AMC Matador - dad's build

[iamsuperdan]

So I'm putting this one here, even though I didn't build it. 

My dad has always been more of a plane and boat builder. To this day, he's still only ever built two cars. And I have them both.

He built this AMC Matador, as a very loose interpretation of the Matador we had throughout the 70s. Bought the car in I believe 1974, not sure if it was a new '73 model or '74 model. Forgot to ask dad for clarification. I remember many summer vacations driving out to Lakair Lodge in Ontario with the canoe on the roof. When we moved across the country from Mississauga to Edmonton, the Matador came with us. Would love to have this car back.

 

Anyway, here's dad's build. It's a little...unique. Not sure what he was thinking with the colours. I chalk it up to being a build done in the 70s, and who knows what was going on back then. It appears to be entirely brush painted and is pretty much complete. I did have to glue the front wheels back on, as bot hhad been broken off at some time. At some point, the original grille went missing. I forget your name, but if the guy who sent me the Matador grille from the race kit sees this, thank you! Until I find a roadcar version, this will give me a complete kit.

 

 

 

 

 

Now, I am searching for an unbuilt Matador X roadcar kit to build up as my own replica of our old car. If anyway has one they're looking to trade, please PM me!

 

Thanks!

 

 

[ZIL 111V]

Kool! to see your dads 70s  "survivor" builtup with its "brush paint job" so typical of the time, always nice to see old survivor (40 years +) model cars still here.

Reminds me of AMTs annual kit, that I also got way back in the 70s as a kid at local K-Mart: 

[Jim N]

Very cool.  My first car was a 75 Matador, which was handed down from my parents.  It was not a very good car, but I really wish I still had it.

The kit in the pictured above shows up on ebay quite often.  There are a couple street Matadors on the site now, but they are rather pricey.

[iamsuperdan]

Yeah, I'm waiting to luck out on one that's cheap. FOund one offered here that I should have snagged. Ah well.

 

 

[Can-Con]

Um Dan , This is gonna freak you out a bit ,,

I bought this one at NNL east about 10 years ago. Haven't got around to stripping it yet but ?? 

[iamsuperdan]

Whoa! Even has the same "mistake" on the back of the vinyl roof.

 

That's wild that two people chose pretty much the exact same colour, on what I believe is a fairly oddball and rare kit!

If your kit has a baby blue exhaust, I'm pretty sure I'll literally fall out of my chair!

Edited January 9, 2018 by iamsuperdan
spelling

[D. Battista]

Cool you have your Dad's builds....!   Very interesting subject...!!

Thanks for sharing..!

[Modelbuilder Mark]

The matador has a soft spot in my heart.  I too built this kit as a kid in the 70s, first as time race car,  then converted to smashup derby sometime later.  I like the swoopy looks back then,  but there is something about the kits reat side glad that is off, like the windows dip down too far.  It is vey col you have your dads.

[FUSIONBOY]

I want to find a 1:1 to rebuild.

We had a Red Matador rental car, with huge Lemons on the .1/4's

And hood, with" The No Lemon Deal" next to them.  

[unclescott58]

7 hours ago, FUSIONBOY said:

I want to find a 1:1 to rebuild.

We had a Red Matador rental car, with huge Lemons on the .1/4's

And hood, with" The No Lemon Deal" next to them.  

Were you from the Twin Cities back then? The local Brooklyn Park, MN AMC dealer had a red Matador with lemons on it, and the slogan "The Lemon Deal." 

[slusher]

I think it's great that you have your dad's model. A nice piece  to always bring back memories!

[Chuck Most]

That's not a model, it's a family artifact. 

FYI- The latest reissue of the NASCAR Coke stock car has the stock grille, as well as many of the stock engine parts. That's the one with the model photoshopped onto a race track on the box, the earlier one with the plain grey background does not contain the unused stock parts. 

 

[NYLIBUD]

Hey you did a great job on the model,but the Matador could possibly be voted in the top 10 ugliest POS cars of all time.

[FUSIONBOY]

Uncle Scott, that would be the one. My Step Dad had his 74 AMX in for something, and my Uncle was the body shop manager. Loved hanging out at the shop. 

[unclescott58]

1 minute ago, FUSIONBOY said:

Uncle Scott, that would be the one. My Step Dad had his 74 AMX in for something, and my Uncle was the body shop manager. Loved hanging out at the shop. 

I had hunch on that. Cool. 

[FUSIONBOY]

It was fun there, my Uncle maintained his race car there also. The me ories of youth.

 

[ChrisBcritter]

20 hours ago, NYLIBUD said:

Hey you did a great job on the model,but the Matador could possibly be voted in the top 10 ugliest POS cars of all time.

It can be improved:

(Photoshop by me on a couple eBay shots of a stock kit)

[unclescott58]

12 minutes ago, ChrisBcritter said:

It can be improved:

(Photoshop by me on a couple eBay shots of a stock kit)

I don't think the real Matadors were ugly. But, I've got to say, that the above is an improvement. Very nice. 

[iamsuperdan]

On 1/17/2018 at 7:11 PM, Chuck Most said:

That's not a model, it's a family artifact. 

FYI- The latest reissue of the NASCAR Coke stock car has the stock grille, as well as many of the stock engine parts. That's the one with the model photoshopped onto a race track on the box, the earlier one with the plain grey background does not contain the unused stock parts. 

 

 

Great to know! I've been avoiding the race kits completely. THanks!

[Crankenstien]

think I would go ask vince he had one awhile back

[iamsuperdan]

Yeah, I mentioned earlier that someone here had one offered up. I should have grabbed it.