6 replies to this topic

[don.siegel]

Found this one here in France, and never knew that AMT made these kinds of remote-control toys! Pretty good shape except for the windshield - and there were even two D batteries still in the battery box, but all corroded of course. I would assume that this is one of their promo models - the bumpers are metal, not plastic, and the logo on the bottom is AMT Corp., from Birmingham, Michigan. 

 

The seller didn't know much about it either, so I did a quick google search and it doesn't seem all that rare, with even some MIB examples on sale recently. It features "pneumatic" steering, and I assume that's what the big button on the remote control does: the front steering is spring loaded, and there's a sort of rubber bladder in between two parts: when you send air into it, it expands and pushes the steering straight. Otherwise it keeps turning left, appropriately enough. 

 

The motor was frozen, but gave the bearings a shot of WD40, put 5 volts through it and it started right up! Pretty healthy sounding too. It's a five pole I think, altho the brushes just look like two strips of copper, and oddly enough, it seems to have very primitive (large!) ball bearings on each end. 

 

Anybody ever seen one of these? 

 

Don 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bill from NH]

It's a '57 T-bird, which AMT did/does make a kit for, but I never heard of an AMT remote-control vehicle before. Maybe they were never distributed in the US?

[don.siegel]

I don't think so Bill - late 50s, early 60s, there wouldn't have been that many imported toys/models in France and I don't think AMT had a big overseas operation, even later in the 60s. 

 

But, like you, I had never heard of these types of vehicles from AMT. 

 

Don 

 

PS: Bill, one of the listings I found via google: 

https://www.worthpoi...ntrol-432097586

[slotcarone]

I have never seen anything like that either. Is the car connected to the controller? It's a 1956 by the way!

[don.siegel]

The online auction I found says 1955 - do you think they're wrong? I don't have much idea about T-Birds. 

 

And yes, there's a bundle of wires that goes into the back of the car, with two electrical wires for the motor, plus what I assume is a rubber tube to transmit the air pressure from pushing the big button, expanding that little bladder in the above photo (now split of course) and pushing the steering back to center. 

 

Don 

[Bill from NH]

I don't recall AMT making a '55 or '56 T-bird model kit, but maybe they did. I know they made a '57 because I had one with the removable hard top with port hole windows.. However, the kit wasn't released in '57, it came out in the 60's.

[slotcarone]

That's a 56. It has all of the differences from the 55 model including but not limited to the continental wheel.