Don't get the AMT '61 Ford Galaxie

['08SEAL]

If you like curbstompers get it but if you don't say no. I wanted it for the Cannonball run and it doesnt have an engine.

[Haubenschild]

you could get an aftermarket engine and do some modifications so it can fit

[Mike Kucaba]

You must be a young'un Most of us old timers remember this as a curbside from the original release back inna day

[Casey]

Doesn't the bottom of the box show the kit's contents?

[Dave Van]

GREAT kit......IMHO. I like these curbside kits. It's very easy to go full detail with AMT 60 , 63 or 64 Ford donor.

[disabled modeler]

I can understand someone wanting a non-curb side kit but for me some I like better that way...old school kits are fine with me just happy there back in any form.

[Rick Schmidt]

Too late already got it hehehe. Only problem i have with the whole kit is. ...... the 61 ford is kinda ugly lol. Aint gonna stop me from buildin it tho.

[Erik Smith]

You should read the reviews section on this site. Same discussion just occurred a couple weeks ago. Really in this day and age, there shoul be no surprises. You can google any kit and get info on it and make your decision. You can also go right on Round 2's website and look at all the kits and descriptions.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Erik Smith

[Harry P.]

You should read the reviews section on this site. Same discussion just occurred a couple weeks ago. Really in this day and age, there shoul be no surprises. You can google any kit and get info on it and make your decision. You can also go right on Round 2's website and look at all the kits and descriptions.

Ditto, x2 and amen.

These days, with all the sources of information available to the consumer, there's no excuse for any "surprise" when you buy a kit.

[Swifster]

As mentioned, there was a discussion on this a week or two ago. It being a curbside wouldn't stop me from getting it.

[Jon Cole]

Not every kit kit on the shelf is a new or recent issue / reissue, and this hobby has a rich history of kits that are still being reissued. They won't be updated to full detail, sometimes the builder has to figure out how to do that.

[Tony T]

There's some cool customizing stuff in that kit! I stole the windshield and the front grill and bumper for a convertible resurrection a while back and plan to use it as the basis for a Post Apoc build. It is a wonderful reissue of a significant kit in modelling history.

[Guest]

Ditto, x2 and amen.

These days, with all the sources of information available to the consumer, there's no excuse for any "surprise" when you buy a kit.

X3. Just takes a few minutes to go through the kit review section. If you can't find it there,you can always ask.

[martinfan5]

Curbsides can just as nice or better then a kit with an engine, go take a look at the caddy sts kit I posted, curbside but still is a nice kit once you get past the dub's and subs' , a little work and it looks good.

If you dont like buying curbside kits, I hope you dont buy jap kits, most of them are curbside, at twice the price, you would really be unhappy.

I love engines in my kits, but its nice every once and while to not have to worry about it.

I agree to , there is no reason why any one should be dissapointed with a kit, its so easy to find ino about kits on here to start with.

Sorry for the long reply

Edited January 15, 2012 by martinfan5

[Mercman]

It does build an nice model. This one is from the first reissue many years ago.

Here's another I did curbside. Just glued the hood shut, Didn't fell like messing with a engine.

[Art Anderson]

'08SEAL....

I'm gonna jump in here with my 2-cents worth: As others have already stated, in this day and age, with a set of forums as you participate in here, along with the numerous model car building related message boards elsewhere on the Web, there really is no excuse for not knowing what is in a particular model car kit, what's there, and perhaps for you, MORE importantly, what is NOT there in a particular kit. In short, it takes only a minimum effort to become an informed consumer. OK, 'nuff scolding. Let's take a look back to 1961-62, when AMT Styline kits were all over hobby shop shelves:

Model car kits got their start in the early 1950's as sort of a way to build a scale model that could almost be a toy--the market for those early kits (even the more sophisticated customizing kits that came about starting in 1958) were aimed principally at KIDS, kids from about 8 or 9, until the age when they discovered girls and real cars, or about age15-16. Most kids who built models back in those days had no adults with any experience whatsover to guide them, so it was very much a self-taught hobby for them, sorta like learning to swim by being picked up, thrown into the deep end of the pool (either learn to swim, or drink the pool dry trying!. VERY few grownups build plastic model kits of any sort back then, and if they did, it much more likely they would build plastic models of sailing ships, or perhaps aircraft kits, such as those were at the time. Model car kits (indeed plastic model kits of all kinds, if sold in stores other than a hobby shop, were almost always found in the toy departments of "five and dime" stores, variety stores, drugstores and assorted other types of retail outlets. Well, "toy" implies kids, not adults as being the expected market for those early kits.

This is almost completely the opposite of the market age for model car kits today. While certainly there are preteens and younger teenagers building model car kits today, they are vastly outnumbered by the adult modelers--most of whom are back doing (unless like me, they never quit building the stuff that lit their fires as kids decades ago), and adult modelers now being pretty much in the "driver's seat" are demanding far higher levels of detail than any kit designer of 40-50-60 years ago would ever have dreamed.

Reissues of cars such as the Styline '61 Ford Galaxie HT (or for that matter, almost any model car kit originally developed prior to say, 1980, have at best limited appeal, as much due to subject matter as to their rather simple construction. Thus, if a company such as Round2, now owners of AMT model kit tooling, is going to put out a car kit from those dark ages, it will almost always be a reissue from tooling that exists--perhaps most of the subject matter produced in "Annual Series 3in1 kits" simply would not generate enough sales to warrant the considerable investment in all new, state-of-the-art tooling--so reissue it will be, or not at all. That is a plain, unvarnished and yet simple fact of life in the model car kit industry.

As for what most consider to be "state of the art" in model car kits in this, now the second decade of the 21st Century--kits like those only evolved over time, in many cases the last 20 years or so. With very few exceptions, kits of 1950's though the 1970's era cars were done in the old, simple way until about 1980-81, when newer, younger product development people began replacing the original "old guard" types who'd been doing that work since the beginnings of the plastic model car kit industry.

But more importantly, it is up to the consumer (you, me and the other guy too!) to educate ourselves as to what is to be found in any model car kit--and for my money, the members of this set of forums does that as well or better than those who frequent any other model car message board out there. Should you have a question such as "Is this a good kit?" or "Does that kit I see new on the shelf at my hobby shop have an opening hood and an engine" Asked in the New Kits topic area will surely get you the answers you ought to be seeking in a New York Minute (and I am not exaggerating here one bit! I've seen it many times, as have most of the rest of the members of MCM Forums. Even better, and quicker, is to use the search function on any message board setup out there, to find out if someone has already reviewed the kit, be it newly tooled, or a reissue from your grandfather's era.

Long winded, I know, but that is how I call it, pretty much like I see it.

Art

[dodgefever]

Well said, Art. I'd be happy to see more '60s AMT and MPC kits reissued. As it happens, I just got the '61 yesterday. I plan to bash it with the '60 to make a full detail '61 Starliner.

[Guest]

If you are too dissapointed in the kit, feel free to box it up and mail it to me!

[Bartster]

You go dudes!! Bash it up. That's what it's all about! I've never built oob in my lifei Other than the 1st one.

[Chuck Most]

Too late... I already got two of 'em.

[Eshaver]

A LOT of what I'm about to say is sort of redundant here as it's history to some . A M T in 1958 came out with what we know of as Un assembled promotional cars with a smattering of decals and a few add on custom parts. They sold enough to go into the next step in 1960, Fords , well some got ENGINES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In1961, not only did some of these kits have engines , we got a new series that included STYLINE Parts :) !!!!!!!!!!!!!

In those kits , Body putty , upholstry sticker paper , decals bigger than in the cheaper 1.49 kits . Hey , we didn't care , we were too darn busy making Stylized custom carz !!!!!!!!!

By 1962 , yes , 62 A M T COMBINED BOTH Styline parts and ENGINES in a couple of the kits , I think the 57 Bel Air and the 57 Ford Galaxy.

In 1963 , A M T was buying dual page ads in car craft magazine spreading the word of Engines , custom parts , Body putty all for 2.00!!!!!!!!!! :D

I dunno, some folks are gonna gripe no matter what ! Ed Shaver

[The Modeling Hermit]

I like the way that Round2 is showing the parts trees on the bottom of the box. This one clearly shows the chassis with the engine molded in, and does not show an engine on any of the parts trees. I've built several of these over the years, and they are great period kits. Speaking of period, I like the boxart. Sometimes it's nice to take a break from engine building, and just enjoy building a fun curbside.

[sjordan2]

To be fair, even though it's very easy to check out a kit before buying it, if you're looking in a store, the current box top art (unlike the new IMC Chrysler Turbine, etc., that have good descriptions) says nothing about being curbside, and doesn't even mention the scale. I think all pertinent information should be on the main face of the box top.

But I haven't bought a new issue kit in years, and I wouldn't know to look on the underside of the box, where my questions would be answered.

Edited January 16, 2012 by sjordan2

[Rick Schmidt]

So you'd simply grab a kit only looking at the box top? I found it kinda hard to not notice all the printing on the bottom of the 61 box. Maybe I'm odd for looking at all sides of any box I am considering buying.

[sjordan2]

So you'd simply grab a kit only looking at the box top? I found it kinda hard to not notice all the printing on the bottom of the 61 box. Maybe I'm odd for looking at all sides of any box I am considering buying.

You come from a newer generation, Rick. There's nothing like this on any other kits I've bought. And as I said, I haven't bought new issues of kits in years.

Edited January 16, 2012 by sjordan2