AMT '68 Road Runner/GTX--What Was the Story?

[Snake45]

I seem to recall that a few years ago, AMT reissued the '68 Road Runner or '69 GTX kit with something wrong in it--it had the wrong grille or the wrong body or something for the rest of the kit. Anybody remember what the combo/problem was? (Reason I ask is, I just bought a restorable glue bomb '69 GTX that came with a '68 RR grille in it. It has the right '69 taillights, though...)

[Don Sikora II]

Have a Buyer's Choice reissue '69 GTX convertible (yellow & black car on yellow & blue box) that I bought new and sealed and it came with the '68 Road Runner grille. Pretty sure there has been at least one issue of these related kits that had the wrong model year hood in to for the year of the kit....I'm not clear on the specifics of that though.

[pack rat]

The only issue I'm aware of was an incorrect hood in the original-issue GTX hardtop (pic below).  The kit contained a '68 Road Runner hood.  I don't know when Ertl corrected the mistake.  I'm pretty sure the Pro Street and convertible kits had the correct hood

Edited March 9, 2017 by pack rat

[AC Norton]

I seem to recall that a few years ago, AMT reissued the '68 Road Runner or '69 GTX kit with something wrong in it--it had the wrong grille or the wrong body or something for the rest of the kit. Anybody remember what the combo/problem was? (Reason I ask is, I just bought a restorable glue bomb '69 GTX that came with a '68 RR grille in it. It has the right '69 taillights, though...)

I have the AMT 69 GTX showing a stock gold car build on the box.....the hood and all else is correct 69 for parts, with a 440 and a hemi loaded with goodies ......molded in gray plastic.....remember, the Johan 69 GTX has a much better, more authentic grille shell than the AMT.....and in general the body overall give's the nod to Johan ......the rear wheel well opening's are too small on both AMT 68 RR and 69 GTX, compared to the Johan bodies as well.....I also know the 68 RR I built last year had to have the hood shimmed with plastic on both side's as it is too narrow and fit's poorly without work. I'm not sure if the proper 69 air grabber hood has the same problem like in the GTX as mentioned. I have an extra new 68 RR hood if you need one to play around with....best I can recall at this time, Richard........the Ace....

[gtx6970]

Yep, the only thing I remember was the 68 hood in the 69 kit .

 

My biggest pet peave on the 69 GTX is the grill isnt even close to accurate to a 1/1 , then there's the tiny GTX emblems on the quarters. and dont even get me started on the overall body shape.

I just bought a nice builder Johan . If I can come up with another Johan body, I'll have 2. ( i have everything else for a 2nd  Johan 69 gtx )

 

Why someone hasn't done a 68 GTX conversion in all these years has me baffled . I started one , but this is as far as I got . I made the tail panel and tail lights from scratch and the side emblems are shaved off the monogram body and glued to the AMT body

 

[Ron Hamilton]

Please finish this one!!!!!!!!

Yep, the only thing I remember was the 68 hood in the 69 kit .

 

My biggest pet peave on the 69 GTX is the grill isnt even close to accurate to a 1/1 , then there's the tiny GTX emblems on the quarters. and dont even get me started on the overall body shape.

I just bought a nice builder Johan . If I can come up with another Johan body, I'll have 2. ( i have everything else for a 2nd  Johan 69 gtx )

 

Why someone hasn't done a 68 GTX conversion in all these years has me baffled . I started one , but this is as far as I got . I made the tail panel and tail lights from scratch and the side emblems are shaved off the monogram body and glued to the AMT body

 

[MrObsessive]

I have the AMT 69 GTX showing a stock gold car build on the box.....the hood and all else is correct 69 for parts, with a 440 and a hemi loaded with goodies ......molded in gray plastic.....remember, the Johan 69 GTX has a much better, more authentic grille shell than the AMT.....and in general the body overall give's the nod to Johan ......the rear wheel well opening's are too small on both AMT 68 RR and 69 GTX, compared to the Johan bodies as well.....I also know the 68 RR I built last year had to have the hood shimmed with plastic on both side's as it is too narrow and fit's poorly without work. I'm not sure if the proper 69 air grabber hood has the same problem like in the GTX as mentioned. I have an extra new 68 RR hood if you need one to play around with....best I can recall at this time, Richard........the Ace....

Some of you all know how I feel about this car. Yet another iconic car that they messed up to my view, and have never fixed. For those of you that haven't seen it, I did a post here on just how to fix the body. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's an alternative to either getting a junker (and possibly unfixable) Johan body, or paying crazy eBay prices for one.

I have the '69 GTX convertible, but it too needs the same mods to make it correct. I never noticed the issue with its grille as I've not set about to build that one, but now I'll have to take a look.  

[AC Norton]

Some of you all know how I feel about this car. Yet another iconic car that they messed up to my view, and have never fixed. For those of you that haven't seen it, I did a post here on just how to fix the body. It's not for the faint of heart, but it's an alternative to either getting a junker (and possibly unfixable) Johan body, or paying crazy eBay prices for one.

I have the '69 GTX convertible, but it too needs the same mods to make it correct. I never noticed the issue with its grille as I've not set about to build that one, but now I'll have to take a look.  

so true, the bodies here leave a LOT to be desired, and fixing one is more work and grief  than most, including myself, want to encounter.  The  GTX is just as bad as the RR , and the grille is way off ..... regardless, they are still great Mopars that look good with a bit of work. my 2 cents.....the Ace...

[Snake45]

Well I think this glue bomb I bought has a correct '69 hood. But I found out it has no front bumper (it came in a plastic baggie with several loose parts) and the rear bumper in the baggie is wrong--it ALMOST fits but not quite. (It has a license plate decal that says KILLERB, if that's any clue.)

But rooting around last night, I found a complete chrome tree from an AMT '69 GTX (don't remember where or how or why I got that, but I did at some point, evidently) that's fine except the chrome on the Mag 500 trim rings is wrinkly. So I've got all the parts to rebuild the thing, anyway.

When I bought it, I thought the paint looked good and I'd just be able to clean it up and restore it. But the paint's got some problems that need to be touched up, and I can't match it. Dunno what it is. It's a silver/steel kinda stuff. I thought Testor Steel might be good for touchup but when I tried it, the paint on the car has a definite GOLDISH tint to it, but I don't think it's Model Master "Champagne" (not that I have or can get any of that, anyway). Must be some kind of real-car touchup paint. So it looks like I'll be repainting the whole thing. So much for a quick weekend resto-refurb, sigh.....

[gtx6970]

For those who want to know. Here is an actual grille for a 1969 GTX ( sport satellite is the exact same grille btw )

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 4, 2017 by gtx6970

[gtx6970]

And now the AMT grille compared to the extremely accurate Johan piece. as well as a side shot to show the minuscule GTX emblems.

To me these are  the most blatant errors on this particular kit. The dropping rear quarter panels can be elevated to some degree by sanding off some of the exaggerated bow to the  top of the rear quarters right about where the C pillars enter the quarter panel

 

[Snake45]

Great pics, thanks!

Did Modelhaus ever offer the JoHan '69 grille? I didn't order any but need to know whether to kick myself or not.

[gtx6970]

I dont know if Modlelhaus did or not.

BUT,,,,,I know for a fact R+R did .  Ive got one still in the box that I bought solely to cut the roof off of to replicate my old car . And I just cant bring myself to do that to a Johan body  .

 

If you want / can make a resin copy . I'll send you one of my extra Johan grills ,,, just send me back the original when your done.

Actually if someone like say Missing Link wants to copy it. I'll make them the same offer. All I need back is my original.

[Snake45]

I don't have the capability/skill to copy something as complex as a whole grille, but I sure hope someone takes you up on your offer.

[gtx6970]

This is the AMT body with the Johan grill.  And maybe 5 minutes with a dremel to remove the molded in panel behind the grill,, ( thats not supposed to be there anyway )

it needs a little sanding on the insides of the fenders to make it fit better there . But its a major improvement ,,,IMO

 

 

 

Edited December 9, 2017 by gtx6970

[Ron Hamilton]

I'm glad I kept my original JoHan '69 GTX Kit. The plastic is so brittle, but the detail is fantastic!!!!

[Bob Ellis]

I took a 1969 Johan body swapped the '68 trunk

[Mr mopar]

Why has no one casted this Johan grill ? it look way better the amt's .

[Snake45]

Why has no one casted this Johan grill ? it look way better the amt's .

I dunno, but I'd be a customer for at least a couple.

We have the resources right here on the board. Someone has the grille, someone else has the casting skill. Fellas?

[gtx6970]

My offer still stands to loan my original to a reputable caster. 

All I want is my original back and one resin . 

[Mr mopar]

I could do it .I have done casting .

[om617]

How about those people on Shapeways? They scan the piece and 3D print. GTX scripts could also be 3D printed.

[om617]

This is the AMT body with the Johan grill.  And maybe 5 minutes with a dremel to remove the molded in panel behind the grill,, ( thats not supposed to be there anyway )

it needs a little sanding on the insides of the fenders to make it fit better there . But its a major improvement ,,,IMO

 

This looks really good.

[br67]

Had an email conversation with Kevin @ Missing Link and he expressed interest in casting the grille

[rickcaps55]

Had an email conversation with Kevin @ Missing Link and he expressed interest in casting the grille

Hi please let us know if Kevin is going to do the grill I have 2 JoHan kits there Road runners but I want to convert one to a GTX.