fightersweep Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Hi All; Just a quick question. I've just picked up an AMT 1/25 XR3i from a US seller on eBay. I was wondering if it is the same kit as the Revell XR3i, or if they are completely separate moulds? My AMT kit was bought blind and hasn't arrived, so I haven't seen the plastic yet. I've never seen the Revell kit either (at £50.00 on eBay, I doubt I will!), so I was wondering if anyone has any opinions on either kit. I'm trying to gather up a bunch of kits of day to day cars seen on our roads in the late 80s for a diorama....not an easy task I'm finding! Best regards; Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepboy Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Hi Just a thought - have you looked at the metal cars by Burago? I used to have XR3i, Golf GTi MK2, BMW 3 series (probably in attic) still have Audi Quattro on desk - I've not looked on the net but they were quite accurate and decent. Maybe an option to American kits with different lights etc ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 Hi Jeepboy! Thanks for the reply. I'll give the Burago kits a look. The AMT kit is a "3 in 1" and has options for Datapost markings, a UK Police car and a rally car, so I'm guessing UK friendly. If the Revell kit wasn't going for £50 on average, then I would have picked one of those up too! Would have loved a bulk standard Astra or Sierra as well, but nothing I can find in plastic. Can I assume you own a jeep going by your avatar? Has to be one of the most fun vehicles I've ever driven. I used to own a GMC 6x6...that was a real blast and I miss it a lot...although not the Beltring hangovers. I don't miss them! Had a Karrier K6 as well, but I had to sell that before I finished re-building it. A bit of a rare beast that one. Best regards; Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Evening Chaps Steve, I checked out Scalemates to see if they are the same kit and they aren't. The AMT comes in the one version, Revell's comes in 3 different ones Mad Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 (edited) Ah! Thanks Steve! I wonder if the Revell kit is any better? I've never seen one! I'm guessing also that the AMT kit is the same one that is listed in the 82 Matchbox catalogue. Anyhoo, this is what I have just bought... AMT Escort by Steven Steven, on Flickr I'll have to check out which versions the Revell kit came in. I liked the idea of the AMT kit as it says it has three options in one box.....and it was cheaper! Photo courtesy of Scalemates Edited December 1, 2017 by fightersweep 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D1fuN0 Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 It came out in the Kamei Escort 3, Turbo street machine(?) and the XR3, and yes they are pretty hard to find and expensive. (I have the Revell XR3) I don't know how good the AMT kit is. I'm just put off by the pic on the box, but hey, its an XR3 and rarer than hens teeth in model form Mad Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 Have to agree. I wasn't overly impressed by the box photo either. But hey! It's the basis for an XR3i I suppose! I'll poist up some photos of the kit when it arrives. Best regards; Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 I owned one of the Revell boxings back in the 80's. Don't expect too much, it's nowhere near contemporary Tamiya or even Airfix standards. And the 1/32 Matchbox car kits blow it out of the water... The AMT and Matchbox kits are most likely the same, as the companies shared moulds and marketing in the US, but the link (if any) with the Revell kit is something that I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thud4444 Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 AMT kits are very crude. I've never built this particular kit, but I've built several others. Take your time, and be prepared to do a little scratch building. On the plus side AMT made some weird subjects. It appears to build out pretty good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted December 2, 2017 Author Share Posted December 2, 2017 12 hours ago, Thud4444 said: Well! That looks a darn sight better than the build on the box top! Must be some hope for the AMT kit then? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepboy Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 On 12/1/2017 at 4:52 PM, fightersweep said: Hi Jeepboy! Thanks for the reply. I'll give the Burago kits a look. The AMT kit is a "3 in 1" and has options for Datapost markings, a UK Police car and a rally car, so I'm guessing UK friendly. If the Revell kit wasn't going for £50 on average, then I would have picked one of those up too! Would have loved a bulk standard Astra or Sierra as well, but nothing I can find in plastic. Can I assume you own a jeep going by your avatar? Has to be one of the most fun vehicles I've ever driven. I used to own a GMC 6x6...that was a real blast and I miss it a lot...although not the Beltring hangovers. I don't miss them! Had a Karrier K6 as well, but I had to sell that before I finished re-building it. A bit of a rare beast that one. Best regards; Steve Please don't get me started on all the oloves of my life (Escort Mexico, Skoda S110R), MkI MX5. I certainly had a Jeep. A Willys Hotchkiss M201 until last year. 1943 chassis and engine, Hotchkiss body built in 1956, refurbished by the French army in 1972, in French army war reserve until 2000 when I bought it and brought it to Wiltshire. Many people immediately paint them in WWII markings. Although mine had provenance with the numbers on the chassis and engine, I kept it in un-restored French markings. Unusually it was upgraded with current markings and roll bar (which I removed) it never had indicators fitted which many had (big orange things!). It was on the cover of Classic Military Vehicles many years ago. Great fun but .....only so much one can do and I now have a VW T4 camper. In the late 80's I had a Mk III escort hatch, really nice with sunroof etc. Couldn't afford an XR3i but I put spot lights on the Escort and enjoyed it for what it was. Really nice car, two door hatchback in jade green. Oh happy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) All sounds nice to me! Is your Mexico a Mk I or II? I had a Mk II Mexico back in around 1992. Superb fun to drive...but unfortunately I never really got to know it very well. It got stolen six days after I bought it. I never even got the chance to take a photograph of it. It did turn up eventually...on the very day I was due to get my first insurance offer. That's when the fun began...and two years later, I finally got paid out. Total nightmare all thanks to Essex Police. I'll never forgive them for the cock ups they made that cost me a beautiful Mk II Mexico! Did own a lovely Cortina Mk III 2000 GXL a few years back. Red with a black vinyl roof and lots of chrome...and a full red interior. Luvly! ...Found a couple of photos...here it is... Family 006 by Steven Steven, on Flickr Family 009 by Steven Steven, on Flickr Edited December 4, 2017 by fightersweep 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepboy Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Mexico long gone. My third car! 1st - blue Austin 1300 with a Riley Kestrel (MG) twin carb engine 2nd - yellow Skoda S110R (very under rated) 3rd - orange MkI Mexico with black vinyl roof (mid- 80's in the days it was just a quick twitchy Escort without all the kudos cos everyone wanted an XR3 / 3i. Happy days when you could tinker with a car :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted December 4, 2017 Author Share Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) Think I used to spend every weekend tinkering with my cars. Miss those days when you could practically climb into the engine bay and effect a repair by hitting any of the three components with a hammer. Think that's why I liked my military vehicles so much. Simple and solid mechanics. My GMC still had it's original 6 volt system, so you could easily drain the battery just by turning it over until the fuel got to the carb. Easy remedy. I kept a glass in the cab so that I could stick my arm into the filler neck into to tank, grab a glass of fuel and pour straight into the carb and fire her up that way. Edited December 4, 2017 by fightersweep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeepboy Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 (edited) Ah - the M201 Jeep was fully fitted for radio - 24 volt, two 12 volt batteries - the starter virtually threw the engine through the bonnet when it started :-) Edited December 4, 2017 by Jeepboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs2man Posted December 4, 2017 Share Posted December 4, 2017 Getting back on topic , the Revell and AMT kits are definitely different . For a start , the Revell kit has an opening bonnet and the AMT an opening tailgate . I've never owned the AMT kit but I've had 3 of the Revell . 2 of them I've built , though I only used the body , screens and lights since I built them as rear wheel drive mk3 rally cars using the floor pan and running gear from the Esci mk2 Escort . The 3rd one will be going the same way when I get round to it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightersweep Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 rs2man; Thanks for the details on the Revell XR3i. I've tried finding reviews online, and it's quite difficult to determine which kit is better...but it looks as though the Revell is the nicer model. I didn't realise that it was released under the Matchbox label too, but that would make sense given Revell's ownership of the name. I've got the AMT kit on the way, and have found a Matchbox boxing of the Revell kit in the US at a reasonable price...so I think I'll buy that too. I'll have to post up some comparison photos when they arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rs2man Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 1 hour ago, fightersweep said: rs2man; Thanks for the details on the Revell XR3i. I've tried finding reviews online, and it's quite difficult to determine which kit is better...but it looks as though the Revell is the nicer model. I didn't realise that it was released under the Matchbox label too, but that would make sense given Revell's ownership of the name. I've got the AMT kit on the way, and have found a Matchbox boxing of the Revell kit in the US at a reasonable price...so I think I'll buy that too. I'll have to post up some comparison photos when they arrive. You're welcome - glad I could help . Ah , I'd forgotten to mention the Matchbox boxing , which is actually what my current kit is . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini man Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 I have both kits,the AMT is a kerbside while the Revell has a full engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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