8 replies to this topic

[Casey]

Here's a quick history of Revell's 1/16 scale '76-ish Chevy Scottsdale Stepside 4x4 kits they've released over the years:

1) I think this "Chevy Off-Road Pickup" is the original release, but not totally sure. The truck is pretty much a scaled up version of Revell's '76 Chevy Stepside pickup, but the 1/16 version is 4WD, with solid axles and leaf springs at all four corners, and rides on generic 8-spoke chrome "wagon" wheels and 15" Mickey Thompson Baja King off-road tires.








A 1/16 scale Suzuki 250-ish cc dirtbike was also included having styrene knobby tires and consisting of fifteen or so pieces:




2) The first reissue was the "Baja Fever", which appears to be a straight reissue, except for different decals, plastic color. and the lack of chrome plated parts:




3) I think the "Mountain Crusier" was released by Revell-AG, but again, i appears to be a straight reissue, minus the chromes parts and with new decals and plastic color:

[Casey]

4) At some point, the kit was revised, and a new front valence panel replaced the bumper, a camper shell/topper, smaller brush guard, cross-lace mesh grille, and turbine wheels appeared, and the motorcycle disappeared for good:










5) Revell jumped into the '80s monster truck craze with both feet and modified the kit into the "Swamp Monster" monster truck, selling thousands of kits to 10-13 year old boys (guilty!) in the '84-'87 time period. The original Swamp monster modified reissue, kit #7441, released in 1984 when Revell was owned by Ceji, was molded in black:






6) The Swamp Monster kt was reissued in the early '90s(?), this time molded in hot pink plastic:




7) The second (third?) monster truck version to be released during the Ceji-era was the "Giant Tracks", which seems to contain the camper shell, valence panel, and brush guard from the modified reissues.

[checkmate]

I've got the original and High Sierra issues, I've been looking for the other two but haven't managed to snag them yet. I never knew how many monster truck issues they did, looking at the box art's the monster trucks look like they run the same rims as the normal issues?
Is this the case because the side walls of the tyres look huge and the rims tiny.

[Casey]

Looking at the box art's the monster trucks look like they run the same rims as the normal issues? Is this the case because the side walls of the tyres look huge and the rims tiny.

Yes, that appears to be the case. I think they changed to turbine style wheels when the Swamp Monster kit was released, and they look positively dinky in those huge tires.

Even when used with the M/T Baja King tires, the wheels look slightly undersized.

[ZIL 111V]

I got all the versions of the late 70's early 80's of this great Revell kit (L'il Suzuki too cool!!!) will never see back...

Too bad this great 1/16th Revell kit was modified back in the mid 80's, in to those horrible Monster trucks....Turbine type wheels on a crusher Monster truck???

At least the 1/16 ChevyVan & JEEP kits where not caught in the Monster Truck Craze of the mid 80's.

[gray07]

I love these kits, i have a swamp monster and giant tracks in my stash unbuilt.

[BenDover78]

I got all the versions of the late 70's early 80's of this great Revell kit (L'il Suzuki too cool!!!) will never see back...

Too bad this great 1/16th Revell kit was modified back in the mid 80's, in to those horrible Monster trucks....Turbine type wheels on a crusher Monster truck???

At least the 1/16 ChevyVan & JEEP kits where not caught in the Monster Truck Craze of the mid 80's.

I hate they did that also, I've been looking out for one of the first issues for a good price. 

[tooltas]

IF some one had the mountin cruiser the decals would work on a amt bigfoot truck some one can make a spiker's EAGLE  monster truck from the 80's

[kataranga]

Looks like the grille on these trucks is the same as the 1:25 scale truck, which is actually a 77-78 and not the 76 as labelled.