Custom parts in current kits

[Greg Myers]

Just perused the article about custom cars in the recent issue of Hot Rod Magazine,Sitting Pretty and I got to thinking about all those cool custom clips that used to be in so many old AMT kits.I wounder how many current kits have these parts?

Edited April 25, 2011 by Greg Myers

[highway]

I guess you could call them current, a lot of those custom kits have been reissued lately. I know I have the old 53 Ford truck that is a late 90s reissue that still contains the styling parts like quad headlights and custom grille. I'm not certain, but I think the mid 2000s issue of the AMT 49 Merc has parts like that, also. I can't remember if it came with parts like those, because I've not gotten the kit, but the 49 Ford just recently reissued may have some of those customizing parts, too.

[Greg Myers]

No one builds customs ?

[Matt T.]

Greg,

With AMT reissues, it appears to be hit or miss with the custom (Stylized) clips. The '57 Chevy from 2000s has them, while the '57 Fairlane does not. The '50 Ford convertible 3n1 has some nose options, and the aforementioned '53 F100 does have the Chevy rear fenders and a couple of custom grille treatments. And, of course, the repops that put the stylized stuff front and center on the box art ('63 Galaxie, '61 Fairlane) contain the wild clips too. The AMT '64 Marauder has front and rear clips that mimic the Adonis '60 Ford. The '65 Grand Prix has some wild (ugly, IMO) front and rear treatments too.

I guess the moral of the story is: With AMT vintage repops in the 1990s & 2000s, you never know what you got 'til you bought it and opened the box!

[Guest]

I think just about any of the AMT kits that had the custom parts still have them. At least the kits I have built do. I built a '64 Impala a couple of years ago and used all of the custom parts on it just to see what it would look like with them. I thought it looked pretty cool with them.

Edited April 28, 2011 by plowboy

[Matt T.]

Bluesman,

Thanks for that very informative thread link!

Matt

Edited April 29, 2011 by Matt T.

[Matt T.]

I thought it looked pretty cool with them.

You were right! Nice build.

[whale392]

The current reissue of the AMT 62 Buick has quite a bit of the 'Styline' stuff returned to it.

[Draggon]

As for building customs, here are two vintage Rancheros I've got. The green one came from a friend on TRaK forums and the Maroon one is from ebay. Ive got the green one stripped and have redone most of the bodywork. I dig those old styline customs! I might just have to get me one of those 57 Chevy's!

[Matt T.]

Mark,

You are right. My apologies.

I had purchased vintage Front End & Deck extension pieces at a swap meet and planned on using them on that model. So, in my mind, that's how I was mis-remembering things.

I will edit my posts so as not to confuse anyone else.

Back to the fun!

Matt

[Jantrix]

The really lousy thing is sometimes when you do get custom parts they don't fit at all. I picked up the AMT 66 Tbird with the idea of a cool period custom, but the parts supplied weren't even close to fitting.

Edited April 29, 2011 by Jantrix

[torinobradley]

I don't know about you guys but when I see all those custom parts on models or drawn in the instruction sheets, I WANT THOSE PARTS! My mind reels with what I could do with them.

Bad model companies! Shame on you for denying us of what some of us consider the best part of a model kit!

Does anyone know if those Lucas lights listed in step 10 are still in the current issues of that kit? I have some chewed up ones in my parts box from somewhere and would like to see if they would be a possible fit for my Penske Vette. If so, I will have to go dig the kit out of storage.

That, or is there any other kit that has those lights?

Edited April 29, 2011 by torinobradley

[Rob Hall]

I don't think I've ever used any of those custom front and rear ends in any AMT (or MPC, Johan) kit...never cared for them..I guess the customizing age was before my time..

[Nick Winter]

Don Loomis casts some of the old AMT Styline parts, just noticed yesterday when ordering some goodies.

Nick

[Draggon]

Don Loomis casts some of the old AMT Styline parts, just noticed yesterday when ordering some goodies.

Yes he does. I have the Falcon front and rear ends plus the chopped 50 Ford hardtop ( not the carson top ) and windshield. They are certainly on the rough side, at least the ones I have. That being said, for some parts he's the only game in town.

[Greg Myers]

Thanks for all the great information.

[Chuck Most]

I knew the older issues of the '57 had a chopped top option- I always assumed it was like the Studebaker kit, I didn't know it involved quartering the top and gluing it to the window unit! I used to have one of those window units, I just thought it was some butt-ugly looking bubble top for something!

[Guest]

I knew the older issues of the '57 had a chopped top option- I always assumed it was like the Studebaker kit, I didn't know it involved quartering the top and gluing it to the window unit! I used to have one of those window units, I just thought it was some butt-ugly looking bubble top for something!

Yeah Chuck,that's exactly how it works. I suppose one could chop the top the normal way and then use the supplied glass. I have a '57 "Pepper Shaker" that came with those horrible looking nose and tail extentions,plus putty and a piece of sandpaper. I couldn't imagine putting those on a '57 Chevy! They also have a second custom option that looks like it could be decent looking if done right.