AMT GMC ASTRO and it’s changes through the years.

[Pete68]

The GMC Astro has always been one of my favorites of AMT’s line up of Cabovers. For some it’s a easy build and some it’s the biggest nightmare of Model Truck building. For my oldest Brother Chris this was a Nightmare in 1972 when he first bought his new AMT GMC Astro. My Brother Bill said his was just about finishing with it but struggling with the front cab mounts and the next thing my brother Bill said he knocked it off the kitchen table and said he was done with it. He moved on to the Ertl International kits which he built those very well. Back to the subject. I wanted to do a blog on the time line and various changes to this kit for awhile so here we go. 
 

In 1971 AMT announced it in there catalog with no box art yet. 
 

 

In 1972 we have box art. The kit ran till around 1974 then dropped. 
 

 

 

In the 1976 Catalog it appears with no box art and “Dragfoiler” air defector added also In 1976 the Real Truck was released with the “ Dragfoiler” air defector options.  In 1975 the Real Truck had updates including the steps, turn signals and exhaust option

 

 

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In the 1977 AMT catalog we have Boxart and another Astro was added to the line up the “Miller Beer” truck and Gift set. 
 

 

 

 

In 1978 Lesney/Matchbox co. of UK bought AMT and the GMC Astro was dropped till 1981. This is the debut pic and Model Boxart. This is the same year when they changed the grill to the smaller one that is installed from behind the cab instead of the front like the previous years.

 

 

 

 

 

In 1983 Ertl bought AMT and the box art had little change. The instructions were also changed a little also. 
 

 

 

 

Ertl kept the Astro till around 1988 and it did not appear till 2004 with this Boxart and very disappointing mold issues. I had 2 of these poor kits both had cabs that were warped and the gray soft plastic and the yellow tinted chrome.
 

 

 

Finally in 2019 Round2 Models save the day with this kit very nice cab and updated decals and super nice chrome.
 

 

 
 

They keep the Ball rolling with this re-release of the Miller Beer truck. in 2021. Times sure has changed thought I would never see a warning label on a Model kit for age limits. That’s the World we live in now. 
 

 

 

 

I’ll do some comparison of the different grills in these kits and where Matchbox plugged the holes up on the cab that makes this kit so difficult to mount the cab hinges for some people because the instructions are very miss leading. Hope you enjoy this thread and see you next time. 
 

 

 

Edited February 6, 2023 by Pete68

[1972coronet]

Thanks for the retrospective on this kit. 

I recognise a potential-to-me optical illusion for the 1977: those look like stacked, square headlamps on the box art...?

[Pete68]

43 minutes ago, 1972coronet said:

Thanks for the retrospective on this kit. 

I recognise a potential-to-me optical illusion for the 1977: those look like stacked, square headlamps on the box art...?

Yes I noticed that too just on the right side. Glad you liked the thread. 

[Motor City]

I was never interested in the big rigs until GMC came out with the Astro 95.  The turbine project was run out of Detroit Diesel-Allison's Gas Turbine division in Indianapolis.  It was intended for trucks but canceled when the mid-1970s oil embargo occurred.  The turbines were eventually used in military helicopters and some other applications.  I have the original issue of this kit. 

Thanks for the kit's history lesson, Lee!    

 

[Oldmopars]

I would love to see some pictures of the original Bus mirrors. They seem like something that would be cool to add. 

[Pete68]

2 hours ago, Oldmopars said:

I would love to see some pictures of the original Bus mirrors. They seem like something that would be cool to add. 

Unfortunately I don’t have a original kit or I would show you. The marks are still on the cab where you mount them thought if you have a Astro cab there on the corners the look like mold lines. 

Edited February 7, 2023 by Pete68

[JS23U]

I have the first issue of this kit and the blue 2004 version. I was surprised how many parts had been changed/added over the years. I don't know if there is any issue of this kit that includes all the versions of different parts that were ever included. Without digging out my kits the differences were the complete turbine engine including the exhaust stacks, mirrors, grille, steps, turn signals, seats, handrails. Maybe more. I don't think AMT has ever modfied any other of their truck kits to a bigger extent.

[Pete68]

2 hours ago, JS23U said:

I have the first issue of this kit and the blue 2004 version. I was surprised how many parts had been changed/added over the years. I don't know if there is any issue of this kit that includes all the versions of different parts that were ever included. Without digging out my kits the differences were the complete turbine engine including the exhaust stacks, mirrors, grille, steps, turn signals, seats, handrails. Maybe more. I don't think AMT has ever modfied any other of their truck kits to a bigger extent.

I think this one takes the cake when it comes to modifications. I wish they didn’t put those holes in the side of the cab for the grad rails so could make a older one wish they would have made it where you drill them out like the cab lights and wish they would have kept the old style grab handles too but you can see where they Blanked them out on the mold tree. Oh well it’s still a good kit in my book and I’m glad they kept a few old parts like the round turn signals I just feel for the ones who never built the older versions of this kit and I see where this kit can be very confusing. 

[Goodwrench3]

I've got one of the latest re-pop Miller Beer kits and I was extremely disappointed in the mold quality -- especially the pins on the walking beams and the holes in the brackets on the axles that are supposed to mate with those pins.  Terrible quality.  The pins on the walking beams are actually "sunk" in what looks like styrene that "sunk" after it was molded.   I'm tempted to throw out the rear axles an suspension and replace it with a resin one.

 

[Amtronic]

The GMC Astro/Chevy Titan had a nice square cab that let you cut it down into a daycab version. This one is a cut down cab with a stretched frame, made into a service truck.

[Casey]

On 2/6/2023 at 7:21 PM, Pete68 said:

Unfortunately I don’t have a original kit or I would show you. The marks are still on the cab where you mount them thought if you have a Astro cab there on the corners the look like mold lines. 

I have one, so, give me a few days to get some pics of those. In the meantime, here is the original instruction sheet: https://modelkitreviews.proboards.com/thread/289/amt-510-gmc-astro-95

 

[Oldmopars]

So if anyone has a set of these mirrors, I would love to see them. It looks like something easy to replicate and offer, but it would be great to have a picture and dimensions. The instructions drawing is good, but does not give me enough to go on. 

 

[Casey]

Thanks for the reminder. 👴

I also have an original issue Chevy Titan 90 which has the same bus mirrors...unless someone before me exchanged the chrome parts. Not sure, I received it without being sealed inside.

I think the instruction sheet drawing makes them appear more graceful and well defined than they are in real life, but, they are close.

Edited March 27, 2023 by Casey

[Don Sikora II]

4 hours ago, Casey said:

Thanks for the reminder. 👴

I also have an original issue Chevy Titan 90 which has the same bus mirrors...unless someone before me exchanged the chrome parts. Not sure, I received it without being sealed inside.

I think the instruction sheet drawing makes them appear more graceful and well defined than they are in real life, but, they are close.

Man, that knock-out pin placement. Yikes!

[Russell C]

1 hour ago, Don Sikora II said:

Man, that knock-out pin placement. Yikes!

Never had to cover a surface that big before using my adhesive back mylar trick, but if the pin can can be filed flat, either the same trick would work, or perhaps the mylar on a thin rectangle of plastic would work to provide a dead flat area, if filing the pin away leaves too much of an uneven surface.