The 1960 Ford Ranchero has been in the AMT stable for 60 years now. It was nice seeing some new touches to the kit, like having the headlights molded separately from the bumper. In the past, the bumper, grille, and headlights came as one piece. Separate headlights gives the Ranchero a more realistic look. Some of the other added touches this time around are the newer additions of the accessories that come in the kit. Besides the normal items like the jack, toolbox, and two gas cans, the kit includes a detailed Coca-Cola chest and two wooden crates with Coke bottles.
The Coke chest comes molded in three pieces: front, back, and top. I recommend using filler after assembling the front and back. Without it, a seam will be very noticeable. If you take your time on the Coke chest, it will be a great piece to display with the Ranchero. I found the Coke chest a fun and enjoyable part of the build.
Upon inspection of all the parts in the Ranchero, I found little or no scale or mold lines. This made it a dream to prepare for assembly and paint. I lightly sanded the body with 600 grit sandpaper and sealed it with a light coat of primer.
The chassis is still pretty much the same as when originally produced back in 1960, minus the screws. The chassis is still one piece with the front and rear suspensions molded in along with the gas tank and exhaust system. Then engine comprises 18 parts and exhaust pipes.
The instructions say you can build the Ranchero stock or as a street machine. I chose the stock version with front and back steel rims and factory hub caps. The model came with four, very nice white wall tires that looked great on the Ranchero.
Assembling the model doesn’t take long; the outcome depends a lot on prepping and detailing prior to putting it all together. The kit comes with Coca-Cola decals, so why not use them? Mine went on the chest, crates, and the Ranchero itself. All the markings are easy to work with and apply.
This Ranchero can make a great addition to your model collection and is a blast to build. I recommend it for modelers of all skill levels. Heck, I may go out and buy another Ranchero kit and build the street machine version.
- Michael Krueger