The Kit

This automotive model review covers Tim Flock’s 1956 Chrysler 300B Kiekaefer Race Car 1:25 Scale Moebius Model Kit #1212. The release date on the inside of the body is 2013 but this model is readily available at most outlets. Moebius designates this as a Skill Level 3 kit for modelers 12 years and older. It includes 15 trees molded in white, chrome, clear and transparent red, soft vinyl tires, waterslide decals and an extensive full color instruction manual. Also included are some photo-etch detail parts.

This kit is designed to commemorate one of the cars used by the celebrated Tim Flock whose career would lead him to be named one of the 50 best NASCAR drivers of all time. I have to give Moebius Models credit for releasing this model and to IPMS for providing the review sample.

Construction and Detailing

For the most part, tube glue works just fine for construction on this kit. Use some white glue to install the windows and some CA glue on the photo-etch parts though.

Starting with the engine you’ll find a highly detailed 28 piece HEMI motor that looks like it came from a resin caster. Assemble the parts per the instructions and finish it with the paint guide and decals included and you’ll have a beautiful HEMI ready to drop into the engine bay. The silver transmission, block and oil pan are complimented with a black manifold and gold valve covers and air cleaner. Bright red used for the oil filter and dipstick highlight the appearance.

The tires and wheels used for the race version are black walls on stock rims and really look authentic for that period. The interior is well detailed but there is a problem with the photo-etch seatbelt details. They can’t really be used because detail “G” should have been a retainer with a tab and two slots and detail “I” should have been a loop (as shown on the instructions) to insert a belt. Just use the plastic seat belts provided instead. Continue by assembling the front seat and add the door panels, roll bar and package shelf. You may find some heavy sprue connection here and in some other places. Just remove them with sprue cutters a distance from the parts and trim/sand them off carefully and sand them to the part to preserve the details. Highlight the interior door handles and trim with a silver marker. The dashboard needs to be made race ready by removing the radio and center bezels. Drill a hole where the clock is for a viewing port for the right front wheel. Finish the dash in the body color motif and place the trimmed dash gauges into place. Add the dash to the interior.

Chassis construction is simplified using the combined suspension units. Paint the chassis flat black and the other components semi-gloss black. The tie rods and exhaust are steel. Add the steering box and the complete motor to the frame. Add the frame to the chassis pan/interior by aligning the steering box to the tab in the floor. Install the upper A-arms, springs and spindles. Cap those off with the lower A-arms. Assemble the tie rods and line up the exhaust pipes with the motor. Install the front wheel assemblies on the spindles and then assemble the rear suspension. This is a leaf spring affair and it goes together just as you would expect. Make sure to insert and line up the driveshaft to the transmission. Assemble and detail the engine bay parts in flat black and pick out the firewall parts with semi-gloss black.

Sand off the parting lines on the body and remove the wide side-body trim with a blade or rotary grinder making sure not to go so far that it damages the body itself and sand that smooth. Also, remove the headlight surrounds. Prime the body and after that dries, spray with an appropriate white paint (similar to Chrysler Cloud White) to emulate the race version of the car. The underside and fender wells are flat black.

Decals and Trim

The decals included with this kit are excellent – depicting the original car with accuracy including the usual sponsor logos found on the real car. In many cases I use a decal setting solution to provide that painted on look but these decals will float and stick well. Just be sure to use a little extra water on the car body to ensure easy placement of the larger decals. You should also trim the gauge decals closely with a hobby knife to ensure that they fit into their nacelles. The remaining trim on this car was bright work and really looks best when highlighted with foil trim around the windows.

Final Construction

If you want a clear looking glass, dip the window unit into some Pledge Floor Care. Wick off the excess and let it dry thoroughly then install the windows with white glue. Assemble the engine bay components including the radiator along with the grill and photo-etch headlight covers. On the back end, add the taillight bezels and lenses. Slip the body into the chassis starting at the rear by gently prying the body outward on the inside of the rocker panels. Install the bumpers and the engine’s vacuum tank and hose. Install the hood at this time. Remove and install the tie down parts (B-D-E-F) from the photo etch tree. Use some string or small diameter wire to emulate the front and rear tie downs and superglue them to these parts then attach them to appropriate places on the hood and trunk

Overall

There were no surprises with this kit: very little flash, nice chrome, excellent part fitment, nice period-correct decals and easy to follow, full-color instructions. With a little extra work an advanced builder can make this kit into a contest ready model. The engine detail is superior for a kit in this price range. Body features appear to be very close to the 1:1 car and look correct from all angles. Parting lines are minimal and on par with more expensive kits. The biggest plus of this kit is the subject matter itself which stems from the stock version of this kit. However, that is also one of the minor drawbacks of the model. The stock version’s body was used for this Tim Flock race version. Unfortunately, the heavy side body trim came along with it. That could have been avoided by making the side body trim an add-on piece with locating holes that the modeler could open up with a hobby knife or small drill on the stock version. In that way the trim could have been glued onto that version and the race version modeler wouldn’t have to deal with that issue. Additionally, some of the connecting sprue tabs are pretty heavy and need extra care when removing the associated parts to prevent damage. Another minor fault was the incorrect photo-etch seatbelt parts. They would have made a big improvement over the plastic seatbelts.