tim boyd

Yes, it was! The E58 360 is one of the most misunderstood muscle ear engines of all time. Most car book authors call it a dog and they don't have the first clue what they are talking about. I have first hand experience here, having purchased new a '73 Duster 340 and then factory ordering a new '74 RoadRunner 360. The 340 would wind more but the 360 had mid-range torque that the 340 could only dream of. And that was in a much heavier B body vs. the A body 340. It was a great car - kept it for 16 years and 140,00 miles, but like most Mopars back then, the body rusted at the mere hint of moisture or salt. Sigh...TIM

Paul...ME TOO! I really don't care for that combo pack they offer in the hobby stores now - I just want the wax. I recently got on their website and could not find this product either. I ended up buying some 1.1 scale "Carnauba Wax" IIRC, but I haven't tried it yet so I don't know if its the same product or not. Hmmm....TB

Confirming several items from Bill's post based on my research on the same subjects... * Road lamps were standard on the '70 'cuda (but optional on the '71). * For the first half of the '70 model year, the only color available with both front AND rear Elastomeric (body color) bumpers was FE5 Rallye Red. (At mid-year, it got very complicated - way too much to explain here.) * The standard 'cuda black tailamp cove and surround molding Bill correctly references is, unfortunately, omitted in Revell's body engraving. You'll need to wing this to make for a fully accurate model - not easy to do, but can be done. This was one of the reasons I chose Black for my QuickBuild color - at least it's not as noticeable an omission with that body color. * One other point, on the 340 cars only, E60-15 (not F60's like the Hemi) on 15"x7" rims were standard. The size difference would be almost imperceptible in 1/25th scale, however. (As an aside, the 1970 'cuda and challenger programs must have been a product planner's dream - or nightmare - due to it's complexity! For restorers and modelers...well....) TB

Time for quick update - spent the last day waxing the paint, prepping all the body components, and doing a ton of BareMetal foil work. If everything goes well, the next update should show the finished project. Here's an in-progress shot...

David - Oh man, that breaks my heart. Sandpebble Biege is not my idea of a great color, but a 340 4-speed survivor? $25k is a lot to swallow under any context, but I agree with you, that sounds like it would have been a really good move to get it. So I share your pain! I also had a chance to grab an FE5 '74 'cuda with the E58 360 hi-po in the late 1990's - it was around $18K at the time IIRC correctly and it great shape. I passed too. Like you said, what was I thinking? As for the moldings, yes it's those stripes above and below (and in the front and the back end) of the molding that would be so hard to pull off, yet they are what gives the option its character. Maybe someone in the aftermarket will figure out a solution? TIM

Lee, at the time I first made my proposal to Revell on the content that they should include in the kit, I assumed that the Shaker hood was optional on all 'cudas including the Hemi (just as the Shaker hood was optional on Hemi Challengers), so I recommended they include both hoods in their kit. But fortunately Revell did their homework (unlike me) - or someone else providing them input had their facts straight - and so Revell correctly determined that the Shaker hood was standard with the Hemi. All other 'cuda engines came with the "double bubble" (as someone called it) hood as standard. Revelll went ahead and included the double bubble as the hood for the custom version, but also for all us kitbashers out there that want to do a version with the standard hood. Also to their credit, they corrected the hood from the version that was first shown a year ago at the 2012 NNL Nats (where the sccops and assocated area between were too raised above the main hood surface). Best regards...TIM

I've been collecting books and articles on '70 'cudas for over 25 years now, it turns out, awaiting the time when we'd have a modern 'cuda kit to build. Info above was from several different published sources that all agree on those topics. But exactly like you, I haven't personally seen all the colors described above.... TIM

Me too. I figure I can do the moldings themselves, but how to do the fine pinstriping around the molding? Great color, btw! TIM

The sources I consulted pretty much agree on the following: Shakers on '70 'cudas were available in four colors by the end of the model year - Astrotone (heavy silver flake), - Organisol Black (matt black) - Rallye Red (with Rallye Red cars only ) and - BlueFire Metallic (with B5 BlueFireMetalllic cars only). Organisol Black (IIRC) and Rallye Red (definitely) started the year, Astrotone added later, and finally, BlueFire at midyear - making that color pretty rare in final production. There doesn't appear to be any consensus, however, on what determined whether the Astrotone or Organisol Black was used with various exterior colors. I haven't researched the '71 Air Grabber colors, but the B5 Blue was a different color that year, and the entire 'cuda color and trim program was greatly simplified for that year, so it probably affected the AirGrabber colors. TIM PS, as Bill notes, Fram was a supplier, and sources say that they also provided/painted the air cleaner used with Air Grabbers, and as a result it was a different shade of orange than the Street Hemi Orange on the engine block. Revell provides the air cleaner as a separate part, so I dutifully painted it different orange (pictures later....) TB

And the sources I have consulted suggest that the Shaker scoop "Astrotone" is a much heavier flake than the grille's silver paint .. TB Aha! I get it now! TIM

Bill...thanks! The Shaker hood in this kit is actually comprised of several parts...the hood, the shaker scoop, the grille insert for the shaker scoop, the pan that does under the shaker scoop, and the air cleaner that sits on top of the pan and under the scoop. I'll show these in my next update. Not sure if that impacts your request but wanted to make sure you were aware (if you weren't already). TIM

For those non-Mopar modelers out there, John's note refers to the fact that on most Mopars, and specifically E-Body 'cudas and Challengers, the engine compartment paint matches the exterior paint color. Since I painted this model Gloss Black...well, that's also the color of the engine compartment, vs. the generic matt black, for instance, of many GM muscle car engine compartments no matter what their exterior color. Thanks for the compliment, Johm! TB

Casey....the taillights need a good deal of paint detailing to look presentable but once complete, they actually are fairly convincing. I'll try to show this in my next update. Best...TIM

Here are a few shots with the latest progress... First, the completed engine... Next, the completed interior in 1970 Plymouth code H6B5 'cuda all-vinyl Blue. Note the "'cuda" decal above the door window crank that is provided on the Revell decal sheet. Finally, note the parting line on the far left edge of the instrument panel crash pad that I missed during prep...I am hoping that doesn't show when the interior is inserted in the body, but thought you should be forewarned for your builds! And finally, a shot of the engine compartment side fenderwells, radiator wall, and firewalls. Will probably be several days until the next update...thanks for looking....TIM

I noticed that too. The '70 Michigan Plates are exactly correct (or to put it more precisely, exactly as I remember them from 44 years ago!). TIM

Bill is of course exactly correct that the F60-15 was JUST the Hemi 'cuda...unfortunately I was rushing and forget to include the word "Hemi" prior to "cudas" in my response. I just corrected the post accordingly. Thanks Bill for catching that. TIM

No flocking this time, it is as you say, exactly, a "relatively quick 'build and review' project....thanks TB

David, not only do they look good, they fit perfectly - a straight swap, no kitbashing. TIM (PS for you non Mopar Muscle Mavens out there, all '70 Hemi 'cudas came factory equipped with Goodyear Polyglas GT F16-15 RWL tires...TB)

Bob...that is WAY sharp! Thanks for sharing, and keep up the great work. TIM

Latest build updates... "Carpet" area of floorboard masked off and sprayed with DullCote for a more, well, carpet-like appearance... "Pistol Grip" shifter....still need to do a bit of paint touchup on this piece and one other one show further below...and yes, I got rid of the parting line at the top of the shifter boot after I took this picture.... Revell provides decals for both the IP face and the individual gauges (the latter attaching to a clear lense attached to the back of the IP); plenty of Micro Sol made sure the decal eventually snuggled down....managed to spill some black paint on and just below my carefully detailed heater controls cluster....have since cleaned this up and re-drybrushed.... Rear chassis showing the Dana axle, rear leaf spring suspension, and exhaust system. I removed the copyright engraving behind the rear tank but left a second set of copyright engraving in the area below the axle untouched, thinking it would not show. At least in the 1000x1000 digital pictures, it does show, as you can clearly observe. Something to keep in mind if you are building this as a contest model... Here the engine is largely complete (it has been fully completed after this photo was taken). Note the oil filter decal, the detailed carbs, and the Street Hemi Orange overspray on the factory exhaust manifolds - replicating the 1/1 scale factory restorations of this engine. The kit's Hemi valve covers are plated (vs. bodycolor), so I left them plated (reflecting a possible "Day Two" configuration for this 1/25th scale 'cuda owner) rather than stripping them and painting them textured flat black, which is the correct configuration for a factory fresh restoration. Finally, a shot of the heater hoses and upper radiator hose with the Revell kit decal markings applied... Should have another update soon with the completed engine and completed interior... Thanks for looking...TIM

Man, Juha's Marauder is SPECTACULAR! Just WOW! I have the AirTrax '69 Chrysler 300 and '80 Mirada kits. TIM

Dave...they look fine to me. The holes are also molded open which certainly helps with the paint detailing,...TIM Thanks Casey...that's the one! TIM

Dave...the kit you are thinking of is the AMT/Ertl 1972 Corvette kit from the early 1990's (and probably reissued several times since then). One of my 1/1 scale references says that the Corvette and Mopar B/E Body Luggage Racks were identical, so presumably this would be a completely correct source for the rack. TIM

Here are a few images from a quick buildup I am doing with this kit.... Front suspension detail.... Dana rear axle and suspension detail Engine block.... Body painted in pseudo 1970 Code TX9 "Black Velvet" (actually, Tamiya Gloss Black).... Basic interior panels finished in the blue factory interior color (replicated exactly with MCW Automotive Finishes '69/'70 Plymouth Blue Fire Metallic paint)... I'll continue posting updated images as the build progresses....thanks for looking...TIM

GTX....right you are, no RWL or provision for same. The tires are all-new tooled, however, and look to be the right size/shape. Turns out that the Round 2 Goodyear Polyglas GT F-60-15 RWL tires are an exact fit and swap - no modifications needed. The Round 2 AMT Parts Pack for these tires just showed up at my LHS this week...TIM