History Brief

The Chrysler 300 was so named for its awesome 300 HP FirePower 90 degree V8 Hemi; the name “Hemi” is short for its unique “hemispherical combustion chamber” design. This powerful engine featured dual 4-barrel carburetors, high performance camshafts mated to stiff valve springs, solid lifters, special manifolds and forged crankshaft. Then this bad boy was mated to a modified two-speed “PowerFlite” fully automatic torque converter transmission, sporting Goodyear Special Safety Super Cushion four-ply tires, heavy-duty shocks and leaf springs, front stabilizer bar and brakes. All were above the standard for its time, not to mention a 150-mph speedometer and enlarged dual exhausts. The C300 had the beautiful body styling of a sports coupe and came in three factory color options. In short, the 300 was nothing like Detroit had seen before, with a base price of $4,055 and power steering not standard equipment, it was the first true Muscle Car.

The Product

Packaged in a standard model car box, the kit offers a beautiful retro-vintage box-top illustration and side panel art. Inside, we find flawless, almost flash free light gray plastic parts, clear plastic glazing, red tinted tail lights, chrome-plated plastic bright work, and vinyl whitewall tires, all totaling over 125 detailed parts. Also included in the box are the decals that cover the exterior script lettering trim, engine placards, and speedometer and dashboard details. The well-written instruction sheet is laid out in a straightforward manner with great reference photos and illustrations. As a bonus, there is an original sales brochure reproduction included.

The Build

Starting with the engine, I encountered no noteworthy problems. The fit is excellent and the parts cleaned up easily. The heads have beautifully detailed valve spring arrangements and it was almost a shame to cover them up. The painting guide calls for a silver engine with the valve covers and air filter system painted gold, really a striking engine when completely painted and decaled. The wheels were next up on the instruction sheet. You have two styles to choose from and I decided to go with the spoke rim option.

The next page begins at step 3, the interior. The instruction calls for leather and black carpet. The parts went together without a hitch and the color combination looks great. I used a silver paint Sharpie for the interior trim and a brown wash to settle in the creases. The dashboard and steering wheel were easy to paint and came out nicely. The second half of the page covered the chassis and drive train; I breezed through it with no problems to report.

The final build page covers body construction and mating to the chassis. This is where the paintwork should be finished before moving along. I used Bare Metal Foil for the trim work. The two component parts are a tight fit and require just a little time and effort before everything pops into place. The only notable gripe would be the hood on my example was a little warped.

The Bottom Line

This is an awesome kit. I enjoyed every minute I spent working on it. The NASCAR modeler will love it, the street rod modeler will love it, the basic model guy will love it, and I loved it. My hat is off to Moebius. You have a real winner.

Thanks to Moebius for the sample and to IPMS/USA for allowing me the opportunity to review such an enjoyable model kit.