Impressions of the newly reissued AMT '25 Ford Model T dbl kit

 I just picked up the latest version of the AMT 1925 Model T Ford double kit.  At first for the twenty bucks, I was a little reluctant because when AMT/ERTL issued the last kit in the late nineties, it neglected to include the coupe body, leaving many people disappointed, including me.  I built up that kit using an old spare roadster body from the parts box (60's model part) so I wouldn't have too many very tempting but non usable spare parts.  Back then a lot of aftermarket companies made "T" bodies to make the kit more complete.

Not this time!!!!  They hit the bullseye with a nice reissued kit, with both bodies and a lot of respect and tribute to the older kit from the sixties.  I checked my history to find it was the fourth AMT Trophy Series Kit issued in 1960, and to me this kits holds up very respectably to today's standard. 50 years later.  

First, the kit tooling is crisp and clean with very little flash and the mold lines are treatable.  The chrome tree is still crowded which to me results in a "less than chrome" sheen, but that didn't bother me, as I do not like the overshiny chrome on some models today. 

This kit was a miracle back then and even today it reflects accurate proportions and reality when looking at the parts and the finished product.  I just finished the roadster pickup from the original 60's kit as a re-do of a disaster I did when I was 12, and there ain't no better depiction of the Model T's looks than on this model.  Even the street rod version is darn faithful to Norm Grabowski's "Kookie" T from the Sunset Strip series in 1960, which was a rage.  

It still comes as the original, but it has a Lincoln engine, a big'un guys, with either a 4 carb setup or a Latham supercharger, but if you have the AMT 32 Fords, AMT 40 Fords, or the AMT/Lindberg 34 pickup, or the AMT 36 Ford, the easy swap is nothing more than a swap and plug and play.  Personally, I like the Buick nailhead from the '40 Ford with 3 deuces for that real classical look.  The hot rod frame is to die for, as is the suicide front end, quick change rear end, and chopped radiator to make the T bucket look perfect, and I mean perfect. 

When you finish making the T bucket street rod, you are left with installing the chopped coupe body on a stock frame, fenders and undercarraige.  This is when some old T bucket bodies from multiple purchases come in.  Build a few of these and the numbers somehow work out. 

I am just completing one I had from the original 60 in which I shortened the frame to make it a true T bucket with no roadster or pickup rear body, and finally found a beer keg type fuel tank for the rear side.  These models are just so darned flexible and good looking, for us street rodders, like with a little kitbashing you can make a full fendered rod from the parts box.  For the full fendered model, I strongly suggest a spare 283 Chevy motor from the Double Dragster kit, which fits under the hood perfectly.

I hope no one buys this kit so I can buy them all!!!!!!  Just kidding.  Once my Christmas shopping is complete, and the bills are paid, I plan to invest in at least 3 - 4 more 25T kits so I don't come up wanting like I did back in 1970, and again in the nineties.   

I did not go into the technical details of the kit, because the kit shows all of the parts drawn on the side and they are a lot!!!

Kudos to AMT 2 or whatever its name is, it is doing one hell of a job with these reissues. 

Heck, I might even spring for the 62 Buick and make it a custom lead sled!!!

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

 

Source: http://cs.scaleautomag.com/scacs/forums/thread/927289.aspx

Robin Widdows Eppie Wietzes Mike Wilds Jonathan Williams