California Roller

[RichCostello]

I'm doing a trade for a California Roller VW van(Revell). Does anyone have any info or pictures of this kit?

[Deuces ll]

Here's one on eBay.....

[64Comet404]

Molded in green, black, and clear, only comes with the front seat, the cargo are is bare.

[ChrisBcritter]

It's what's left of the original ('59 IIRC?) Revell VW Bus kit, first turned into a van as the Bed Bug with radiused (but not flared) rear wheel wells;  the VW emblem became a peace sign and it still had stock bumpers and widened steel wheels. The California Roller was more customized.

[Mark]

Multiple piece body (separate side panels, doors, roof) that must be assembled to the floor platform.  But that makes sense for this kit: Revell Germany tooled their all-new VW bus and van kits pretty much the same way.  In both 1/24 and 1/16 scale.

The Roller started out as a stock 23 window deluxe passenger version.  It was first issued in 1958 or 1959.  In 1967 it was revised to the later 21 window version.  A couple of years later it became the Bed Bug, a few years after that it was reworked a bit to become the CB radio themed Rubber Duck.  The last transformation was to the Roller.  The Roller has no plated parts by the way.

Edited June 26, 2020 by Mark
Info

[RichCostello]

Thanks guys, I've got one coming, looks like it might be interesting. Not many 1/25 VW vans to choose from.

[Mark]

As I recall,  the old Revell 1/25 scale Type 2 isn't much different size-wise from other manufacturers' 1/24 scale kits.