New reissue of Monogram 56 Chevy Belair

[oldscool]

I decided to buy myself a birthday present last Friday and the local Magic Mart just happened to have some new kits in stock. Since I have never built or even seen the contents of this kit before, I decided to buy one as a companion to my 55 Chevy street machine build. One of the things that surprised me is that this kit can be built stock. Another surprise is that it comes with a CB radio and antenna.

First about the quality; the body mold has obviously been polished as the plastic is very smooth and shiny. There is almost no flash at all on any of the parts and no sink marks. The chrome plating is very smooth, shiny and clean. A mockup showed that everything fit very well and nothing was warped. The tires are the same ones that come in the 1/24 Mopar kits and could be a little bigger for the street machine version. It also has the headlight lenses with the post in the middle like a diecast.

Now for the accuracy issues; I have heard much about the overly large front fender openings and from looking at pics of the real thing it looks like there is not enough metal between the grille and the front of the openings. Correcting this would also require extending the ends of the bumper to meet the fender openings. The interior looks really good but the engine appears to be underscale like the 55 Chevy kit. It's as if the engines were 1/25. The firewall is also a joke but not as bad as the 55.

Here's a pic of the box. I won't post sprue shots as most everybody is familiar with this kit (but me) and it takes forever to upload pics to Photobucket with a dialup.

I hope this is of some use to someone out there

oldscool

Edited March 31, 2010 by oldscool

[Scalper]

Yeat the engine in that model I think is a small 289 c.i.

[Lyle Willits]

Yeat the engine in that model I think is a small 289 c.i.

That would be a 283.

This kit dates back to the 70's, explaining the CB radio. There are several inacuracies in the kit.

The posts on the back of the headlight lenses were found in all Monogram kits of that era. You can remove the posts and polish the back of the lenses and just cover the hole in the reflector with a small piece of BMF.

[oldscool]

Thanks for the tip on the headlights Lyle. I'll give it a try.

oldscool

[Casey]

I built this kit in the '80s when it was molded in turquiose plastic and like most Monogram kits of that era, was a straightforward build.

Does this engine have a twin-turbo setup? I don't recall what the induction system consists of...

[oldscool]

Sorry, I should have provided more info since this IS a review. It has the stock dual quads and the triangle shaped air filter housing and a 6-71 with 2 Holleys and short velocity stacks. It has chromed valve covers with the Chevrolet script. It has some custom bucket seats but they have open backs and a roll bar with molded in fire extinguisher. Besides the pro stock style scoop shown on the box, it also has another scoop that looks like it came off of a late 70s Z-28. It's what the aircraft guys call a NACA scoop. And yes Dave, the flame decals are pretty decent.

Hope this helps,

oldscool

[oldscool]

I think I have found a way to improve the fender well issue. After doing a quick mock up, I noticed that not only are the front openings oversized but the wheels appear too far to the rear. Repositioning the wheels a little further forward makes a big improvement.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

No, I'm not starting another kit on top of the four I have going. I always do a mock up like this after opening a new kit to get an idea how it will look and fit.

oldscool

[horsepower]

That would be a 283.

This kit dates back to the 70's, explaining the CB radio. There are several inacuracies in the kit.

The posts on the back of the headlight lenses were found in all Monogram kits of that era. You can remove the posts and polish the back of the lenses and just cover the hole in the reflector with a small piece of BMF.

Actually, it would be a 265, but other than the lack of side mount bolt holes in the block it would appear virtually the same as all of the small block Chevy engines regardless of cubic inch displacement are the same, from the little 262 that came out in the 76 Monzas to the 400 that was in the early 70s big cars & trucks.

[oldscool]

You are correct sir. The 283 didn't appear until 57. As a side note; the box says it is a Corvette engine which means the valve covers should say Corvette rather than Chevrolet.

oldscool

[Lyle Willits]

Yeah. Your right, of course. Guess this old Chevy guy is just going down hill faster than I thought.

[Robert81]

From your description It sounds like a straight reissue of how it was issued back in the late 70's.

I have the '77 issue of this kit, in the white box, but it's molded in black. Has the same hood scoops, decals, optional seats, induction, and wheels.

[Billy Kingsley]

White plastic, eh? Surprised me, I figured it would be black, again. I was planning on getting another, anyway. Love this kit!

[oldscool]

Hi Billy. I was kinda hoping it would be black also as the 55 street machine I'm building is black and the plastic seems to be easier to work with than the white. I like this kit in spite of what i have heard about it over the years

oldscool

[oldscool]

Hey 006, yeah it can be built totally stock. It comes with stock hubcaps and manifolds and a bench seat, just keep in mind this kit is not real detailed. If I were going to build a detailed box stocker I would go for the newer tool Revell 56. The one thing that I think is better about this kit is that it doesn't have the "snow plow" front bumper that the new tool has.

oldscool

Edited April 11, 2010 by oldscool

[jbwelda]

you know, i am no great chevrolet expert, but i dont think you can build this strictly stock from the box. simply because to my knowledge no 265, and probably no 283, ever came stock in these cars with 2 - 4 bbl carbs. i would guess more like a 1 - 2 bbl with a 1 - 4 bbl option on the 283. now in a corvette, maybe. correct me if i am wrong please.

[horsepower]

you know, i am no great chevrolet expert, but i dont think you can build this strictly stock from the box. simply because to my knowledge no 265, and probably no 283, ever came stock in these cars with 2 - 4 bbl carbs. i would guess more like a 1 - 2 bbl with a 1 - 4 bbl option on the 283. now in a corvette, maybe. correct me if i am wrong please.

If the block has a provision for an oil filter on the left rear lower side, it is not a 265 as the 265's didn't have that yet.

[Greg Myers]

The '55 didn't have an oil filter. My "56 did. I can remember changing the oil many times unscrewing the big bolt that held the can holding the removable filter element. I'm not sure how far Chevrolet went with that till they switched to the spin on canister type filter.

[sssnake94]

Greg, in 1955 the oil filter was an option. It was a canister type like your '56.

[Modellpularn]

Sorry if I "rain on your parade", but I never liked this kit. Those front wheel openings could use some surgery, and the front bumper..... you fixed that. The roof looks a bit too short, needs to be extended maybe 1/8 of an inch, or cut it off and make a convertible.... This kit was made around 1976-77, when Monogram also made the '66 Chevelle with tilt front end, and that horrible '69 Camaro. I built the Chevelle and Camaro for the swedish importer of Monogram kits, back in '77. It's amazing that "Revellogram" still pops these kits, when they have much better versions in their lineup....

[Longbox55]

If the block has a provision for an oil filter on the left rear lower side, it is not a 265 as the 265's didn't have that yet.

The only year 265 with no oil filter provision is the '55 265. All others have an oil filter, either canister style (through '68) or spin on ('69-current). The '55 used the same style canister as the 6 cylinder, either AC or Fram, that mounts to the intake manifold. It was strictly a bypass filtration system.

[Art Anderson]

The only year 265 with no oil filter provision is the '55 265. All others have an oil filter, either canister style (through '68) or spin on ('69-current). The '55 used the same style canister as the 6 cylinder, either AC or Fram, that mounts to the intake manifold. It was strictly a bypass filtration system.

Bill,

My references (just looking at a reprint of the '55 Chevy dealer order form) clearly show an optional bypass (cannister) oil filter for the 265cid V8. In 1996, I bought a completely rebuilt, numbers correct for the build date of my Sedan Delivery, 283 for my '58 Chevy Sedan Delivery, and it had the full-flow (spin on) oil filter, just as with all other small block Chevy V8's. 1957 was the last year of the By-pass oil filter on V8's, the only oil filter option for 1958 being a heavy-duty one, 1.5 quart capacity in size. Also, Chevy V8's from 1955-57 had a 4-point engine mounting setup, two mounts at the front of the block, two at the flywheel housing. Starting in 1958, they went to 3 mounting points, one on each side, in mid-block, and the third underneath the transmission tailshaft.

I would recommend that anyone interested in factory stock Chevies 1953-64 find a copy of "Chevrolet Book Of Numbers Volume 2 1953-64", which is out of print now, but is a compilation of Chevrolet dealer information, giving all models standard features, plus all RPO's for each of those years, including not only the standard full size Chevy, but also Corvette, Corvair and Chevy II. It's a great reference, even shows all the color combinations, both exterior and exterior/interior, even calls out the types of interior upholstery fabrics/vinyl, and what color each part of the interior was, for each trim level.

It's been my "Bible" ever since my AAM days.

Art

[Longbox55]

I beleive we're on the same page on this. My information comes from the factory issue shop manuals, which shows the '56 having a full flow filtration. When I used the "canister" term, it was only meant the replacable cartridge style filter, rather than the 1 peice spin on used later. Not really a big deal to convert the early blocks, the only difference is the insert for the mounting pad. 6 cylinders continued to use the bypass style filtration up to '62 (ex. Chevy 2 and HD 261).

[Casey]

This kit was made around 1976-77, when Monogram also made the '66 Chevelle with tilt front end, and that horrible '69 Camaro. I built the Chevelle and Camaro for the swedish importer of Monogram kits, back in '77. It's amazing that "Revellogram" still pops these kits, when they have much better versions in their lineup....

I picked this kit up for $10 a few weeks ago, and I agree- it's not a great kit. I knew that going in, as I built the turquoise version in the late '80s, but I guess I've gotten spoiled over the last 20+ years as far as new kits are concerned. This kit does have a nice set of 5-lug turbine wheels (15"x~7"), chrome "Chevrolet" script valve covers, CB radio and chrome CB antenna, and the snorkel hoodscoop is straight out of the '77 JC Whitney catalog (6", 8" or 10" height?), but the rest of the kit leaves a lot to be desired. As Hans said, this kit was a late '70s Monogram creation, which means some liberties have been taken as far as accuracy is concerned.

[Longbox55]

you know, i am no great chevrolet expert, but i dont think you can build this strictly stock from the box. simply because to my knowledge no 265, and probably no 283, ever came stock in these cars with 2 - 4 bbl carbs. i would guess more like a 1 - 2 bbl with a 1 - 4 bbl option on the 283. now in a corvette, maybe. correct me if i am wrong please.

Yes, dual 4bbls were availabe on both the '56 265 and the '57 283 (RPO 411 for both years) on all Passenger models exept for 1508 Sedan Delivery, as well as the Corvette.

[towtruck]

certainly not the most detailed 56 chevy kit around but at the time is was first issued it was the only '56 chevy kit to be had.I was glad to see it out..