Jump to content
Happy Holidays ×
Model Cars Magazine Forum

When did the AMT 49 Ford kit come out


Recommended Posts

Yup, '62. And I'm pretty sure the first release was gray.

Googlie's idiot AI, when asked the question, doesn't bother to give a year, but says:

"The AMT 1949 Ford was one of the first plastic models produced by AMT, and was released along with the 1950 Ford and Plymouth sedans."

Okayyyyyyy. If anybody has one of those alternate-universe '50 Plymouth sedans, I'll pay a lot for it.  ;)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, JollySipper said:

Yet another subject we need a modern tool of! This and the '57 Thunderbird as a Moebius level kit would suit me fine.........

I agree with you on the '57 Bird with its blobular chassis, nose issues, interior and windshield fit, etc, but I've always found the '49-'50 Ford to be a pretty decent kit, very well proportioned, with a decent undercarriage.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Yup, '62. And I'm pretty sure the first release was gray.

Googlie's idiot AI, when asked the question, doesn't bother to give a year, but says:

"The AMT 1949 Ford was one of the first plastic models produced by AMT, and was released along with the 1950 Ford and Plymouth sedans."

Okayyyyyyy. If anybody has one of those alternate-universe '50 Plymouth sedans, I'll pay a lot for it.  ;)

While I hate to give AI credit for anything, it is correct that AMT produced a 1949 Ford 4-door sedan promo:

image.png.1c965e030b7db581b0347784e89facb3.png

And they also did produce a 1950 Plymouth sedan promo:

image.png.007677dad317603de7654d96482a61b8.png

I know, neither one is really a "model kit", and they're both pretty crude by today's standards.

Seems like AI is no different from the general human population, which commonly considers any miniature automotive replica a "model car" (or even worse, a "toy car").

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I agree with you on the '57 Bird with its blobular chassis, nose issues, interior and windshield fit, etc, but I've always found the '49-'50 Ford to be a pretty decent kit, very well proportioned, with a decent undercarriage.

I also agree that the "Trophy Series" AMT '49 and '50 Fords are good, no need for an all new version.  I built the '49 in the late '80s, and seem to recall no major problems.  In more recent versions, I believe they modified the tooling to eliminate the front metal axle through the engine.  I have a pair of the "Gas Man" reissues, but haven't built them.

I really wish that AMT had completed the trilogy and given us a '51.  If we're talking new tooling, I think that year would make more sense.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Robberbaron said:

...If we're talking new tooling, I think that year would make more sense.

 

4 hours ago, junkyardjeff said:

I agree a 51 is needed.

The '51 is nothing but a minor facelift on the '49-'50 sheetmetal.

Some enterprising scratchbuilder could relatively easily make '51 grille, bumpers, etc., and it's easy to fill the cutout in the hood for the earlier grille hump. Then copy the parts in resin.

OR...same thing but 3D modeled and printed.

I don't see a major manufacturer tooling an entirely new kit just to do a minor facelift on an existing kit.

Maybe, just maybe, a modification of the existing tool into a '51, possibly as a Victoria, but I still don't see it happening.

1951 Ford Deluxe Victoria | Significant Cars

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

 

The '51 is nothing but a minor facelift on the '49-'50 sheetmetal.

Some enterprising scratchbuilder could relatively easily make '51 grille, bumpers, etc., and it's easy to fill the cutout in the hood for the earlier grille hump. Then copy the parts in resin.

OR...same thing but 3D modeled and printed.

I don't see a major manufacturer tooling an entirely new kit just to do a minor facelift on an existing kit.

Maybe, just maybe, a modification of the existing tool into a '51, possibly as a Victoria, but I still don't see it happening.

1951 Ford Deluxe Victoria | Significant Cars

Agreed on all counts.  I'm under no illusion that there's any realistic chance of seeing this in styrene.  That window of chance was probably 20-30 years ago.

Like it or not, there's now a pretty small fraction of the general public who even knows the variations between these different model years, much less cares.  And that percentage gets smaller every year.

As the fidelity of 3D printing keeps improving, I think that's where the future lies for stuff like this.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, junkyardjeff said:

If I am not mistaken the 51 Victoria body is a convertible with the hard top bolted on so the 50 convertible would be the easiest to convert.

The hardtop you're thinking of was an option, along with a chopped version, in the original AMT '50 Ford Convertible kit. 

DSCN0588.JPG

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the absolute best kits ever, an equal in terms of correct shape, the right feeling of the scale model, accessories, fit etc etc. In some cases it feels like the development has gone in the wrong direction after this kit. My ongoing project, unfortunately it was not an old kit that I bought but probably someone who built several 49 Fords and sorted out the bad parts and collected these in the box that I bought. Despite that it is a fun project.

IMG_8752.thumb.jpeg.37f5dfe44036ed35a9839c3406bb7f7b.jpeg

Edited by Ulf
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/27/2024 at 9:39 PM, junkyardjeff said:

If I am not mistaken the 51 Victoria body is a convertible with the hard top bolted on so the 50 convertible would be the easiest to convert.

for sure its going to be the easiest. one of the custom parts is a filler piece for the front of the hood

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, espo said:

The hardtop you're thinking of was an option, along with a chopped version, in the original AMT '50 Ford Convertible kit. 

I'd also forgotten about the chopped Victoria roof in that kit.

I have a Vic in progress using a roof from one of the Lindberg '53 kits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are small but noticeable differences between the AMT 49 business coupe and 50 convertible kits, separate signal ring, red rear lenses etc.
 

Edited by Ulf
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...