Question about an AMT single axle trailer

[VW93]

I know this trailer came in the AMT '64 Corvette convertible kit.

Did it come in any other kits ?

[pack rat]

It was also used (modified into a 4-wheeler) in the Piranha Drag Team and the Fireball 500.

[VW93]

It was also used (modified into a 4-wheeler) in the Piranha Drag Team and the Fireball 500.

Mike, thanks for the info.

[Casey]

Did this trailer lose the pictured ramps when it was modified to a four-wheel/double axle trailer? Or did only some kits which included the trailer also get the ramps?

[Mark]

Neither the Cobra Racing Team (the original one) nor the Fireball 500 have the ramps.  The four-wheel conversion makes it a tilt-bed also, so ostensibly the ramps are no longer needed.

[Casey]

I was assuming the trailer was the same, and the new axle and wheel/tire pieces were what changed, but it looks like everything is different between the AMT '64 Corvette Raodster trailer...:

 

...and the RC2 era reissue of the Fireball 500 kit's trailer:

The "deck" holes are opposite each other, the leaf springs appear to only have two clamps on the newer trailer (vs. four on the old), the wheel chocks are smaller, and what was that plate shaped piece between the chocks on the older trailer?

 

Here was the pic I found on eBay of an original Fireball 500 kit, showing the ramps, which got me wondering when I acquired the trailer from the RC2 reissue:

Here's the original Fireball 500 instruction sheet, showing the trailer parts:

Edited February 9, 2022 by Casey

[espo]

If the four wheel trailer is what your after it looks as if you could make a copy of the part #6 in the above instruction sheet and modify a single axel trailer just as they did. Another source for the single axel trailer if you can find on of the old AMT '76 Chevrolet Caprice kits. I have two in my stash, #1 is #30031-100 Pro Sop Caprice. and #2 is #38454 AMT Classic. Both have the same trailer included.  

[Casey]

I have the four wheel trailer from the last reissue of the Fireball 500 kit. I'm just curious why the trailers are different, what changed, etc.

[Casey]

Did the AMT '64 Corvette Convertible and Sting Ray include slightly different trailer decks? While the Convertible kit picture is not ideal, you can clearly make out that the inner row of holes on the deck plate areas are farther forward:

Convertible:

 

On the Sting Ray ("Coupe"), the opposite is seen-- the outer row of holes is now farther forward than the inner row:

Edited February 9, 2022 by Casey
replaced dead image links

[Snake45]

Casey, I think there might be a "camera trick" involved there, as the photo of the roadster has the frame upside down. Maybe we're just not seeing a hole or two. 

At any rate, I'm pretty sure I have mint unbuilt copies of both kits. I'll try to check them in the flesh this weekend and see if I can confirm your observation...or not. 

[Snake45]

11 hours ago, Snake45 said:

At any rate, I'm pretty sure I have mint unbuilt copies of both kits. I'll try to check them in the flesh this weekend and see if I can confirm your observation...or not. 

Okay, pulled the kits and checked and you're right. Astonishingly, the hole patterns ARE different between the two.  Also, one of them has a little domed "nub" on the topside of the hitch post (I think it was the roadster), the other one doesn't. 

And, coincidentally, remember a few weeks back you were looking for particular front wheels on a Willys (IIRC) gasser? They're in the '64 Coupe kit, exactly like the ones in your original photo. And they're identified on the instruction sheet as "Winfield Tera-Thrust." The roadster kit has completely different custom wheels. 

[Don Sikora II]

AMT likely had a mold for Sting Ray coupes and a second for the convertibles. If you look at pictures Casey posted above you can see parts distributed differently on the trees (for example, check out the locations of the stock hood and the firewall ) which is a good clue that they were made in different molds.

[Casey]

4 hours ago, Snake45 said:

the hole patterns ARE different between the two. 

Thanks for doing the digging and comparing.  The mystery gets deeper...

4 hours ago, Snake45 said:

And, coincidentally, remember a few weeks back you were looking for particular front wheels on a Willys (IIRC) gasser? They're in the '64 Coupe kit, exactly like the ones in your original photo. And they're identified on the instruction sheet as "Winfield Tera-Thrust." The roadster kit has completely different custom wheels. 

It was another member, but here's the post:

 

[Casey]

AMT '64 Corvette Sting Ray Sport Coupe:

Edited February 9, 2022 by Casey

[Gramps46]

FWIW here are the trailers I have and aren't sure which kits they came from.  At least one came from the 1960 Ford pickup kit but without the sides. The black single axle is shorter than the red dual axle which has a tool box and tire pole added.  The blue one is a modified dual axle made to look like an English Don Parker trailer (the cycle fenders are from '32 Ford 3 in 1 kits) and the gray one is the MPC Mako Shark version of a tilt trailer which was identified in a previous thread.

[Lordmodelbuilder]

Here's a pic of some vintage trailers I have. The white one is from the 1st issue 64 Vette hardtop.

I have no idea where the others are from other than maybe the old Chevy or Ford P/U kits.

[Casey]

?

Edited February 9, 2022 by Casey

[Mark]

The dark blue trailer might be from the AMT '60-'61 Ford pickup kits.  The Chevy pickup trailer had four wheels and was long to fit full-size cars, while the Ford trailer had two wheels and was sized to fit Trophy Series cars like the T-bucket, dragster, or '32 Fords.  The Chevy pickup trailer was sold separately also.  The four-wheel trailer in some of the racing team kits is based on the Chevy pickup trailer. 

[Casey]

?

Edited February 9, 2022 by Casey

[Casey]

?

Edited February 9, 2022 by Casey

[Deuces ll]

Chalk one up for Photobucket..... ??

[Casey]

Here are some images of the AMT 1964 Corvette Stingray Sports Hard Top kit's trailer:

 

Does anyone have pics of the reissued AMT Piranha Drag Team kit's trailer? I'm curious if it's the same as the above trailer or the AMT Fireball 500 kit's trailer.

Edited February 9, 2022 by Casey

[Tom Geiger]

How timely a post! I am finishing up my Jeepster pickup and somehow went into a Fireball 500 parts box without instruction sheet. I thought the trailer would look good behind the Jeepster.

I went nuts trying to find the friggin ramps! At least I now know there aren’t any!  I don’t like that conversation to 4 wheels so I’ll just go with a two wheel trailer.  And since this one doesn’t have any fenders, I’ll figure out something!

[Casey]

On 1/23/2019 at 2:00 PM, Mark said:

The Chevy pickup trailer was sold separately also.

 

[Mark]

The separate trailer was mail order only.  No box art, just shipped in a mailing box.  I'm pretty sure it has a unique instruction sheet though.  I've got one, if I think of it I'll get it out and take a picture of it.