Revell 77 Trans Am

[Sledsel]

Yea, this has been out awhile, but here is my take

Anyone that is on this forum has probably read more than one time about my spotting body issues, especially on Ford products. Several of my favorite cars in 1:1 came out in kit form from Revell. Well, I have a few and am taking time to correct inaccuracies and hopefully soon will have them done, but in the meantime I wanted something that I knew I wouldn't want to modify or alter much. Just something I could add some detail to and get on the shelf.

Well, while out I was at a local drug store, they had some kits for $19 and I decided to grab a Revell 77 Trans Am. Thought was, a nice black Bandit, no frills build. Got home, dug thru the box, all looked decent....... Then later I took it out to start sub assemblies and looked really closely.

Here was what I found:

The body is fairly thick compared to other kits (I understand now it started as a die cast)

The front fenders near the A pillar are shaped wrong, The back edge of the hood should come across and then make a slope down to the fender and door line. This one rises up!

The hood fender line leads us to a side window that is to small and a weird shape at the rear where the door rises.

The body line across the top of the rear quarters continues across the door and to the front fender, but is over exaggerated across the door.

The hood has some nice inner panel detail on the underside, but shows up on the top side as depressions.

The front fender looks to short from the center of the wheel well to the edge where the nose attaches. I did not measure, but comparing to a 1:1 pic

Then the most glaring thing, the over exaggerated body line near the bottom of the door and fender. On a 1:1 this is very minor and gentle, the kit looks as it has side skirts

After examining the body, I was done. Into the box to be sold, traded, MPC donor body used or maybe a dirt track car in the future. Not saying it cannot be built to something good, but just not for me.

Shocked I spotted these flaws being that I am not very familiar with these cars.

From now on, no Revell kits I am not familiar with until I see some built or a good review. (Yes, I do have a few Revell kits I like, in multiples)

Attached photos so you may compare to a 1:1 yourself.

    

 

 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Sledsel

[Can-Con]

The bottom of the body was made that way so you could get the interior and chassis up into it. A concession to the original metal body which you wouldn't be able to simply stretch out to get the parts in. 

An easy fix though is simply trim some off the sides of the chassis plate and bend the rockers and bottom of the doors in slightly to the correct shape.

I never really noticed the rest but I think it still looks good for what it started as.

[Luc Janssens]

In a perfect world there would be a new tool cluster which can eject every Firebird model from '70 'till the '81 MY.

Same for the same gen. Camaro.

But alas....

[LVZ2881]

11 hours ago, Luc Janssens said:

In a perfect world there would be a new tool cluster which can eject every Firebird model from '70 'till the '81 MY.

Same for the same gen. Camaro.

But alas....

As a Camaro/Firebird guy, that would be my dream!!

I own 1:1 ‘77 Z28 and ‘78 Trans Am projects.

[Hawk312]

9 hours ago, LVZ2881 said:

As a Camaro/Firebird guy, that would be my dream!!

I own 1:1 ‘77 Z28 and ‘78 Trans Am projects.

I`ll 3rd that! And a Camaro! Try building any of the middle years, or an `80/`81 Camaro these days. Even the `79 kit is starting to get hard to come by, something I thought would NEVER happen. 

Also, I would be interested what you guys think of this one compared to the old `78 kit. 

[Merkur XR4Ti]

I'm building the Smokey and the Bandit version of this now and the one thing I do like about the kit with it's diecast origins is that it assembles very, very solidly. Good strong attachment points, holes for mirrors, clever engineering of the headlight and grille assembly. And in black it looks good.

[Sledsel]

On 5/24/2021 at 8:15 AM, Hawk312 said:

I`ll 3rd that! And a Camaro! Try building any of the middle years, or an `80/`81 Camaro these days. Even the `79 kit is starting to get hard to come by, something I thought would NEVER happen. 

Also, I would be interested what you guys think of this one compared to the old `78 kit. 

Just going by pictures, the old MPC kits look better body wise (not sure of the AMT body) the chassis and under hood have a lot to be desired. The older MPC body used with parts from this kit should provide a pretty nice build. 

[Oldcarfan27]

As I own a real 78, I have a real affinity for this car. As such, I have gotten to know all the subtle curves and nuances of the original. 

I find the Revell T/A looks chopped and slab-sided. The curves just don't capture the fluid lines of the 1:1. On the positive side, the interior looks great and has plush looking seats and door panels. The chassis has good, correct details. The decals are the best of the three makers.

Monogram's 1/24th scale has the most faithful body shape. The interior and engine are the biggest letdown. The front grilles are too square and squashed.  The decal sheet only includes the bird - no pinstripes.

MPC/AMT kit has the most possibilities to be improved. The rear spoiler and fender skirts, being separate, can be massaged to fit better. The general shape of the body is good. Down side is the chassis, engine and interior are best ignored. Decals, while not great did include the the bird with open plumage. 

I had started a build, using the best parts from all three kits. The MPC body, Revell interior, wheels and chassis. Whenever I get it painted, I'll probably be using the best decal pieces from all three variations.

Unfortunately, there has never been one company that got the entire car correct. 

[slusher]

8 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

As I own a real 78, I have a real affinity for this car. As such, I have gotten to know all the subtle curves and nuances of the original. 

I find the Revell T/A looks chopped and slab-sided. The curves just don't capture the fluid lines of the 1:1. On the positive side, the interior looks great and has plush looking seats and door panels. The chassis has good, correct details. The decals are the best of the three makers.

Monogram's 1/24th scale has the most faithful body shape. The interior and engine are the biggest letdown. The front grilles are too square and squashed.  The decal sheet only includes the bird - no pinstripes.

MPC/AMT kit has the most possibilities to be improved. The rear spoiler and fender skirts, being separate, can be massaged to fit better. The general shape of the body is good. Down side is the chassis, engine and interior are best ignored. Decals, while not great did include the the bird with open plumage. 

I had started a build, using the best parts from all three kits. The MPC body, Revell interior, wheels and chassis. Whenever I get it painted, I'll probably be using the best decal pieces from all three variations.

Unfortunately, there has never been one company that got the entire car correct. 

Do all the kits work/ fit  together?  Does the Revell interior work in AMT Trans am?

[Can-Con]

12 minutes ago, slusher said:

Do all the kits work/ fit  together?  Does the Revell interior work in AMT Trans am?

Takes a little trimming but, , , 

With a little work you can get everything,including the glass from the Revell kit into the MPC body [AMT never made a 2nd gen Firebird] 

The decals are from Keith Marks and hood and scoop is from Missing Link. It'll be painted dark silver with red interior. 

Edited May 26, 2021 by Can-Con

[Can-Con]

3 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

BTW, that's an MPC '74 annual body I've had since the early '80s.

 

Edited May 26, 2021 by Can-Con

[slusher]

That will be a nice build..

[Quintillus]

On 5/23/2021 at 3:19 AM, Sledsel said:

Well, while out I was at a local drug store, they had some kits for $19 and I decided to grab a Revell 77 Trans Am.

Read this and immediately thought Discount Drug Mart. Checked your bio to see that you are from Ohio.

I miss them.

[TransAmMike]

I'mmmmmm watching😉

[Sledsel]

I assume the this is an old MPC tool?

[Can-Con]

1 hour ago, Sledsel said:

I assume the this is an old MPC tool?

Yes. That's the second tool MPC cut to keep up with demand for the Blackbird kit. 

It's the same kit that's out now in this box,,

The '79 that's been out for a couple years was the annual.

[Hawk312]

13 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Yes. That's the second tool MPC cut to keep up with demand for the Blackbird kit. 

It's the same kit that's out now in this box,,

The '79 that's been out for a couple years was the annual.

 

Interesting. I see that that kit has a choice of three color decals, like the `79 kit. And I assume, like the `79 kit, the decals are the only reason to buy this kit, as the proportions (particularly the front end) look unconvincing?

[Can-Con]

10 hours ago, Hawk312 said:

 

Interesting. I see that that kit has a choice of three color decals, like the `79 kit. And I assume, like the `79 kit, the decals are the only reason to buy this kit, as the proportions (particularly the front end) look unconvincing?

Dunno ,, the proportions looked pretty good to me. But, everyone is different.

[Sledsel]

14 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Dunno ,, the proportions looked pretty good to me. But, everyone is different.

Agree, proportions all around look good

 

 

[Hawk312]

On 6/2/2021 at 6:43 PM, Can-Con said:

Dunno ,, the proportions looked pretty good to me. But, everyone is different.

I am still struggling with that front clip, which just looks to bulky under the headlights, and the headlights look just a little shallow. Thats just to my eyes. 

That said, I remember seeing your build years ago Can-Con, and it is FANTASTIC and inspiring. Great color and great wheels! Is that the kit decals? What tires and outer rim did you use?

[Luc Janssens]

2 hours ago, Hawk312 said:

I am still struggling with that front clip, which just looks to bulky under the headlights, and the headlights look just a little shallow. Thats just to my eyes. 

That said, I remember seeing your build years ago Can-Con, and it is FANTASTIC and inspiring. Great color and great wheels! Is that the kit decals? What tires and outer rim did you use?

Could the front clip of the Revell be adapted to fit the Mpc kit, or the grilles/headlamp assy'? (Don't have the Revell kit myself, that's why the question)

 

Edited June 5, 2021 by Luc Janssens

[Can-Con]

5 hours ago, Hawk312 said:

I am still struggling with that front clip, which just looks to bulky under the headlights, and the headlights look just a little shallow. Thats just to my eyes. 

That said, I remember seeing your build years ago Can-Con, and it is FANTASTIC and inspiring. Great color and great wheels! Is that the kit decals? What tires and outer rim did you use?

Thanks David,

The decals are Keith Marks' and the wheel rims are made from copies of the large steel wheels in the older issues of the MPC Dodge pickups that I had cast myself and had plated.

[Can-Con]

2 hours ago, Luc Janssens said:

Could the front clip of the Revell be adapted to fit the Mpc kit, or the grilles/headlamp assy'? (Don't have the Revell kit myself, that's why the question)

 

I'll check that for you Luc. I don't think it could fit any worse than the kit part though. 😉

[Oldcarfan27]

On 6/5/2021 at 7:46 AM, Luc Janssens said:

Could the front clip of the Revell be adapted to fit the Mpc kit, or the grilles/headlamp assy'? (Don't have the Revell kit myself, that's why the question)

 

IIRC, I think I used the Revell grilles in the MPC nose, which made it look better. 

I'll have to dig it out for pictures. 

The only part of the MPC body I didn't like was the rear spoiler - it looked like a straight up billboard back there! That's why I said it should be massaged to fit better. 

[camaro69]

On 5/23/2021 at 9:19 AM, Sledsel said:

Well, while out I was at a local drug store, they had some kits for $19 and I decided to grab a Revell 77 Trans Am. Thought was, a nice black Bandit, no frills build. Got home, dug thru the box, all looked decent....... Then later I took it out to start sub assemblies and looked really closely.

Here was what I found:

The body is fairly thick compared to other kits (I understand now it started as a die cast)

The front fenders near the A pillar are shaped wrong, The back edge of the hood should come across and then make a slope down to the fender and door line. This one rises up!

The hood fender line leads us to a side window that is to small and a weird shape at the rear where the door rises.

The body line across the top of the rear quarters continues across the door and to the front fender, but is over exaggerated across the door.

The hood has some nice inner panel detail on the underside, but shows up on the top side as depressions.

The front fender looks to short from the center of the wheel well to the edge where the nose attaches. I did not measure, but comparing to a 1:1 pic

Then the most glaring thing, the over exaggerated body line near the bottom of the door and fender. On a 1:1 this is very minor and gentle, the kit looks as it has side skirts

I tried to correct most of these issues. Will post this in the WIP section next days.