query on 1/25 Ford pickup/Bronco availabilty and tooling origins

[roym]

Hi all,

I'm looking to get hold of a 1/25 Ford Pickup ideally the one that was issued in these parts back in the 80's under the dual AMT/Matchbox label. Back then it was listed as the "Star Truck" ford pickup ref PK4605 or T322. Another version was "Super Stones" Ford 4x4 ref 2707.

Can anyone give me the correct name for this model and if it is available? I don't need that particular boxing, but would like that type of truck. I've tried searching but all I find are the 50's style F-100 and the 90's F-150. This latter seems to be available in a Revell, AMT and Lindberg box, is it the same tooling and are any good as a kit?

Alternatively, years ago I built an MPC kit of a Dodge stepside, I think it was labelled as a Dodge Warlock. Is this tooling (or something similar) still kicking about?

Lastly, I'm also looking for an AMT Ford Bronco from the same era (late 70's/80s). Apart from a collectors priced Revell kit from the 80s on ebay I'm stumped. Is the MPC and AMT tooling the same?

Cheers in advance for any help.

Roy

[niteowl7710]

The Ford Courier P/U was last released during the AMT/Ertl days I believe it has a blue truck on the box labeled "Ford Courier". A 5 second check of eBay shows over a dozen Courier kits, but they're not cheap.

The Dodge pickup you reference has been issued several times in it's L'il Red Wagon decals, and while it's been awhile since it was reissued, they're not that hard to find.

All of the '97 Ford F-150's are particular to their own company. Aka while there's been 4 versions of the Revell tool, it's completely different from the Lindberh, which shares nothing with the AMT.

[roym]

Thanks for that. The courier is smaller than I was looking for.

Typical, I ask on here and then found one on ebay via google (even tho my own ebay search didn't pick it up).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMT-1-25-Scale-Star-Truck-Ford-F-350-Pickup-truck-COMPLETErare-vintage-model-kit-/121027176824

Then I saw the price!!!!!!! Is it that rare?

Thanks for the name of the Dodge, found it! AMT and MPC the same one?

I've used Ford Pickup, F-100, F-150, F250 and F350 as search terms, but I can't find that body style or the later Super stones 4x4 that has a Bronco style grille.

Is it called something else?

Which is the best kit of the 97 F-150?

Sorry about all the questions.

[michaelbaskett]

Hi Roy...

Is this the kit you are looking for?....

This kit was last released by the "Model King" some years back...

It is not cheap when you can find one...

[farmer1]

If you can wait theres some news here that might interest you

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=64836

[440 Dakota]

the Dodge Warlock is 4wd the Lil Red is 2wd,Lil Red is pretty easy to find and is very similiar to the orginial MPC issue,the Warlock has never been reissued

the 70s Ford trucks always bring big money it seems so I'm looking forward to the Moebius version myself

and I think the Super Stones also had the Firestone tire logo on the box

[Edsel-Dan]

The MPC & AMT Dodge Little Red Express kits Are the same.

AMT, MPC & Polar Lights are all owned by Round2. All were previously owned by Ertl.

They first bought AMT around 82, then MPC shorlty aftere. Ertl Bought Playing Mantis

owner of Johnny Lightning Diecast & Polar Lights kits only about 5-10 years ago,

then almost immediately decided to get out of all hobby production.

We have seen many MPC kits in AMT boxes as Ertl actually dropped the MPC name for a time

only using it on Buyer's Choice & Nostalgia Series kits til Round2 decided to bring it back.

The mid-late 70's AMT F-150-350 IS very hard to find, (Read that as EXPENSIVE)

Even the Model-King F-350 issue is demanding High dollar when found.

Look for an Original Bigfoot-1too. It Is the same kit. I have one. I need to check to see

if the Stock suspension is still in the box. If so, it will NOT be built as a Bigfoot!!!!

The Stock grill IS in the box, I remember that

Hopefully since announcing the 69 GTO Judge Funny Car in Original box art re-issue,

that means they will start re-issuing some of the other M-K run kits in similar fashion.

Actually, only the Li'l Red version has been re-issued so far

There were 4 of this Short box stepside.

Li'l Red, Warlock, Firefighter (4x4) & Pumpin' Iron.

Thee original Li'l red was molded in red (of course)

Warlock was black, Firefighter was orange, (I have a built)

& Pumpin' Iron was silver.

I bought that one Cheap due to missing tires.

It was a bash project with a Monogram 1/32 Mack CF Pumper to

make a small attack pumper.Sadly, it may be a dead project. It fell under my feet one day.

Been bagged & boxed up in my attic. I don't know if I want to look at it any time soon

Edited January 20, 2013 by Edsel-Dan

[mikemodeler]

Roy,

Being across "the pond" will pose some obstacles to finding what you want but doesn't mean it is impossible!

To answer your question regarding the Ford Pickups from the 70s, the last time one of those kits were offered was about 5 years ago when The Model King reissued the old AMT 79 Ford F350 4x4. If found today on eBay, they can be quite pricey. You may want to check with places like The Modelroundup, Dean's Hobby Stop, The Model Empire or Fred Sterns as they all deal in out of production kits and they may have all 3 that you are looking for.

The Dodge Warlock kit has not been available for quite some time but the 2 wheel drive version, The Little Red Express, was offered not to long ago. They occasionally pop up on eBay at fairly reasonable prices.

The Ford Bronco you reference needs some clarification. There was an AMT kit of a '79 that was reissued about 6 years ago by The Model King that included a car trailer and '68 Cougar funny car. It can be found but it is quite pricey as well. Then there is the '80 Bronco kit from Revell that is a different body style and AMT offered an '81 Bronco as well. Over the years there were different variations but all can be had, depending on what exactly you are looking for.

Patience and knowledge are key to finding what you want. I picked up an old MPC Ford van 4x4 kit yesterday at a swap meet in South Carolina that I had wanted for awhile but didn't want to pay eBay prices so my wait paid off!

happy Hunting and welcome to the forum!

[Edsel-Dan]

MPC also offered an 80. Monogram had Bronco's from the 80's too.

I have an original AMT 79 "Wild Hoss" & one of the M-K re-issues.

The original is not that high in price on ebay.

Same for the MPC annual

[roym]

Hi again and thanks to all for the very helpful and useful replies. Dodge has been located on the auction site using "lil red" as a search term. many thanks to farmer1 for the news about the upcoming Moebius release, that one will do nicely, and should be cheaper than the one on ebay so I'll wait. Any idea when it's due?

The one michealbaskett posted the pic of is the other style I was asking about. That looks like the Super Stones release that was out years back.

Found a pic of all the ones I was asking about;

Have also discovered that "Ford Ranger" would have been the most useful search term! Ignore the Courier and Blazer in the pic above, it's the others I'm interested in.

Any Bronco from that era would do, which would be the least fussiest kit to build? I did the Revell one years ago as a kid, can't believe it costs so much now? EEEKKK!!!

I'm not fussed about brand or particular year, probably the most important thing is half decent fit, easy assembly and preferably clear headlight lenses rather than chrome plated ones. So which is recommended, AMT 79, AMT 81, MPC or Monogram? I remember that Revell one going together very well at the time, but it's outside budget now.

Lastly, and I promise this is the last question, I've discovered a Monogram F-250 kit cheapish online, is it any good?

Thanks again all, been a great help.

Edited January 21, 2013 by roym

[Fabrux]

The Monogram F-250/350 kit is one of the best Ford pickups available in scale, second only to the Revell and Lindberg tenth generation F-150 offerings.

The Revell Bronco has to be the most atrocious seventh generation rendition ever. The basic tooling was originally an F-350 dually and as such the front suspension is a leaf-sprung TTB setup. No underhood detail at all, either. The box art you show was one of the earlier releases and as such might be somewhat pricy. A lot of these older kits are offered by sellers almost constantly that ridiculously inflate the prices. The most recent release of the Revell Bronco that I'm aware of was the Yamaha F-1 Boat set. You can get the whole set for substantially cheaper than the one you have pictured. The set was also reboxed by Revell of Germany so you might be able to find that one easier.

If you're interested in building an accurate seventh gen Bronco, however, your best bet is to find the MPC/AMT kit, most recently put out as an "iHobby exclusive": red/white truck on a blue background. The older MPC kits tend to be warped and brittle, but it has beautiful suspension and better underhood detail than the Revell and Monogram kits. The Monogram Bronco is 1:24 and in scale with their F-250, however underhood and suspension detail is severely lacking.

[Edsel-Dan]

I had the LA County Sheriff version of that revell Bronco. Frame was very spindly.

Thin and easy to twist under its own weight.

I used the front have of the body on a Midnight Cowboy tow truck.

By the way, I believe it is an 80.

And yes they do go fairly high now

I do not know of any Bronco with clear head light lenses except maybe the old Monogram 1/32 snaptite.

[roym]

Thanks lads,

I've located the Monogram F-250, the Dodge Stepside and the AMT iHobby Bronco at fairly reasonable prices online and on ebay. They all seem to be available ok too, after all that. Just goes to show how you need the correct search term!

I'll wait for the Moebius Ranger as it will most likely be a good deal cheaper and more available than the other collector-special kits mentioned, even though I prefer the front end look of the later 70s/80s pickups.

EdselDan, let me know if the bigfoot kit has all the parts for the standard truck, I might go that way at some point!

Once again, many thanks to all.

Cheers,

Roy