ReduitRetro

Hello again friends! Question, how many of you still have builds from over 30 years ago? As in say the George W. Bush Presidency era. Well, I do for sure. Now even though this kit has been reproduced in a few different forms since, I purchased and built this one back in '91. I can remember looking most all summer for detailed pictures of the famed optional Chevy cross ram dual carb 302 small block high performance V-8 featured in this kit, just to be as accurate as possible in my detailing plan. Remember, back then you had to find information the hard way, not like now with the help of the internet and smart phones. Anyway, I built this Monogram 1/12th scale Camaro Z/28 completely box stock, adding the kit supplied Goodyear Eagle Radial tires, and Cragar SST wheels for that classic weekend cruiser look. Dechromed and painted the front bumper to replicate the optional "Endurance" bumper, bare metal foiled the exterior trim, and added the woodgrain accents to the dash to better replicate the Deluxe interior package. I also used authentic automotive DupliColor "Glacier Blue" paint that would've been an available color choice for '69 Camaro's. Engine detailing include spark plug wiring (in the correct firing order) heater hoses, carb linkages and return spring, fuel lines, battery cables, vacuum and crankcase vent hoses, and a plumbed brake master cylinder. Since I've been a member here for now more than 10 years, I've seen several much nicer examples done of this kit, and most were simply stunning to see. I just hope my old prehistoric build can at least stand in the back of the same room with them. Thanks for looking!

Nice build! And you are absolutely correct about losing small parts, my absolute mistake was having carpet in my building room! I've a couple times in the past literally had to go buy another whole kit just to get a small replacement part.

Beautiful Duster there my friend, nice job! But for some reason I feel the need to purchase more auto insurance...hmm, lol!

Very very nice Mercury Comet build! It's somewhat rare to see these kits featured...in ANY form. Glad to see I caught this one. Is this the Caliente version by the way?

A very nice super clean build! One of many pending build projects on my to do list that await my attention in my stash.

I love it! I've got a couple Ranchero kits buried in my stash somewhere, looks like you've given me a few ideas...nice!

Great looking build, and in a nice period correct color too!

Hello again friends! Once again, I have a very old build from my collection to showcase while current projects are coming together on my workbench. I originally built this kit back in 1982 when MPC put it out, and being a high school kid with lack luster modeling skills at the time produced some...let's say very interesting models, but I'm sure I wasn't the only one, lol! At any rate, I decided years later to revisit and rebuild some kits of my youth in an attempt to right the many mistakes and building blunders I had on my way to hopefully becoming a better model builder. I came across this particular kit at a garage sale some 25 plus years ago, and decided this would be the beginning build of eventually many that I would make right...finally. Built in '99, I decided to copy the original exterior/interior colors I chose back while in high school from my original build, paying attention to details, and adding other subtle details such as the window filler triangles behind the mirrors on the "A" pillars, some styrene strips to replicate the side window rear weatherstrips at the "B" pillars. Added the "blackout" surrounds on the front windshield and rear hatch window, detailed the interior with the period correct black instrument panel and side door arm rest and door details, along with the center console. '82 was the last year GM used corporate engine blue on their engines, so as I had some on hand that's what I used. The model as you can see was otherwise built box stock, and I feel even today that MPC really nailed the overall look of the then newly redesigned Camaro. We Gen X people remember these cars well, as they were absolutely everywhere back then...uh, just like that infamous mullet hair style was too, lol! Thanks for looking.

Bravo sir!!! Beautiful build!

Very very nice work! Clean details, and what looks like an authentic available factory color too!

Very nice build! I may have to reconsider not having one of these in my stash.

A beautiful clean build! And the custom wheels and tires really put it over the top.

Excellent build!! Who's the kit manufacturer?

Thats a nice one Michelle, glad you were able to get that bumper. Love that color too!

Thats a wild ride!...great job!

I like It!...nice execution of a somewhat ho-hum kit. I have one of these in my collection, and you've given me some great ideas. Great job.

Hello again! This is yet another survivor build from nearly 30 years ago. GM back in the day would occasionally put out particular vehicles to showcase what their gear headed engineers could come up with, and the '93 Silverado 1500 SS-454 pickup was no exception. From a long line of factory "specialty" rides, such as the Buick Grand National and its more sinister version the GNX, the GMC Typhoon and Syclone, and the Chevy Impala SS, these vehicles carved out a special place in the hearts of automotive fans everywhere. Recently this kit has been reintroduced with a few improvements over the older version, but in my opinion totally unnecessary. Built completely box stock at the time, as I felt the kit was just about perfect as it came. Apparently many agreed with me indeed. PS, anyone interested in a closer look at Chevy's rival the Ford F-150 Lightning pictured with the featured truck, please refer to my "Forgettable Muscle" post for details. Thanks for looking.

Back in '97 when the newly redesigned pickups from Ford hit the market, some say they completely caught GM asleep at the wheel. With bold, rounded, but completely recognizable appearance as a Ford product, the trucks took on an even larger appeal to truck buyers, and again helped Ford to stay the number one selling domestic truck in America. This kit was built sometime in '98 over a short stay at home vacation week and was yet another quick easy build to get out of a modeling slump in between projects. I started with the AMT/ERTL Snapfast Plus kit, found a way to give the truck a slight suspension lift, which was interesting because this is a promo style kit that featured all the chassis and suspension details molded in on one slab of plastic. I didn't like the choice of wheels/tires in the kit, so I replaced them with a set from the Revell '97 Ford F-150 XLT Flareside kit instead. Other than those changes, the kit is box stock. Thanks for looking.

Looks good. I have a few models that I too took a compilation of parts from other kits to make my own unique ride.

Yes, you sharp eyed modelers would know this is actually Revell's '99 Silverado kit from way back when, but since I didn't get around to building mine until late 2000, I updated the truck a little. The Silverado when it went to the now proven bullet proof GMT800 platform for the '99 model year, the extended cab model featured here was ONLY available with the curb side right rear door that opened. This of course eventually started the "door wars" of all the pickup manufacturer's at the time, and I believe by the model year 2000, all the major players offered a full 4-door extended cab pickup. I eventually made my model an '02 because that was the last year the Silverado had this front end design, as the '03 introduced what is now known as the "cat eye" Chevy's. This kit indeed had its share of problems when introduced by Revell, but with a little patience and care the model can render a very nice example of a pickup that's still all over the place today. I decided to feature this very old build because rarely do you see this kit built anymore, and if you do, its never usually built box stock. The scribed in the street side left rear door was to bring the model up to the 2000-2002 truck specifications. Thanks for looking.

Yes, you sharp eyed modelers would know this is actually Revell's '99 Silverado kit from way back then, but since I didn't get around to building mine until late 2000, I updated the truck a little. The Silverado when it went to the now proven bullet proof GMT800 platform for the '99 model year, the extended cab version featured here was ONLY available with the curb side rear door that opened. This of course eventually started the "door wars" of all the pickup manufacturers at the time, and I believe by the model year 2000 all the major players offered a full 4-door extended cab pickup. I eventually just made my model an '02 because it was the last year the Silverado had this front end design, as the '03 introduced what is now known in the pickup world as the "cat eye" Chevy's. This kit indeed had its share of problems when introduced by Revell, but with a little patience and care the model can render a very nice example of a pickup that's still all over the place today. I decided to feature this very old build because rarely do you see this kit built anymore, and if you do, its never usually built box stock. Thanks for looking.

Although GM was experimenting with turbocharging a variety of naturally aspirated engines at the time in search of performance, the only two that made it to production was Buick's 231(3.8 litre) V6 developed in the late 70's, and Pontiac's 301(4.9 litre) V8 that showed up in late 1980 to be used in the '81 Firebird Turbo Trans Am. This engine however was exclusive and optional only to the Firebird and was never actually offered in its cousin the Chevy Camaro. I guess someone at Monogram Models back in the day did not get the memo, or was led to believe this version of the Z/28 would make it to production...it indeed did not. The kit however is a nice one though if you're looking for a nice second generation Camaro build. It is however the oddball 1/20th scale, and generally is just a "rebodied" Trans Am kit that Monogram also offered back then. Anyway, thanks for looking!

This kit is another long time survivor in my collection that was also built in the late 90's. Pretty much a straight out of the box build, with the exception of some custom wheels, chrome exhaust tips, and a scratch built tool box. Two tone blue and white exterior paint, with white factory bucket seat interior, 350 V-8 and automatic transmission. I neglected to plumb and wire the engine when I originally built it, something I regret today as I feel the truck deserves it. Anyway, I thought I'd include this old girl among all the absolute fabulous builds I'm seeing on the site lately. Hope you enjoy, and thanks for looking.

Absolutely beautiful! Excellent attention to the weathering details...spot on, great work!