If you were a little junior gearhead growing up in the ’60s, you probably built lots of model cars. Here’s a look back at some memorable kits of the time.
This is probably just the way MCG remembers it, but in the ’60s, it seemed like every boy in America was building model cars. The hobby was certainly more popular among youngsters than it is today, that’s safe to say. The major model companies, including AMT, Jo-Han, Revell, Monogram, MPC, Aurora, and others, offered kits in nearly infinite variety for junior car enthusiasts of every persuasion. Here are just a few.
Among the most popular plastic models in the ’60s were the AMT 3in1 kits, updated each year to represent the latest cars from the Motor City. The scale was 1:25 and the detail was typically excellent. The 3in1 models included a few extra parts and decals so the cars could be assembled in stock, racing, and custom versions, hence the name. Kits in the $1.49 product line often included some special gimmick, such as steerable wheels, opening doors, or battery-powered miniature lamps, as shown on this ’64 Ford Galaxie convertible.
For an additional four bits, AMT offered its double kits, which included sufficient parts to construct two complete models—a great value. One of MCG’s favorite kits as a tot was this AMT Double Dragster. The rail dragster and Fiat coupe could be assembled and reassembled in nearly endless combinations.
In contrast, Monogram’s 1/24 hot rods were less realistic and more stylized than the AMT kits, but still produced a very attractive shelf model when completed. Shown here is the wild Green Hornet Ford T roadster, which was loosely based on an actual vehicle, John Geraghty’s Grasshopper, the Oct. 1959 Hot Rod Magazine cover car.
Revell car kits often included many small parts and challenging assembly, for example this ’57 Chevy Bel Air. The hood, doors, and trunk operated, and even the quarter windows were functional on the 1/25-size kit. As you may have noticed by now, the box art of the era seldom showed the actual scale model, but instead featured a photo or rendering of the full-sized vehicle. Truth in packaging would not occur for a few more years.
Starting in 1962, Revell was also associated with Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, marketing a full line of Roth-built show rods in 1/25 size. Kits included his Outlaw (above) as well as the Road Agent, Tweedy Pie, and Beatnik Bandit, and additional models based on his monster shirt creations.
Just as Revell partnered with Roth, AMT was aligned with Mike and Larry Alexander, famed Detroit customizers. Shown here is the company’s 1/25 version of the Alexander brothers’ best-known creation, the Deora dream pickup. An evergreen product for AMT, the Deora kit was repackaged and remarketed multiple times. A number of kits from modeling’s glory days of the ’60s have been reissued over the years, continuing even until today.
Hubley model kits were unusual in that the parts were molded not in polystyrene, but die cast in zinc alloy, similar to today’s pre-assmbled diecast models. Accuracy and detail were very fine, while the product line was focused on stock American classics of the ’20s and ’30s, including Chevrolets, Packards, Duesenberg, and Model A Fords like this Victoria coupe. Scales varied from 1:22 to 1:12 depending on the model.
Another not terribly authentic but attractive and fun-to-build Monogram kit was the Black Widow Model T Ford pickup, which the company offered in two models: standard (lead photo) and motorized (above). One young modeler. Michael Feinstein, was so smitten by the Black Widow that decades later, he commissioned top builder Troy Ladd of Hollywood Hot Rods to construct a functional 1:1 replica. The full-size Black Widow was a sensation at the 2009 Grand National Roadster Show.
An excellent summation. You even included the Hubleys which I thought would be ignored. They never worked well for me, requiring more prep work than a plastic model and the fit could be a bit loose. I was mostly an AMT guy until MPC put out their stock car models in the Seventies.
The one thing I could never figure out is why they couldn’t agree on either 1:24 or 1:25. The problem likely continues today since many models are based on old kits.
1/24 is an international scale, which tends to make smaller European car subjects appear slightly larger. 1/25 is the typical scale of the AMT/MPC/Revell kit.
The beauty of the common scale as discovered by AMT in the late 50s and early ’60s is part interchangeability. Virtually all “Trophy Kits” could switch engines, wheels, accessories and allow young kids to build the creations they saw in the magazines of the day such as Car Craft, Hot Rod and Stock Car Racing.
One wonders how many future automotive engineers, racers, designers and enthusiasts were created by this hobby… virtually every one interviewed who grew up in this era credits modeling, slot car racing and collecting as a primary influence on their final career.
It sure was in mine.
Oh yeah, huge model maker in the 60’s, until I got my drivers license in the early 70’s, then my attention quickly shifted to the real thing. One model not mentioned, that deserves recognition, was the visible V-8. With the little light bulbs for spark plugs, although, I always had trouble with the distributor, and the bulbs rarely flashed on cue. And who could forget the great “tolulene” scare, when glue sniffing hippies helped mandate the use of “tolulene free” glue, that never worked. And the decals, you soaked in water, and always came off on your fingers. I too, never got into the metal kits, as I remember they were more expensive, and were harder to work with. Thanks MCG. Next childhood memory,( of the same time period) road race sets.
Nice overview, thanks. Refreshing for we old timers, and a bit of history for any younger interested individuals…are there any? Minor correction to the Hubley section: The Model A, and the later issued Model T Fords, as well as the ’32 Chevies (also the Indy roadster and the “hot rod”) were 1/20. The Packards, 1/22, and the Duesenbergs 1/18.
Why the scale variation within the same company? A “mystery” .
The “major” of the “minor” players on the field back then had to be Pyro. Beginning with 50 cent, 1/32 scale kits which required tires and “chrome” to be painted, eventually graduating to $2.00 kits with plated “chrome” or “brass” parts, and rubber tires. What happened to Pyro is yet another mystery.
Thanks for the dedication and work you put into MMCG to keep us gearheads greased!
Guys, we share roots. It was hard not to include the Visible V8 (and the Big Deuce) but the story was running long.
Thanks for the memories…fun to think about those old kits.
I think the “zenith” of my modeling career was the Tamiya Honda F-1 model with working suspension and detailed motor and cockpit. The hot setup was to use “Super Glue”, but, as a kid, my parents wouldn’t let me use that. They were afraid I was going to glue my fingers together, (which I did, later on in life).
There is no end to the stories, truly. Love the brisk sharp summary of these great kits (and yes I have them all save for the Hubley Vicky) which have given me endless hours of enjoyment. Great job.
Excellent story, everything exactly as I remembered modeling the first time around, 1959-1968. As soon as I returned from SEA, and settled down, I bought the same kits again, building model cars up to the present time, 40 years later.
@Howard: I started building my Tamiya Honda F1 model when I was thirteen. Forty six years later, I’m about 60% done.
Yup, yup and yup. I must have built 150 different models. Hunched over my desk/work table, getting high as a kite(but not knowing it at the time), painting, gluing and applying decals. At one time I had enough “spare parts” from various kits to assemble a complete model from scratch. Came out kinda looking like a Cobra Daytona coupe gasser( hey, I was about 12, what did I know? LOL). At age 15 I had a job working with my uncle and we traveled for sometimes 2-3 weeks at a time. On one of the trips my little brother and his friends got at them and played demolition derby I guess. I seriously considered homicide, but in the end let it go. By then I was putting together my first street car, and it was far more important then to me.
And don’t forget about the Hot Wheels we had, or the slot cars that we raced. Either beat the tar out of any video came I have run across.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Great article. I was fortunate, growing up in the early 70s, to have a local hobby shop that not only had new kits, but a bunch of old stock from the early 60s on. Built a lot of 3 in 1 kits and annuals 10 years in the box.
Always had a thing for the “odd” kit – the classic cars from AMT, JoHan and MPC, the much rarer wagon and sedan kits like Revell’s line of ’62 Chryslers, police and fire vehicles, and pickups, which weren’t as popular then as they are now.