MPC Early Mustang Question

[Snake45]

Bought this built AMT '65 Mustang, but it's sitting on what appears to be a chassis out of some sort of MPC Mustang. It matches instruction drawings on their '68 and '69 pretty well.  It is NOT painted--it's molded in this beige/yellow color. The question is, what MPC early Mustang kit was molded in this color? I know their '66 Corvettes were molded in gray--were their '66 Mustangs this yellow color? If not, which kit was? If it helps, the chassis is carrying a pair of Cragar-ish wheels also molded in the same color. 

[Tommy124]

Not an expert, but I did some Google image research based on the beige color option. It should be the '68 Mustang Fastback kit, I believe. 

Check out these links: 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mpc-1968-mustang-fastback-520026883

https://images.app.goo.gl/SESJ7zfUPQUhgz2K6

 

[Draggon]

 Perhaps it was whiter and has faded over time? I don't remember any MPC 'Stangs coming in anything other than white. 

Edited April 9, 2019 by Draggon

[vamach1]

The same chassis ws used for several years of the early Mustangs.

[Mark]

The same chassis was used through '73, with alterations.  On the later, longer wheelbase versions, you can see where pieces were spliced into the tool to stretch it.

[Snake45]

8 hours ago, Tommy124 said:

Not an expert, but I did some Google image research based on the beige color option. It should be the '68 Mustang Fastback kit, I believe. 

Check out these links: 

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mpc-1968-mustang-fastback-520026883

https://images.app.goo.gl/SESJ7zfUPQUhgz2K6

 

Good stuff, thanks! 

[Snake45]

3 hours ago, Draggon said:

 Perhaps it was whiter and has faded over time? I don't remember any MPC 'Stangs coming in anything other than white. 

That was my first thought, too, as I've seen some white MPCs get a little "yellow." But no, this one is definitely molded in this color, it's not white. 

[Mark]

The MPC '68 Mustang kit that I had was molded in white, but I have seen other MPC annual kits molded in various colors in addition to white.  No longer having an early MPC Mustang kit, the one pictured is definitely an early one, could be as early as '66.

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, Mark said:

The MPC '68 Mustang kit that I had was molded in white, but I have seen other MPC annual kits molded in various colors in addition to white.  No longer having an early MPC Mustang kit, the one pictured is definitely an early one, could be as early as '66.

The body and interior are definitely AMT '65 annual. The model was originally built with the original kit frame--I have magazine photos from 1966 showing it so. I'm just trying to figure out maybe when this yellow MPC chassis was swapped in. 

[Mark]

I'm not sure when the article about this car appeared, but I'm pretty certain it was during '65, long before the MPC kit came out.  But, I do remember the build being based on an AMT kit.  I'm pretty sure the hood blister was carved from wood.  The MPC '66 kit has a hood with a poorly shaped blister (got one in a parts box here somewhere) and the MPC kit also had separate door handles.  I had a sealed one of those, sold it last year at NNL East. 

As for the chassis, who can know for certain?  I'd look for an original AMT single-exhaust chassis (duals were added much later, for the Mach I concept car) and try to duplicate the original build as closely as possible.  The '57 Chevy sedan delivery I got has different wheels and tires from the original 1964 build article.  Those probably got changed prior to the model being entered in the '65 Revell/Pactra contest series.

[Snake45]

It appeared in the February '66 issue, so was obviously built in 1965. The rear wheels on the chassis I got might be from the original build (they're the same kind), but probably not--nothing else is, including the front wheels and all four tires. 

I never realized the original AMT Mustangs had single exhaust chassis. Interesting. On the original chassis, he drilled new axle holes to raise the front suspension, and added traction bars from the AMT '65 Fairlane, which I'm not likely to find. No details on the engine are given or shown other than mentioning that he added the headers from the '65 Fairlane--I have no idea what induction he used (probably whatever's in the AMT '65 kit). 

Actually I don't have a big problem with using the chassis I got it with--it's certainly all period correct. It's even possible that Sable himself updated it at some point--I'm trying to get in touch with him. I can come up with an engine of some sort, but it will have to be low-rise induction--despite the nicely done bubble on the hood, it's completely solid underneath, no hole or cutout and I have no interest in trying to grind or hollow it out.

I actually restored the body and interior last weekend; just haven't gotten pics taken yet. For now it's still sitting on the yellow chassis, but it looks AMAZING. 

[Mark]

I'll have to have a look at that article again.  The "recent" issue Fairlane Modified Stocker has a lot of "unblocked" parts that aren't needed in that version; I'm not sure if the traction bar setup is among them.