Model Car Garage - The 1969 Dodge Daytona By AMT/ERTL Wal-Mart Edition - A Model Car Unboxing Video
Channel: Monster Hobbies Model Car Garage
Date: 14/08/2020

On today's Monster Hobbies Model Car Garage we will be looking at the 1969 Dodge Daytona By AMT/ERTL Wal-Mart Edition. This is a model car unboxing video.

This kit is a continuation in the lineage of the MPC 1968 Dodge Charger R/T kit introduced in late 1967. Since the original kit was a fast-backed body, the 1969 Dodge Daytona By AMT/ERTL is the perfect body style for the new nose cone, fender filler panels, fender scoops, and Daytona tail fin. The new parts were introduced to the old MPC kit in 1990 (Kit 6278) by AMT to make their "Dukes of Hazzard" model kit into the winged wonder. 

This version of the kit came from Round2 in 2002 and is a pretty rough casting with a lot of mold marks, flash and some mis-alignment. Who can blame them? Up to this point, the mold had 100 million pounds of plastic put through it from 1979 - 1997 alone, never mind the 1967- 1978 non-Dukes of Hazzard issues! The model is also molded in grey plastic and will need paint and glue to assemble. 

The 1969 Dodge Daytona By AMT/ERTL in this box art was exclusive to Wal-Mart and the kit includes the 426 Hemi engine with a dual 4 bbl carburetor and circular air cleaner. There are also some competition parts for this engine which are not in some of the other MPC Charger kits.  The Hemi cylinder head covers are chrome plated and despite their age, still look pretty good. The engine also includes a nice set of racing style exhaust manifolds, and a chromed Chrysler open element alternator. Even though this engine is pretty basic, it does capture the look of a Hemi very well and fits into the chassis quite easily. The 2 piece engine block includes the transmission. It would be nice to see an option for the second engine that came in the Daytona, namely the 440 C.I.. 

The chassis of the AMT/ERTL 1969 Dodge Daytona model car kit is very simplified and is found in a lot of these 1969-1971 MPC/AMT/ERTL Dodge and Plymouth model kits, or a variation of that chassis as found in the 1974 Plymouth GTX model kit. This would explain why the inner fender aprons don't touch the inside tops of some of the fenders on those other cars.

The front wheels are held onto the chassis using pins which stick through the wheel backs, while the rear axle uses a metal wire that gets covered up by the exhaust pipes/rear differential/driveshaft/leaf springs piece. The front K-member and torsion bars are molded in place on the uni-body chassis/frame piece. 

Unfortunately, the body for this car was not designed with the Daytona nose cone in mind, but for the standard 1969 dodge charger. Therefore, the model kit builder will have to attach the nose cone with the help of some Plastruct or Evergreen Styrene strips to make a bridge between the cone and body parts. Plastic filler would also be a good bet too. 

Underneath the hood of the 1969 Dodge Daytona By AMT/ERTL, the radiator brace and radiator are one piece, as is the firewall. A battery glues into the engine bay along with the engine/transmission combination. since this dodge is a uni-body car, the entire engine bay would be painted body color, including the firewall and radiator support brace. Chrysler used "Black-Out Paint to hide the view of the bright body color through the front grill, and behind the wheel well openings. So to build this car correctly, the front of the radiator support wall and wheel wells behind the tires, but not in the engine bay, are blacked out. 
The special panel that forced air into the front of the engine bay via the grill in the nose cone is sadly missing from this kit. For accuracy, you will have to make one out of Evergreen sheet styrene. 

The interior is a typical "Bucket" style which is typical of the kits produced in the late 1960's. that being said, the windshield and rear glass are also molded as a one-piece affair with clear plastic "Bridges" connecting the two that you can glue into the inner surface of the roof, or cut apart for a more realistic appearance. The interior consists of the dash board, steering wheel, 2 bucket seats, a tachometer and roll bar.

The decals include three colors of Daytona stripes. You will have to paint the large spoiler in the color of the stripe though. 

The model is easy to assemble and it does go together ok, but since it is a pressing from an old mold, there are gaps and other anomalies throughout.

FEATURES:
1/25 scale, skill 2 for ages 10+ 
Length - 9"
65+ Pieces
Detailed chassis and 426 cubic inch engine. 
Multi-piece interior bucket
Authentic Dodge Daytona detailing decals
Molded in gray, clear and transparent red with chrome plated parts and black vinyl tires
Paint and cement required, but not included.

You may ask yourself "Where can I purchase the 1969 Dodge Daytona By AMT/ERTL?"

Please check out all our available model cars at this link : https://www.monster-hobbies.ca/Hobby_Products/c57-model-car-kits/

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