Len Carsner

It's been awhile since we told you that Bill and I were building the Revell 1962 Impala but that doesn't mean we've been idle. We've gotten started and we're heading in two different directions aiming for the same goal - two very different versions of the same kit. Once again I will be building the street version while Bill will be building the optional race version. Let's get into it: We've had plenty of discussion about the body, here it is again with primer. After a thorough washing and examination I can report no surprises when it comes to mold lines and sink marks. I'll be block sanding this car before painting, so I'll update you if there are any spots that need attention but so far this kit is as nice as you would expect from a new tool. Here are the color choices for my street car - the darker blue is for the exterior, the light blue is for the interior plus I'll use some of the exterior color for two tone accents. Here I've separated the small parts, sorted them as to the colors to be used, and attached them to some wooden paint stir sticks that I've wrapped with masking tape. The stick makes it easy to handle the parts and the masking tape keeps them in place while painting them. Here's a closer view of the interior panels. Lots of opportunity for detailing here. The engine is made up of two halves, two cylinder heads, an oil pan and water pump (not pictured here). Here I have mine primed and ready for paint. And just to tease a little, here's Bill's partially built engine for his race version. More on this in my next post. That's all for now. I'll be posting again on Friday, focusing on Bills' progress so far with his buildup. See you then, Bill and Len

Done for tonight!

Some of you guessed correctly that our next project is the 1962 Chevy Impala by Revell. I'll be building a street version while Bill, as usual, will be the optional race version. Here's what we know so far: 1 - This kit is an Impala, not an Impala SS. To my knowledge this may be the first time a non-SS 62 Impala has been kitted (please correct me if I am wrong). 2 - There is only drivetrain, the dual-quad 409 with a four speed. For small block fans, time to kit-bash with that 63 or 64 Impala you've got on the shelf. 3 - This car has a bench seat rather than buckets. Buckets with a console were optional on the Impala, standard with the SS. 4 - There are full wheel covers and "poverty" caps for the steel wheels. There are two extra wheels for the optional slicks. 5 - There are no markings on the tires or slicks. There are four decals for the whitewall tires and two wider whitewall decasl for the slicks. 6 - The decal sheet has all of the dash gages, side moldings, and emblems, plus the generic race markings. Something I don't recall ever seeing in a kit is a decal for the shift knob with the four speed shift pattern! 7 - The silver areas on the front and rear bumper will need to be painted by the builder. 8 - There are two sets of headers (street and race) for the 409 engine. There is also a stock dual snorkel air cleaner and an oval shaped unit that appears to mimic an aftermarket unit. 9 - There are two exhaust systems - stock and racing (side outlet). 10 - All parts are bagged with the exception of the decal sheet. Our buildups have already started, so we'll be updating you within a few days. Keep checking the "On the Workbench" forum for the latest info. Now, I'll leave you with a few pictures of the box contents: (continued in next post....)

I like where this one is going! Looking forward to your next update.

That blue sounds pretty good, would you use the white stripes from the kit or make your own?

They started showing up in some shops this past weekend.

The end has come, and just in time for the holidays! Check out the shots of our completed Oldsmobiles and read our final thoughts at the end. From any angle this new Revell 1972 Hurst Oldsmobile convertible is a looker, matching up very nicely with all of the references we’ve had access to. This is a well-engineered 1/25th scale kit and the compound curves and proportions give it a definite appearance of realism. This rear view again emphasizes the attention to detail and how well thought out this new Revell kit is. The fit and finish of individual parts and the interior to body, the unique separate windshield frame and the final assembly were near flawless. When it’s all said and done a good model can become a great model with that extra little bit of attention to final detail. I like to let a finished model sit for a short while until I can come back to it with a fresh perspective. That’s when those little things like a body color touch-up here and there will make it a great model. Use the same approach for other colors on this model like flat black and gold and carefully apply them with a small diameter brush where needed as shown here. Much like their 69 Nova and recent 57 Chevy 150 Utility Sedan/Black Widow kits, Revell has rung the bell once again. The new Revell 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass kit offers us two slightly different version to wet our building appetites. Len's 442 convertible on the left makes a great stable mate for Bill's Cutlass Supreme-based Hurst Olds topless version on the right. Coming or going, hoods up or down, these two versions of the new Revell 1972 Oldsmobile 442/Hurst convertibles are a welcome and long-overdue addition to their product line. This is a well-thought out kit, with abundant details and body, chassis and driveline parts just begging for a multitude of additional detailing. The tires remain about the only sore spot we found in building these two beauties. The kit tires appear to be a tad small in diameter and the lack of sidewall surface graphics doesn't help. After-market tire lettering or substituting a slightly larger diameter tires from another source (especially something with some sidewall detail) will only improve the overall appearance of this fine kit. Anybody who's owned a convertible knows this is the only way to fly...top down! There's been some fuss about no up-top in the new Revell 1972 Olds 442/Hurst convertible kit. It's not something we found to be a distraction or detrimental to this kit kit that has so many things going for it. Patience grasshopper, and that's our final word on that subject. Final Thoughts: It's obvious this is a brand-new tool. Very crisply molded parts and pieces. The fit and finish to the raw parts is impressive. The choice of a 442 and a Hurst Olds convertible are good choices. Though many builders will put their own personal spin to this kit, these two choices are a good place to start. I really like the unique convertible windshield frame treatment. The historic problem with convertible kits in the past, especially since the windshield frames have always been molded as part of the body shell, they bend, they break, they fracture! Fixing the broken or bent parts has always been a chore. With the new Revell approach the old situation is no more! With in the two versions there's a nice selection of optional parts like two transmissions, two consoles and two rear axles. The potential for spin-off from this initial tooling is staggering when you begin counting up the variations. A second choice of wheels might have been nice but I feel sure that's coming in some other version. An up top would have been nice but I own a convertible and convertibles are meant to have the top down. You only have the top up on a convertible when it rains or you've put it away for the winter. Otherwise, the top is down. Again, I feel sure that some future variant will have an up top. Tires. Since every Tom, Dick and Harry in the 1/1 tire business wants their collective palms greased, we the model building public suffer because Revell refuses to pay the licensing fees. I find no fault with Revell but despise the greedy tire companies who apparently can't make a living from selling regular tires. I guess there plan is to become profitable on the backs of modelers. A larger diameter tire even generic would give the finished model that beefy look synonymous with American muscle cars. There should be a steady demand for after-market tire markings if they can pull it off with out being hounded by the licensing police. The level of detail of this new Olds kit is very good. It continues to amaze me what we get in a model kit box these days. Overall, a very pleasing building experience and a very attractive finished model. So another project comes to an end. We would like to thank everyone at Revell for their help in presenting this project to the public. We'd also like to thank the owners/moderators of the forums we've been posting on these past few weeks. Most of all we'd like to thank the modeling community: those of you that read, looked watched, commented upon, or questioned what Bill and I have been doing. All of your comments have been noted, and Revell as well as Bill and I take them seriously. Your comments help Revell to bring better products to market, and they help Bill and I to better report the information you want and need when considering whether to spend your hard earned money. Again, thanks to all for your comments and encouragement. While this project has come to an end, I'm fairly certain we'll be back soon with another sneak-peek buildup. Merry Christmas to everyone! Have a safe and joyous holiday season! Bill Coulter and Len Carsner

This shot shows the decals and 442 emblem in place. Why no engraved emblems? Makes it easier to release alternate versions in the future. The multi-piece engine assembly looks very good and has only two parts that are plated (the fuel pump and carb). One issue I did have was that the engine and transmission did not fit flat together, requiring a little finesse with a flat file to get them to mate properly. Minor issue at best but one to make note of. The chassis is made up of multiple parts that need little attention to make then stand out The transmission crossmember is a seperate piece and can be located in two different locations to accommodate the longer automatic or shorter manual transmissions. This closeup shows the rear suspension and the W27 axle cover in place. Here we see the engine in place awaiting the firewall, radiator support, and air conditioning lines: and here we see them installed along with the interior. I chose a white interior to compliment the stripes. I was really trying to avoid looking too much llike the box art car but a white interior just seems right with this body color and stripe combination. It sure looks good sitting an all four wheels, come back tomorrow when we'll wrap this project up and give you our unbiased opinions. Thanks for your comments and for looking, Bill Coulter and Len Carsner

Time for another update. Well, the kits are in the shops and some people already have them in hand so it's high time Bill and I wrap this project up. I'm posting the finale of the buildup tonight and tomorrow will be our final thoughts and beauty shots (of the cars, not us!) Let's begin: Never start a decaling job without all the right tools etc. Tap water (with a drop or two of dish detergent), Setting solutions, non-oil facial tissue, tweezers, small sewing scissors, tooth pick, cotton swab and clean paint brushes are essential to getting good results. I like to use two different brushes (in this case different sizes) when using decal solutions. That way you can quickly tell which one you're used with which solution. If you want the appearance of a license plate frame, apply the license plate water-slide decal of your choice (the kit has four plate options) to the kit front and rear part No. 107 as shown here. Another option for applying license plates to your 72 Hurst Olds convertible is to carefully trim the license plates of your choice from the kit decal sheet. The apply a few dabs of Testors Clear Parts Cement and attach the front and rear plates in position as shown here. Once a small amount of The Detailer Black liquid wash was applied where the rims attach to each spyder, carefully apply Testors Gold enamel with a 3-0 brush as shown here. The kit decal sheet also features four decals to denote the center cap logos. Once the separate windshield frame was carefully removed from the parts tree, the clear windshield was trial fit in place. Make sure the recessed engraving on both parts matches up squarely and temporarily tape the delicate clear part in place. Upon close inspection, when you're satisfied with the alignment and fit, apply a bead of Testors Clear Parts Cement around the seam between the two parts as shown here. Once the white glue has thoroughly dried, the sunvisors/rearview mirror bracket can be glued into place, the protruding bracket (shown here) attaches to a recessed slot in the center top of the windshield frame (under the tape strip). So far Bill has had all of the fun, now it's my turn: Let's talk about options. Shown here are some of the optional parts included in the kit. Wed have the W30 rear spoiler, a console for the automatic transmision (the kit includes both transmissions and the appropriate consoles), a dual-snorkle air cleaner, the standard stamped steel differential cover (along with the W27 aluminum cover), and the 1970 only W27 differential housing with the aluminum center section. Not shown are the outside temperature indicator which mounts on the left hand door, the second transmission, and the afore mentioned decals for the license plates. With all of these spare parts included it's easy to assume there will be other versions of the kit somewhere down the road. I wanted a bold color for my car so I chose Inferno Orange Metallic, the same color used on late model GM cars and trucks. After priming I applied three coats of color, wet sanded it after a few days drying time, then three coats of Testors Wet Look Clear which was given the once over with the polishing cloths and then cleaned up before the next step. The bright Bare Metal Foil really pops against the orange paint. I was somewhat concerned that the decals might be a little thin and let the color bleed through but that wasn't the case. The long side decals took a little work to get them properly aligned and spaced properly around the wheel openings but I'm pleased with the result. continued in the next post.....

Time for another update. Well, the kits are in the shops and some people already have them in hand so it's high time Bill and I wrap this project up. I'm posting the finale of the buildup tonight and tomorrow will be our final thoughts and beauty shots (of the cars, not us!) Let's begin: Never start a decaling job without all the right tools etc. Tap water (with a drop or two of dish detergent), Setting solutions, non-oil facial tissue, tweezers, small sewing scissors, tooth pick, cotton swab and clean paint brushes are essential to getting good results. I like to use two different brushes (in this case different sizes) when using decal solutions. That way you can quickly tell which one you're used with which solution. If you want the appearance of a license plate frame, apply the license plate water-slide decal of your choice (the kit has four plate options) to the kit front and rear part No. 107 as shown here. Another option for applying license plates to your 72 Hurst Olds convertible is to carefully trim the license plates of your choice from the kit decal sheet. The apply a few dabs of Testors Clear Parts Cement and attach the front and rear plates in position as shown here. Once a small amount of The Detailer Black liquid wash was applied where the rims attach to each spyder, carefully apply Testors Gold enamel with a 3-0 brush as shown here. The kit decal sheet also features four decals to denote the center cap logos. Once the separate windshield frame was carefully removed from the parts tree, the clear windshield was trial fit in place. Make sure the recessed engraving on both parts matches up squarely and temporarily tape the delicate clear part in place. Upon close inspection, when you're satisfied with the alignment and fit, apply a bead of Testors Clear Parts Cement around the seam between the two parts as shown here. Once the white glue has thoroughly dried, the sunvisors/rearview mirror bracket can be glued into place, the protruding bracket (shown here) attaches to a recessed slot in the center top of the windshield frame (under the tape strip).

According the email I received from Revell on Wednesday the kits are at the distributors and should start showing up in the stores next week. Just in time for Christmas! Len C.

Bill and I have talked about that very subject on a number of occasions. I've been saving these posts as PDF files thinking someone might be interested in having them as a visual in-depth set of building instructions. Someday maybe we'll work something out with MCM, Revell, or our own website to make them available as downloads. Thanks for the kind words and compliments. Len C.

Well, if picture is worth a thousand words...... Len C.

If everything goes as expected we should see them on the shelves before the end of the month. Just in time for the New Year. Thanks for your interest.

Another week, another update. We continue with the 72 Olds, doing a little detail work to the exterior of the body. Don’t be fooled into thinking there isn’t much bright work trim details on the exterior surfaces of the new Revell 72 Cutlass body shell. Start with a fresh sheet of BMF Chrome then add simple hand tools like a fresh No. 11 blade, tweezers and a cotton swab to guarantee good final results. Consulting solid 72 Olds Cutlass reference materials is important especially when detailing the hood. It’s easy to miss such details as the back edge of the hood that adjoins the cowl and the leading edge trim that surrounds the top of the Cutlass grill. I’ll bet you had a hardy laugh seeing the magnifying glass in this photo. Even if your eyesight isn’t what it used to be, using such a tool in this instance is strongly recommended. Why you ask? The level of detail on the headlight lenses alone requires it. The horizontal and vertical lens engraving can barely be seen with the naked eye but it is important to get it lined up straight. Once you “see†these intricate details you’ll appreciate the magnifier. Smile! This tight close-up of the 72 Cutlass front end is quite revealing. The opportunity for in-depth detailing is rampant. Careful hand painting inside the headlight bezels is a bit tricky but convincing when completed. Here the grille mesh was painted Testors Black Chrome. The Oldsmobile script was treated to some The Detailer black. Tamiya Clear Yellow was brushed on the backside of the turn signal lenses before installation. Both the grill divider and the four clear headlight lenses were set in place with white glue. This was particularly important for the lenses, which will require a bit of circular movement to get the lens engraving straight up and down. This rear shot shows the slender trim line running across the edge of the deck lid and rear fender extensions which has been carefully covered with BareMetal Chrome foil. The taillight lenses were glued in place (again with the white stuff) and painted chrome silver on the backside. Also a touch of white bottle paint brings the back-up light lenses to life as shown here. Take a moment to test-fit the assembled interior, the painted and foiled body shell along with the chassis plate. Surprises are great for birthdays and Christmas but are never good when finishing up a model. The new Revell 72 Olds Cutlass firewall consists of molded-in and separate parts as shown here (left). After the original coat of matte black, molded-in parts were highlighted with Testors Aluminum Metalizer on the firewall. Individual parts like the wiper motor mechanism and the master cylinder/power brake booster were also painted with Metalizer with the booster getting a liberal coat of Tamiya Clear Yellow as a final step. That's all for now, next update this weekend when I'll be taking over to show some of the optional parts you'll have to choose from and I'll also be showing some of the differences between Bills' Hurst Olds and my Cutlass 442 version. See you then. Thanks for looking. Bill and Len

Well, the next update took a little longer than we expected but sometimes real life takes precedent. In any event here's our next update on the 72 H/O Cutlass. Today we'll cover painting, and detailing the interior. Let's begin: Carefully trim out each decal piece in preparation for application to the center console, dashboard and interior door panels. Small sewing scissors, shown here are best for such intricate jobs. For best results, water with a touch of dish detergent, decal setting solutions and the proper hand tools are recommended. Dashboard and steering wheel details on the Revell Hurst Olds Cutlass are a combination of hand-painting and kit decal application. Here the instrument cluster (three individual gauge faces, switch gear and wood trim are taken straight from the kit decal sheet. The remainder was highlighted with Testors Silver paint and a 3-0 brush. The Olds Cutlass interior fits together like a well-engineered puzzle. The platform-style just begs for special attention to surface details that are plentiful in this Olds Cutlass interior. Here the initial test fitting of interior parts is being accomplished as the pieces can be temporarily held in place with masking tape. The detailed right-side interior door panel can be clearly seen from this angle. Fit and clearance issues are nonexistent…so far. Note the center console that is unique to the automatic transmission version of this new Revell kit. Here the completed 72 Cutlass interior is well engineered allowing for intricate detailing while fitting together flawlessly. This interior is a great platform for further detailing. During the disassembly of the interior parts in preparation for gluing everything into place, it was decided to use narrow strips of BareMetal Chrome foil to brighten up the lower door panel details. The next installment is ready and will be posted on Monday. See you then. Bill and Len

continues... Using Testors Aluminum Metalizer bottle paint, the gas tank was painted as shown here. Note the hanger straps, which were painted Steel for contrast. Here the rear axle/suspension assembly was painted and placed in their proper locations for a trial fit. In this instance the standard rear axle/differential cover was used along with the upper and lower control arms. The optional W-27 rear axle and alloy differential cover are optional features though not mentioned in this kits instruction sheet. Once all assemblies are painted and test fit into position, the overall chassis layout should look like this. Note that the dual exhaust system as not been put in place as this stage. The test fit suspension assemblies will be removed for installation of the exhaust system, which snakes its way through and under the rear axle and suspension. To further hide the exhaust system mounting posts, they were carefully painted black (or possibly dark gray) before installation. In the next installment, the exhaust system will be attached and all the front and rear suspension assemblies will to permanently glued into place. So far, so good as up to this point the H/O kit has given us no problems. Bills car has been the focus of the build so far and truthfully the chassis and drivetrain buildup for both cars are virtually the same. Its the body and interiors colors where our two cars start to go their separate ways. Next post we'll get into some of those differences. Thanks for your interest and comments. Bill and Len.

Big update today as the build continues. Dupli-Color GM Pure White lacquer automotive paint was chosen for the body color on this Cutlass. Once thoroughly cured, the body, hood, outside mirrors and center grill piece got a generous coating of Testors Ultra Gloss Clearcoat lacquer. A Micro-Gloss polishing kit was used to bring out the shine on this Cutlass body and hood. A few drops of dish-washing detergent in the water will cushion the automotive wet/dry sand paper. Numbers 4,000, 6,000 and 12,000 sand paper along with the kit Polish brought out the sheen in the lacquer clearcoat. Hold off on the wax until after decals are applied. Decals don’t stick well to waxed surfaces. The level of detail to the top portion of the engine compartment attached to the Cutlass body needs careful attention. Using BareMetal foil and Sherwin-Williams yellow Suretape the area as shown was masked off for painting. Here a generous coating of matt black was applied to the exposed engine compartment configuration. Once the painted area was nearly dry, all the masking materials were carefully and slowly removed being cautious not to pull paint away from any surface. The chassis/frame platform having been painted Testors Panzer Gray earlier, frame detail was highlighted by hand with a 3-0 brush and Testors Black Chrome. Don’t sweat it if you get “outside the linesâ€. Simply spray some of the Panzer Gray into a can lid and using a 5-0 brush carefully touch up the edges and parting lines. With the engine and transmission being tooled as separate pieces, painting is made much easier. Here Testors Oldsmobile Engine Blue is being applied to the Cutlass 455 block, pan, heads and valve covers. Note that the job is being accomplished in two steps. The automatic trans mission was spray painted Testors Metalizer Stainless Steel then the pan was brush painted Metalizer Aluminum. Using either Testors bottle Aluminum, Steel or Black Chrome, using a piece of wax paper as a pallet, can be mixed in various metallic shades to highlight the front suspension parts like sway bar and steering arms as shown here. The Cutlass lower suspension is nicely detailed and thankfully molded as one unitl making it easier to assemble and detail paint. While the painted front suspension assembly thoroughly dries, carefully scrape away any primer or paint at the various contact points in preparation for gluing the front suspension in place. Before permanently attaching assemblies in place a quick test fit is a good idea. Continues in next post...

Very nice build going on here. Looking forward to the end result.

I would say its because I've lived a clean, honest life but anyone who knows me knows that's a crock!

Sorry for the long pause between my last post and this one, I hope the next will be a little quicker in getting here. The Olds is getting our full attention, so let's jump in. On some recent releases by Revell there has been some concern raised over parting lines and mold lines that must be dealt with during prep for painting. I'm pleased to report that there appears to be no issue with this body. Every line is crisp, every corner sharp, and up to this point I haven't found any casting lines to deal with. Quite possibly one of the best we've had in quite some time. While I'm wet sanding mine in preparation for paint Bill will continue with his build and review. For sometime now I’ve been using Plasti-Kote T-236 black primer whenever I need a flat black paint color. The 13 oz spray can goes a long way. It also allows me to adjust the tone of the primer with various clear sprays like Dull, Semi-Gloss and Gloss to achieve just the right look for the application. Shown here is the chassis painted with Testors Panzer Gray and interior platform shot with T-236 black primer. Since the transmission tunnel in the interior platform is exposed, I masked off the front inner fender panels to spray the area shown to match up with the chassis floor pan. Once the underside of the interior platform was dry, I masked-off that area as shown and gave the flat black front inner fender panels a light coat of Testors Semi-Gloss clear. Testors Metalizers are ideal for getting that look of metal for items like the automatic and manual transmission cases as well as the tail pipes and mufflers as shown here. It’s a good idea to organize parts that get painted like colors making the process much easier to accomplish. That’s especially true for those fiddling little detail accessories like the one pictured here. A clean piece of cardboard, a few curls of painters tape and a section of paper towel and you’re ready to paint those little pieces whatever color or shade is required. Metalizers dry especially fast so to do multiple applications, spray one set, wait a bit, cover up the painted parts and they’re protected from the next batch you’ll be doing in another color or shade of paint. The level of detail on this new Revell 72 Olds Cutlass is extensive and keeping track of everything could be a nightmare. But that doesn’t need to be the case if you organize all the various parts by tree and/or function as shown here. Also note that many of the parts groups were left on their respective trees and painted in mass. There are four (okay 5) body related parts to be primed in preparation for the final color coat. They included the body shell, hood, grill divider and the pair of outside rearview mirrors. After light sanding with 600 wet/dry automotive paper, a few generous coats of Plasti-Kote T-235 primer were applies. Once dry to the touch, the individual parts were positioned on sections of wax paper to thoroughly cure out. If I have any criticism concerning this new Olds kit it’s the tires. I know there are intellectual properties issues and licensing restrictions to be considered. But these oversized O-rings have absolutely zero sidewall detail. Even a shoulder would help give some character. To add a bit of life to these four black donuts, I applied Shabo dry transfer lettering (of a forbidden trade mark brand) as show here. For such things, preparation included wiping each sidewall with a bit of lacquer thinner before rubbing off and burnishing the lettering in place as depicted here. We'll end here for now and be back by the weekend with another update. Hopefully we'll have some paint on the bodies and maybe an engine to show. Thanks for looking and thanks to all for your comments. Bill and Len

Since our last posting there have been several points brought up for discussion that we felt need to be addressed before we go further. Lets clear these up now. Note - this is being posted to both the Spotlight Hobbies and Model Cars Boards so you may find a reference to one or the other that hopefully won't confuse everyone. 1 - There are no pace car decals in the kit. Although I’m not sure they were ever mentioned in any of the announcements about this kit it is possible they were originally discussed but dropped due to licensing issues. We’ll have to rely on the aftermarket industry for these unless a later version includes the pace car option. 2 - The tires are the generic pieces with no sidewall, again because of licensing issues. Aftermarket tires and/or lettering transfers will have to fill this gap for now. 3 - The grilles have been a point of discussion. As was pointed out by Bart Orlans on the Spotlight Discussion Board the Hurst cars were based on the Cutlass Supreme, not the 442, so the kit grilles are correct for the Hurst Olds and Cutlass Supreme versions. Below are pictures of the different grilles: 1972 Cutlass 1972 Cutlass Supreme 1972 Cutlass 442 The kit accurately represents the first two grilles. If you want to build an accurate 442 we’ll have to depend on photoetch parts or wait for another version of the kit to be released. 4 - On the Spotlight Discussion board there was some question about the contour of the rear of the deck lid and the “fins†of the quarter panels. This discussion was based on the image we posted of an unprimed body on a light background. Here are a couple of images of the primed body that show the areas in question a little clearer: The “fins†are there and the deck lid is not as sharp as some posters had feared. The look and feel seems to be correct and I’m satisfied with it. I’m sure there are some who are anxiously waiting to attack this kit with engineering scales and micrometers, looking for the least little issue to complain about but let’s wait until its released and you actually have one in your hands before you judge it, shall we? 5 - The rear spoiler was never installed by the factory on a convertible. You could order one at the dealer and have them install it after delivery. The cars that did have spoilers installed during assembly did not have deck lid stripes. The spoiler was not part of the Hurst package and I have found no pictures of any pace cars used at the speedway having one. Possibly one of the courtesy cars used by speedway support staff but it would have been installed by special request. Many of the restored cars you see today at car shows and auctions may have been “over restored†giving many people the wrong impression of what was period correct for these cars. 6 - In 1972 the 442 was a trim package for the Cutlass, not an actual separate model. In fact you could order a Cutlass with every appearance and performance option available and have what was essentially a car that was a 442 but did not have the 442 ornamentation. That’s why you see cars that look/run/feel/sound like a 442 but are really fully-loaded Cutlass Supremes. That could also explain how someone could have what appears to be a 442 with Supreme grilles. I hope this clears up some of the issues brought up so far concerning this kit. It is my intention to educate, not infuriate, everyone as to what some of the facts and myths of these cars really are. If I’ve forgotten anything please let me know, we’ll review this list and update it as necessary. It's also important to remember that, as is usually the case with Revell, this kit is the platform that will launch (hopefully) many other 1968-1972 GM A body vehicles. I'm not privy to any information of future launches but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that this kit, if successful, could be the base for some really great models. We're going to build it and review it fairly and truthfully and ask that you bear with us during this buildup. We'll answer your questions as best as we can. While I’ve thoroughly researched my data I won’t claim to be 100% accurate. The very nature of these cars, the vast number of option combinations available, and the fact that finding a truly original car today is as hard as finding hens teeth makes anyones claim of 100% accuracy shaky at best. Stay tuned for our next post. Len Carsner If you’d like to find out more on Cutlass, 442, and Oldsmobile history check these links: http://www.musclecarclub.com/musclecars/ol...2-history.shtml http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/oldsfaq.htm http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/of442.htm#442%201972 http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/ofocd.htm#1965 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_Cutlass#1972 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldsmobile_442#1972 http://www.mantei.com/index.html?1972olds http://www.thepartsplaceinc.com/ocatalog/p...p;YearList=1972

We'll be talking about the windshield frame in a later installment. Len C.

Yep, four speed and automatic transmissions, two differentials (one is for the all-aluminum W27 option), the W30 rear spoiler, decals for the woodgrain on the doors, console and dash. I can't go into any detail yet, but the body is gorgeous and free of sink marks and mold lines. This is a good one, no doubt. Len C.

Sorry about that, I hit return before I had completely finished the post. I will now slink back into the darkness...... Len C.