1972coronet

The original sketch by Tom Daniels looks 'clean' compared to the 'execution' . Now , that's not to say that the finallised product isn't appealling , it's just not my style (not that any-one asked) . How-ever , like the others have stated : looks like a parts goldmine ! ( Okay , time to geek-out on esoteric history : the contact numbers on the sketch translate to : TRemont-72352 and POplar-91622 , both in the now-emasculated 213 area code ).

Thank God it's not !

The ghost of Roger Smith still haunts G.M. to an extent . Wasn't the 1990 model year the last for the Texas plant facilitating the B-bodies (e.g. , the 1990 & earlier Caprice) ? Or , did it last through the "bitter end" with the 1996 Caprice ? One of G.M.'s biggest mistakes ever was dropping the Caprice ! those 9C1's sold like crazy ! I'm yet to see a full-fleet of the new Holden-based 9C1 Caprice ... I've only seen 2 in-service ( one CHP "test vehicle" and one Riverside County Sheriff's Dept "test vehicle" ) , but have seen a grip of 8 2014 9C1's on the lot at the local Chevy dealer (ostensibly , around 2-3 years ago) in Riverside County paint schemes .

I love the flat red paint ! I'm not typically a fan of dull-on-purpose paint jobs ; how-ever , any 50's vehicle has enough brightwork to balance the dull paint . Excellent choice ! Is the radiator in the correct-per-the-instructions location ? I've not yet built one of those ( super nice ) Revell '55-'56-'57 Chevies , so I'm not familiarised with the instructions . I've been building on-and-off (more "on") for 40 years , and have never added wiring / battery cables / etc. ! Keep up the great work , Patrick !

Those things worry me a bunch . To me --and many others-- operating a motor vehicle is a true skill . Am I a perfect driver ? No ! How-ever , I am cognisant of my surroundings , either as far ahead as I can see , as far-back as I can see , and even how far-off to my left and right that I can see (i.e. , checking underpasses for potential emergency vehicles that may enter the highway , etc.) . To me , those [explaitive] self-driving vehicles should be reserved only for the brain-dead masses ! Let those of us whom respect the machinery and our fellow [gag] drivers keep driving / operating real vehicles !

...not to mention the radically-angled backlights ! My daily driver is a 2013 Civic Coupe (which I absolutely love , btw) . Its view out-through the backlight --when backing-up-- is marginal at best ; as you've pointed out : headrests and other gimmicks . I look not only at the Back-Up Camera , but also over my shoulders as far as I can crane my neck . Never had a problem ! Heck , check out the backlight angle on the '71-'73 Mustang Sportroof , '70-'76 Duster , '71-'72 Demon , and '73-'76 Dart Sport ; not as bad as the Sportroof 'Stang , but definitely right up there ! Some mandates were "necessary" . For an instance : Anti-Glare Interior Parts ( i.e. , bright instrument panels , steering wheel horn rings / hubs , window cranks , A-Pillar mouldings , various dials and switches ) . I believe that 1966 was the last model year for gobs of brightwork in interiors . Shoulder restraints were another necessary item , imo . Lap-only restraints SUCK . 1968 model year mandated shoulder restraints . How about the exhaust tip on the 273 HP V8's ( 1965-1967 Barracuda and Dart ) ? Talk about shin slicers ! Aerodynamics came into play by c.1979 when then-President Carter signed "C.A.F.E." Standards into legislation .

Easily the truest statment and assessment thus-far ! Even enthusiasts whom weren't necesaarily Chevrolet fans were fans of the late , great "Smokey" ! A brilliant mind , indeed . Sounds to me like the N.A.S.C.A.R. Hall of Fame is of the same sensibility as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame : total schlock-fest !

Similar , albeit different : The Velvet Revolution of the Czech Republick .

I think that it's more by happenstance that this NicKey-specific version is "lacking" the stock SS parts , as the NicKey parts are on their own separate "trees" . On the positive side , this version includes the Deluxe Interior (standard RS trim ?) and other RS-specific parts . So , unless you want to replicate an RS/SS-350 version , all you'll need to acquire is the hood from the SS kit (I'm sure that some-one will be happy to trade the Stinger hood for the standard SS hood ...)

Unlike the (misnamed) COPO Nova and the ZL1 Camaro , this kit is sans extra parts . Just the Stinger hood only (which is a nice piece , by the way) . I , too , was hoping for some extra parts ; the aforementioned kits have some great parts box additions (or , in the case of the '69 427 Camaro that I'm eventually going to build , the RS grille and tail lamps / back-up lamps will find their way onto "my" version of an L71 or L72 ).

Those V.I.N./ registration search sites --including most states' motor vehicle departments-- only recognise 1981 & newer V.I.N.'s .

I was pleseantly surprised to see them included ! I'll have to pony-up for a fresh bottle of Setting Solution (the one I have is over 10 years old ... already !) .

A friend and former coworker (he retired) got the ride of his life in the Lightening Bug back in c.1973 ! Apparently , he knew its owner / operator through mutual friends ; he was at the guy's house where the 'Bug was garaged , and was asked if he'd like a ride around the block ! My friend's no stranger to quick and fast cars (his high school buddy had a '68 Dana Camaro which he campaigned in A/MP) , but he said that the 'Bug was the scariest thing he's ever been in !

Decals # 19 , 20 , 21 , and 22 are the seat insets ; the Deluxe Interior stripes ! For what-ever reason , only the instructions *indicate* their locations . But , they're there !

I received my copy of this kit the other day . Its shortcomings aside , it looks beautiful ! My only complaint --and it's so minimal in the scheme of things-- is that the engine accessories / drive belt arrangement is still hampered with that ( explaitive deleted ) A.I.R. Pump ! I really wish that Revell would have tooled-up a new , correct setup , especially since they tooled-up a new induction , and tooled-up headers ! Kudos to whom-ever built the box art kit ; they painted the engine yellow ! Just like the original Bill Thomas Racing 427 was painted in late '66 for the first NicKey Camaro prototype !

EMPI Inch Pincher and its "ramp truck" .

A 1968 Coronet R/T would be excellent ! From there , a Super Bee variant could be added (different upholstery pattern vs. the up-scale R/T) , preferably with bench seat and rubber mat-pattern floor , and naturally in the pillard coupe ( colloq. , "2 door sedan" ) bodystyle (few if any hardtop Super Bee's were made in 1968) . Convertible Super Bee ? None were made in any year . A "generic" block could be tooled-up , complete with a Hemi "top-end" or 383 "top-end" ; optional Torqueflite ( console-shift for the R/T ; column-shift for the Super Bee) and 4-speed ; 8 3/4 rear (383 and Hemi / Torqueflite) and Dana 60 ( Hemi with either transmission ) . Let's Get One !

There's one or two videos of their recordings floating around on YouTube . I first heard The Mynah Birds some-time in the 90's ; either on some bootleg demo or on some 60's Garage Comp (perhaps a later iteration of Nuggets) . It's beautiful stuff ; the combo of Neil Young's playing and "Ricky" James' vox (along with the other band members' contributions) is too cool !

Mynah Birds , which was a 60's Toronto area band whose members included Neil Young and Rick James .

The MPC Dodge Monaco started life as a promo for 1977 and again in 1978 , as a 2 door hardtop . It was converted to a 4 door sedan in c.1983 (either under Dukes of Hazzard or TJ Hooker guise) , complete with the correct 4 door (body-style "41") rear fascia . As a side note ; the 1977 4 doors had ambre turn signals , with a return to all red lighting in 1978 (a poor decision in my opinion . I despise red-coloured turn signals / emergency flashers !! ).

At the risk of being redundant : I recommend Tamiya or even Gunze . I use Tamiya almost exclusively ; Gunze to a lesser extent (love their Burnt Iron for exhaust manifolds !) . I'll only use enamel or Testors for certain colours (mainly their Car Colors sprays ; the Hemi Orange is nice) , or for the aerosol clear (the enamel clear lays-down nicely over Tamiya aerosol) . But , I digress ... Go with Tamiya's Silver Leaf (or what-ever its brush-on equal's name is) , and never look back .

I didn't realise that the D-body stuck around through 1966 (model year) ! IIRC , 1962 was the first year for the C-body and the B-body (?)

Enamel (oil-based) silver tends to "never" dry . I've had the best luck with Tamiya (acrylic) silver (and their metallic paints in general) .