Best 60s Ford Mustang Kit?

[Harpo]

I've got a project in mind for an early 60's Ford Mustang but I'd like to find a good quality kit, as opposed to these abominations I've been getting lately.  

Any suggestions?

[Classicgas]

What year? What kit are you calling a abomination?

[BigTallDad]

8 hours ago, Harpo said:

I've got a project in mind for an early 60's Ford Mustang...

My understanding is the Mustang was introduced in '64 and carried a model-year/title of '65. That pretty much rules out an "early 60's" model.

[Snake45]

We could use more details of exactly what you want to do. 

In the meantime, if 1/24 will work for you, and you're talking about a '65-'66, the Monogram/Revell family is probably the "best." These have appeared in numerous iterations including various Shelbys and the pace car convertible. (Did they ever do a straight hardtop? I don't think so but I don't remember.)

If you must have 1/25, the AMT is the only game in town. It's lacking in mechanical detail, but the body and related body parts are actually pretty nice--better IMHO than a couple of highly regarded recent Revell offerings. 

If you can move up to '67-'68, a couple more options become available. 

[Greg Myers]

2 hours ago, Snake45 said:

if 1/24 will work for you, and you're talking about a '65-'66, the Monogram/Revell family is probably the "best." These have appeared in numerous iterations including various Shelbys and the pace car convertible. (Did they ever do a straight hardtop? I don't think so but I don't remember.)

The Missing link, Notchback / Hardtop 

[Greg Myers]

Good Luck $$$

[Harpo]

1/24 vs 1/25 is not an issue to me at all, and what I'm calling an abomination is these kits from offset molds that require endless trimming and shaping.  I suppose I should be happy they're still available, but compared to Tamiya, Gunze, and Revell Germany my descriptor seems appropriate.

You're right; I need to be more specific about year.  Here's what I've got in mind: 1963 Ford Mustang III.  My reproduction won't be 100% faithful to that particular one-of-one car, but I like the idea of a short wheelbase Mustang.  

[Greg Myers]

Revell Of Germany Mustang kits will be the same old Monogram / Revell from the US Richard spoke of above, simply repackaged.

[Greg Myers]

and as for this 1963 ? pilot Mustang, seems like a lot of wishful thinking (ne, dreaming) on the current owners part. Looks like a hack custom to me regardless of the Hemmings article which I since isn't speaking of the car pictured at all, Just my jaded 71 year old opinion.

Yeah,  I'm the guy walking past the Ford show room,1965, looking at the original Shelby Mustangs saying to my friends, " I'd rather have a Corvette."

Edited August 19, 2018 by Greg Myers

[Luc Janssens]

19 minutes ago, Greg Myers said:

Good Luck $$$

this is one is to be avoided at all costs.

 

[Luc Janssens]

14 minutes ago, Greg Myers said:

Revell Of Germany Mustang kits will be the same old Monogram / Revell from the US Richard spoke of above, simply repackaged.

yep repackaged Monogram kit

[Greg Myers]

3 minutes ago, Luc Janssens said:

this is one is to be avoided at all costs.

 

Just got one for my 71 birthday, looks fine to me, Certainly one up from the ubiquitous AMT '65 promo chassis same ol, same ol. 

[Snake45]

34 minutes ago, Harpo said:

Here's what I've got in mind: 1963 Ford Mustang III.  My reproduction won't be 100% faithful to that particular one-of-one car, but I like the idea of a short wheelbase Mustang.  

Ah, some useful information we can work with! Either the Revellogram 1/24-1/25 family or the AMT '66 coupe will work fine for you, since you're going to be scratchbuilding most of the top anyway. If it MUST have the '65 type grille, you'll have to track down one of the Revellogram '64 or '65 non-Shelby kits, as the grille in the AMT is a '66. Refer to my earlier comments about the chassis/mechanicals detailing on the AMT '66. The body's quite nice; the chassis not so much. But that might not be important to you (it's not to me, but it is to some). 

Good luck with this project, and do keep us posted--it sounds cool and fun!

[dshue76]

8 hours ago, Harpo said:

1/24 vs 1/25 is not an issue to me at all, and what I'm calling an abomination is these kits from offset molds that require endless trimming and shaping.  I suppose I should be happy they're still available, but compared to Tamiya, Gunze, and Revell Germany my descriptor seems appropriate.

You're right; I need to be more specific about year.  Here's what I've got in mind: 1963 Ford Mustang III.  My reproduction won't be 100% faithful to that particular one-of-one car, but I like the idea of a short wheelbase Mustang.  

Lindberg did the 63 Mustang II

 

Edited August 20, 2018 by dshue76

[Classicgas]

7 hours ago, dshue76 said:

Lindberg did the 63 Mustang II

 

And if he doesn't want a "abomination" he better avoid it. It is not a easy build.

[Snake45]

12 hours ago, dshue76 said:

Lindberg did the 63 Mustang II

 

He's talking about the "Mustang III," a completely different car. Click his link to see what he's talking about. 

[Art Anderson]

20 hours ago, Greg Myers said:

Just got one for my 71 birthday, looks fine to me, Certainly one up from the ubiquitous AMT '65 promo chassis same ol, same ol. 

Except of course, that it has an opening hood, and an engine (albeit from typical 60's AMT 3in1 tradition), but the body along with the chrome and interior is actually very well scaled down.

Art

[Art Anderson]

7 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

He's talking about the "Mustang III," a completely different car. Click his link to see what he's talking about. 

Actually, that is the 1960's rendition of the 1963 Mustang II Concept Car from Ford that was designed, tooled and originally issued by Industro-Motive Corporation (IMC).  It's a bit fiddly due to parts count, but does build up pretty darned well.

Art

[Gramps46]

44 minutes ago, Art Anderson said:

Actually, that is the 1960's rendition of the 1963 Mustang II Concept Car from Ford that was designed, tooled and originally issued by Industro-Motive Corporation (IMC).  It's a bit fiddly due to parts count, but does build up pretty darned well.

Art

Aw shucks, if you really want a Mustang II just mortgage the farm and order a 1/24 one already built from Automodello, it is only $349.95.   Also available in white.

 

[dshue76]

2 hours ago, Snake45 said:

He's talking about the "Mustang III," a completely different car. Click his link to see what he's talking about. 

Yep. I caught that. And he didn't seem to be wanting to reproduce the referenced car in 100% perfect accuracy either.  My reference is to a kit, IMC/Lindberg "Mustang II", that covers an actual pre-production concept car in kit form. If it's not the style he wants then so be it, I just thought it would be nice to show the design concept idea stage ("Mustang II") compared with the pre-production custom (Mustang III) which was built from a finalized production design.

[Greg Myers]

10 hours ago, Art Anderson said:

Except of course, that it has an opening hood, and an engine (albeit from typical 60's AMT 3in1 tradition), but the body along with the chrome and interior is actually very well scaled down.

Art

And the chassis ? 

[vamach1]

Here is original AMT body.

[Snake45]

34 minutes ago, vamach1 said:

Here is original AMT body.

It seems to have the chrome rocker trim, which would make it the '65 body, which became the '66, which became the AWB funny car which is still around. 

Looks like someone built or rebuilt this one sometime from the mid/late'70s on, judging from the decals from the AMT '72 Nova. Side scoops from the '68 Shelby kit, or somewhere else? 

[Harpo]

Unless I'm mistaken, the Mustang III is the only short wheelbase version (90" vs 108" stock), and this two-seater is the concept I plan on using.  

And I actually prefer the 1968 body style, with concave taillights.  Can anyone suggest an appropriate high quality kit to start with?

[vamach1]

58 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

It seems to have the chrome rocker trim, which would make it the '65 body, which became the '66, which became the AWB funny car which is still around. 

Looks like someone built or rebuilt this one sometime from the mid/late'70s on, judging from the decals from the AMT '72 Nova. Side scoops from the '68 Shelby kit, or somewhere else? 

I bought it as is on Saturday so you are probably right- added on scoops ut how dare they use Chevy decals?  It came with the box and instructions and still had some of the unique custom parts on the trees so I figured it was worth the $30 investment.  I plan to make a stock 65 fastback using a few parts from the 66 coupe.