AMT/ERTL 37 Chevy coupe, Early Modified, chassis question

[Maineboy]

I am wondering if any of you guys are familiar with this kit I will attach a photo of box art plus photo of instruction sheet showing the chassis.  I acquired this as an "open box". It not only had the "early modified" but also had most of 2 other MPC 37 modified frames and running gear. I think that AMT made that kit that MPC makes now, before MPC had it.

Box art:

DSCF0012 (7) by Nathan Pitts, on Flickr


Instructions:

DSCF0013 (2) by Nathan Pitts, on Flickr

I got 2 sets of wheels and tires with this stuff. Both sets of tires and the white plastic wheels look just like what you got on your car. The other set of wheels are chrome plated and have wide 5 pattern on the rear and 5 spoke wheels on the front.  I was not familiar with this AMT kit or the fact that AMT made the 37 Wild One kit before MPC did. Or maybe after, not sure. My main question is the frame that was made for the AMT "Early Modified". You can see it in the instructions pictured and in the see through box art in the other pic. Was this a copy of some company's 1:1 modified that may have been commercially made........or was it just something the model designer thought up?

MB

[Volzfan59]

I built that very model and the Mustang bodied version when I was in high school. I believe that the chassis is a copy of an early Tobias dirt modified chassis. I graduated in 1978 so it's been a while since I built them. I hope that helps you out some

[Big Orange]

Maineboy....the kit you have shown is an AMT (re-populated several times, by Round 2, Model-King, etc) dirt-style modified, based on the Toby Tobias engineered car.

MPC released what were actually supposed to be representation of an asphalt-style modified car (they were offered as a Pinto, Vega, '36 Chevy coupe, and a '34 Ford coupe), with independent front suspension (not a straight axle) and lower design. What's most bizarre, the MPC style kits have dirt tires included, while the AMT 'dirt' kits have the slick tire design included 🤣🤣

If you purchased an opened box kit, sometimes referred to as a junkyard build/lot, you may have a mix of both kits included. The folks here can certainly get you on track, as most of us have built hundreds of these kits over the decades....hope this helps

[Maineboy]

Yeah, I did some research after I wrote this and figured out that it was probably a Tobias set up. My familiarity with modifieds took place from the early 60's into near mid 70's primarily in Maine. In the time that I was quite interested and around it myself, all the modifieds I saw were unique builds. No two were alike other than in a very general way. I did make a few trips to Beech Ridge but even those cars were not advanced much more than the cars I saw locally in my part of Maine.

Everybody that I knew in racing around here, by the early 60's had started racing "jalopies" on the old fairgrounds dirt tracks. They did have two classes at most tracks, 6 cyl and 8 cyl. All the 8 cylinder cars were of course Fords. And the best 6 cyl cars were Chevrolets, though a Hudson or two would show sometimes. They started building "sportsman modified coupes" and racing at Unity around 1960, maybe before a bit. These cars were lower as they were channeled down over the frames, some were narrowed pick up cabs. Creativity abounded. This was a very interesting time as the skill of both the builder, and driver, were equally important. Nobody built a custom chassis that you could just buy, you had to use your own imagination.  Ford car and pickup frames were used often, with the transverse springs. Those old guys who raced Jalopies in the beginning knew that old Ford stuff real well. That hung around here for a long time, eventually though, more and more of the winning cars would have professionally built chassis. And creativity was sort of left behind.

I am old and probably somewhat old fashioned too, but it seems to me that the racing back in those days was far more interesting than it is today. No two cars looked the same which was a great thing. You look at NASCAR cars now, and they all look the same. Something was lost, in my book, when human creativity took a back seat to whomever had the most money to spend.

MB

[Volzfan59]

I agree with you Maineboy. I don't know how old you are, I'm 63 and old fashioned myself. Do my best to not be one of those "stay off of my yard" kind of guys, but today's racing, especially in the NASCAR Cup division, leaves much to be desired. I don't like this next gen car at all. Common template body, identical chassis, wheels, etc. Soon there's going to be a single source engine! Where's the space for creativity? I won't even build a model of this new car. I don't care for the charter system, the play offs or stage racing. You're right, racing on all levels was so much better in the 60's, 70's and even the 80's.

[David Bogard]

Look at my Building Tips page (among others) and you can see how these kits build up. Also note, some have the short tail and some the long tail. Choose wisely.

[Brian Conn]

....................... today's racing, especially in the NASCAR Cup division, leaves much to be desired.

I could not agree with you more.

Where's the space for creativity?

As long as the emphasis is more so on the car and less so on the drivers perceived talent, this is what happens.  We will never experience again what NASCAR was like prior to the mid 90's ... if you, as a car owner, thought the advantage was with a particular brand then that's what it was whether it be an engine, body style, etc. etc. none of this homogenized one body style with a different sticker package for the grill, headlights,break lights etc. depending on make and model crap that we are being spoon fed these days.       

......racing on all levels was so much better in the 60's, 70's and even the 80's.

AGREED
  And now hopefully get the train back on track after this slight derailment ...be sure and check Davids building tips page out.

[Maineboy]

Like the owners of professional sports, Bill France and his family learned that there was vast sums of money available from TV contracts and advertising and went for it. Some of those older tracks where NASCAR was born are no longer in business. They don't seat enough crowds among other things. This has changed car racing forever.

All the more reason for me to love the memories of what it once was and try to build a model or two, from those days, just to keep those memories alive......like a lot of others are doing here on STM.

MB

[TonyK]

I've been building these Modifieds every so often since I was a kid and have never been educated enough to know the difference between an asphalt or dirt chassis. I've built some with a resin body just to mix things up a bit and tried to make the suspension/chassis a little different but by no means is it going to be accurate but I just enjoy completing another one.