24 HOBBY MERCHANDISER JANUARY 2021

For as long as I can remember, Revell has produced great car kits. Back in the day, the company supported the Make-N-Take, first at the RCHTA Show and then at the iHobby Expo. Every year, a pallet of kits would arrive for the Lake Michigan

Model Car Club members to build with the thousands of kids that came through on consumer days. That’s a commitment to bringing new builders into the hobby.

To build on that commitment, I’m pleased to present these Revell kits that could be great entry points for new builders or a fun kit for experienced modelers. All parts are injection-molded in white styrene with oodles of options in every box.

Revell – Dom’s ’71 Plymouth GTX from Fast & Furious

Upgraded with new parts, this kit captures the GTX driven by the movie’s hero, Dominic Toretto, from the 2017 film “The Fate of the Furious.” Fast & Furious is Universal’s No. 1 franchise and the sixth highest-grossing series of all time.

Based on the Belvedere, the GTX had upscale styling and high-performance engine options that appealed to younger drivers. A lower, more aggressive-looking stance complemented the longer, sleeker body. Engine choices included the famous 426 Hemi. Due to rising insurance rates, 1971 was the last model year for the GTX.

This kit includes parts and decals for a stock version and the heroic car from the movie. Wheels, tires, front and rear suspension, as well as decals are supplied for each version. Dom’s version has four-wheel disc brakes and custom mag wheels.

DETROIT IN PLASTIC DETROIT IN PLASTIC FROM FROM

REVELL/MONOGRAM: REVELL/MONOGRAM: CLASSICS AND THEN SOMECLASSICS AND THEN SOME

Tom Grossman

MODEL KIT REPORT

3N1 KitsThis range of kits offers lots of parts and decals to build three op-tions right out of the box. I suggest modelers get a kit to make one of each!

Revell – 1/25 ’62 Chevy Impala SS Hardtop 3N1The Impala was one of the best sellers for Chevrolet since its introduction in 1958. It was an up-scale version of the Chevy Bel Air. The ’62 model was a third-generation design for the car and the second year of the SS trim level. The ’62 hardtop featured the new

The 1962 Chevy Impala became a car collector fa-vorite as well as a top seller from GM. This updated kit provides three options to build versions from mild to wild.

26 HOBBY MERCHANDISER JANUARY 2021

Monogram– 1/24 Chevy El Camino 3N1The El Camino was a complete redesign based on the Chevy Malibu. The 1978 edition featured a slimmed-down, 5th generation design that was used until production ended in 1987.

Options in the kit include the stock Black Knight, custom, and low rider versions. The mix of parts includes a roll bar with lights, a camper shell, and a tonneau cover for the bed. This seems like a bit more than 3 in 1 in the box! Extras for the low rider version include a chain steering wheel, special rims with spinners, lowrider tires, batteries, hydraulic pumps, and of course, unique suspension front and rear. The wheels, spinners and chain steering wheel are on their own chrome runner. Besides the stock and low rider tires, the cus-tom version has special front and rear tires. The custom version has parts to make the engine turbocharged. Parts include a choice of stock or custom seats. The decal sheet contains everything needed to detail the exterior of all the versions. That includes white walls for the tires, the Black Knight hood crest and stripes.

One of the most appealing features of these kits is all the options in each one. Add to that is the fact that those bodies are pretty much blank canvases for painting. Encourage your customers to Google art cars for inspiration! Of course, they would look great in factory colors, too.

Special thanks to my pal Jeff Conrad, car modeler extraordi-naire and manager at Hobby Towns Littleton and Parker in Colorado. Jeff gave me some of the background on the cars in the kits. HM

convertible roof. The different C pillars gave the car a more formal look. It also featured, as one of the five engine options, a 409 cubic inch v-8 engine. That engine was made famous by the Beach Boys song “409.”

The kit is an upgrade of 85-4281 with new parts included. White styrene runners are supplemented with a clear runner, red runners and three chrome runners. There are lots of options in parts and decals: stock street version, SS version and a racer. Bench seats up front for the street version, bucket seats for the SS and a roll bar and only one seat for the racer. One front suspension assem-bly is supplied for the street and racer versions, with a different one for the SS. There are rear shock options for each version. Wheel and tire options are the same for the stock and SS versions, with a set of slicks for the rear of the racer. You’ll see a different front bumper for the SS. The kit includes decals for all three versions: street option as a stock Impala or SS and #647 from the Big Rev Speedway! Cus-tomize the instrument faces with a choice of the standard speedom-eter for the street version or multiple gauges for the racer. Rounding out the detail is brake disc decals for the custom tires.

The Black Knight El Camino was the closest rival to the Screaming Chicken on the Pontiac Trans Am for best hood decal ever. This kit offers three versions, including a low rider as well as the Black Knight.

Chrome trim and extensive decals customize the three different models contained in the kit.

NRHSA Convention

& Table-Top Expo

Show Director Rob Ghermanrobgherman77@gmail.com

732-252-2268

The Orleans Hotel Las Vegas, Nevada

September 19-22 2021