Has Anyone Tried Kit Bashing Old Annuals and Newer Relases ?

[impcon]

I have been wondering is anyone has tried and succeeded with any degree of success, combining an old annual with a newer, more up to date release of the same marque or using parts from a similar car to improve the chassis and interior? For example, I am wondering about combining an old build up that had a rough life '58 Ford hard top annual that I have with an AMT 57 Fairlane? I was considering maybe using the chassis and engine from the 57 as well as some interior components as those cars were very similar. The annual that I have is build-able but it is going to be a lot of work so being as how it wasn't that great anyways and I am already using some body panels from a 57 kit, I am wondering about going further. I have a ratched out, badly butchered 57 hardtop that I can cut up without feeling guilty but I have not yet test fitted an interior and chassis, so these are only thoughts at this point. If this seems like a possibility, I'd sacrifice an new kit for the 58 but I welcome any feedback before spending the almost $30.00 on a new 57 from my local hobby shop. As with many here, dollars are tight right now so I have to pick what I want to buy carefully. So this is where the expertise and experience of someone else who has walked through this minefield before is needed and much appreciated.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Either the AMT or the Revell '57 chassis will work fine under your old Ford annuals. I bought several Revell '57s just to do the chassis swaps under AMT's opening-door version of the '57 Ford (doing a gasser and a retractable-hardtop).

NOTE: AMT's '57 Ford chassis has the exhausts molded in, which drives me batty. The recent Revell chassis is beautifully detailed and has everything separate. You'll have to do some fitting, but nothing major.

NOTE: '57 and '58 Fords used both 116" and 118" wheelbase chassis, depending on model. I don't recall right off hand which used which. so you MAY have to fiddle that a tad....but 2" in 1/25 scale is only .08" (a little more than 1/16").

A Mopar annual Johan '61 Dodge Phoenix got a '64 chassis from Lindberg on my bench. It also takes a little fitting, but it works beautifully. Here's the build thread. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58538

Edited November 18, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy

[Snake45]

I'm planning to put newer chassis under a few old annuals, including '64 Olds Cutlass, '66 Skylark, and '69 Chevelle. Haven't actually done it yet, though.

[gtx6970]

I used the chassis from the AMT 1968 Roadrunner under an MPC 1970 Charger. fit like a glove

Also did the same chasis under a Johan 1970 Superbird ,,its a long way from done so I cant comment from fit issues just yet.

And i'm using the chassis from the AMT 1970 Challenger under an MPC 1970 Challenger.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Haven't done it yet, but I've done a little test fitting & I'll be using pretty much all of the guts from the AMT '70 Super Bee kit for re-building a vintage MPC '69 Coronet. Everything seems to fit very nicely with little or no mods. Steve

[W-409]

A Mopar annual Johan '61 Dodge Phoenix got a '64 chassis from Lindberg on my bench. It also takes a little fitting, but it works beautifully. Here's the build thread. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=58538

I did the same thing on mine and it works great.

That chassis fits almost perfectly under Jo-Han's '64 Dodge Polara too.

[Snake45]

I used the chassis from the AMT 1968 Roadrunner under an MPC 1970 Charger. fit like a glove

Also did the same chasis under a Johan 1970 Superbird ,,its a long way from done so I cant comment from fit issues just yet.

And i'm using the chassis from the AMT 1970 Challenger under an MPC 1970 Challenger.

You just reminded me, I'm planning to use a '68 RR chassis under a JoHan '69 Road Runner--best of both worlds.

I'll prolly take the "leftovers" and make something from them, too. I'm so cheap I hate to waste anything, and I love seeing what I can make from castoff junk.

[Mike Chernecki]

Don't forget about amt/mpc 1969 442 chassis under any 68-72 GM A-body. I have used them under the amt 1969 & 1970 chevelle and johan 1968 & 1970 442.

[Snake45]

Don't forget about amt/mpc 1969 442 chassis under any 68-72 GM A-body. I have used them under the amt 1969 & 1970 chevelle and johan 1968 & 1970 442.

That's what I'm planning to use under a '69 SS396 300 post coupe conversion I want to do.

[Modelbuilder Mark]

Not sure if it was officially an annual or not, but I did put a more modern Starliner chassis under a 64 Galaxy.

[Mark]

It works with custom parts too. The parts from the AMT '62 Bonneville annual kit are a pretty good fit on the newer Catalina, though you will have to work up new attachment points for the rear of the floorpan (existing areas will have to be cut away in order to fit the custom pan). The Stylizing parts from the hardtop look like they will fit too, though they probably won't look as good on the shorter Catalina.

The AMT '62 Impala annual kit parts look workable on both the newer AMT kits (Bel Air hardtop and Impala convertible) and the Revell Impala hardtop.

Haven't gotten around to trying the AMT '57 Ford custom parts on the Revell kit yet...

[Snake45]

It works with custom parts too. The parts from the AMT '62 Bonneville annual kit are a pretty good fit on the newer Catalina, though you will have to work up new attachment points for the rear of the floorpan (existing areas will have to be cut away in order to fit the custom pan). The Stylizing parts from the hardtop look like they will fit too, though they probably won't look as good on the shorter Catalina.

The AMT '62 Impala annual kit parts look workable on both the newer AMT kits (Bel Air hardtop and Impala convertible) and the Revell Impala hardtop.

Haven't gotten around to trying the AMT '57 Ford custom parts on the Revell kit yet...

I'm pretty sure some of the custom stuff like the grille in the AMT '65 Chevelle Wagon and El Camino will work on the Revell '65 Chevelle. I'm thinking seriously of building such a custom (perhaps using the rear panel from the AMT dirt track backbirth, which is kinda custom-y looking).

[kevin]

I love the idea guys..been fifflin with an original 61 galaxie & the lastest 60 chassis, suspension & engine...so far i just got the chassis done