211 replies to this topic

[MSwiss]

BTW - how much are the kits listing for?

Looks like about $60.

AMT Polar Lights slot cars

[Mopar Rob]

Looks like they're going for $42 on eBay from at least one seller.

[slotbaker]

Being such crap kits, they're bound to be collectible.

[James Wendel]

All you really need is a suitable hardbody kit and one of these:

[Lone Wolf]

Three things to add.

1. As far as price, These started at about $69.00 when they first hit Ebay, Now can be had for as low as $42.00

2. Let's go back to my earlier prediction in this thread. You will see these in the Big Lot type stores ( not sure what they call them around you area ) probably for $15.00 or even cheaper soon enough as AMT dumps the slow moving stock as they usually do.

3. And here is best idea I've had in years, Are you ready? Jairus presents the "AMT REISSUE CHALLENGE ! " How cool is that. AMT, former parent of Dynamic. However, as sold it would have to be one race with ten laps . I am serious about this though. We could make a list of acceptable mods. Mr. Bader can give us a deal on a group buy. What do you think? This piece of %&#@ will separate the men from the boys for sure.

[One27ray]

WOW!!... now thats a good idea Joe Now if we could get the price down to say $14.99 ???? it would be a winner...

[ravajack]

All you really need is a suitable hardbody kit and one of these:

I just wonder how clever the designers of these ProTrack chassis are.
Take a look at their 1/32 "Spider" chassis. Notice anything peculiar?

[endbelldrive]

...And here is best idea I've had in years, Are you ready? Jairus presents the "AMT REISSUE CHALLENGE ! " How cool is that. AMT, former parent of Dynamic.

I'm game. I'm a glass is half full kind of guy...so what the hey.

[Mark H]

I just wonder how clever the designers of these ProTrack chassis are. Take a look at their 1/32 "Spider" chassis. Notice anything peculiar?

no? except the funky guide setup?

[Jairus]

3. And here is best idea I've had in years, Are you ready? Jairus presents the "AMT REISSUE CHALLENGE ! " How cool is that. AMT, former parent of Dynamic. However, as sold it would have to be one race with ten laps . I am serious about this though. We could make a list

While I don't disagree that it is a good idea... I currently have too much on my plate to organize an event. But... I might enter a car.
Anyone else want to take the reigns of this one?
I figure one race on a flat track with the stock chassis (slightly modified) with stock body and a spec motor just might be the ticket.

[Lone Wolf]

OK, call me Svengali-ish. Check my previous posts regarding price.

They started at $69 on eBay, which by the way some sellers are still asking. Current market value has dropped from a low at $42 just a couple days ago to a new all time low of $36.60. That's almost half of the original price already. Getting closer to my predicted $15 every day.

No doubt the numerous bad reviews have killed these things. Don't get me wrong. I am not happy about this. Would have been much happier with a quality product that would help the hobby. Someone should investigate making a "tune-up" package for these including axles, oilites, wheels, and tires etc.

AMT 743 SLOT STARS 1/25 2006 Chevy Camaro Concept Slot Car Kit

[Jairus]

I already did:



Along with some chassis mods:



Just no time to play with it...

[James Wendel]

Great idea, but isn't there room under the body to move the guide post forward; in front of the axle?

If so, I would be inclined to solder a guide tongue over the original hole.

Somehow the guide behind the axle offends me.

[endbelldrive]

The AMT kits are just a start. Their first attempts back in the '60s weren't great shakes either but their second generation chassis is still a good handling, go fast design.

Looking at the bigger picture... I hope this isn't the end of their attempts to bring back slot car kits.

[Steve Deiters]

I keep reading these reviews and mod ideas and I'm shaking my head. Kind of pathetic isn't it that many of the very same mistakes or lack of attention to detail seems to have repeated itself in these kits as we experienced in our first slot racing experiences in the mid-'60's? It isn't like these learning experiences have been kept under lock and key all these years. Spend a couple of hours on the internet on sites like Slotblog, or some American and European club sites, not to mention any number of sites that basement racers have set up, and your learning curve (good ideas/bad ideas) would be about 95% complete. Sad.

Another chance for momentum and a fresh perspective from a large manufacturer - AMT - seems to have been lost... again.

[Jairus]

I guess the only way to "have time" is to make time so... after burning out on the current projects on the bench, I changed tack and pulled this one back out of the box.

Ground away at the guide holder so it could fit a decent flag by Parma and a set of standard pickup braids.

The front axle holes fit a set of 3/32" axle ball bearing races with-out modification.



Out back however, it took a stepped drill to open up the holes to 1/4" in order to accept 1/8" axle bearings. However in this case, since the rear end was so narrow I used a set of "Duffy made" extensions soldered into the openings to extend the track of the bearings a little wider.



Still, the ride height under the chassis screws is quite a bit above the minimum 1/16" track clearance. Looks like I might need to turn down the rear wheels a bit... or mount the rear chassis lead weight UNDER the frame, thus keeping the CGI low as possible.



At any rate, here is the finished, modified chassis ready for the track. (Think the paint on the body is pretty much cured, time to decal and finish this puppy!)

[slotbaker]

Looks mucho betterer.

That mod around the guide holder would be an easy mod in the tooling, but I'm guessing that mother AMT won't want to spend any more money on this project.

[Ramcatlarry]

You may want to solder some bracing as well. A Slick 7 guide tongue will help a lot as will a simple U-brace from the motor bracket to the bearing holders. Another issue is the low-hanging screws under the center of the frame.

I am certain the this short nose is universal to fit the 1/32 bodies as well as the Nova in 1/24. I already have the Batmobile body and will get a Camaro to get parts. I intend to use the Camaro on an FCR.

[Ramcatlarry]

Got my Camaro this weekend.

Good things: Bushings are standard size 3/16" OD so standard generic 1/8" or 3/32" bushings (and 3/32" ball bearings) will pop right in. Another motor adapter on the market (for years) is the Pla-fit flat plate... adapts the FK to the vertical 16D style.

AMT did make good wheels and tires - nice and round and a reasonable tire compound to be usable on a track.

I can see now why you (Jairus) used two flat washers on the flag... the flag shaft IS standard 3/16", but the hole is (?!) oversize.

[Champion 507]

Why haven't they made kits with Ford or Mopar bodies? Believe it or not, not everyone wants a bowtie.

[Jairus]

Good point, Doug! I'll ask.

[Bill from NH]

It's Government Motors! My guess would be they're using old molds and the Chevys happened to be in the best shape requiring little work.

Jairus, who owns the AMT name these days? I know it's been sold at least a couple times.

[Jairus]

Tom Lowe is president of Round 2 L.L.C. and just a few months ago they purchased the name, the molds and all rights to AMT and attendant holdings (MPC etc.)

They started out by leasing the rights, but (not sure if it is publicly announced yet) I heard from John G. the product manager that the deal when through during the late Fall of 2011. Pretty sure it's well known by this time, you know?

[Champion 507]

My first two slot cars in the fall of 1964 were both AMT's because I was a builder of their car kits and a big fan of the company. I got a 1/32 Mustang fastback and a 1/25 Mustang coupe. The 1/32 car was okay but the 1/25 car was a joke because of the motor. They put a re-cycled motor from their Turnpike cars in it and it had a 20 tooth pinion on it! It was geared 20:36 for cryin' out loud... so they mis-engineered that one, too. The 20 tooth pinion was solid on the end and could not be removed with a conventional gear puller. As a twelve-year-old kid, I had no tools or knowledge of how to get it off. Nowadays, a few minutes with a Dremel would take care of that, but that was about two or three years before I got my first Dremel.

IIRC, the motor out the 1/32 Mustang was the first one I ever tried to rewind. Along about that same time, either Car Model or Rod & Custom came out with an article on de-winding/rewinding, so I thought I would try it. The motor was identical in every way to a Revell SP500. It had the armature where no two laminations were identical and the multi-piece nylon comm that would melt in lukewarm water.

Needless to say, my first attempt ended in failure because I melted the comm trying to get the wires soldered to it. All I had was a 15 watt iron at the time that came with a Heathkit radio my dad had gotten me for Christmas the previous year. I did a great job soldering the components to the PC board in the radio and it worked the first time I tried it, but I hadn't perfected my soldering skills yet and destroyed the comm. Once Mabuchi came out with the brown comms in their 16Ds, I was all set!

Jairus, nice job with the "hop up kit"! I remember a couple years ago you asked us here on Slotblog what old AMT slot car bodies we would like to see re-popped. Obviously, that was leading up to this project.

I wish AMT had gone with the brass flat pan chassis they came out with in the 1960s. It was a simple but good design, and for a while, was the way to go at our local track. I held the 1/32 track record on our small track (an 80' folded figure 8) until they went out of business with one.

[HarV Wallbanger III]

The bottom screws can be countersunk and flathead screws used so both ends could be dropped down more...

Still a shame of a modern kit... Someone should send them a link and tell them to step out of the stone age!