MAT IRVINE REPORTS
This is an updated version of an original AMT kit. In the metal, the Gremlin - and 1:25 scale finished model - is a smallish vehicle, though this new kit has a box that’s definitely on the big side.
Most of the original parts have been restored for this reissue, though the big thing - literally - is the box. This is dictated by the inclusion of an attractive reprint of the original box-art painting, the box being sized to fit the print, a fairly massive 368 x 292mm (14.5 x 11.5in).
The ‘original art’ print theme sees the illustration reproduced from archived artwork, rather than being scanned from an old box-top. What’s more, the print is of the car only, minus the surrounding lettering necessary for retail sales. It’s well done, the idea being that you can frame and hang it as a piece of retro-flavour art, an interesting idea that could be used to fill a blank spot in the garage or den wall, especially if you’re an AMC Gremlin fan.
The big box provides acres of packing space, and there are three internal partitions - body and tyres in one, main components in a second, chrome parts, decals, and instructions in the third.
Tyres and slicks
In all you get around 125 parts, mostly moulded in white, with the usual chrome-plated runner and six vinyl tyres, including two newly-moulded hollow Racemaster drag slicks. These are unusual, as slicks are usually produced as solid components.
Two sets of clear parts are included, to give you the choice of clear or tinted windows. In this case, the tint is a transparent ‘smoke’ shade, which looks good. A reproduction of the original decal sheet includes the stripes needed to make the sporty Gremlin X option, indicated on the box top and sides.
About AMC
American Motor Corporation (AMC) was the smallest of the ‘Big Four’ car companies that dominated the US auto market in the 1970s. The company itself was a conglomeration of older classic names that included Hudson, Packard, Frazer, Nash, and Jeep. The two-door Gremlin was manufactured from 1970-78, selling reasonably well for a sportyish (the X version, anyway) hatchback, with 671,475 built in all.
Summation
The final result makes a neat 1:25 scale model, though for an American car it’s on the small side: when assembled it measures just 155mm (6in) long.
AMC Gremlin collectibles here.
Sample kit courtesy Round 2.
***SMN Note: I drove one of these for a few days in mid-1980s Calgary, Alberta. Compared with my tautly excellent VW Golf GTi back home, the Gremlin was like driving a jumble of auto parts, just vaguely connected to form a rolling vehicle. It had some good features mind, such as the useful liftback rear glass, but AMC really needed to put more work into the basic driving dynamics. Shame, as it could have been so much more. I loved Calgary, though!
The concept sketch below shows how the Gremlin could have looked - as so often happens in the automotive world, productionizing took away most of the sleek designer looks. In this case, the Gremlin morphed into a somewhat portly reality.
That concept art is part of an April Fool's joke by a magazine.
ReplyDeleteReally? Pity!
ReplyDeleteStill, the point still holds - I've lost count of the cool concepts that turned into dullsville by the time they hit the streets.
Just a small correction on the AMC history. While an attempt was made to incorporate Packard into American Motors, it never went through, and Packard eventually merged with Studebaker instead. Frazer was part of Kaiser, which owned Jeep. but Kaiser stopped making Frazers, or Kaisers, long before Jeep was acquired by AMC.
ReplyDeleteFrom Mat -
ReplyDeleteRe: the last point I wasn't intending it to a complete and utter history
of American Motors / AMC - which likely has the most convoluted history
of all the US car companies. Rather a mention of some of the earlier US
car manufacturer names that eventually came, some by diverse routes,
part of/under/or somehow connected with AMC.
OK strictly speaking Packard ended up not being one of them although
confusingly it was initially intended that it was. The beginning of AMC,
in 1954, was designed to be coming-together of the Nash - Hudson merger
and the Packard - Studebaker merger, (though this was really Packard
taking over Studebaker, not the other way round). So you would end up
with a new car company of four 'big names' to take on the Big Three, ie
make it the Big Four.
Because (IIRC?) someone unfortunately dying, this didn't happen, and it
ended up purely being Nash-Hudson that in effect became AMC, mainly
based around, what initially was a Nash car name, Rambler.