Revell 1969 Dodge Dart GTS in code F8 Dark Green Metallic a

[tim boyd]

This is the first release of the Revell 1969 Dodge Dart GTS, built in the mid 1990's for a how-to in Scale Auto magazine, appearing under my nom-de-plume "B. T. Sherwood". The 383 Magnum engine was fully detailed. The paint scheme duplicated a photo in the 1969 Dodge Dart showroom brochure, with MCW Automotive Finishes Code F8 Dark Green Metallic along with a white with black interior and a white bumblebee stripe. The wheels were the infamous "factory recall" 14" mags; these being sourced from the MPC 1969 Barracuda kit.

As a fan of the real car, i was overjoyed when Revell finally announced the kit. The popular storyline is that the kit did not sell that well, although I don't recall ever hearing that from an official Revell source. As you know, it was later converted to a 1968 Dart GTS and has seen continued reissues over the ensuing quarter century.

As with some other recent photos, these were not shot in my photo studio and due to the less than ideal lighting at hand, I had to set the depth of field at F/16 instead of my usual F/32, so the depth of field focus on some of the images is not quite ideal.  Also.....looks like I need to clean out some wax residue from the door cut lines....although strange, sure don't remember that when he kit was first built and completed....

Thanks for looking, and happy to answer any questions....TIM

 

[TooOld]

Really like that dark green color , it really stands out among the more common colors ! 

[1972coronet]

I remember that issue , and that F8 beauty on its cover ! That was back in 1995 ( I can't believe that that was 25 years ago already !  I'm 50 now... ) .

I , too , was overjoyed with seeing a 1969 Dart kit !  I couldn't believe my eyes !  I've built a few examples over the years ( first one was German Silver Metallic with a red interior . I also used the 'Recall Wheels' from the MPC 1969 Barracuda ; second was silver-blue metallic with white interior ; and the last one was EV2 with black interior and MRC Keystone Klassics ) .

Great to see that beauty again after all of these years ! 

[Classicgas]

Beautiful. I have that issue and your article inspired my build, which pales by yours.

[grodudulle77]

Very nice work, your model is very neat !! ??

[Deuces ll]

Absolutely Beautiful!!!.... ??

[charger74]

Very nice

[PappyD340]

Very nice!

[e30lover]

Love the dark green color too. And that's a great looking engine bay! I see that you used different aluminum/silver colors for underbody as well. Great attention to detail ?

[slusher]

Beautifully done, great color!

[Scalper]

That looks great.. really like the green paint 

[ewetwo]

Beautiful!

[Tom99]

Looking very good. The colors fit the era.

[tim boyd]

Thanks everyone for your feedback.   Lee...cool to see your build of the same subject. 

Interesting there were so many comments on the color.   Code F8 was actually introduced as a new midyear color for Dodge in 1968 1/2 (although with a different order code .as Mother Mopar's new paint coding format was launched for the 1969 model year).  

The color was clearly inspired by Pontiac's Verdero Green introduced a year earlier on the new Firebird, but F8 was a considerably darker value derived from the same paint family.  It was a very popular color for Chrysler Corp, though it was relatively short lived after being discontinued for 1971.

My Dad bought a 1969 Chrysler Town&Country wagon in F8 (it was called Dark Jade Metallic on Chryslers),.  It was sharp, no doubt. But even better after I bought Rocket 5 spoke (aka poor man's Cragar S/Ss) mags and turned the tires round black sidewall out a few years later..... (sneers welcome & expected, but it was actually very sharp).  

Someday I want to build the 1968 Dart GTS kit, painted in Dodge 1968-only Bright Blue Metallic.....TIM 

 

 

[Stan A]

Mr. Boyd, good to find a way to contact you.

I have this issue of SAE 103 because I am a Mopar collector and builder.

In the article you did a sidebar of Dart models to date.

I have a question about your description.

You said "Plus, there was one stock Dart coupe that reached kit status."

Did I miss something here? Was there a kit before the '69 Dodge Dart GTS?

I hope you have a chance to read this and can respond.

Thank you!

Stan A.

[Olskoolrodder]

BEAUTIFUL build!  

[Bills72sj]

Thank you for sharing.

[ChrisR]

Looks great!!

[Zippi]

Good looking GTS Tim.  The color looks really good. 

[mrmike]

Exceellent build, Tim Boyd!  Just so you know, I built a '69 Dart GTS with a 340 CID engine and auto transmission and the "recall mags" 3 years ago.  

[TransAmMike]

Great work as usual on your builds Tim.  ?

[drodg]

Excellent build Tim.  I built that kit too and if I remember right it was a very nice kit.     Thanks

[tim boyd]

20 hours ago, Stan A said:

Mr. Boyd, good to find a way to contact you.

I have this issue of SAE 103 because I am a Mopar collector and builder.

In the article you did a sidebar of Dart models to date.

I have a question about your description.

You said "Plus, there was one stock Dart coupe that reached kit status."

Did I miss something here? Was there a kit before the '69 Dodge Dart GTS?

I hope you have a chance to read this and can respond.

Thank you!

Stan A.

Hi Stan.....I can't recall whether #103 was before or after the Revell Dart, but I may have been referring to the 1969 Dart Swinger body in the rare MPC Charlie Allen Funny Car kit released only once back in 1969.  The body was not entirely stock, as the front wheel openings were moved forward and some exterior trim was omitted, but if you could have found one, it could have provided the basis for a replica stock conversion (after lots of work!).   As you probably know, that body tool was updated for a similarly non-stock 1970 Dart Swinger "Ramchargers funny car"), then irretrievably altered in a not very nice way for the Bill Shrewsbury LA Dart wheelstander kit that was released around 1973 or so (and has seen various reissues since under different kit names).  Not sure if this helps at all...but thanks for asking anyway....TIM 

[tim boyd]

8 hours ago, mrmike said:

Exceellent build, Tim Boyd!  Just so you know, I built a '69 Dart GTS with a 340 CID engine and auto transmission and the "recall mags" 3 years ago.  

Michael....very, very sharp model - and thanks for sharing.  Which kit did you source the 340 from?  If I had bought a real one back then, it would have had a 340 instead of the 383, for sure!  Best....TIM

[tim boyd]

Thanks, guys, for the comments on the model.  It was a fun build and it is good to know that you like it! 

Cheers...TIM