Commemorative Reissue of a Vintage-style Funny Car Kit

MPC, or Model Products Corporation, is one of the classic names in American plastic model kits. The MPC brand is now owned by Round 2 LLC, based in South Bend, Indiana, which has reissued many vintage MPC kits using original or restored tooling. This 2026 release features an all-new decal sheet and represents a 1/25-scale 1983 Pontiac Firebird Funny Car, issued as part of the celebration commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States (1776–2026). The box is shrink-wrapped and measures 9”x 6.25”x 3.75”. The box contains a total of 102 parts, including:

• Baggie 1:Gold Sprue. This sprue contains the front and rear halves, valve covers, oil pan, blower, and transmission bell housing.
• Baggie 2: One Funny car body.
• Baggie 3: Open parachute, body supports, interior panels, and spoiler.
• Baggie 4: Main tubular chassis, side panels, front and rear outer rims, engine block halves, headers, and fuel tank.
• Baggie 5: Contains the 4 rubber tires and the metal axle.
• Baggie 6: Windscreens (1 red and 1 clear)
• 1 decal sheet
• 1 three-page instruction sheet covering 20 assembly steps, with paint color callouts provided on the final page. The suggested colors are generic and do not reference any specific paint manufacturer or brand.

Construction

Steps 1-4: These steps involve the assembly of the Hemi engine block, cylinder heads, and oil pan. In Step 2, the blower assembly is installed and the drive belt assembly. Moving on to Step 3, the valve covers are installed along with the injector assembly. Finishing with step 4, the engine drive belts, pulleys, and other parts. The engine block was primed with A. Mig One Shot Black Primer 2023, then Model Air 71.269 red was applied in light coats.

While assembling the engine block and its components, I found that several of the sprue attachment points on the gold-plated parts were quite large. Removing the parts from the sprue and sanding the attachment areas also removed a noticeable amount of the gold plating. This leaves the builder with two options: touch up the damaged areas with matching gold paint, or strip the plating from the entire sprue, apply a black primer, and repaint the parts with a suitable gold finish for a more uniform appearance.

Steps 5-6: Steps 5-6 consist of assembling the two front wheels and tires. Each wheel is made up of an outer gold-plated part and an inner white plastic part, which the instructions specify should be painted gold. I painted both inner front and rear parts using Vallejo 70.996 Gold acrylic paint after priming with A. Mig One Shot Black Primer 2023.

Step 7: comprises the construction of the seat bucket with steering column, and linkages.

Steps 8-12: These steps cover the assembly of the one-piece tubular chassis, including installation of the fuel cell, roll cage, front and rear axles, frame-mounted fire extinguishers, rear brakes, and chassis floor pan.

Steps 13-20: These steps cover the installation of the bell housing and transmission onto the engine, followed by the attachment of the side headers and exhaust pipes, steering linkage, interior tub, rear spoiler, and windshield. The kit provides two windshield options: clear or transparent red reminiscent of the colorful styling associated with Funny Cars of the 1970s and early 1980s.

The builder also has the option of displaying the parachute either packed or fully deployed. The open parachute is molded in white plastic and requires painting to match the colors illustrated on the box art. I chose not to install the parachute, as my intention was to display the completed model on a drag racing surface.

In step 20, the decals are applied the body. I used only warm water to apply the decals, which performed exceptionally well, settling smoothly onto the surface without any noticeable silvering or shrinkage. In a few areas, particularly around the door outlines and other body contours, I applied Micro Sol to help the decals conform more closely to the surface. Overall, the decals were excellent, requiring little additional setting solution to achieve a smooth, realistic finish.

Painting

Step 20 lists the recommended paint colors, although no specific manufacturer is identified. I had in my arsenal of paints by Ammo Mig, Tamiya and Vallejo. Painting was completed during or after each major assembly step.

The engine block was primed with AMMO One Shot Black Primer (A.MIG-2023), followed by light coats of Vallejo Model Air Red (71.269). The inner front and rear wheels were primed similarly and painted Vallejo Gold (70.996). The roll cage was painted black, with Vallejo Model Air NATO Black used to distinguish the protective foam padding.

Acrylic gold paint markers purchased from Amazon proved especially useful for touching up areas where the gold plating was damaged during assembly.

I omitted the optional parachute to display the completed Funny Car on a simulated drag racing surface.

Decals

The decals supplied with the kit are of excellent quality and noticeably thinner than those found in some other kits. Most were applied using only warm water, with Micro Sol needed occasionally to help them conform to the body contours. Once dry, the decals showed no visible silvering and produced a smooth, clean finish.

Conclusions

Overall, MPC’s Uncle Sam’s Screamin’ Eagle Funny Car is an excellent foundation for a detailed drag racing model. Despite its early 1980s tooling, the kit builds into an impressive representation of a classic American Funny Car, featuring distinctive patriotic markings, a detailed engine, and a tubular chassis.

Minor shortcomings include difficult-to-read part numbers on the sprues and unclear part locations and attachment points in the instructions, requiring careful test-fitting during assembly.

I highly recommend this kit to automotive modelers and drag racing enthusiasts, particularly those who enjoy vintage MPC kits and adding extra detail. Several aftermarket companies offer accessories to enhance the engine, chassis, and cockpit, making this an appealing project whether built straight from the box or customized.

Thanks to MPC and IPMS/USA for allowing me to build and review this kit