This is a review of the AMT 1969 Ford Torino Cobra – KIT #38415

I don’t think I will be any more at odds about a model car than the ’69 Torino. This was one of the first cars I ever built and it is a beautiful looking car IMHO. However, this kit is a bit of Jekyll and Hyde. There is a great bunch of goodness to it, but there is enough “wrong” to both cost you a pretty penny and also make you dip into the parts bin too often.

The above kits are basically the same (I’ve bought all 4 at one time or another). These kits can all have the same issues, and that would include : poor chrome, tire marks on the glass, ugly mold colors, uninteresting tires, and mediocre decals. The model to the right is the newer reissue and it fixes the tires and decal sheet issues, but makes no fixes to the build quality.

Revell makes a nice version of the Torino Talladega, which was built to allow the car entry into racing. The front clip is extended and – to me – ruins the shape of the car. Because of the extension and the model’s 1/24th scale, the Talladega looks like it is 1/20th scale compared to the other models you’ll own. It is BY FAR a better kit (and in most cases cheaper), but I don’t like the finished product, and it certainly doesn’t look as sharp as the regular Torino.

CAR BACKGROUND :: The Torino was the new Fairlane for 1968 and it was a complete departure from the straight-lined, stacked-lighted, ’67. With a snubbed nose and fastback, the new car was a shadow of its former self. Some believe it is an abomination, but I think it has its own way of being cool. Engine options didn’t suffer either, and this one gets the coveted 428 Cobra Jet. With the 335hp, this upstart would run past almost any ’67 out there – to the tune of 14-flat through the ¼mile. It is a car that I’ve liked for some 25+ years… and probably always will.

BUILD NOTES : So, back to this mish-mash of a kit. The model will most assuredly have flash in a lot of areas – especially around the wheelbase. The hood takes some effort to get seated right, and the hole is not easy to make either. It is a good thing for those who deleted the ram air option, but not for those wanting it.

All of the above kits come with NASCAR options such as light covers, roll bars, exhaust options, dash options, and much more. I really think that this model is not designed well enough for a stock-car motif, but it is all there to make just the same. The biggest issue is the lack of decals for the race option. I think the reissue fixes that, but the others are useless.

Probably the worst place to be in this model is under the bonnet. The 428 looks pretty decent (though a tad small) and, with wires, shines up real nice. Unfortunately, the stock engine bay is among the worst you’ll find. I had to add a master cylinder from another kit; a washer motor from (most likely) a Mopar; had to paint a molded washer reservoir that had no real end to it (it ran the length of the inner fender!); used an air cleaner off another Ford because of not using the Ram Air option; and replaced the ridiculous overflow tank with a regular hose. When all was said and done, the bay looks quite respectable, but NOT because of the kit.

The original color I used 20 years ago was Testors Red Metal Flake, and I painted it with a .35 cent brush! It was nice but had more dark spots than a leopard. Not awful for a 14-year-old, but nonetheless, lousy. This one is done in Testors Citrus Yellow to mimic the Ford Lime Gold of that year. I really like the look, but a red or blue would bring out the chrome better. The blue GT to the right was made by Randy Bodkin and is a wonderfully clean Torino (Check his site in my links!). Aside from all the missing parts in the engine area, the car is also missing a side mirror (I used one from the parts bin), a rear-view mirror (same), and the tires are the floppy, flash-ridden ones from AMT.

The interior, however, is NOT a bad place to be. The four-circled cluster in the dash is handsome, and the automatic shifter is really nice. Door detail is awful, but is overlooked with the rest of the car.

The bottom of this kit is typical AMT garbage. Low detail, poor fitting exhaust, molded shocks and little other detail. It also uses pins and a rod through the axles for movement, so the rear axle is molded as well. This car does come with exhaust tips that are top-5 best in the modeling kingdom.

As I mentioned, this kit is a beauty and a beast, so use caution when buying. Thankfully, the reissue has made this kit very affordable. At one time, this kit could be as high as $50, but now it’s an everyday $25 purchase. With the newer reissue, this kit certainly isn’t becoming a collectible anytime soon, but that makes it a good buy – even if you need more than one to make it perfectly.

7.0 – Mediocre