This is a reissue of the Monogram original from the 1980s. Done in an odd 1/32 scale, this kit is a trip back in time for me because I didn’t build car models back then. The kit is very basic by today’s standards but there are a few areas where the detail is quite good. I found the interior had very good texture on the seats and especially the dash. Trans Ams had a brush rotary finish in metal and the texture molded on the kit part looks convincing once painted.

I did use some plastic card stock to fill the front seat backs since they come hollowed out. Chassis detail is acceptable for the scale, but the engine is too small for the engine bay. The “Shaker Hood” sits too low if installed per the directions, so I glued it to the bottom of the hood. The only other part I wrestled with was the glass.

Typical of the car kits from this era, the glass is molded in one piece. While the back fits well, the windshield does not. I suspect this was done to allow the hood to open. My solution was to separate them and shift the windshield forward to get the best fit. After a bit of bodywork since the front end was slightly short, I painted the car in Arctic White from the Tru Color paint line. Some mild polishing gives a scale finish without a clear coat. The decals are excellent, settling in using Micro Set. You must match the blue on the Shaker intake with paint to match the hood decaI. I stripped the chrome from the honeycomb wheels and sprayed them with Tamiya flat Aluminum.

Overall, not a bad kit considering when it was first produced. Even though I’ve been a lifelong Mustang fan, this car got my attention when I first saw them. This kit is within the capabilities of even beginners. For the price point, these are fun kits that help us to appreciate just how good kit quality has become.

Thank You to IPMS for sending this my way and to Atlantis for bringing back the kits that remind us of how fun simple modeling can be.