Best '58 Impala kit

[BadJuju]

What is the best 1/25 or 1/24 '58 Impala kit?  Pros? Cons?  Kitbash opportunities?  Revell vs AMT?  Etc.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

They're both great kits, depending on what you want and your skill level.

The Revell kit is the more "modern", with crisper engine and suspension detail, and much separate chrome trim that eliminates the need for extensive BMF work.

The AMT kit has opening doors that can be difficult for some builders, but it has loads of optional custom parts.

Either kit can turn out a show stopping model with enough effort.

Edited October 24, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[cobraman]

Make sure you have a lot of BMF or Moloto or your favorite way of doing chrome.

[BadJuju]

Wow.  Thanks, folks!  Maybe the Revell as a base and kitbash in certain parts from the AMT, based on what I end up building (street rod, dragster, etc.)? 

[espo]

I agree with Bill. both are great kits and I have built them both. I think the main reason for building one over the other come down to what it is you're trying to make of it. The earlier AMT kit was considered "State of the art" at the time. Never liked that term, but it is what it is. While the hinges for the doors can be a little fiddly so is the opening trunk on the Revell kit. Doesn't mean you can't just glue them shut if not needed. In some respects, the separate chrome side trim on the Revell kit may offer a time saving, there are a bunch of little mounting tabs designed to pass thru mounting holes in the body and paint buildup may offer a fitment issue. The AMT kit does offer more build options than the Revell, but again it's what you're trying to build. The suspension ride height is easier to adjust on the AMT kit. Both offer well detailed Impala bodies and interiors. While it is only my opinion, I feel that for a showroom stock build either one would work just fine. The Revell kit offered some would be 20 in. wheels and low-profile tires as an option. The AMT has a couple of wheel and tire options more along the line of a 15 wheel and if building something like a day 2 or anything involving say Drag Racing the AMT would provide a wider range of options. And finally, how much do you have to pay to buy either one? Should you be able to buy them both at what you feel is a reasonable price I would suggest buying them.    

[BadJuju]

Super thorough advice, espo!  You make a great point about budget.  The Revell being out of production means it can be expensive.  Glad to know the bodies and interiors are both accurate and detailed.  I especially appreciate the tip about the AMT being easier to adjust ride height.  I would build either a gasser or a lowered & raked hot rod.  I have a pretty good spares box of wheels and tires for either type of build, so it might just come down to budget.  I gather from online research they both have quite nice 409s in them, so I don't think that would differentiate, either.  I have spares box blowers for a gasser, as well.

Edited October 24, 2022 by BadJuju

[StevenGuthmiller]

My opinion?

If you want to build a stock, or close to stock model, go with the Revell kit.

Anything else......the AMT kit.

 

 

Steve

[espo]

22 hours ago, BadJuju said:

Super thorough advice, espo!  You make a great point about budget.  The Revell being out of production means it can be expensive.  Glad to know the bodies and interiors are both accurate and detailed.  I especially appreciate the tip about the AMT being easier to adjust ride height.  I would build either a gasser or a lowered & raked hot rod.  I have a pretty good spares box of wheels and tires for either type of build, so it might just come down to budget.  I gather from online research they both have quite nice 409s in them, so I don't think that would differentiate, either.  I have spares box blowers for a gasser, as well.

Should you use the Round 2/AMT '58 Impala, the front suspension has three different settings on the spindles so the end should be easily adjusted up or down. The kit includes a blower setup and has slicks. The body has an outline on the inside to enlarger the rear wheel well openings if that would be of interest. I remember a real nice set of steel wheels including wider ones for the slicks. I can't remember for sure, but I think there are some chrome wheels as well.   

[BadJuju]

Thanks for the tips!  I have decided on the AMT for my needs, and costs less.  I'd rather sand off the chrome trim than fill in the recesses that are on the Revell kit, should I go the hot rod route.  The gasser idea is tempting, though.  Both kits have 348s, not 409s, despite the AMT decals.  I think, with the blower, you could pass the 348 off as a 409 by swapping the oil dipstick to the opposite side.  If normally aspirated, you'd need to also add a 4bbl carb.

[Ace-Garageguy]

7 minutes ago, BadJuju said:

...Both kits have 348s, not 409s, despite the AMT decals.  I think, with the blower, you could pass the 348 off as a 409 by swapping the oil dipstick to the opposite side.  If normally aspirated, you'd need to also add a 4bbl carb.

There's no reason the engine can't accurately represent a 409, as the 348 3X2 manifold can be run on a 409 IF the 348 heads are used...which will bolt to a 409.

The dipstick location is determined by the oil pan, a bolt-on part which fits either engine, so you can fudge that too.

And of course there's always the aftermarket and custom fabrication, so you can pretty much say your model engine is a 409 and dare anyone to prove otherwise, as long as you've done your homework and have a plausible scenario.    

  

[BadJuju]

The round 2 reissue doesn't seem to have the blower set up.

[espo]

Another source of a blower set up for the 348/409 engine can be found in the early AMT '57 Chevrolet kit. That kit had a blower with four side draft carbs and an enclosed drive belt setup for the kits W engine option. In the AMT kit this made it possible to fit everything under the stock hood. I'm sure there would be some fine tuning on the fit, but it should work, or even use the entire engine from the '57 kit.  

[1972coronet]

I've never had me hands on the Revell version, but it looks quite nice:

 

I have had and do have the AMT version (the c.2018 reissue with the c.1968 box art, moulded in gold metallic), and it's a great one, too :

 

 

[BadJuju]

Thanks for the tips!

I bought the AMT.  I also bought a Revell '62 Impala, which has a lovely 409 dual quad, with chrome shorty headers, chrome ribbed valve covers & oval air cleaner, that will fit under the '58 hood.  I'm still debating if I want to keep the hood clean or use the kit scoop mounted backwards as cowl induction.  I'll scratch some side pipes & cherry bombs.

I have plans to put the AMT 348 with a parts box 4bbl into the '62 to make a faux 409 for that car.  Call me crazy for the swap.

For the stance, I'll use the kit front spindles in the lowered position, and trim the rear springs & shocks to get the rake I want, pending the wheel/tire combo I pull from my parts box.  The leading candidates right now are Revell '50 Ford F1 custom 5-spokes with low-pros.  I shouldn't need any tubbing for those.  The F1 is getting chrome steelies & wide whitewalls.

I'm still debating how much de-bading & de-trimming to do.  I'll shave the door handles.  I need some bullet-shaped door mirrors.  Maybe I can scratch those from some 1/72 jet kit missiles.  I like the kit roll pans (I'm a roll pan fan), but I've seen NO photos of real '58 Impalas so modified, so we'll see on that.

I want to glue the doors shut so I can get a very smooth alignment.  Not sure how the inner door panels go on in that case.  Anybody else do that?

My current thinking on colors is: interior & motor dark red, exterior light gunmetal/gunmetal 2-tone.  I'll de-cant Tamiya colors & airbrush it.

[StevenGuthmiller]

On 10/28/2022 at 10:40 AM, 1972coronet said:

I've never had me hands on the Revell version, but it looks quite nice:

 

I have had and do have the AMT version (the c.2018 reissue with the c.1968 box art, moulded in gold metallic), and it's a great one, too :

 

 

 

 

The Revell kit is very nice!

But I think for anything other than stock, the AMT kit might be better.

It's my understanding that the Revell kit was developed from a diecast platform.

Don't know that to be a fact, it's just what I heard somewhere, but it kind of makes sense when you see things like the screw posts and screws that attach the chassis to the body.

 

 

 

 

 

steve

[1972coronet]

19 hours ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

I think for anything other than stock, the AMT kit might be better.

It's my understanding that the Revell kit was developed from a diecast platform.

Don't know that to be a fact, it's just what I heard somewhere, but it kind of makes sense when you see things like the screw posts and screws that attach the chassis to the body.

I was thinking the same thing re: purely stock vs. custom representations. 
IIRC, there's a mild custom version of the Revell kit around. I seem to remember it having chromed reverse wheels and period graphics, but that's about it.

You're correct regarding the die cast kit origins of the Revell '58. Certainly, the separate side trim, the screws for attaching body-to-chassis, and the opening boot allude to the die cast origins. Some day I'll pick up the Revell kit, as it looks quite nice -- nicely executed.

[Rockford]

So, after reading the above conversation, I have an AMT with opening doors in my stash, and was intending to build it stock one day. Am I making a rod for my own back?

[Bainford]

1 hour ago, Rockford said:

So, after reading the above conversation, I have an AMT with opening doors in my stash, and was intending to build it stock one day. Am I making a rod for my own back?

The AMT '58 builds up nicely stock, too.

[StevenGuthmiller]

5 hours ago, Bainford said:

The AMT '58 builds up nicely stock, too.

Absolutely!

My thoughts pertained more to the fact that the Revell kit might not lend itself as well to a custom or racing subject than anything about the AMT kit.

 

 

 

Steve

[Can-Con]

On 10/28/2022 at 1:45 PM, BadJuju said:

 

I want to glue the doors shut so I can get a very smooth alignment.  Not sure how the inner door panels go on in that case.  Anybody else do that?

 

I've done that. 

All you really need to do is glue the doors on strait and remove all the jam area from the inside. 

Also cut the inner door jam area from the inner door panels and glue them to the interior bucket. 

Then you can just continue with the build as you would with any kit without opening doors.

[BadJuju]

Thanks for the advice!  I'll try that.