

I agree that mold lines and ejector pin marks are part of the experience, but the flash... now perhaps it isn't really flash that I'm referring to... Have you seen the R2 Chevelle Convertible? The windshield surround is so bad, you can't tell where to cut the sprue off. Maybe that's simply "wear" on the tool, but it's the kind of thing I want to try to avoid. And to me, that kind of wear speaks to a tool that needed to be scrapped. What do you think?

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The '37 Chevy tool was mostly cleaned up (which it badly needed) with the Model King release mid-last-decade. The only part that seems to have suffered further in the newest issue is the steering wheel for the street rod version, which is now about unusable. The stock seat and other restored parts are well done.

When you count the new larger decal sheet, the tires (four pad printed wide whitewalls are a first for this kit), and the overall relatively good condition of the tool, other than that steering wheel, this is probably as close to the original 1967 kit issue as you can get without spending the $60-$80 to actually acquire the original.

That answers my question, thanks Tim!

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I agree that mold lines and ejector pin marks are part of the experience, but the flash... now perhaps it isn't really flash that I'm referring to... Have you seen the R2 Chevelle Convertible? The windshield surround is so bad, you can't tell where to cut the sprue off. Maybe that's simply "wear" on the tool, but it's the kind of thing I want to try to avoid. And to me, that kind of wear speaks to a tool that needed to be scrapped. What do you think?

Well, I will say that the problem should be addressed in some way. Whether it requires the mold be repaired or replaced. I'm just worried that if this becomes an issue where it cannot be fixed at a cost the company finds acceptable, that they might just truly scrap the molds where we'll never see the kit again. That would be a shame.

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EVERY model car kit I've ever seen has flash and mold lines that have to be cleaned up. Some are worse (or more obvious) than others. It's just part of the fun.

Yea know, I find myself agreeing more and more with you "Snake." I have Exacto knives, sand paper, files, and Dreamel. Flash is not that big of a deal. And has always been part of modeling, as far back as I remember. And that's into the mid-60's modeling wise.

Scott

Edited by unclescott58
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Well, I will say that the problem should be addressed in some way. Whether it requires the mold be repaired or replaced. I'm just worried that if this becomes an issue where it cannot be fixed at a cost the company finds acceptable, that they might just truly scrap the molds where we'll never see the kit again. That would be a shame.

If they won't spend the money to repair the tool, it would be a shame to scrap it, but in my corner, it would be better than buying a kit * I * have to scrap! ;)

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Yea know, I find myself agreeing more and more with you "Snake." I have Exacto knives, sand paper, files, and Dreamel. Flash is not that big of a deal. And has always been part of modeling, as far back as I remember. And that's into the mid-60's modeling wise.

Scott

A disproportionate amount of the models that I built in the late 80s were Johan kits. By that time there was practically zero QC from that company. The result was sometimes entire parts trees that were flashed over.

Pretty much any modern kit isn't going to have any flash even approaching that, so I'm not phased at all by it. Maybe I'm weird that way. (OK, my wife will tell you I'm weird in many ways!) Anyways, I'd rather deal with flash than parts that are short shot - I still have vivid memories of sculpting putty to fill out the front fender of a short shot 64 Dodge body!

Edited by Robberbaron
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I picked up this kit s couple of weeks ago. I worked on it while my club was running The Bob Paeth Classic Model Car Contest at the Portland Roadster Show.

It is a good kit to work on, You do have some cleanup mold lines, a little flash, not to be expected with a kit of this vintage, but we are model builders right?

I am building mine as a taildragger (love the white walls). You do need to pay some attention to the suspension to get it to look right, just take your time and enjoy the build.

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Round 2 hasn't done any "co-branded" releases with Stevens International, Model King, DTR, or anyone else since they leased (later bought) the AMT and MPC brands and tooling. The last of those appeared in '07, though DTR is probably still selling off the ones they did.

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I bought the Michael's reissue years ago and didn't notice it was missing the factory stock bench seat and tail lights. Cool that Round 2 reissued it with all the factory stock parts included. With these restored parts, cool retro box and decals, I am going to have pick up this latest reissue!

Edited by carrucha
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Got mine last night. I'm very happy with what I found when I opened the box. Everthing looks good. Mine has no flash. The dies are apparently in good shape or have been repaired. Love the tires. Nice set of 4 pad printed whitewalls and 2 white lettered slicks. Another great Round 2 re-release.

Scott

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Got mine last night. I'm very happy with what I found when I opened the box. Everthing looks good. Mine has no flash. The dies are apparently in good shape or have been repaired. Love the tires. Nice set of 4 pad printed whitewalls and 2 white lettered slicks. Another great Round 2 re-release.

Scott

Hows the body-line detail on the hood? That's what was bad on my older kit. If that's been fixed, I'm gonna have to buy another.

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