1966 Mustang Convertible 1/25

[Gormy]

Has anyone ever seen an aftermarket resin kit for a 1966 Mustang convertible?  I have never found a kit or anything in the aftermarket world.  If that's true, I find it amazing that it hasn't been made as the 1966 model year was Ford's most popular convertible model in the first generation.   I've seen the 1964.5 kit, but that's it.  Again, odd as the "candle apple red 1966 convertible" was the car to have back then.

If you haven't seen a resin kit, has anyone found it possible to cut the bodies up of the 1966 coupe and the 1964.5 convertible and make it into a 1966 convertible without obvious signs of the two being combined in the final product?

[MrObsessive]

I don't know how good a modeler you are, but it would be really easy to convert AMT's tried and true '66 hardtop and turn that into a convertible. It already has the convertible interior. It's just a matter of carefully cutting off the top, and then making a boot for the top well. If you want to get adventurous, you can take the cut-off roof, and fashion an up-top from that.

Just a suggestion............

Edited November 12, 2015 by MrObsessive

[kelson]

For the boot, I believe Replicas and Miniatures Company of Maryland still makes one.

[madhorseman]

Just my opinion, but wouldn't it be easier to convert the 64.5 into a '66?

 

 

[Snake45]

Agree completely. Dropping the AMT '66 coupe's top might be the easiest "conversion" in all of modeldom. If no one makes a resin boot, That's not a terribly hard part to scratchbuild. Unlimber your razor saw and go for it!

[Ron Hamilton]

I did this one from an original annual kit.

If it were me, I would use the Monogram '64 Convertible and modify the grille.

[dimaxion]

As a Mustanger , the '64/5 Side Scallop was a different animal from the '66 MY . The '66 was a new grille . I suggest using the HT Kit , easy to get . The Boot from R&M of Maryland . The Modelhaus Grille & Wheel Outers ('64/5 MY) if you are making a Factory Stock Version .. The '64/5 MY had the Falcon instruments . Idiot lights unless it was a GT . The Full set of gauges for the GT was standard for the '66 MY . For our purposes in scale , the two round circles of Gauges for the '64/5 MY . The '56 GT / '66 MY had four little circles of gauges instead .. Thanx ...

Edited November 13, 2015 by dimaxion

[Travis T]

One thing everyone (including Monogram) misses on a 65 to 66 conversion is the door panels. 65s have vertical pleats, 66s are horizontal. The exhaust is also different between the two years, 65s didn't have the transverse muffler.

Edited November 13, 2015 by Travis T

[Gormy]

Thanks for all the replies guys.  I love the feedback on this forum.  In my searches I had not come up with a resin boot, but I looked at some of the suggestions dimaxion made and I found one on Modelhaus, $4 + $5 shipping. I found R&M of Maryland's inventory quite hard to locate, at least with the time I have at work, so I went with the Modelhaus one.  

And dimaxion got it exactly right.  There were differences every year from 1964.5 to 1966 that changed the look of the Mustang.  Too many to make for an easy 1964.5 to 1966 transition, so I will go the route of cutting the roof and attaching a boot.  Hopefully it's as easy as I foresee it being.  I am just getting back into modeling to scratch the itch I have for building my real Mustang, which sits in the garage collecting dust as the parts list for what I want to do is EXTENSIVE.  hahaha.

Thanks again guys!  I look forward to building this car.  

[Tom Geiger]

As a Mustanger , the '64/5 Side Scallop was a different animal from the '66 MY . 

Agreed. I also see Mustangs without side scallops... were they only on a certain trim level, or an option?  My friend's '66 fastback didn't have them.

[dimaxion]

One thing everyone (including Monogram) misses on a 65 to 66 conversion is the door panels. 65s have vertical pleats, 66s are horizontal. The exhaust is also different between the two years, 65s didn't have the transverse muffler.

Thank you , I did forget about the seat pleats . The '64/5 had a different seat back on the Front Buckets . It has 3 or 4 Vertical Pleats .. The '64 Production used a Generator . The '65 Production provided an Alternator . The '64/5 MY Mustangs had a Transverse Muffler . I replaced quite a few these . My *(03f) Mustang V/8 4V , 210 Hp had a single exhaust transverse as did the 6 Cyl . I worked in a Muffler Factory , same part. The '66 V/8 225 Hp had a dual inlet and outlet transverse Muffler . The 271 Hi Po had two inline small higy performance mufflers . The '64/5 MY Mustangs without the Scallop Trim were powered with the 120 CID (snicker actually an anemic low output) I-6 . That and the 13" wheels are a dead giveaway for the I-6 .

   *(o3f) Date Code = 3rd day June , 1964 . June 1 , 1964 was the first day of t5he 4bbl 210 hp 289 . I needed to know this to replace all of my Clutch Operating Parts after I installed a 12" Cobra Clutch and Pressure Plate . One by one BTW , with better than OE parts through Ford . I could only get OE Spec on the Aftermarket . These parts I bought at a lower price , at that being said , through Ford Performance ! A  Mustanger . I owned that car for more than 5 years . This occurred during the time I used to get another one every nine months .

[Snake45]

Agreed. I also see Mustangs without side scallops... were they only on a certain trim level, or an option?  My friend's '66 fastback didn't have them.

The scallops were the same all "three" years, I think you're talking about the chrome trim at the rear of the scallops. I THINK the 64 and 65 were the same (the so-called 64.5s were actually '65s), The '66 trim had three little "spears" coming forward from the trim, otherwise it was similar (perhaps even identical).

As to that trim on fastbacks, I know they didn't put it on '66s. Discovered why when I kitbashed an AMT funnycar roof onto a '66 coupe body. The speared trim AND the louvers in the roof look awful together. It's just TOO much gingerbread going on in that area of the car. I don't know if they used the simpler '65 trim on the '65 fastbacks--I don't think so, but I'd have to research it--but I know they didn't in '66. Or, at least, it wasn't standard.

[DaveM]

I think R&R did a vac formed uptop, too.  It's a pretty basic conversion.  

[Travis T]

Dimaxion, the seats on 65s and 66s are the same - the door panels are what is different.

 

Snake45, no 65 or 66 fastback ever had the trim you are asking about. That was a hardtop and convertible only part.

Edited November 18, 2015 by Travis T

[freakshow12]

Fastbacks never got any scallop trim in 65/66.  Neither did mustang gt's.  Having a d code 4 speed 64.5 coupe, a 65 c code fastback, a 66 a code 4 speed GT fastback and a 66 c code convertible in the stable helps when I'm building something.  I can just go look. Lol.  

[Bob Ellis]

The last issue of the Round2 1966 Mustang had a convertible boot included, didn't it? Just cut the roof and add visors.

[Snake45]

The last issue of the Round2 1966 Mustang had a convertible boot included, didn't it? Just cut the roof and add visors.

It's very possible. The original annual kit was a convertible with an optional hardtop (vinyl-covered, maybe) and also a VERY cool custom fastback half-top. I have one of those tops in my Very Special Parts Stash and hope to build a model around it one of these days.