The Boss 351 was a perfect blend of the previous “Boss” 302 & 429 Mustangs, and nearly as rare with only 1,806 of the 351’s produced. But the golden age of muscle cars was quickly dying out, and the Boss 351 was only built for one year.

With twin Ram Air hood scoops feeding a specially modified 330-horsepower 351-cubic-inch “Cleveland” V-8, the Boss 351 had plenty of power.

This newly tooled Revell kit has 120 parts molded in white, clear, and chrome pieces with soft vinyl tires and waterslide decals. It’s rated a skill level 4 due to a high parts count and a comprehensive decal sheet.

Construction

The engine is a beauty and a model in its own right, weighing in at 26 parts. It’s highly detailed and includes all the decals to make it standout. The parts are mostly separate making for easy finishing. It’s the best representation of this engine that I’ve seen!

Not to be outdone, the engine bay is nearly as good with most items separate and decals so complete, even the factory inspection stickers are included.

The frame/chassis/suspension is well designed and easy to build without compromising detail. Parts that should be separate are added to those that are molded in one piece for strength, but all of them have positive location and gluing points. Those finicky exhaust pipes that usually need “adjustment” fall precisely into place on this kit.

The interior is a real gem with precise moldings and easy installation. The contoured and textured headliner will need some ejector pins filled in, but they are shallow. A separate sun visor piece and a dome light are also included. The seats need inserts that will have to be painted or BMF can be used. The dashboard is correctly engraved and the kit’s decals are just fine for gauges etc., but I chose to use a set of images from Best Model Car Parts. They are a little more visible through the side windows. The clear parts fit exactly into the frames and you’ll need to take care not to have too much paint or foil that would prevent them from seating fully.

The body is outstanding. Its proportions and shape, trim, and panel lines are usually only found on high end models costing twice as much. Even the hood scopes are open like the real thing, and the rear tail panel is detached for detailing prior to placement. The rear spoiler is just the right shape too. One finicky area involves the lower stone and roll pans. They need to be added later using a slow-setting glue to ensure a proper fit. The instructions indicate that they be painted body color, but 1:1 references suggest they were matte black or silver to match the lower panels around the rest of the car on the Boss 351.

Under the hood, I made a decal on an inkjet printer for the collector pan by using a photograph of the underside and a simple computer drawing program to add realism, but it could be painted as well. This is to show that further detailing of this model can still add to its appearance.

The tires and wheels are superbly done. The tread pattern is correct and not garishly out of scale like so many are. Decals are provided for factory sidewall script and with appropriately painted insets the chrome rims look very authentic.

The decals are in good register and two colors are provided for optional stripes determined by the exterior color. Aside from that, just about every decal on the original vehicle that you would notice has been reproduced on this sheet. There are even inserts for the steering wheel spokes.

Pros/Cons

On the plus side, the kit is remarkably well done at a reasonable price point for a “new tool” model kit. Proportions, excellent fit, nice wheels, instructions, and ease of assembly are top notch. On the downside, you’ll have to provide a little extra work for some features like the smooth side tires – but decals are cheaper than pad printing. The same goes for the shaded area at the bottom of the windshield. Clear taillights that need painting are another cost avoidance, and numerous ejector pin marks on the headliner were the only things of note. All of that is easily remedied with a little paint and putty.

The finished dimensions are approximately L-7½” W-3” H-2¼”.

Conclusion

As you can tell, I’m really enthusiastic about this new offering from Revell and I think you’ll also find it exciting. This kit is a game changer for the auto modeler and with a little extra work this is the model that will make its mark on contest tables and take your build to a new level!.

Thanks go to the IPMS review crew and Carrera Revell for the opportunity to review this model kit!