How many of you remember.....

[sentsat71]

The original release of the AMT '57 Chevy Bel-air circa 1964?

One of my brothers bought that kit and eventually I inherited it.  He built with styleized front and rear custom nose and tail sections. Once I got hold of it, probably didn't do much to it at first. but a couple of years or so later, I got bored and as I did back then, in particular, I tried to do something else with that build. Long story short, only the basic frame has survived all these 50 some years.
And, as I used to do back in those early days, I would save the instruction sheets of most of the kits that my brother would build and later, some of the kits I bought as well.
And yes, I still have the instruction sheet from that original kit.  Why do I bring this up now? Well, the instruction sheet has been sitting near this computer, along with one for the AMT '63 Chevy II kit.
While AMT as reissued the original tool a number of times, I don't think any of the reissues of this kit have had ALL the customizing parts.  I know as I have 3 of the re-issues over the years. Along with one or two back in the early to mid '80's which were never finished and did not survive all the moves.

Now I know most of the kit builders today prefer the Pro-Model issues of the '57 Chevy Bel-Air for the more realistic parts that come in those kits. But then model kits have come a long ways since the early to mid 1960's....especially with the front metal axle going through the engines. but this kit did not have the 4 screws to attach the frame to the body....
But maybe AMT added a lot of customizing parts to take away from the lack of a frame with the molded on exhausts. The '57 Bel-Air did have a separate rear axle/spring/drive train piece along with a very simple front suspension, and a separate rear window and windshield ......something that other kits of this time period did not have.

Just thought I put this out there to see if there is any reaction to this....
No comments from my post over at Randy's site....
 


Anyway.. I finally counted how many different versions one could create from that original release....I've counted 24 different options with just what came in that original kit. And that is not counting the suggestions from George Barris.....

[TarheelRick]

I had that kit, if IIRC it cost me all of $2.00, which was one mowing of my yard and my grandma's yard, plus skipping a couple of school lunches and a recess or two.  I tried to build it as a short track car using the unsanded sprue for roll bars and front bumpers.  I have since been trying to collect all the radical styline parts so I could build that custom version.  Really wish when they repop these kits from yesteryear they would include all the custom parts that came with them.  Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[Olderndirt]

 Don’t remember that kit, but do remember the Revell ‘57 Chevy hardtop with the opening doors, and all the detail. I think I owned two of them, and never got one finished.

  Olderndirt

[sentsat71]

In the Dec 2007 issue Scale Auto mag, Tim Boyd did story on the various issues and reissues of the '57 Bel-Air.....He built four full detail kits in the early 1980's for a '57 Chevy Comparo.This was before AMT built their new tool in the late 1990's, He only showed  2 of those builds. He said that the original tool  AMT '57 kit was the "runaway" winner and the Revell version finished last, due to the "difficult assembly and parts-fit issues.
I tried to build one of the original tool re-issues back in the early 1980's but did not get very far. And yes, it was tossed out....

The only '57 I've built was back sometime in the 1970's was the Monogram '57 Chevy funny car. This one was called "OUTCAST"  and the real reason for buy and building my only "funny car" was a decal "WE TRY HARDER".....Why would I buy a kit because of that one decal and keep it all these years? Quite simply because I was working for Avis Rent a Car and that ws their slogan....and still was when I left them in 2001 (started in 1972)....

However I have three different re-issues of the original tool kits...the "newest" one is from AMT/Ertl 2005, then an older reissue still under AMT/Ertl, no date....and one from when AMT was owned by Lesney (Matchbox?) and one is the same same issue as the one I bought, that is mentioned above...

Also bought the Revell '57 Chevy Pro Sportsman drag car to go with the funny car....
Still on the "wish list" is the MPC '57 flip nose "Gasser" release....waiting for funds to buy that one...

Whoops, just seeing the article in SA, I DID build a stock/custom '57 Chevy from Monogram back in the '70's from Monogram in 1/24th scale....but that build did not survive one of my purges over the years....maybe as early as 1980....

I had a couple of the late 1990's Pro Shop kits, but sold them.....

As of the article mentioned above, AMT has reissued the original tool 15 times, which is now at least 17 times (or more) but I don't think any of those reissues ever had the slylized parts.....

I've given up on trying to contact R2 as I have NEVER gotten any response froim them!

[Olderndirt]

 I wish somebody would offer a ‘57 210 2door sedan other than the flipnose. I like building the cars of my High school classmates. There were precious few kids in my class with a Bel Air hardtop. But, a lot of them inherited the family sedan. I did pickup a Black Widow kit just in case I have to generate my own 210 trim package.

  Olderndirt

[sentsat71]

Here's the frame from that original release of the AMT '57 Chevy

And the body that is now on it and has been since the late 1960's or as late as 1971....


around the mid '70's experimented with mixing paints, which is way the different colors on the body.....
Decals were not applied until arpimd 2006/07.....The #47 I believe came from an airplane kit that I've had in my decal stash for years....

[Olderndirt]

 So, is that a 64 Fairlane with added fins to make it look like a ‘62/63 ?

  Olderndirt

[sentsat71]

IIRC it is an old Comet body from around that time period...The fins came out of the junk box so have no idea what kit they came from. I tried to remove them when creating this build a couple of years or so of gluing them on. but the glue held tight and didn't have proper tools to remove them or clean up after trying to get them off. You won't believe what i used to enlarge the rear wheel openings, though I may have used something else....my primary "tool" was an old toe nail clipper! Not sure when I did those rear wheel openings, but I had bought a a Hot Knife,. which what i used to cut the fenders off the body, after gluing the hood to the fenders,as seem below...