Cars of American Graffiti

[MGL]

Just got done watching American Graffiti again and was wondering how many of the cars have been done as kits and how much kit bashing would you have to do to recreate some of them? Falfa's 55 wouldn't be too hard, and I think Curts 2CV is available in 1/24, Milners 32 could almost be pieced together from most parts stashes, and I think the Edsal is also available although I haven't looked at the kit to see if its a 4 door. So what about the 58 Impala and the 51 merc? And don't forget the Studibaker, and if you really wanted to get creative you could figure out what it would take to put together Toads 4x4 jeep/truck with the gun rack.

[Miatatom]

I love that movie. Graduated in 62 so the movie felt like it was a part of my life. The 32 and 58 were both kits, I think.

[Edsel-Dan]

Cindy William's 58 EDSEL was a CORSAIR 4dr.

Not sure if Hardtop or Sedan.

The kit is a PACER 2dr Hardtop!!!

It will take a LOT of work to convert--

Stretch the Body AND Wheelbase and a Different Roof!!

Pacer & Ranger aka Junior Series were built on Ford platform and sheetmetal was also

Corsair & Citation, aka Senior Series were Mercury based.

Best bet would be to start with a Franklin Mint Citation Convertible

But filling in the scallop where you take the Citation medallion out........

 

Also, Where to get the roof??

[Edsel-Dan]

Not sure

But their 58 Pacer was out Years before the Hollywood series came out!!

I have a few including the Fake Graffiti one!!!

Still looking for others though!!!

 

Also think her Corsair was 2 Tone Blue

Wasnt the roof darker than the body??

Not sure if the Scallop was also darker though

Only watched that movie Once, and that was some time ago

Don't have a VHS or DVD copy!!!!!

[Joe Handley]

Cindy William's 58 EDSEL was a CORSAIR 4dr.

 

 

Your right (and it's a hardtop). I wonder how Hotweels went about getting licensing to use such an iconic car movie name and then put out the wrong model car?!?

it seems like a whole lot of those were wrong, the Edsel, Milner's '32, the Rockford Files Firebird all come to mind.

[uncle potts]

Milners coupe was done as a kit, as was the 55, I believe. Not sure if the 58 was done as an

american graffiti car or not, even though the impala is available in kit form.

I just looked on ebay, there was also a 56 t-bird done by Revell. And if you're interested, there alot of diecast from 1/64 to 1/18 scale available as well.

Edited August 7, 2015 by uncle potts

[spencer1984]

Revell's kits of the deuce, '55, and T-bird were all pretty good.  I kind of wish they had been able to continue the line and include more of the cars

[Dave Van]

As for plastic kits.

MPC Milner's 32 fair at best

That is it as far as AG plastic kits. 

Revell did Milners 32, Bob's 55 and the white T-Bird in die cast 1/25 scale. 

There are others available in other scales by different manufactures including Revell in 1/64 that had 1/25 figure included. 

As for making your own.....a few easy....some not so much.....

I believe Revell had plans for a 58 Chevy of Toad but canceled it. We ended up with the kit later in plastic. 

Here is my version of what could have been....

 

The 55 Chevy is easy with the AMT 55 post kit and a few extra parts. 

The lowrider Merc is harder as it's a 51.....but we have the basics.

LOTS of other star cars can be done......

My version of the T-bucket Milner is seen talking to the driver while the cars are cruising the main street.......while the T-bucket girlfriend sits bored..... 

 

Edited August 7, 2015 by Dave Van

[John Goschke]

'56 T-bird is available in 1/25th from AMT.

[Crazy Ed]

My version of the T-bucket Milner is seen talking to the driver while the cars are cruising the main street.......while the T-bucket girlfriend sits bored..... 

 

   Nice Lookin' Build there Dave, but that Poor Girl looks like she just got hit with a Cattle Prod!

[Dave Van]

'56 T-bird is available in 1/25th from AMT.

Correct....forgot that one.......such an odd pick......wish they had picked a more popular.......the 55 Chevy would have been cool. 

[Bob Ellis]

Watch the movie carefully as Toad is driving through the city streets. There is a '68 Impala parked along the street. Where were you in '62, I mean '68.

[Dave Van]

My version of the T-bucket Milner is seen talking to the driver while the cars are cruising the main street.......while the T-bucket girlfriend sits bored..... 

 

 

   Nice Lookin' Build there Dave, but that Poor Girl looks like she just got hit with a Cattle Prod!

Why do you think they were parked in the very dark lot????? Great personality though......

[FordRodnKustom]

Falfa's 55 started it's movie career as one of three built for the movie Two Lane Blacktop.

Edited August 8, 2015 by FordRodnKustom

[Edsel-Dan]

OK, Thanks for the info on the EDSEL!!

Roof looks close enough to a 59 Edsel or Fairlane thatif you had

one you could get away with it

Though it might have to be lengthened

 

But, I would not know where to lengthen the body itself!

 

I have the 3 Rev Diecast kits, and the AMT 656 T'Bird

[ChrisBcritter]

Best bet would be to start with a Franklin Mint Citation Convertible

But filling in the scallop where you take the Citation medallion out........

 

Also, Where to get the roof??

The Modelhaus '58 Mercury could provide the roof, but you would have to modify the C-pillars a bit. Then you'd have to do the four-door modification...

[Edsel-Dan]

Yea. That is the "Fun part of starting with a Diecast.

So using 2 AMT Modern Tool Pacers might be a better choice

But still, Stretching the body in the correct location(s)!!!!

[Force]

The Edsel Corsair and Citation are Mercury based and are quite far from the smaller Ford based Ranger and Pacer and I don't know if any 57-8-9 Mercury has been made as a model, so the Laurie Edsel are a bit hard to do..but if you want it enough it can most likely be done.
The Milner 32 Ford has been made by Revell as an pre painted unassembled diecast kit, and MPC did a quite wrong plastic kit reissued by AMT a few years ago, MPC also did the Milner dragster from More American Graffiti, not a good one as with the 32 coupe but they did one anyway.
The Falfa 55 Chevy was also made by Revell as a diecast kit and you can for sure convert the AMT 55 Sedan to resemble the movie car, or take a Revell 55 and graft on the roof from their 56 Del Ray to do a 2 door post.
The Steve/Toad 58 Impala isn't that hard to do from either the AMT kit or the Revell kit.
The Pharao's 51 Mercury, a 51 Mercury hasn't been done as a model kit and the 51 differs quite a bit from the available 49 Mercury's, the rear quarters are longer and the rear window opening is wider and has a different shape than the 49-50, the  dash board are also different in the 50-51 so the 49 dash is wrong.
The 56 Thunderbird driven by Susanne Sommers has been done by AMT as mentioned and Revell also did a pre painted diecast kit of the car.
The Curt Henderson Citroën 2CV can most likely be done as Revell, Heller and Tamiya has done 2CV's, I don't know if they are the right year but there are not that much that differs.
Holstein's 61 Galaxie Police car can maybe be done from the old AMT Styline kit

Edited August 9, 2015 by Force

[Howard Cohen]

To build models from the movie, you may want to start with the series 'American Graffiti'  If you want to build every car in the movie, you will need to build a few hundred   

[Greg Myers]

Guess you'd build a few of these for your Bullitt collection.  

[carrucha]

Anyone thinking of building the '58 Impala should check out the reference pics of the original movie car on this website.  www.xframechevy.com/the-real-american-graffiti-58-impala/ 

Edited August 9, 2015 by carrucha

[Nova-ss]

I never built the mpc 32 ford of milner's.what is wrong with it.sense I don't have one I can't compare it to pictures.

I'm thinkin of building my own from that kit.is there a better kit to start from? thank you all.....Chris

[Reegs]

I never built the mpc 32 ford of milner's.what is wrong with it. 

If memory serves, the 1:1 car had that crazy Man-A-Fre 4-corner manifold while the kit had your standard one (or two?) 4-bbl set-up.

That's IF memory serves ... 

[Greg Myers]

The MPC kit is a spin off of their old "Switchers" series. As for the "crazy Man-A-Fre 4-corner manifold", the kit did indeed have an inline dual four barrel set up. If you want the Man-A-Fre all you need is the bottom manifold of an early ('63-'67) Corvette fuel injection ( looks quite convincing) with the appropriate two bbl carbs. The Man-A-Fre was a direct port induction, with the carb openings right above the intake ports in the head much the same as the Corvette FI. Just turn the carbs front to back.

[Greg Myers]

This one also