Revell AG VW Samba Bus

[VW Dave]

For any of this kit's possible shortcomings, I am impressed that they included the underbelly 'splash pans.' All of the 1:1 sunroof-equipped Type 2's had them, and no kit until now has had them....cool IMO.

[VW Dave]

Does anyone know what parts #124 L & R are suppossed to represent?

I couldn't make out part numbers in the pics........where are these parts?

[GeeBee]

One question I have about this kit is this............Does anyone know which year this kit is supposed to represent?? 1962-'63?

If I buy this one and decide to do a factory stock version, I want to get the exterior color correct and whatnot.

1955 - 1963

[Foxer]

It's a shame hasegawa saw fit to put the wrong wheels and hubcaps in the kit, they are off a much later VW, these buses had drum brakes so didn't have the slots in the wheels, the newer revell version, which i purchased a few weeks ago, has to correct wheels and hubcaps

Funny I never noticed the wheels! Thanks for the heads up and maybe those are another part to be lifted off the Revell kit. I suspect they may be too large to fit the Hasa bus though. Have one on order at any rate to check it all out.

This would have been a much better kit to use for the '56 Kombi I pictured above, but I don't think I have the resolve to start all over. It's been on my bench for 15 years (yikes!) and would have to abandon all the body time getting the window fills right. Filling the roof and the rear 2 windows might be even easier on this multi-piece body.

Edited November 19, 2009 by Foxer

[kopperkart]

Even though I have yet to open my Revel/Hasegawa issue, I'll have to buy one of these and here are my color choices.

[VW Dave]

1955 - 1963

As it seems to have the 'fish eye' or 'fried egg' front turn signals(like on this modified 21-window), I'd narrow the model's age down to '62-63.

Another option for better-looking wheels for the Hasegawa/Revell kits would be the Gunze-Sangyo '56 Beetle or '63 Ghia. I used them on this Tamiya kit to help backdate it from a '66 to a '65:

[ragtopNB]

I couldn't make out part numbers in the pics........where are these parts?

They are attached to the underside of the swing axle tubes. No recollection of any plates, etc. in this area on 1:1 busses. I think they goofed.

[RodneyBad]

I've actually seen this already in the LHS.

I assume it is the same one.

Looks really nice.

$55-$60.

Not that nice tho.

I may only be able to afford 1 if I can find it a bit more affordable.

[Zoom Zoom]

As it seems to have the 'fish eye' or 'fried egg' front turn signals(like on this modified 21-window), I'd narrow the model's age down to '62-63.

Another option for better-looking wheels for the Hasegawa/Revell kits would be the Gunze-Sangyo '56 Beetle or '63 Ghia. I used them on this Tamiya kit to help backdate it from a '66 to a '65:

There are also European front turn signals that are smaller & more bullet shaped.

The aftermarket could certainly step up for wheels (and smaller taillights for the Polar Lights Beetle); but since these VW's don't use an outlaw hood, bigs 'n littles or a V8, it's no man's land Raiding expensive import kits for parts is a PITA.

I've actually seen this already in the LHS.

I assume it is the same one.

Looks really nice.

$55-$60.

Not that nice tho.

I may only be able to afford 1 if I can find it a bit more affordable.

It'll be under $30 when it's boxed for sale by Revell USA. Model Roundup has 'em for under $30 already. And the Revell AG price through Stevens, a distributor, is under $30. Any wonder why people have been fleeing the LHS for years? This kind of nonsense is what's put most of them out of business.

[Foxer]

There are also European front turn signals that are smaller & more bullet shaped.

I had to search far and wide for the cone shaped front turn signals and even tried a couple scratch builds, but they are just too small for my old hands. From photos I found on the web, I believe 1961 was the last year they were used. Then, to my surprise, I found the Karman Ghia used the same lights and the Tamiya kit on my shelf coughed them up!.

Now I just need the small rear tail lights. I made a set from some Corvette bezels and carved red sprue but they aren't right. The Bezels have noticeably more rounded edges than a Corvette.

[rollinoldskoo]

revell bus with 41 chevy custom wheels and acura integra tires kinda got that wide bolt pattern going on

[Modelmartin]

It'll be under $30 when it's boxed for sale by Revell USA. Model Roundup has 'em for under $30 already. And the Revell AG price through Stevens, a distributor, is under $30. Any wonder why people have been fleeing the LHS for years? This kind of nonsense is what's put most of them out of business.

Our LHS which is actually pretty decent just got in a Hasegawa bus "surfboard" version and it went on the shelf for $83.95!!! !!!!!!WTF!!! Nearby was an older release for $40+ and next to that was a pickup for $32.95. That was in the Import kit section. Across the aisle amongst the domestic kits was the Revell release for $19.95!

[Modelmartin]

Holy price gouge, Batman! I just went to HLJ.com and they have the Revell Import of this kit for $78.00. It has to be a currency issue. It did take my breath away for a second. Of course they had the Revell Germany "Import" of the '69 'Vette for $56.00. Worth every penny.

Edited November 23, 2009 by Modelmartin

[Rob Hall]

LHS had 3-4 of these new Revell AG buses at about $28 yesterday. Evers Toy Store (my favorite online kit seller for Revell) has them listed for $22.30. So this LHS is competitive w/ online when you factor in shipping, at least this one shop and this one kit. Varies widely for other kits, of course.

Edited November 23, 2009 by Rob Hall

[Zoom Zoom]

Our LHS which is actually pretty decent just got in a Hasegawa bus "surfboard" version and it went on the shelf for $83.95!!! !!!!!!WTF!!! Nearby was an older release for $40+ and next to that was a pickup for $32.95. That was in the Import kit section. Across the aisle amongst the domestic kits was the Revell release for $19.95!

Sometime recently Hasegawa bumped all their prices upward by a good chunk.

The van w/surfboards is OOP/discontinued, it was 2600 yen when available...under $30 before shipping from HLJ.

Then again, we could fill this forum up w/ridiculous price reports from LHS's. Seems rather universal...and probably helped the rise of online sales.

[meaneyme]

Thanks for the pictures, they always say a thousand words. Bob, have you considered putting the whole body together and then painting it? Knowing how talented you are, is it really a better idea painting all panels separately? Can you explain your reasons for your decision if you were to paint the panels or body parts separately?

[Zoom Zoom]

Thanks for the pictures, they always say a thousand words. Bob, have you considered putting the whole body together and then painting it? Knowing how talented you are, is it really a better idea painting all panels separately? Can you explain your reasons for your decision if you were to paint the panels or body parts separately?

I take it you haven't seen the kit or the instructions.

The body doesn't go together until after the chassis is assembled. There's no way to pre-assemble the body, and no easy way to temporarily do it either. Not to mention all opening panels need paint on all surfaces, not just the outer surface. Two tone exterior, three tone interior. There's a good reason this kit is listed as a skill level 5. To do this kit justice will take a lot of pre-planning.

[Foxer]

As a note of interest, I just received the new Revell Samba the wheels scale out to 19.1" ! How unfortunate to miss this by so much in such an outstanding kit.

Edit: I'm leaving this, but see Zoom Zoom's post below to see my error.

Edited November 24, 2009 by Foxer

[Zoom Zoom]

As a note of interest, I just received the new Revell Samba the wheels scale out to 19.1" ! How unfortunate to miss this by so much in such an outstanding kit.

You're measuring the part of the wheel outboard of the actual wheel lip that's meant (I'm 95% sure) to be painted either black or white, depending whether you want blackwalls or whitewalls or perhaps even a narrow whitewall (by painting the first ring of the tire up to the raised rib).

It's an odd design, but painted correctly it should look okay. Compare an assembled wheel/tire w/the illustration on the boxtop; it's easy to see where the wheel ends and the tire starts. Surely that wide outer lip couldn't be considered part of the wheel. Just run a black pen around the first engraved line, or a black wash, and paint the outer lip to match the tire.

Though I definitely would have rather seen a standard style wheel/tire, like Hasegawa's, with the proper four slots.

[E St. Kruiser50]

Kit prices seem to be getting a little crazy .

I've had the Hasegawa kit for a number of years, and just got it out and looked at the price on the wrapper - $26. 95 - not bad now, but seemed high at the time years ago.

Haven't looked at it for a long time, so opened it up, and it's a nice kit. Not sure if I ever looked at it.

Don't care if the wheels aren't perfect - they still look nice. I'm not as picky as some.

No door panel details, but looks pretty simple from my research to scratch some up, as they're pretty straight-forward and period plain. A little sheet plastic should make a very nice build .

I'll probably pass on the Revell kit, as I like this one, and the one piece body - seems it would make the building a lot easier .

[joy]

Sometime recently Hasegawa bumped all their prices upward by a good chunk.

The van w/surfboards is OOP/discontinued, it was 2600 yen when available...under $30 before shipping from HLJ.

Then again, we could fill this forum up w/ridiculous price reports from LHS's. Seems rather universal...and probably helped the rise of online sales.

The Hasegawa Bus w/surfboards is expensive, because it has a one piece resin body

it seems a to be a nice kit

best

[Chuck Most]

Kit prices seem to be getting a little crazy .

I've had the Hasegawa kit for a number of years, and just got it out and looked at the price on the wrapper - $26. 95 - not bad now, but seemed high at the time years ago.

Haven't looked at it for a long time, so opened it up, and it's a nice kit. Not sure if I ever looked at it.

Don't care if the wheels aren't perfect - they still look nice. I'm not as picky as some.

No door panel details, but looks pretty simple from my research to scratch some up, as they're pretty straight-forward and period plain. A little sheet plastic should make a very nice build .

I'll probably pass on the Revell kit, as I like this one, and the one piece body - seems it would make the building a lot easier .

I've only ever built one Hasegawa VW (the '67 Pickup), I think I paid $20 (plus Michigan's 6% sales tax) two years ago. I don't remember having any significant hiccups with the build... that's usually a sign of a pretty good kit!

This Samba Bus, though, is giving me serious pause! It's not assembling the thing that's worrying me, it's painting everything! Something I didn't consider when I bought it!

A few guys have asked, and there've been a few answers on the year of the Samba Bus, but I think in the Revell Catalog, it's listed as a '62. I'm no VW expert, but from the photos of 1:1 busses I've seen, it seems right, or at least in the ballpark.

[VW Dave]

The Hasegawa Bus w/surfboards is expensive, because it has a one piece resin body

it seems a to be a nice kit

I agree that it's a nice kit and expensive, but it's a styrene model.

[Chuck Most]

I bought my Samba Bus kit (Revell AG labeling) at Hulings Hobby House in Alma for just under $25. And Ed was complaining about how he thought that was pricey... and here guys are saying it was selling for ten bucks or so north of that?

I don't think the price is too out of line with what you're getting. Heck, I'd rather spend $25 (or even $35-$40) on a detailed kit like this than a curbside, and some curbside kits are knocking on those prices as it is!

[cruz]

I was groking my club member's purchase of this kit and I thought it was pretty neat, there is a lot of possibilities of building a really nice kit out of this. Parts were pretty clean except for some round mold injection marks in the interior panels, something that should be pretty easy to work around. I will be purchasing at least 2 of these kits, with a little patience I know it will be a show winner!!!