AMT’s original Ford Mustang GT Fastback kit commands a high premium on the secondary market and has become a rare kit available to only a few. Round 2 has come to the rescue with a 1/25 scale “recreation” of the original kit with a retooled fastback body, hood, and interior combined with GT parts to allow the scale auto community at large to build a 1966 Mustang GT Fastback without the hefty price tag of the original.
Consider this a 4-in-1 kit with factory stock, custom, competition, and drag racing possibilities. Sets of pad-printed dual redline and Firestone tires are included, along with drag slicks, for a total of 10 black vinyl grippers. (The box advertises M&H drag slicks, but they aren’t pad-printed and appear to be Goodyears to me.)
The retro-style instructions include a list of available 1966 Mustang exterior and interior color choices — a nice touch for those looking to build a factory-stock vehicle. You’ll also find a note about extra parts for custom projects, letting inexperienced builders know they aren’t expected to use all the parts inside the box.
The kit’s 289 K-code, single four-barrel, small-block Ford doesn’t have much detail. The oil pan is separate from the block, so there is no seam line to see, but the promo-style chassis means a solid metal axle and large holes through the sides of the pan.
For a factory-stock replica, remove the chrome from the valve covers and paint them aluminum. The oil filler cap should be located on the driver’s side valve cover toward the front of the engine. Carefully cut the filler cap off the filler tube (Part 6) and glue it to the valve cover before painting.
The promo-style chassis benefits from detail painting. I found the overall shape of the inner fenders to be a bit off, and there’s no hint of the famous shock-tower-strut A-brace found on the Mustang.
I thought the kit’s ride height was too high for factory stock. So, I drilled new holes to drop the height about 1/8 inch on all four corners, and I think this better replicates the correct look. If building a race or drag car, it may look fine to leave the axles as is.
The updated tub interior features bucket seats, a separate dash, and a steering wheel. Crisply molded door panels accommodate handles and window cranks. Unfortunately, there was no chrome trim molded on the door panel surrounds. I used Bare-Metal Foil for the part.
Six of the ten ejector-pin marks on the floor would be visible with the interior assembled. For a quick fix, I suggest embossing powder or flocking to carpet the interior. A molded-on Mustang badge decorates the steering wheel. I sanded it off and replaced it with one of the black center-cap decals for the GT wheels.
Overall, the new body looks good, but you’ll need to clean up a mold line starting at the bottom of the rear side window and ending on top of the fender. There is also a mold line between the windshield frame and the vent window that should be removed, which may require re-scribing the trim on the windshield.
There was no panel line at the back of the car to simulate the rear caps. I marked the rear bumper line up to the edge of the trunk with a piece of tape and scribed my own.
On my sample, the side-window slats fit with a minor gap at the top, but it’s hard to notice after paint. However, the windshield didn’t fit as well as I’d hoped, possibly because of slightly bowed A-pillars.
The new rear GT rear pan and bumper fit perfectly, and the rear pan features the proper dual-exhaust cut-outs. However, I couldn’t find trumpet exhaust tips in the kit.
The hood fits well and has Ford letters molded on. If you use the lettering provided on the decal sheet, shave off the molded letters first because they don’t match the decals. The decal sheet provides the rest of the finishing touches, like badges, gauges, stripes, and racing options.
The AMT 1/25 scale 1966 Mustang GT Fastback plastic model kit builds into a nice-looking replica, given attention to detail. Its basic design makes it an option for inexperienced builders, while veteran modelers could use it as a base for something more. It’s nice to have a kit with as many options as this one delivers, a few upgrades, and presenting a subject that doesn’t cost anywhere near what an original would.