Reviews of products for scale automotive models, including motorcycles and motorized vehicles.

Review Author
Greg Wise
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$26.99

History Brief

The 1948 Ford was the final year for a new design that began in 1941 with a completely updated, wider and more modern looking car. Shortly after the new car was introduced in 1941 however, Ford had to convert its factories to war production. It wasn't until 1946 that car production resumed. The Coupe came in 3 trim levels, this '48 model being the Super De Luxe version powered by a 239ci Flathead V-8 engine.

Terms for police cars include (police) cruiser, squad car, area car and patrol car. In some places, a police car may also be informally known as a cop car, a black and white, a cherry top, a gumball machine. Depending on the configuration of the emergency lights and livery, a police car may be considered a marked or unmarked unit. Whatever you call them, since the first incarnation the police car has been one of the most valuable pieces of equipment our law enforcement agencies have at their disposal.

Review Author
Jim Stepanek
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$26.95

Oh man, did Revell to a number on this kit. WOW!! You build a stock ’57 Ford Del Rio or build a gasser with the parts contained in the kit. This appears to be a follow up kit to ’57 Ford Del Rio kit that builds stock or as a police vehicle.

The engine comes with the parts for a single or dual quad intake manifold, fender well headers and 3 different air filters. All the engine parts fit together very well.

Revell did an interior platform with separate side panels and seats that feature wonderful engraving. I departed from the kit and installed 4 bucket seats and a console.

The Ford long roof body Revell made is magnificent! Door handles, rear lift gate, hood ornament, mirror, and windshield wipers are all separate parts. I choose to leave some of those pieces off in my desire to make build a mild custom car. I also modified side trim by removing the top portion. I used HOK planet green paint to finish off the kit.

Review Author
Joe Porche
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$27.99

"It’s Back!"

I was quite caught off-guard when I discovered that the Tom Daniels “Beer Wagon” was to be reissued by Monogram/Revell this summer. There had been nothing noted on any recent publications from Revell that this kit was to coming back out, but I am so happy it has resurfaced. Now, how many different variations to this kit can I build?

Historically this is the single kit that launched my interest in scale modeling. Not the first kit I ever built, but the first kit release from Monogram in 1967 under the Tom Daniel’s banner. Many more would follow of which I have built nearly 50 of the various Tom Daniels designs and have a collection of over 80 of the 80+ he is given credit for drafting.

Review Author
Steve Zajac
Published on
Company
Moebius Models
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$32.49

Moebius has followed up on their previous release of the 1965 Plymouth Satellite earlier this year with the Belvedere I, the economy priced B- Body. Referred to as a B-Pillar (“post”) vs. the B-Pillarless Satellite (“hardtop”), the low end Belvedere I was the basis of many a drag race car in the 1960’s, either in the super stock or altered wheel base classes. The kit is not a factory stock car as purchased off the dealer lot, nor the extremely rare A-990 super stock cars. As Moebius Kit Designer / Project Manager Dave Metzner said, the kit is meant “to represent the kind of Belvedere Sedan you'd see at a cruise night these days”. (For those awaiting a super stock drag car, stay tuned for the next version with a Hemi 426 engine.) This kit includes a very nice replica of the dual carb cross ram 426 Max Wedge engine or you can build the engine as a 426 cubic inch Commando V8.

Review Author
Ron Bell
Published on
Company
Airfix
MSRP
$59.99

The Kit

This is one of the kits in the Airfix Engineer line and is designed to teach, so it’s not really a model of a real combustion engine. Rather, it is a representation, and as such is much simplified. That being said, the kit consists of 92 parts, excluding screws. No glue is required for assembly with everything either being pressure fitted or screwed into place. In addition, no painting is necessary. As a matter of fact, it may not even be possible as all parts that are pressure fitted are of a soft, almost vinyl plastic and getting paint to stay put on them could be problematic. But again, this is a representation, not a model of a real engine and the parts are modeled in several colors to make them stand out.

Review Author
Doug Cole
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$26.95

Hurst Performance started working with Oldsmobile in the late sixties and by the time the ‘80’s rolled around they had perfected not only the hi performance “Lightening” shifter but the awesome looking black over silver appearance package featured on the ’83 Hurst Olds.

Review Author
Jim Stepanek
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/12
MSRP
$24.95

I just love these chopper kits that Revell puts out. The kits provide a variety of different parts to help you build a fairly unique machine.

Engine

The engine looks to be the more modern Evo engine and has no extra parts. The cooling fins and cylinder heads are very nicely engraved. There are 2 different sets of exhaust pipes in the box.

Body

The kit provides a couple of different styled gas tanks, seats, fenders, handlebars, controls, and wheels. There’s only one set of tires. I used Pearl Ex Aztec gold mixed with some HOK SG100 intercoat clear on the tank & fenders with a final clearcoat. The chopper is fully wired and plumbed.

Review Author
Joe Porche
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$24.95

I believe in the past few years Revell has offered a few of these pre-finished model kits in order to stir the modeling beginner’s pot. First they did this with the NASCAR Snap kits and most recently with offers like the 2017 Chevrolet Corvette. Confronted with no serious painting task to do and well pre-finished body, these kits should stroke the modeling urge of just about any entry level modeler.

This 2013 Dodge Challenger in Foose motif should be a popular subject among muscle car fans sporting Foose custom wheels, Foose custom graphics and sharp two-tone Sublime Green and Gloss Black paint job.

Parts Count (45 total parts):

Review Author
Doug Cole
Published on
Company
Revell
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$26.95

Ford’s F-Series trucks are the most popular pickups in the world. This rugged yet stylish ’91 F-350 was a great choice for Revell to produce. It has been a popular release as well and part of that is due to its adaptability for other mash-up and scratch built configurations.

Review Author
Gino Dykstra
Published on
Company
Round 2 Models
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$24.95

I first made this model shortly after the 1989 release of the new Batman movie, having been fascinated by the transfiguration of this iconic machine from the old 1964 Adam West series, even going so far as to mail order the optional “cocoon” shroud for it. As the movies have proceeded, I’ve liked the Batmobiles featured less and less, as they have evolved from a snazzy convertible into heavily armed paramilitary vehicles much the way Batman himself has evolved from the noble “caped crusader” into a sociopathic vigilante. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I rather liked the idea of a crime fighter exclusively using his fists to deal with villains.

In any case, I never had a opportunity to model the re-release of this interesting machine after the second movie, where AMT added an exposable turbine engine and retractable computer controls. This latest incarnation not only features these lovely bits but also a card stock “background” display. What fun!