Model Car Kits

Model car most frequently refers to scale miniatures of real production vehicles, designed as kits for the enthusiast to construct. They can be created in plastic, die-cast metal, resin, even wood. The best kits have incredible levels of detail, even in parts unseen when the finished model is on display. Major manufacturers are AMT, Revell, Monogram, and Tamiya but many smaller companies abound.

History
Banthrico started producing die cast promotional model car banks in the late '40s for the banking industry. These banks were available as a gift to people that started a new account and had a slot in the bottom to put their spare change. Usually the banks name and address was painted on the roof of the car. These primitive promotional cars included Buicks, Cadillacs, Lincolns, Packards, Desotos, Chryslers, Dodges and of course the more common (relatable) Chevrolets and Fords. In mint condition, today these cars are exceptionally sought after.

About the same time, another company, Product Miniature Corporation was introducing promotional models made from plastic to the public, many of which were also in the form of banks. Many Chevrolet bank models had the inscription on the bottom "To help save for a rainy day, or to buy a new Chevrolet" The almost mandated scale for these cars was 1:25th, however a few Chevrolets and Plymouths were produced in a larger 1:20th scale.

The model car "kit" hobby began in the post World War II era with Ace and Berkeley wooden model cars. Revell pioneered the plastic model car with their famous Maxwell kit derived from a toy. Derk Brand, from England, pioneered the first real plastic kit, a 1932 Ford Roadster for Revell. He was also famous for developing a line of 1/32 scale model car kits in England for the Gowland brothers. These kits were later introduced by Revell in the U.S.

AMT, and AMT's sister company SMP, began producing assembled 1/25 friction and coaster models in the early fifties. These were an outgrowth of promotional models manufactured for automobile dealers. Youngsters would be given the scale models to play with while the parents and the salesman haggled. Collecting and trading these "promos" soon became a popular hobby.

During the 1950s to 1960s, interest in the hobby peaked, and AMT introduced the model car kit in 1958. Jo-Han, Revell and Monogram started producing model car kits about this same time, and it was considered a "golden age" for model car building from these new innovative customizing kits. Most of these kits were known as "annual" kits, which was the unassembled kit version of the promos that represented the new cars that were introduced at the beginning of each model year.

AMT, Jo-Han, and later MPC were the primary promo manufacturers. In addition to building them stock, most annual kits were known as "3 in 1" which allowed the builder to assemble them as stock, custom, or racing versions. Model Products Corp. (MPC) joined the kit/promo business in 1965, and among their first annual kits/promos, was the full-size Dodge Monaco, which was released with a gold metallic painted body and is a valuable collector's item today.

These plastic models were intricately detailed, with body scripts, trim, and emblems, as well as dashboard details, exact duplicates of the real thing, in 1/25 scale. Typically, each automaker would license their cars to one model company. For example, Jo-Han produced Cadillac models and most of the Chrysler products and promos, and AMT did the Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac, and the Ford produced cars.

Often these companies would change, for example Jo-Han produced the 1972 Ford Torino, and MPC did full-size Chevrolets in the early and mid-1970s. Typically, the kits had more parts and details than the promos. For example, kits often had opening hoods, separate engines and suspension parts, while the promos were molded with hood as part of the body, and chassis with metal axles and one-piece chassis with suspension details molded in. 1969 and 1970 Chevy Impala kits were made by both MPC and AMT, as were some Camaros.

Some model companies sold unassembled versions of the promo cars, which were typically easier to assemble than the annual kits and had many missing pieces ie customizing parts that were available in the full blown kits. They were often molded in color (instead of the traditional white) and easily assembled without glue (thus no glue or paint was required).

When assembled they were almost identical to much more elite promotional models. What usually gives them away is that they were mostly molded in a brighter non metallic color and also they came with thin line white wall tires instead of the earlier (correct) wide white walls on pre-1962 models. Today these often command higher prices, especially AMT's "Craftsman" series of the early and mid sixties.

Interest in model cars began to wane in the mid-1970s as a result of builders growing older and moving on to other pursuits. By the early 1980s, model building had been largely replaced by video gaming as a favorite pastime of American youth. A resurgence was experience in the late 1980s, due to many who been involved in the hobby in past years rediscovering it. Monogram helped spark the revival with a series of replicas of NASCAR race cars, as did AMT with a kit of the 1966 Chevrolet Nova, which modelers had been requesting for years. Model specific magazines sprang up, such as Scale Auto Enthusiasts, Plastic Fanatic, and Car Modeler. These spread the word, helped advertisers, and brought modelers together from all across the country.

Today, many of the classic models from the golden age of modeling have been reissued. Not only does this allow modelers to build the cars they always wanted (but couldn't obtain or afford), but it tends to lower the prices of the originals. In some cases, the classic models have been issued with all-new tooling, which allows for even more detailing that comes with modern manufacturing/design methods. These include AMT's 1966 Fairlane and 1967 Impala SS, and Monogram's 1967 Chevelle and 1965 Impala Super Sport.

Today, these companies are still in business, fueled by a renewed interest in model car building and collecting.

The internet has also fueled a growing modeling community through websites, bulletin boards, and sites that host photographs, allowing the hobby to expand internationally.

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