AMT 53 Ford PU

[Matt LeBlanc]

How many versions were there of this kit?(Not counting the flip front end)Thanks

[oldscool]

Well,I built it 3 times over the years. The first time was from the original boxing, second time was in the late 60s and I can't recall what the box art was but it was different. The third time was one with a lime green/gold custom version on the box top and would have been the early 70s. I also bought one during the early 90s but never built it and it had a stock blue truck on the box.

gus

[Mark]

The flip front pickup was an MPC kit, created when AMT and MPC were competing companies. No parts are shared between them. My reissue Nostalgia Series Double Flip issue does have the clear parts from the AMT kit, and they fit the ex-MPC body. (The AMT clear window unit has headlamp lenses molded in the area between the windshield and back window, which the MPC window unit doesn't have because the kit doesn't have clear lenses.)

The issues of the AMT kit I know of are:

-original (1963)

-Wild Kat (1966-67)

-Baja Patrol (1969)

-Street Rod (1974)

-High Stepper (1976-77)

-Barris Cruisin' USA (1980)

-first AMT/Ertl reissue (1984)

-second AMT/Ertl reissue (1994)

It was included in a few sets, too:

-American Grand Prix (with trailer and Shelby 289 Cobra)

-Modified Stocker Hauler (with trailer) (issued twice)

-Grant King set (with trailer and sprint car)

-Diamond In The Rough (with trailer and damaged '40 Ford sedan)

There was a street rod set too, with (I believe) the '37 Chevy convertible and the '34 Ford 5W coupe.

I think that's all of them, there might be something I missed though.

[Longbox55]

There was also a Hot Trucks set that included the '53, the street machine version of the '50 Chevy 3100, and the '55 Chevy Stepside.

[Chuck Most]

Sometime in the '80's the original 5-spoke mags were replaced by the current baby moons (might have been for the '94-ish reissue. The Dirt Track Racecars reissue shows the mags still included, but the kit inside does indeed have the baby moons. Other than molded colors and decals, the kit is largely the same as it's always been.

And yes, several parts from the terrible MPC flipnose will work on the 'Trophy Series' AMT kit.

[diymirage]

lets see how many of those version we can get a build up posted from

i'll go first, mine is the modified stockers kit (with trailer)

it has the flatty in it and for good measure here is the firedome engine aswell

[Nick Winter]

Sometime in the '80's the original 5-spoke mags were replaced by the current baby moons (might have been for the '94-ish reissue. The Dirt Track Racecars reissue shows the mags still included, but the kit inside does indeed have the baby moons. Other than molded colors and decals, the kit is largely the same as it's always been.

And yes, several parts from the terrible MPC flipnose will work on the 'Trophy Series' AMT kit.

Check that was around '00 when the reissued it with the referbished '63 issue instruction sheet.

Nick

[Chuck Most]

Went and checked my stash- the 'Cruisin' USA' version (1982) still has the mags, and the 1994 'gray' box art versions have the baby moons, as does the Dirt Track reissue. Never set eyes on the Diamond In The Rough version, and my Sisco Sizzler issue is missing all the custom parts. If they reissue this, I'd like to see both the mags and the Moons!

[Longbox55]

The Diamond in the Rough version still had the mags. The Hot Trucks version has the Babby Moons.

[Greg Myers]

I have a few, but I don't think I've ever built one. Used the great parts in lots of other builds.