AMT 25th anniversary? 1973 or 1983?

[DrewCfromSC]

Hello, anyone know how old a kit might be if the box is marked 25th. anniversary? Not sure when AMT started. The kit is AMT # T357-225. Hampton Hemi funnycar. Thinking of trading it or possibly ebay? Thanks!

Drew C.

Edited November 21, 2010 by zwitterman

[DrewCfromSC]

Thank you for your reply!

[DrewCfromSC]

Well, I saw one on ebay for a buy it now for $200. Guess im going to put mine up for bids. Found one yesterday at a flea market.

[Art Anderson]

1948 model year was the first year model car produced by AMT Corporation, then known as Aluminum Model Toys. It was a 1948 Ford Tudor Sedan, displayed at dealerships with the slogan "Watch The Fords Go By!". 1973 was the 25th Anniversary of that first product.

I do believe, however, that AMT was started in 1947, given that in 1977, they had me build up a set of 30 truck models for their HIAA Trade Show Booth, to honor the 30th Anniversary of the company.

Art

[Mark]

Wasn't the "Hamtown Hemi" the Jo-Han Challenger F/C in AMT packaging? I don't recall AMT ever having a Challenger F/C kit of its own.

That it is. AMT sold a number of Jo-Han kits in their packaging between 1967 and 1974; the Challenger funny car is one. Others included Olds Toronado ('67, '68, '70) and 4-4-2 ('69, '70) annual kits, '68-'70 AMX annual kits, the Pro Stock Ford Maverick, the NASCAR '72 Torino, and the '73 Hornet funny car. Jo-Han had lousy distribution even in those days, and for AMT it was probably an inexpensive way to add a few products to their catalogs each year. A win-win for both. I don't know why the deal ended, but the end seems to coincide with Jo-Han's introduction of the USA Oldies series. Maybe someone at Jo-Han thought they didn't need to deal through AMT any more. These kits appear to have been manufactured and packaged by Jo-Han, with AMT boxes, instruction sheets, and decal sheets. The parts in AMT-boxed Jo-Han kits are not bagged, and the plastic is the opaque, sometimes brittle styrene characteristic of Jo-Han kits.