Model King/AMT 1/25 '65 Mustang Modified

Modified racing began as race drivers modified their cars to gain a competitive advantage over their fellow competitors. What started out as minor modifications to the cars has now grown to the point that some modified classes are no longer based on any current production vehicles. NASCAR was instrumental in modified racing's beginnings. Some of NASCAR's pioneers were veteran modified racers long before NASCAR's inception in 1949. As time progressed, modifieds grew away from "Strictly Stock" or "Stock Cars," and became akin to both stock cars, and open-wheel cars. Today's SuperModifieds have more in common with Indy cars than they do stock cars.

Today, there is not an area of the United States that does not offer some sort of weekly racing during the summer months. These races are often at fairgrounds and on dirt, though some race on asphalt. There are a myriad of sanctioning bodies, but generally, a region will all run under the same basic set of rules. These are generally rather specific on what can and can not be raced, the idea to keep the sport affordable and the competition equal (at least mechanically). The cars now generally have few or or no identifiable parts that would say 'this is a 49 chevy or a 63 Falcon', being made mostly of sheet steel or aluminum over a hefty frame.

It seems that AMT at one time released a considerable number of modified stock cars during a time when I wasn't so interested in the subject. As AMT has stopped producing model kits in favor of more profitable baby toys, it has been up to other companies to pay AMT to produce a run of their older kits. One of those companies is Model King and they have reissued a number of older AMT kits, generally at a higher than normal price, but yet, considerably less than what one would pay a collector for the same things. From what I understand, Auto World has now been the main input for new mold kits, produced by AMT's China factories.

Anyway, the kit itself is in very good condition. The molds were obviously well taken care of and though AMT's general level of molding is, by today's standards, somewhat 'soft', it is still good. AMT has always had a reputation for cars that do not fit particularly well and I'm sure this one will be no different from their long standing reputation. The fact that the body alone is in 8 pieces and even has separate forward roof posts points out to this. I was able to find the usual mass of ejector pin marks on most pieces and sink areas were equally easy to locate on a number of parts (including the aforementioned roof posts). The tires appear to be plastic and in two halves. There is either heavy mold seams or flash on most of the parts, but this is to be expected.

The engine has most of the accessories molded on the block and you are provided with a single four-barrel carburetor and the obligatory chrome valve covers. The chrome on the kit is well done and unlike some other cars, there are no chips of chrome in the polybag. Most of the construction will be on the chassis/roll cage and the suspension. There are a considerable number of bits and pieces to the chassis so one will need to be quite careful in construction to get it all to line up. I anticipate a lot of scraping will be needed to clean up all the mold lines, a chore I generally do not like and one reason I build so few race cars of this type. Aside from that, the build looks to be pretty straight-forward.

Instructions are just like the old ones I remember from my youth. All the parts are numbered on the instructions, but not on the sprues. No color information of any kind is given so one is dependent on the box art and artistic license for these areas. There is a nice looking decal sheet that offers a variety of number styles and designs as well as some sponsor names and logos.   

OK, so it isn't a perfect kit. It won't be easy to build, but then, few racing car kits are. This one is very much a 'blast from the past' for most of us and adds spice to any racing car collection. Heck, I know builders who love this stuff and build little else!

May 2009

Thanks to me and my need for a slot car body for this one!