Comparative studybetween the AMC & AL.BY Steyr 1500A

By Eduard Ferrer

I built both kits within amonth of of each other, the last one being the AMC version, so Ihad present the built AL.BY kit while building the Czech kit.

The AMC Steyr is not astraightforward kit at all, however there isn't any special pointtoo hard to overcome. Anyway you will spend a lot of timeprimarily in:

• Sanding to thin the radiator protective bars, in order to let them show the photo-etched. After spending half an hour of carefully sanding, I'm not happy with the results, so I'll recommend to scratchbuild the protective bars;
• Replicating decent wheels;
• Assembling the main hull, where the walls and the fenders don't agree to get married...
• Deepening the place where the photo-etched must be inserted.

As an improvement of thekit I:

• Scratch-built a license plate frame;
• opened the rear compartment doors;
• Added some support frames to the tarpaulin using wire;
• Replaced the front Bosch lights with others from the ZV models' Einheits truck;
• Added tools on the front;
• and finally, put the 'U' frame where the foot goes when you try to get inside the car.

The final result is quiteconvincing, and if I forgot the occasional pain when assemblingit, I felt the same satisfaction when I finished the AL.BY car.

While the AMC offering hasbetter detail on the seats and allows the rear compartment doorsleft open, the AL.BY construction time is about 5 times less withsimilar result...

Happy modelling,

Eduard Ferrer.