AMT/SMP history lesson wanted

[Casey]

Edited February 12, 2022 by Casey

[Casey]

[SfanGoch]

That control looks like an M57 Firing Device "clacker" used to detonate Claymores:

[Exotics_Builder]

10 minutes ago, SfanGoch said:

That control looks like an M57 Firing Device "clacker" used to detonate Claymores:

That's what it reminded me of, but it didn't come to mind

[thatz4u]

1949 AMT Ford promo

[Don Sikora II]

On 7/16/2018 at 10:25 AM, Casey said:

So, amt was the "model car division" of...SMP?

They made at least a few other products. I have this AMT “Mouse House” mouse trap. Really. Probably from the Fifties  

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[Mark]

The original "Kat from AMT"...

[Casey]

Edited February 12, 2022 by Casey

[Motor City]

It was actually located in Troy, Michigan with a mailing address of Birmingham since Troy apparently didn't have a post office then.  The building looks very non-descript today, and last time I went by it, was used by Stanley Door Systems.

[Casey]

On 11/9/2011 at 10:02 PM, bqcars said:

Yes, I too was very confused about the AMT/SMP connection. When I was doing research for the CorvettePromo.com website, a noted promo historian (Dennis Doty) emailed this information to me. Here's what he wrote: (this is nearly word for word what was printed in the magazine mentioned at the end or the below paragraph)

"The AMT/SMP connection can get rather complicated. Technically, they were two separate companies, but more in name only (most price lists I have from the time list both AMT and SMP kits, under the AMT banner). In 1980 I received a letter from Erik Erickson (Director of Operations for Lesney AMT Corp. at the time). Eric started SMP (Scale Model Products), "as a supplier to G.M. Photographic to fill their needs in their dealer promotion in 1956." SMP was a subsidiary of Detroit Plastic Products in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. SMP was sold to AMT, effective July 18, 1961. Trademark and all tooling sold for $225,000 ($100,000 in cash and $125,000 in AMT Common Stock). It is strange, but until they were written up in an issue of Model Car Journal, I had never seen a SMP kit for the 1962 annuals. Those 1962 SMP annuals did exist. As far as I know, the AMT and SMP kits were produced side by side. I know before the boxes were printed with the car shown on it, some SMP kits came in AMT boxes. Interesting, the first SMP kits came out in 1957. These were just unassembled promos (molded in acetate plastic) in a promo-size box, but made for rack display. No Corvettes were offered, just hardtop and convertible versions of the Pontiac and Chevy. I wrote an article on them for the December 1980 issue of Car Exchange."

After reading the above, I took the plunge and bought the December 1980 issue of Car Exchange to read the full article, and it contains images (not great, but decent) of the 1957 SMP model (essentially unassembled promotional models) boxes, and I can honestly say I've never seen one before this. That's not saying much, but it's really neat to see them, and the SMP logo, which wasn't always nearly identical to the 'amt' logo we all recognize. I'll scan the article and provide a link after it's ready.

[Motor City]

thanks, Casey; looking forward to it!

[Casey]

[Don Sikora II]

Thanks, Casey. I have a SMP ‘57 Chevy convertible kit that’s been I’m my collection for 15 years or so. Have to dig it out to be certain, but I’m pretty sure mine has chrome ‘57 Pontiac hubcaps in the sealed parts bag. 

[Casey]

46 minutes ago, Don Sikora II said:

I have a SMP ‘57 Chevy convertible kit that’s been I’m my collection for 15 years or so. Have to dig it out to be certain, but I’m pretty sure mine has chrome ‘57 Pontiac hubcaps in the sealed parts bag. 

Does it look like this?:

 

I found the above Googling, but no hits for any SMP boxes as seen in the Car Exchange article.

[Motor City]

thanks for posting the article, Casey; it was very interesting!

[Don Sikora II]

Casey, these are old pics of my kit.  

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[Don Sikora II]

On 11/8/2018 at 5:17 PM, Casey said:

Does it look like this?:

 

I found the above Googling, but no hits for any SMP boxes as seen in the Car Exchange article.

That looks like a dealer promo with a “toy store” friction box. I think there are at least a couple box styles for early SMP frictions. The ‘57 Chevy dealer promos came on a small cardboard tray in a bag. This car is in my collection. 

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[Don Sikora II]

Some SMP 1957 friction cars, including this Chevy wagon, came with a small tree of “customizing” parts. Not sure why they didn’t include these goodies in the kit versions. 

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[Casey]

15 minutes ago, Don Sikora II said:

Some SMP 1957 friction cars, including this Chevy wagon, came with a small tree of “customizing” parts. Not sure why they didn’t include these goodies in the kit versions. 

Ah, so those are the parts Dennis mentioned (but never saw/found) in the article.

Fascinating stuff, and thanks for posting those images., Don. 

[Deuces]

On 8/23/2018 at 6:13 PM, Dave Ambrose said:

City naming in the Detroit area is a mess. So far as the post office is concerned, it’s all Detroit. However, there are numerous “vanity cities” and don’t you dare list the customer’s address as Detroit. Baseline might well be one of those vanity cities. 

I work on 8-mile Rd. But farther west between merriman and Farmington roads..... ☺️

[robertw]

Thomas Graham has given us excellent histories of Revell, Monogram @ Aurora but no one has written a history of AMT/SMP/MPC. I hope someone wil before its to late and all those connected to those important modelling companies are gone.

[Casey]

[Casey]

Spotted this on eBay last night:

[Casey]

https://modelkitreviews.proboards.com/thread/1467/amt-model-car-handbook

[Mike999]

Then there's the Dark Side of AMT history: the "Authentic Model Turnpike" 1/25 scale slot-car tracks.  In theory it was a great idea, slot cars that could spin out, recover, back up and even run 2 cars in one slot.  In practice it was expensive, huge and a giant flop.  The set only came with 1 car and controller, and the price of a second car was a hard sell, even to Santa Claus.

Here's an article with some information I never knew about the Model Turnpike.  In 1964, real-car dealers could order a dealership showroom display. It included a folding table with the track attached, and one model car. But that was pretty much the last gasp for the Turnpike.  By 1964 it had been on the market for 2 years, with sluggish and decreasing sales, and AMT killed it. 

https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/86821-the-1962-amt-turnpike-slot-car