AMT '71 Charger R/T

[tim boyd]

Sport Suburban :

A 1:1 Charger S/E with the 440 Mag is a fairly rare piece , as the 383 Mag was supposed to be the top engine choice . I've subsequently seen :

- '71 S/E with the factory-installed 440 Mag ( from the L.A. plant ! )

- '71 Super Bee with the 440 ( a small batch of those were run-off as well )

- '71 Super Bee press-release vehicle ( in a magazine from Octobre 1970 )

Actually the 440 Magnum was a factory option on the '71 SE. Car and Driver's test car had one, and so did both of the 1/1 scale SE's I looked at last year (see my post above). But they are pretty rare.

But you are correct (IIRC) about the Super Bee offering the 440 4 barrel as well as the 383 Magnum, 440 six pack, and Hemi....TIM

[tim boyd]

Having worked in an upholstery shop that replaced quite a few of these tops, due to the width of the material that was available the tops that were put on these didn't have the usual seams on each side of the top, but a center seam that ran down the center of the top from front to back, these seams were not the usual "overlap" style seam, but were a "french seam" that had the two halves sewn together, then folded back on each other at the seam, & then sewn down each side of the center (from the backside), resulting in a slightly raised double stitched seam in the center of the top, these were sealed with a bead of silicone over the resulting stitching on the backside of the seam.

Horse...I never noticed that about the seam on the vinyl roof of the '71 SE. I'm gonna have to look alot closer the next time I see one. Thanks for the info...TIM

[charlie8575]

While getting an oil change for my mother this afternoon, at the gas station I went to, under a semi-translucent cover was a 1971-73 (I couldn't tell) Charger in that pretty pastel light blue with a white vinyl top and presumably a blue interior. If I do the SE (which this one was,) that's looking like a leading candidate for the color scheme.

Charlie Larkin

[Sport Suburban]

I like those hide-away headlights. Where did you find that grille? If you didn't, how did you make it?

Charlie Larkin

Thanks, I somewhat made it. I used the grill inserts I got from AFX. You can get them from Time Machine now and maybe somebody else.

I used the kit issued grill/bumper and ground down the molded grill inserts. Then the Hide-a-way inserts just dropped in.

[ChrisPflug]

The original MPC hidden headlight inserts are too narrow for the AMT bumper- resin parts have been offered through several vendors

The MPC General Lee includes the grille inserts from the '72 annual

[azers]

Question. Are the kits currently in the hobby shops the same as this release?

[tim boyd]

Casey..that's a highly comprehensive and really well written kit review. I agree with your conclusions and overall comments....I have built two of these and have two more partially completed, and I found them to enjoyable, highly accurate builds with just a few modifications/corrections as noted below:

1. The hood in this kit is the standard R/T hood which did not have functional air scoops in the hood (the hood insert was decorative only). One had to order the optional Air Grabber hood to get a functional scoop. The Air Grabber hood is in the "Street Machine" variant of this AMT/Ertl tool.

2) The seat included in this kit was available on the Super Bee, but not on the R/T version replicated in this kit. The R/T was only available with bucket seats, either with a console or a separate center pad/armrest unit. To be an accurate R/T, you should separate out the bucket portion of the seat (the upholstery pattern for this area is correct for the buckets), build new seat edges (easy to do), and then add the '70/'71 console from some of the other Mopar kits on the market.

3) The outside rearview mirror in this kit is the manual adjustable version. I have never in my life seen a '71 R/T with this mirror (though I do believe - without checking my resources - it was technically available on the R/T). It is very seldom seen even on the less expensive Super Bee. Instead, most R/T's and 'Bee's had Chrysler's new "Dual Racing Mirrors" - either plated or in painted when ordered in certain exterior colors. I would recommend everyone do this swap when they build this kit.

4) Finally, the original decal sheet had a hood blackout panel that did not cover the entire hood surrounding the fake louver vent insert; I don't know if this was corrected in the Checkerboard edition. The side stripes shown, though, remain incorrect - they have a "hump" over the rear wheels that is not correct for the 1/1 car which had a smooth, continuous curve over this area.

This was one of a number of outstanding newly-tooled kits from a second "golden age" at AMT, just before Racing Champions took over the company. Casey your review does a great job of documenting (and for me, reminding me of some feature oft his kit that I had forgotten about) an example of this second "golden age" kit series

Thanks and Best regards...TIM

Edited January 11, 2013 by tim boyd

[Chuck Kourouklis]

Yup. There weren't many of these late '80s-'00 AMT kits that fully rose to the level of crispness you'd see in a typical Revell/Monogram, but this is one of 'em. Unlike the '67 Chevelle or the '70 Corvette which pale in comparison to their R/M counterparts, this kit doesn't have to run and hide in the presence of a Revell '69 Charger.

[Casey]

Question. Are the kits currently in the hobby shops the same as this release?

Yes, the current issue is the same as the stock version in this review:

[80mirada]

the texture on the spoilers is correct to the real parts, they are lightly textured. This kit builds nicely, but I was disapointed that it was based on an oddly option car. Console delete, manual mirror, Air Conditioning, Font and rear spoiler, Longitudinal stripe, 14"rally wheels, and High Impact paint. It is also a California emissions car? The bench seat was a rare option, and most R/Ts had dual "race" mirrors, but having the A/C is nice.

[Nick Winter]

Casey the older release that I have two of ('00 I think) doesn't have the texture on the engine parts if I remember correctly from building it.

Nick

[Edsel-Dan]

I had several of these that I traded away.

Lost my built W-M Checkerboard box Painted kit when it jumped under my feet as I walked past.

Was Sublime/sassygrass green too!!

Hope to eventually find another of it to replace the dead one.

I used the tires from this kit on my 66 El Camno & wagon builds.

Used OLD MPC G70's on the Charger.

I did find that one interior panel was too tall to allow the body to fit the chassis correctly.

Not sure now if it was the left or right one.

Replaced the rear window with .01 clear evergreen to help get around that.

Will check on the next one and shave it from the bottom to get a better fit

(That is IF I can replace the the painted kit)

[1972coronet]

Thanks for the review and beautiful photos , Casey !

Few things to watch for during assembly :

1.) Driveshaft-to-differential : trim driveshaft's U-Joint surface ;

2.) The tabs for mounting the windshield interfere with the dashboard ; I just completely remove --or even just file-down-- the cowl-area of the windshield ;

3.) There's a minor sinkmark on the roof directly adjacent to the interior dome lamp , and ;

4.) The air conditioning "hard" lines are a bit "trying" in the core support area .

- The "Ramcharger" hood (colloq : "Air Grabber") wasn't available with air conditioning , hence the standard "louvered" R/T hood.

- The single O/S L.H. (Driver's Side) mirror was standard . Racing Mirrors --body colour available with select colours-- were optional .

- Column-shift was standard unless the console was ordered .

- This kit doesn't necessarily represent a California Emissions Package ; however , the lack of Brite Exhaust Tips would indicate a car built with the Noise Reduction Package .

I truly wish that Round2 ---- let me preface by stating that I'm beyond grateful that they're re-releasing and upgrading these kits ... I really wish that this kit was further upgraded with an non-A/C option , a Six Pack option , a Ramcharger hood option (vis-a-vis the otherwise barfy "Street Machine" version) , and the correct bucket seats .

Edited January 11, 2013 by 1972coronet

[azers]

Is the street machine version the same kit with just street machine parts added or is a totally different kit?

[1972coronet]

Is the street machine version the same kit with just street machine parts added or is a totally different kit?

The "Street Machine" version had :

- Hemi cylinder heads in place of the 440's wedge heads (think : "Stage V" Hemi head conversion) ;

- H.P. 440 exhaust manifolds to mate-up to the Hemi heads (?!?) ;

- Ugly aftermarket wheels with rubberband tyres ;

- "Ramcharger" hood ;

- "Bright" (e.g. , bare metal foil 'em) tips on the tailpipes;

- So-so decals .

[gtx6970]

http://www.71chargerrtregistry.com/

[johnbuzzed]

I have one of the original issue kits and I do like it, but if I remember correctly, a few of the parts are molded with a lot of... reinforcements? Namely, the door panels and block halves. I am curious about the nature of those molded in ribs. And I do think that the tires and wheels looked a bit undersized. It's been a long time since I looked at the kit, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

[azers]

So basically all the s.m. version has going for it is parts. If you want to build a nice one get the r.t. kit.

[Casey]

So basically all the s.m. version has going for it is parts. If you want to build a nice one get the r.t. kit.

Yes. The appeal of the Street Machine kit seems to be the Air Grabber-type hood, and I'm 99% sure Missing Link offers all three pieces (hood, scoop, and air cleaner assembly) in resin, so there's little to no need to buy the Street Machine version.

I have one of the original issue kits and I do like it, but if I remember correctly, a few of the parts are molded with a lot of... reinforcements? Namely, the door panels and block halves. I am curious about the nature of those molded in ribs. And I do think that the tires and wheels looked a bit undersized. It's been a long time since I looked at the kit, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

I noticed that, too, John. Maybe the "ribs" on the backsides of the door panels and sets were an experiment of sorts, maybe to prevent warping. maybe to make the parts easier to mold, to save material, maybe to...who knows. I did notice the engine block/trans halves have an aligning rib almost all the way around the perimeter, making alignment of the two halves very easy. I almost got the feeling this kit was look into what was to come for AMT, with great engineering and design throughout, but once RC2 entered the equation, it seems the brakes were applied and that was the end of that.

[Ron Hamilton]

I built this one from the original version of the kit.

I painted the front bumper, massaged the stripes to better conform to the body, and added Cragar SS mags and Goodyear Polyglas GT Tires. This is one nice kit. I am going to use it to update this MPC '72.

[Erik Smith]

Great review and additional contributions. I have never been that interested in this kit, but when I see a review like this, it makes me consider it. Looks like a nicely done kit from the heights of AMT's "era".

Edited January 11, 2013 by Erik Smith

[azers]

Looks like missing link is on vacation till the 16th. Ill have to wait to see if he still has these items available. Thanks for the info.

[tim boyd]

ttp://www.71chargerrtregistry.com/

GTX - thanks for that link...a very cool reference site. Includes info on color keyed exterior component options.

All - Be aware that if you click on the color charts tab, the colors chips shown are a generic listing for ALL 1971 Dodge colors....the A, B (Charger) and E body Dodges did not offer every color listed here. For instance, Indigo (a super-rare color btw) and Turquoise were not available on B-bodies.

TIM

Edited January 12, 2013 by tim boyd

[1320wayne]

I didn't see this mentioned yet but one of the biggest issues from the original release, in an otherwise superbly detailed kit, was the fact that the front tire and wheel combination, if built stock from the kit, was not centered in the wheelwell. The builder would have to cut the pins from the spindles and relocate to center the tires. Has this been corrected on this latest issue or is it still a problem?

[Erik Smith]

I went and picked up one of these kits yesterday - it is a great kit, easy to find, and, for today's standards, cheap! There is a lot to like here.

One thing I thought of immediately...is there a kit or resin transkit available to convert this kit to a Charger Coupe (a non-RT version)? I can sand and amend the hood, but the taillights looked to be a little challenging to convert.