|
|
Post by rodburner on Nov 5, 2009 22:24:00 GMT -5
SMP kits are pretty hard to find anymore. I have some, and even though the detail level is low....they CAN be built very nicely. I have not seen all of them, they are just far and few between. So if you have any SMP kits or built ups, please post them here! Notice how these are totally the same as the AMT issues, only they say SMP. I don't have any boxes, but do have some cars that need restored. 1961 Plymouth Valiant  1962 Plymouth Valiant  1959 Chrysler Imperial  1960 Chevy El Camino  1960 Chevy Impala Convertible  1960 Chevy Corvette  1961 Chevy Corvette  1961 Chevy Corvette Convertible  |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2009 7:05:46 GMT -5
A bit of additional info here Bob. SMP didn't come before AMT. AMT was founded as Aluminum Model Toys in 1946. Their first model car product was a cast aluminum 1947 or 1948 Ford Tudor Sedan promotional toy for Ford Motor Company. Here's a picture of it:  Note that the picture lists it as a 1948 Ford & I've seen it referenced as a 1947 Ford as well. As the Fords from 1946-1948 were pretty much identical looking while we switched from WWII production to peacetime production, (& themselves were merely updated 1941/1942 models), it's a minor difference. They later switched to plastic for their promos & kits, (first actual kits coming out around 1953, they didn't sell well), all the while keeping the AMT name. One reason I've heard for the AMT/SMP connection is that AMT couldn't afford to pay for & run all the tooling when they got back into the kit business for 1958, so they contacted Eric Erickson, owner of Detroit Plastics, (which SMP, was a subsidary of, BTW, SMP stood for Scale Model Products), a molder of plastic parts for the 1/1 Detroit auto companies. Erickson got the rights to produce the Chevy, Pontiac & Chrysler kits & promos. Erickson had the facilities for molding, but not the experience to design the kits. AMT & SMP worked together, where AMT did the design work, created the box art, & marketed the kits, & SMP molded the parts. After a few years AMT bought Erickson out & produced all of the kits themselves. This info came from Tom Carter's, (Hobby Heaven/Spotlight Hobbies), excellent article in the February 1995 Scale Auto Enthusiast, "Those Fabulous 58's". |
|
|
|
Post by rodburner on Nov 6, 2009 9:14:40 GMT -5
ok interesting enough. All I knew was they combined forces.
|
|
|
|
Post by fordrodnkustom on Nov 6, 2009 9:30:20 GMT -5
Here's the only SMP I have. Just the box, I don't have the Imperial kit.   |
|
|
|
Post by rodburner on Nov 6, 2009 10:07:50 GMT -5
cool Ron! I don't have any boxes that I know of. I did have one or two but sold them.
|
|
It's an interweb thing.....