brad4321 Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 My rear wheels aren't close to correct. I think maybe the chassis is warped downward? so that there is a ton of space between the top of the tire and the wheel well. And thats still after shortening the leaf springs. I'm still having fun with it but I've cursed out loud more than a few times.
brad4321 Posted January 27, 2012 Posted January 27, 2012 And with that tricky front end piece, I glued it in and completely sanded it flush on each side. Then I scribed in the lines in. That side light is gone. Incorrect but its my car and I make the payments on it. : )
62rebel Posted January 29, 2012 Posted January 29, 2012 i compared the kit frame with some AMT '68 Mustang frame pieces and the next one i build is getting a better rear axle. the front subframe from the Mustang is too narrow to simply cross over the parts; it could be cut apart like i did mine and add individual pieces. i don't have a '66 Nova to compare parts; perhaps they'll work as well.
Dave Van Posted January 29, 2012 Posted January 29, 2012 If you want a accurate AMC front suspension the Mustang is a start but remember the strut rods run backwards and not forward like the Mustang. Kinda a odd set up but it worked.
Dave Van Posted February 1, 2012 Posted February 1, 2012 There are kits from the same era that are tooled better than the Gremlin. This time period was unsettling at best. The real car manufactures were struggling badly, The main promo manufacture, JoHan was having issues and I really believe this Gremlin kit was quickly tooled when AMC and Johan went their ways. The AMT Matador from the same era does not suffer the same issues as the Gremlin....almost as if the Gremlin was rushed. STILL....I am one happy AMC fan right now. I got a mint sealed Pacer off that bay place to build my Baja racer!
Joe Handley Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 My boy, Alex, just finished building the new '76 Gremlin kit. It turned out AWESOME. I'll have him post some better pics in the Under Glass section. It's fun watching him at 15 years old.......instead of sweating details, he just jumps right in and gets building! Still a bit of BMF and paint detail left, but it's just about there. Mike I saw a 1:1 Gremlin that looked to be nearly identical to this one last week on the road, and it was just as clean looking as this one.! Only difference I could see was the shade of metallic green it had been painted (kinda like Polmolive detergent, only metal flake)
62rebel Posted February 9, 2012 Posted February 9, 2012 i don't have a tire clearance issue in the rear between the top of the tire and the body; mine is touching the body in front of the wheel on one side. not horribly evident, but it does touch, and the wheel is otherwise centered in the opening. ahh, well. so far, i have to say it went together without incident, even with the Pacer six transplant and the widened seats. i WAS going to clamp the rear of the interior tub to the chassis plate and glue it, but now i think that would have pulled the rear wheels too far up. the rear of the chassis IS a bit too far down, and the next one i build will have that corrected with some styrene glued between the tub and chassis. it doesn't really build up like a typical '70's kit; i remember most of them having vague locating pins/slots to deal with; this kit has definite interlocking features that build up pretty solid if you think it through. darn sight better than, say, the AMT '68 Torino GT kit....
Guest Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 If anyone is not going to use the stock engine from this kit, I would be glad to take it off your hands.
Dave Van Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 There is only one engine in the kit with two intake, exhaust and valve cover options.
62rebel Posted February 10, 2012 Posted February 10, 2012 i think he was hinting that i might relinquish my v8 since i used a Pacer 6 in my build.... but, there are plans for that engine as well....
Guest Posted February 11, 2012 Posted February 11, 2012 Exactly what I was thinkng. There are some that may not use the engine from the kit, and I actually have a use for it, but cant swing a kit just for the engine, lol.
Chuck Most Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 I keep seeing this Gremlin kit, but every time I do, I'm really thinking of the '68 AMX GT concept car... Trouble is, where am I supposed to find a junker AMX body to use for the doghouse and front bumper?
Casey Posted February 12, 2012 Posted February 12, 2012 I keep seeing this Gremlin kit, but every time I do, I'm really thinking of the '68 AMX GT concept car... Step off, Most! I'm actually collecting most of the needed parts to do just this. I have the Johan AMX, the sidepipes from the Revell '67 Vette, wheels from the Monogram '70 GTX, and a piece of styrene sheet for the chassis. I keep thinking back to Jack Pennington's amazing asymmetrical Gremlin show car featured in SAE years ago, as that model really caught my attention and made me realize how much room for improvement there is with the Gremlin.
Chuck Most Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 Oh, I have no intention of doing an exact replica of the concept... just putting my own spin on the design.
Rob Hall Posted February 14, 2012 Posted February 14, 2012 I like that AMX concept...great idea for a build.
Chuck Most Posted February 19, 2012 Posted February 19, 2012 Spent much of the afternoon Frankensteining up a workable AMC 401 using Jo-Han and Monogram Jeep parts. Even though the Monogram engine is listed as 1:24 and the Jo-Han 1:25, there wasn't much difference, and most of the parts mated up pretty well. If you're looking toward making a drag-racing Gremster, you could cobble up a fairly presentable 401 with a cross-ram setup, using the CJ and AMX parts.
fastram Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 OK guys, How soon will someone make the parts to back date it even earlier? I had a 72 with the small bumpers, six and a three speed on the floor. Need to build one. And one done as a Pro Touring car....etc...etc....
Chuck Most Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 OK guys, How soon will someone make the parts to back date it even earlier? I had a 72 with the small bumpers, six and a three speed on the floor. Need to build one. And one done as a Pro Touring car....etc...etc.... http://banditresins.com/1972_gremlin.html
Craig Irwin Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 Missing link resins makes the early bumpers and grill, and they are chrome. You will have to backdate the sail panels with body work.
Casey Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 You're better off buying the Bandit Resins kit, unless you can accurately carve out the sail panel depressions in the '76 body. Or find an older issue of the kit on eBay or similar. They aren't that crazy expensive, and you get the same basic parts as in the reiussed kit.
Rob Hall Posted February 21, 2012 Posted February 21, 2012 Sounds like the Bandit Resins kit plus the Missing Link chrome trim is the way to go, using the '76 kit for chassis, engine, wheels and tires...
Casey Posted February 24, 2012 Posted February 24, 2012 Now, the bad. Oddly, the catalytic converter shell is one of the more nicely detailed parts, and what I would call "good". The intake manifold is not nearly as good, and the super narrow battery doesn't even look like a car battery: If you're doing some moderate to heavy kitbashing or straight customizing with this kit, it will work well. If you're building it out-of-the-box stock, you may want to pass on it. The subject matter is incredibly enticing, but the execution will probably leave you disappointed or frustrated...and maybe both.
Southern Fried Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 Just like the real ones. Picked up one of these things. VIA "Box Art". Simple chassis. More simple engine. Hood don't fit. Front end is too wide. Seats wouldn't support an anorexic. Product of the "Slim '70's...I suppose. Yeah, guess you could spend some time and effort to make a quality build. But! Why? Waste it on a ...Gremlin? Redeeming qualities. Nice dual carb intake...adaptable to a small block Chevy. Headers...Same as above. Cragers. Tempo printed H&S slicks. Nice AMC wheels. Javelin? Other than that...too much trouble. Rant over.
Casey Posted October 3, 2013 Posted October 3, 2013 Redeeming qualities. Tempo printed H&S slicks. Nice AMC wheels. Javelin? Fixed it for ya. I have to agree, though-- this isn't a very good kit.
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