In 1964, the Pontiac GTO was the car the experts say started the Muscle car era by stuffing a large displacement engine into an intermediate-sized platform. The first-generation GTO was originally an option for the LeMans/Tempest line and became its own model in 1966. In 1968, General Motors redesigned the GTO A-body platform to a more streamlined and curvaceous “Coke bottle” profile, and that’s exactly what we get with the newly tooled AMT 1/25 scale 1968 Pontiac GTO Hardtop addition to the Craftsman Plus series.
I remember building AMT Craftsman kits as a kid. Simple and easy to assemble, they could be enjoyed by both novice and veteran modelers. Usually curbside (no engine) models, most of the underside details were molded into the chassis plate, and the interiors were well-detailed but not complicated.
Round 2 has injected new life into the idea with the Craftsman Plus series, and I have to say, I was blown away by the cleanly molded parts in this kit. Mold lines were almost nonexistent, absolutely no flash, and the body proportions and emblem detail were first-rate.
The instructions come printed on a single trifold sheet (front and back) reminiscent of the original kits. It has you begin with the chassis, including axle supports with a metal rear axle and two pins up front. Careful detail painting can dress up the chassis and the engine plate quite a bit.
The kit gives you the option between Rally I or Rally II wheels. I went with the latter, more recognizable wheels. The pad-printed redline vinyl tires fit the wheels perfectly and look just right as standard equipment on the 1968 GTO.
The seven-piece interior builds without difficulty. The already good dash details are enhanced with decals for the gauges, and the seats and door panels show crisp engraving.
The GTO’s body needed only the lightest of cleanups and then a light coat of primer before painting. It wasn’t until 1969 that the high-impact colors arrived, so I chose Vendoro Green for my Goat. The hood comes as a separate part in case you have an engine in your spares that you want to install. The kit also provides an optional hood tachometer.
The clear, blemish-free glass installs from inside the body; the locating pins ensure the glass fits perfectly. After that, the interior slipped into the body, followed by the chassis. Note: You’ll have to flex the body’s sides a bit to get it to slip over the chassis. But the give is there, and it will fit. The enduro bumper fits so well to the body that the transition is almost invisible!
As always, Round 2’s new decals are a highlight in any of its kits. The 1968 GTO is no exception, with extra gauges, GTO for the fenders and quarter panels, and arrowhead emblems. The sheet also includes pinstripes, but I couldn’t find a lot of references to their use on a GTO, so I refrained from applying them.
Round 2 has brought back some of the magic that set me (and many others, I imagine) on my way as a lifelong modeler with its Craftsman Plus kits, and the AMT 1/25 scale 1968 Pontiac GTO Hardtop exemplifies the series. Quick, simplified, satisfying, and sturdy enough for some handling by younger hands, this car and series are headed in a welcome direction. I’ll be using the ’68 GTO as a base for much more intricate and detailed builds in the future. It’s a well-done kit that I heartily recommend.