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

Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Tamiya
Scale
1/20
MSRP
$77.00

From the Tamiya America website:

The SF70H, the 63rd single-seater designed and built by Scuderia Ferrari, was born out of major regulation changes, with wider tires and cars, plus larger diffusers, meaning that the cars have more aerodynamic down force and greater mechanical grip. Fittingly for the hybrid machine named to commemorate Scuderia Ferrari's 70 years of racing, the SF70H showcases the team's innovation throughout its design. A lengthened nose and arrow-shaped front wing are a consequence of the regulations, as are the fin on the engine cover, and aero appendages ahead of the air intakes on the side pods.

Review Author
Chris Smith
Published on
March 30, 2018
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$26,395.00

With her Indy car win in Japan in 2008, Danica Patrick has become a house-hold name in racing and a celebrity based on her clever add campaign with Go Daddy, one of her past sponsors. In 2010 Danica moved to Nascar and although she hasn't won any races she has claimed pole position and led a number of laps. She has proven her ability as a racer and follows in the footsteps of Shirley Muldowney and the up and coming Cortney Force.

This kit represents one of Danica's 2017 cars sponsored by Aspen Dental. Running under the Ford Banner for the Stuart-Hass racing team, the car is shaped to represent the Ford Fusion. All the teams ran the Roush-Yates FR-9 engine that season. This 358 CI engine was equipped with fuel injection and were restricted by a plate on the intake manifold to 850HP.

Review Author
Jim Stepanek
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$24.95

Engine

Beautiful Ford 289 is well detailed and fits together just perfectly. I added ignition wiring, throttle linkage, and fuel line.

Interior

Interior is wonderfully engraved just screaming for some detail painting. Rustoleum texture paint was used to simulate a sprayed on durable coating.

Body

The body went together very well. The open grille is an impressive piece. Didn’t have to grind away the back to open it up. Every piece fits very well. I filled the holes for the outrigger spare tire and put it inside. The fender flares were made with strip styrene and Bondo. I needed wider flares to cover the tires. HOK sunrise pearl was used on the body.

Chassis

The frame rails are separate from the chassis pan making for detail painting easier. Front, rear suspension, and exhaust are all separate pieces. Some serious lowering was done to the suspension. Wheels/tires are from the parts box.

Review Author
Jim Stepanek
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$24.95

This is a review of the Revell ’80 Jeep Honcho “Ice Patrol” kit.

Engine

There was little flash on the engine parts but there is also very little detail. You get just a very basic engine with a way oversize fanbelt.

Interior

Only faint engraving can be seen on the door panels making it very difficult to detail paint. The kit does have 2 different decals for the gauge cluster.

Body

The body went together pretty well. The rear portion of the box is a separate piece that I didn’t care for, but it fit very well. You get a choice with decals in either blue tone or orange. My choice was the blue to go along with the Tru-Color metallic bright Atlantic Blue paint. The inside of the box was painted with Rustoleum texture paint for a spray in bedliner look.

The kit comes with a toolbox, 2 gas cans and a snowmobile. Once assembled, the sled won’t fit in the box of the truck with the tailgate up.

Review Author
Ben Morton
Published on
February 3, 2018
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$49.99

From Hasegawa's website: Designed specifically for taking the racing world by storm, the XJR-9 was the eighties Jaguar that finally cracked the iron grip Porsche had on the 24 Hours of Le Mans and brought Jaguar its first Le Mans win since 1957. In America, the type also brought home the win at the 24 Hours of Daytona and took third in the overall Constructor's Championship. This limited edition kit features markings for three IMSA-GTP class Daytona Sunbank 24 hours racers: Car No. 60 (the winner), Car No. 61, and Car No. 66 (third place).

Review Author
Alan Wickham
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$26.95

A very nice new kit from Revell, this is the stock version, issued after the "Starsky and Hutch" version. The kit is a very simple build that almost harkens back to the old screw bottom kits. It was a pleasure to build, as there was basically no flash, and fit and finish were fantastic. Chrome is excellent quality, and the glass are all seperate pieces that fit very nicely. A welcome attribute.

I built my kit mostly box stock, except for the following: I added a distributor and wires and I also added the factory optional quarter "opera" windows and vinyl top, simply to break up the large expanse of roof and quarter panel on these cars. I also used vintage Uniroyal white walls, as the kit supplied white wall tires seem to have too low of a profile. A wonderful kit that I would recommend to anyone, advanced or not. The only problem I found with the entire kit, are the relatively low profile tires, that if used, would look too small on the car.

Review Author
Doug Cole
Published on
January 10, 2018
Company
Hasegawa
Scale
1/24
MSRP
$49.99

The Sauber Mercedes C9 made quite a splash in 1989, winning the World Sports Car Prototype Championship with both the #61 and #62 racers. In this curbside kit you have the option of building either vehicle with the decals provided.

Although this is a simple model it is rated a skill level three kit for modelers aged 14 and over by the manufacturer due to the large decals involved in finishing. It has 79 pieces molded in gray, clear and black styrene. The decals are very nice with a great register and minimal carrier film. There are no drivetrain parts and the underside is a plain floorpan with a few molded in details. When finished the dimensions are approximately: Length: 8”, Width: 3”, Height: 2.”

Review Author
Gregory Hansel
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$22.95

Introduction

I remember when the Mazda Miata was introduced. I actually went to the dealership to check them out and I was a big fan of them. The Miata blended the style of a 60's British sports car with the reliability of a modern Japanese import. The kit was first introduced in 1993, molded in red, and this is the first reissue of it, so it had not been available for nearly 25 years!

Review Author
Steve Zajac
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$24.95

Revell has re-released the ever popular 1964 Ford Fairlane, originally issued in 1990. It is a 2 'n 1 kit so you can build the street version or the classic Super Stock Thunderbolt drag version with a 427 c. i. engine, featuring Dick Brannan's (head of Ford's Drag Racing division) Romy Hammes car. Only 100 for the race version were built. The kit features three wheel style choices, two hood style choices, 4-speed or automatic transmission, and stock and drag tires (8 total). I built the race car version, of course.

Review Author
Jim Stepanek
Published on
February 3, 2020
Company
Revell, Inc.
Scale
1/25
MSRP
$26.95

Revell hits another one out of the park with their gorgeous 1970 Dodge Charger R/T.

Engine

Nothing like a Hemi and this kit features that engine with 2 4 barrel carbs. Magnificent engine that fits together properly and virtually no flash.

Interior

Door panel and dash engraving was very crisp and easy to detail paint. Side panels are separate pieces which makes for easier painting. The interior is also flocked. There are no options for the interior. You can make only a stock interior. The dash and console have woodgrain decals and separate gauge decals.