Revell's 1966 Impala

[62rebel]

Working on a 70's style build, I raised the rear to give it some rake, discovered that the front suspension is out of alignment by at least an eighth of an inch. The separate elements that make up the front suspension fit together fairly tightly, so I don't think it's due to my assembly process. I'm finishing it up regardless. I added tripower intake and carbs, and finned valve covers. Trying to find some Cragar S/S mags for it, too, since the tires in the kit look far too skinny and small. 

 

 

[espo]

I corrected the alignment issues by moving the spindles on my builds. Pegasus offers some nice wheels that may work, or list what you need on the Wanted section on this forum.   

[62rebel]

I'm thinking of painting the fender on the most affected side a different color or primer as if the car had been in an accident and the owner was slowly fixing it. I have a second kit and I will be looking out for this problem during assembly. This is a nice kit, I wish Revell had done a two in one with optional parts.

[espo]

I'm thinking of painting the fender on the most affected side a different color or primer as if the car had been in an accident and the owner was slowly fixing it. I have a second kit and I will be looking out for this problem during assembly. This is a nice kit, I wish Revell had done a two in one with optional parts.

In the past Revell would offer a 2 in 1 of a kit after the initial enthusiasm has died down. Since I haven't seen one of these on the shelf lately it could be offered soon. I would like a Drag or NASCAR version also.

[Fat Brian]

The AMT Baldwin Motion 70 Camaro has some very nice Cragar rims that have wider rears for a good 70's look.

[Dodge Driver]

I corrected the alignment issues by moving the spindles on my builds. Pegasus offers some nice wheels that may work, or list what you need on the Wanted section on this forum.   

Hi David,

 Would you explain the suspension alignment issues with the '66 Impala? I hope to build one sometime in the future. I'd appreciate the the info greatly.

[espo]

Hi David,

 Would you explain the suspension alignment issues with the '66 Impala? I hope to build one sometime in the future. I'd appreciate the the info greatly.

The Alignment issue that 62rebal mentioned has todo with the front suspension on the kit, Part of the alignment has to do with the wheel base as much as to the toe in or out and the top of the tire pointing in or out. The kit as it comes from Revell has a slightly different wheel base from one side to the other. Small corrections can be made during the basic chassis work, if you realize there is a problem. Unless you check it you may not even realize a problem until you get to the final assembly stage. For myself since I was going to lower the front suspension anyway this was easily corrected when I removed the spindles adding material and remounting them to the lower control arm. I can center the spindle in such a way that the wheel base matches on both sides. I also 'pin' the spindle too the control arm for added strength and to help position the parts until the glue dries. For a 'pin' I just use a short piece of a staple, not expensive and gets the job done.   

[Dodge Driver]

Thanks David! Now I know what to look for in advance. Seems some chassis mock up is required to sort things out.

[Swifster]

In the past Revell would offer a 2 in 1 of a kit after the initial enthusiasm has died down. Since I haven't seen one of these on the shelf lately it could be offered soon. I would like a Drag or NASCAR version also.

A custom maybe. In NASCAR, Chevy used the Chevelle in '66. I've never seen a full-size drag racer other than a Bel-Air or a Biscayne.

[espo]

A custom maybe. In NASCAR, Chevy used the Chevelle in '66. I've never seen a full-size drag racer other than a Bel-Air or a Biscayne.

I only mentioned these since they're of personal interest. Afterwards I realized that NASCAR would not be feasible and the Drag Racing would be either class or ET specific.  The Cal Wheel treatment would make the most sense  for Revell.   

[62rebel]

Here's a hiccup; they don't provide a decent floor pan underside from the middle of the chassis forward. Literally, nothing but the underside of the interior, which has no details whatsoever. Aggravated.

[espo]

I noticed that and you're correct this is something you just don't expect from Revell. I just made my own from some Plastruct but didn't have any type of engraving. Not perfect but it does look a lot better. I think the '65 Impala has the same problem.

[62rebel]

I may scrounge through my junk boxes and see if I can find two donors. I have a second kit to build....

[Snake45]

Did the '65 Impala have this same problem? I assume they use the same chassis.

[Snake45]

A custom maybe. In NASCAR, Chevy used the Chevelle in '66. I've never seen a full-size drag racer other than a Bel-Air or a Biscayne.

I don't think there were any "famous" '66 Impala drag cars, but I can assure you that hundreds, maybe thousands, of them were dragged in the junior Stock and possibly Modified Production classes. Nothing wrong with building one that way!

[ranma]

[Deuces ll]

Any pictures of the model build?????.......

[Mark]

On 5/15/2017 at 12:34 PM, ranma said:

The top two are '65s.  But there were a couple '66 Impalas in NASCAR.  The Chevy guys were usually mid-pack or back-benchers in that period, so pictures and info are sometimes hard to find.

[Snake45]

I recently got the reissued Hasegawa '65 Impala, just because I'd never seen one before. I'm planning comparo pics sometime soon showing the AMT, Revell, and Hasegawa '65 Impala bodies. 

Spoiler alert: All three bodies are quite nice except for the roofs. Nobody got the roof right! Each is wrong in a different way. AMT tried to correct the problem in the follow-on '66, and it's not perfect, but IMHO it's the best roof of the four, and that roof lives on in the just-reissued dirt tracker.