1/25 AMT 1962 Buick Special Wagon Retrospective

[Casey]

Here are a few pics of a vintage 1/25 AMT 1962 Buick Special Wagon kit I saved a while back. Not being reissued, just looking back.

Instruction sheet here, too: https://modelkitreviews.proboards.com/thread/465/amt-1962-buick-special-wagon

Edited December 12, 2021 by Casey

[Exotics_Builder]

Got one unbuilt down in the stash.  And just got the 63 Nova Wagon.  Now, which to build first?
 

[unclescott58]

I have a ‘61 promo. But, I’d love to see the ‘62 kit come back. I wonder if Round 2 has the dies? 

[ChrisBcritter]

Fine little kit - I have a neatly built '61 I inherited from a friend. I've stashed away all the underhood items from a scrapped JoHan '61 F-85 wagon in case I get ambitious and want to detail the engine compartment and put in a V-6 from the MPC Jeepster.

Edited December 12, 2021 by ChrisBcritter

[Mark]

Not positive, but I believe the cast iron V6 was first available in '62.

[Classicgas]

2 hours ago, Mark said:

Not positive, but I believe the cast iron V6 was first available in '62.

Yes. My first car was a 62 Buick Special 4 door with that very engine.

[Mark]

The V6 is somewhat based on the aluminum V8.  GM had a lot of problems with the aluminum engine blocks, so they cooked up the V6 as an alternative.

You don't often see those Buick wagon kits mint in box.  I've got an annual Nova wagon, but the Buicks I have were all built when I got them.  I don't think they set the world on fire sales-wise back then, I'd suspect the tool was pillaged to get the accessories for the Nova leaving the wagon itself for the scrap heap.  If it had been kept, I'd suspect it would have been seen again as a Craftsman series kit, or in the Flower Power series later in the Sixties.

[ZTony8]

Tim Boyd posted that the tooling was altered to make the '63 Nova.

I, too, wish the Buick could come back. I have a built up given to me by a fellow model club member for helping him move a few years ago.

[Mark]

Parts of the Buick wagon, specifically the trailer and display engine, were reused in the original Nova wagon kit.  The parts are moved around, and a bunch of Chrysler engine parts are plated in the Nova but not in the Buick.

The Buick wagon was not reworked into the Nova, though.  Totally different cars, no sheet metal, glass, or chassis parts from one would come anywhere near to fitting the other.

[Tom Geiger]

I never really thought about it, but Mark is right.  I don't see this kit mint in box, but there are tons of old built ups around cheap.  And they all seem to have been built with the custom parts.  I don't think I've ever seen the stock tail lights on this kit!  Here's the three I own. The top two I bought as you see them. The blue one still has it's original yarn interior but I redid the body.

[Mark]

You don't often see built ones in magazines of that era.  I have three or four of them, none were painted.  I'd bet that, in spite of the accessories that were included to make them more appealing to older builders, most were built by kids and were bought at discount or closeout.  There were such places back then...the first AMT kit I remember having was a '62 Falcon, bought in 1966.  I remember that surplus store having those window box Falcon and Comet kits stacked on the floor.  Auto World also had "hard to get" older AMT kits in their ads well into the late Sixties.

[Scott8950]

I got excited when I saw the topic. I have these 2 but could use a few more. It'd sure be nice to see this kit again.

Edited December 13, 2021 by Scott8950

[Motor City]

A better choice would have probably been the Skylark coupe, but models of current wagons were not common.  

I remember my folks renting a '62 Special wagon for a vacation.  I think they were contemplating the purchase of a wagon to replace their '57 Bel Air 2-door hardtop.  It was quite full with 4 kids and everything we had packed, but everyone really liked it.  

[ChrisBcritter]

17 hours ago, Mark said:

Not positive, but I believe the cast iron V6 was first available in '62.

Good to know - either I can modify a Jo-Hann F-85 V8 to play the part for the '61, or look for a '62 wagon.

Edited December 13, 2021 by ChrisBcritter

[ChrisR]

Unpainted one sitting in my cabinet in my office!

[thatz4u]

11 hours ago, ChrisR said:

Unpainted one sitting in my cabinet in my office!

nice one, Chris

[OldTrucker]

On 12/12/2021 at 9:29 AM, Mark said:

The V6 is somewhat based on the aluminum V8.  GM had a lot of problems with the aluminum engine blocks, so they cooked up the V6 as an alternative.

You don't often see those Buick wagon kits mint in box.  I've got an annual Nova wagon, but the Buicks I have were all built when I got them.  I don't think they set the world on fire sales-wise back then, I'd suspect the tool was pillaged to get the accessories for the Nova leaving the wagon itself for the scrap heap.  If it had been kept, I'd suspect it would have been seen again as a Craftsman series kit, or in the Flower Power series later in the Sixties.

The odd Fire V6 was a 300 with 2 cylinders cut out. First one was 198ci then came the 225 followed by the 231 odd fire. Last odd fire was produced I believe in 1976.

My 4 door 62 Special had the 215 V8 with a 4 barrel. 

Land Rover ended up with it.

Edited December 14, 2021 by OldTrucker