My Review of Revell's Z06 Corvette Kit

[Ron Hamilton]

2006 Corvette Z06

Revell 1/25th scale; 99 pieces, plus decals – modified reissue]

The 2006 Chevrolet Z06 is the most powerful, best all-around performing, street driven automobile ever available from General Motors. Period. With a 7-Liter, 505 horsepower, aluminum V8 engine with a rear mounted 6-speed transaxle, carbon fiber body panels, and 1 G cornering capabilities. As a manager at a Chevrolet Dealership, I have more than a passing interest in this car, as the one our dealership received last year, was sold in one day.. I figured that Revell would get around to issuing the Corvette Z06 Coupe as a full-detail plastic kit in their line, and I am not disappointed. This kit is based on their excellent 2005 Corvette Coupe tool, and it shares quite a few of the same parts, but Revell has seen fit to include the Z06 specific parts, as well as the original 2005 C-6 Corvette kit parts, with the exception of the body shell.

Engine: This 17-piece unit is a well-engraved rendition of Chevrolet’s 7.0 liter V8. The engine block halves are mated to the rear-mounted transaxle as a unit, as in the real car. The other well engraved parts complete the assembly. The Z06 specific dry sump oil pan, exhaust headers, and engine covers are present as replacement parts from the 2005 kit. Proper detail painting with various flats and metalizers will bring this assembly out.

Chassis: The front and rear suspension units are simplified, with separate, Z06 specific cross-drilled well-engraved disc brake rotors and high-performance calipers at each corner. Poseable steering is not part of the equation. The larger diameter Z06 specific exhaust system has a nice set of chrome metal exhaust tips, which attach to the muffler unit. Shock absorbers are also included.

Interior: The interior assembly consists of a tub unit, which incorporates the underhood area, molded in a dark gray. The console, floorboards, and interior sides are engraved and textured properly, and are integral with this unit. The door panels, firewall, interior rear wall, pedals, master cylinder and firewall are separate, well engraved pieces. The shifter, handbrake lever, and under hood hoses are also separate, and well engraved. The dashboard is also well engraved, with a decal for the instruments, a separate glass panel, steering column and a new 3-spoke steering, with decals for the steering wheel hub emblem, as well as the Z06 “head rest embroideryâ€. If you can, get some photographs of a Z06 Corvette interior, as there are some ‘ optional accent colors’ for the Z06 interior, which are not called out in the instructions. The seats are also well done, but there is a resultant seam that must be taken care of for a more realistic appearance. Curiously, there is no seat belt detail in this interior. This assembly mounts to the chassis, which makes for a rigid, stable point to mount the body. There is a three-piece radiator assembly, and intake air cleaner unit, which are hidden, once the body is mounted onto the chassis.

Wheels & Tires: The wheels are a very well engraved renditions of the current Corvette Z06 aluminum wheels with decals representing the emblems The wheels should be refinished in the following manor if a replica stock build is desired:

A. Standard Wheel- Silver Painted Aluminum

B. Competition Gray- Dark Metallic Gray

C. Polished Aluminum- Chrome finish dulled down with semi-gloss paint

For the 2006 model year, the Z06 aluminum wheels are not available in a chrome plated finish from the factory, but chrome plated aluminum wheels for the Z06 are available from the aftermarket. The rubber-like tires have a nice tread, but no manufacturer’s trade name. The front wheels/tires mount to the chassis on metal stub axles with plastic retainers, while the rear wheels/tires mount on a metal axle, much like the attaching system utilized on the Chevrolet SSR from Revell.

Body: The body is a beautiful, well-proportioned rendition of the C6 edition of the Z06, molded in white plastic, exhibiting a little flash on the fender and down the front fenders, the roof sail panels, and around the rear spoiler. The windshield and rear window mount from the outside of the body, for a proper flush appearance, and the rearview mirror mounts inside. Follow the instructions and mount the hood after painting and finishing, allowing for glue. The roof panel is fixed, as on the real Z06, and the body also has the various scoops with screens and flares as the real car. The Z06 emblem for the front fender scoop is a well done decal. The various lenses for the lights, and the mirror “glass†are separate units.

Instructions: While the kit instructions call for painting the car in the new ‘Velocity Yellow’ exterior paint, with a Black leather interior, there are other interior/exterior color combos available, which are as follows:

Interior

Exterior Solid Paint

Color Code Ebony with Red Accents Ebony EbonywithTitanium Accents

LeMans Blue Metallic 19U A A A

Black 41U A A A

Velocity Yellow Tintcoat 45U - A A

Machine Silver Metallic 67U A A A

Daytona Sunset Orange Met.71U - A A

Victory Red 74U A A A

A good source for these paint colors is "Cobra Colors", which is run by Leon Tefft. Leon is an extraordinary modeler, with a great portfolio of paint colors, clears, and primers, and sealers for the latest model kits. Even though I have not used his product, I have personally seen models that were finished various paints from his line, and I am impressed. His company can be contacted on the web.

For the 2007 Model year, the Daytona Sunset Orange Metallic Exterior Paint will be discontinued, and a new color called "Atomic Orange" replacing it.

NOTE: The plastic used by Revell on this model kit is very sensitive to certain types of "automotive grade" paint. It has been reported by several modelers that the styrene is easily "crazed" when a strong sealer is not used under these paints. I suggest that you talk with either and experienced modeler, or paint expert, as to what is compatible with this plastic, or at least practice on some scraps.

Decals: The sheet is impressive, complete with , exterior emblems, wheel centers, dashboard gauges, speaker sections, and a full array of under-hood stickers.

While the kit provides excellent raw material, there is plenty of research material out there on this car (i.e. manufacturer’s brochures, magazine articles, web photos) to help the modeler. A beautiful model can be built from this kit with care and proper painting. I recommend this kit to the modeler who has a lot of patience, and has built a few models, as this kit requires a lot of proper detail painting to get a pleasing result. It is fairly demanding and cries out for some extra detailing. I expect to see quite a few of these built up over the coming months, including my own.

By: Ron Hamilton

[MrObsessive]

Great Review Ron!

The only complaint I have about the kit is that the wheels and tires are not exactly the right size and width for the model as opposed to the 1:1. Seems as though.......especially looking at the boxart car that the tires specifically look a bit "narrow" and tucked under............ particularly the rears.

I tested fitted the tires out of the new Viper SRT-10 kit and they fit over the Z06 wheels very well save for the fact that you'll have to widen the wheels in the back just a trifle.

Unfortunately, I had trouble trying to contact Revell to buy extra Viper tires off of them ..........So I went out and bought another Viper kit off the 'Bay just for the tires.

I like this kit so much that it will be the next detailed model I do after I finish the '55 Ford.

(whenever that'll be........)

[gasman]

ohh no Bill, a super detailed Z06. will it have working power Windows, door locks, keyless entry, and a working Navigation system

[MrObsessive]