Chevrolet Corvette Models C1

[RDean58]

Over the course of years, I have amassed a bunch of these kits and can tell you a little bit about them.

53, 54, 55

The 1953 and in a lot of respects, the 1955 Corvette kits are not very good.  Frankly a lot of its problems can be overcome by getting an AMT 1957 Corvette and using the frame and engine (if building a 55). I checked and a 4-speed manual was available in late 55 in the Corvette, so no modifications need to be made to the engine/transmission from the ANT 57. AMT redid the 53, 54, and 55 Corvette promos in I think the early 2000s. These promos are superior to the kit and earlier promos.

56

The MPC Corvette can be built as a 56 or a 57. The only problem with this kit is the rear wheel wells are super big to allow for slicks. I got one of the cheap AMT 57 Corvette kits and modified it to be the 56. How? I swapped in a duel four-barrel intake and sanded off the crossed flags on the side scoop.

57

The AMT version is a pretty much dead-on accurate model. It can be made into a 56 easily. The only problem with this kit is there is no hardtop or soft up top for it unless you find one in an MPC version of the 57 or 60 kits then I'm not sure about the fit.

 

[RDean58]

58

 

Revells 58 is equally as nice. Comes with a convertible up top and options for duel 4bbl or fuel injection. In a lot of ways, the Monogram 59 is the same kit sans he hood louvers and twin chrome trim on the trunk lid. These come with an opening trunk lid, probably to allow Revell/Monogram to make both years without doing a lot of kit modification.

60

The only 60 kit I have is this one, which by all accounts is actually a 59. MPC has released a 60 Corvette that I don't have but I would imagine it suffers from the same larger rear wheel wells that the 56/57 kit has. The multiple piece body Revell 1960 kit is IIRC, actually a 60.

61

The old AMT 61 kit is hard to find, expensive when found in good shape, and suffers from 1960s engineering. So my fix is to combine these two kits to make a 61 The nose of the 61 resembles the 59 back to the end of the doors while the rear resembles the back half of the 62. I managed to secure a 62 body from ebay for this conversion.

62

The old standby, AMT 62 Corvette kit. This suffers from too small of headlights. This can be fixed by removing them from a 60 model and putting them on the 62 body. Or you can find the excellent Revell 62 Corvette kit.

That's it for the C1 Corvettes. I'll post the C2s later. Feel free to comment and add suggestions.

[RSchnell]

Good info! Don't forget about the Monogram/Revell 1953 Corvette. It also has the carb setup, air cleaners & valve cover to build a '54. I'm finishing up one of these right now and prefer it over the old AMT 53-55 kits.  

The '53-55 AMT reissue promos lend themselves well to detailing. One year at the NCRS Winter Regional Show, the National Corvette Museum had several large boxes full of Corvette promos for $5 ea. I dug around in those boxes and found 4 53-55 promos, including a rare Pennant Blue one. I miss those days, and it wasn't all that long ago! 

 

 

 

[RDean58]

I'm sorry, this is for C1 and C2 Corvettes

[Mark]

The MPC '60 Corvette does not have the radiused rear wheel openings like their '57 always did.  The flip-front '60 does have them though.

The AMT '60 kit pictured is indeed a '60.  It has the '60 seat upholstery pattern and an engine, which the (SMP) '59 kits did not have.  The confusion stems from the first couple of reissues which were boxed as '59.

The Revell kit with the multiple piece body really quite a good kit) is always called a '60 but is actually a '59.  Again, correct for '59 upholstery details.  The original issue, with stock wheel covers and plastic tires, is labeled a '59 if I remember right.

Annual kits were branded SMP through '61.  There was no Corvette annual kit in '58.

The shape of the side coves on the newer tool AMT '57 body are a bit off.  

[RDean58]

8 minutes ago, Mark said:

The MPC '60 Corvette does not have the radiused rear wheel openings like their '57 always did.  The flip-front '60 does have them though.

The AMT '60 kit pictured is indeed a '60.  It has the '60 seat upholstery pattern and an engine, which the (SMP) '59 kits did not have.  The confusion stems from the first couple of reissues which were boxed as '59.

The Revell kit with the multiple piece body really quite a good kit) is always called a '60 but is actually a '59.  Again, correct for '59 upholstery details.  The original issue, with stock wheel covers and plastic tires, is labeled a '59 if I remember right.

Annual kits were branded SMP through '61.  There was no Corvette annual kit in '58.

The shape of the side coves on the newer tool AMT '57 body are a bit off.  

Thanks for the new updated information! I always get confused as to what actually is a 60 or 59 Corvette from those two issues, you made it clearer.

[64Comet404]

Good work on cataloguing, but one small correction to the timelime. The Corvette received a 3-speed manual trans late in the 1955 model year (easily found in a number of Chevrolet passenger car kits). The 4 speed was not introduced as a factory option until the spring of 1957. Hope this helps!

[Dave Darby]

The Revell "60" (really a 1959) Corvette is the Rodney Dangerfield of Corvettes. While it does have a multi-piece body, it's miles ahead of the old SMP based AMT "59" (really a 1960) Corvette. The MPC 1960 Corvette isn't bad, but it's saddled with a 1957 interior tub. The only 58-60 Corvette that's better is the newer Pro-Modeler based Revell kit.

Here's my build, from the Skip's Fiesta issue. This kit comes with non stock tires and chrome rims with baby moons, so mine wears MPC wheel covers in old AMT Trophy Series tires.

 

[Kenmojr]

On 6/19/2022 at 11:43 AM, RDean58 said:

Over the course of years, I have amassed a bunch of these kits and can tell you a little bit about them.

53, 54, 55

The 1953 and in a lot of respects, the 1955 Corvette kits are not very good.  Frankly a lot of its problems can be overcome by getting an AMT 1957 Corvette and using the frame and engine (if building a 55). I checked and a 4-speed manual was available in late 55 in the Corvette, so no modifications need to be made to the engine/transmission from the ANT 57. AMT redid the 53, 54, and 55 Corvette promos in I think the early 2000s. These promos are superior to the kit and earlier promos.

56

The MPC Corvette can be built as a 56 or a 57. The only problem with this kit is the rear wheel wells are super big to allow for slicks. I got one of the cheap AMT 57 Corvette kits and modified it to be the 56. How? I swapped in a duel four-barrel intake and sanded off the crossed flags on the side scoop.

57

The AMT version is a pretty much dead-on accurate model. It can be made into a 56 easily. The only problem with this kit is there is no hardtop or soft up top for it unless you find one in an MPC version of the 57 or 60 kits then I'm not sure about the fit.

 

Being the owner of a 1960 Corvette since 1983 (and still own)  and presently attempting to finish the MPC 1960 flipnose Corvette, restore the AMT 1960 Corvette my brother built 40+ years ago and tackling one of those multi piece 1960 Corvette kits by Revell (I have 4 of these) I was really interested in this thread, but noticed a lot of the png photos are not displaying? Can this be resolved?

Attempting to return back to the hobby after a long absence. Now I am retired with plenty of time until an year ago when I suddenly became primary caretaker for my 91 year old Dad.

Thanks kindly....

[Dave Darby]

2 hours ago, Kenmojr said:

Being the owner of a 1960 Corvette since 1983 (and still own)  and presently attempting to finish the MPC 1960 flipnose Corvette, restore the AMT 1960 Corvette my brother built 40+ years ago and tackling one of those multi piece 1960 Corvette kits by Revell (I have 4 of these) I was really interested in this thread, but noticed a lot of the png photos are not displaying? Can this be resolved?

Attempting to return back to the hobby after a long absence. Now I am retired with plenty of time until an year ago when I suddenly became primary caretaker for my 91 year old Dad.

Thanks kindly....

I hope you and your dad can enjoy some quality time together in his twilight years. If you are interested, I just covered the Revell multi-piece bodied Corvette history in the current (issue 215) of Model Cars Magazine. 

Edited September 9, 2022 by Dave Darby