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Revell
1956 Chevrolet Del Ray |
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Reviewed By Joe Staudt #39453 |
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Chevys have always been popular subjects for model kits. I personally own kits for almost every model year from 1947 through 1976, and I know there are few out there that I don’t have yet. But the subjects for those kits are always the high-end models: Biscaynes, Impalas, and Caprices. This time around, Revell has given us a “workhorse” model: the Del Ray. This is the Chevrolet that most people bought in 1956, as opposed to the more expensive, flashier Biscaynes. As such, it poses a few challenges for most of us: the 2-tone paint scheme is different than what we’re used to seeing, the interior is plainer, and there is less chrome trim than most of us are accustomed to seeing on cars of this era. But built right, this can be a stunning model none the less. The kit is molded in white, with 2 chrome trees, a tree of clear parts for the glass and lenses, a tiny tree of clear red for the taillights, 4 vinyl tires, and a tree of whitewall inserts for them. While there is more flash than I have come to expect from modern kits, it is still a minimal amount. The only place it posed a problem for me was on the tires, where the outer sidewall meets the tread. Most mold lines are minimal and located in places where they are easily removed; one glaring exception is on the sides of the bumpers, where a very prominent mold line mars what are otherwise beautiful pieces. The kit designers apparently gave some thought to the placement of the sprue attachment points for the various parts, also: for the most part, the parts are attached to the sprue in locations that are invisible once they are assembled. This is particularly appreciated on the chrome pieces. Molding details are fairly crisp and will survive all but the heaviest-handed paint jobs. The only exception to this is the “Chevrolet” scripts on the rear fenders, which are quite faint. But since decals are provided for these scripts, the faint moldings may be intended only as a guide for where to place the decals. There are similarly faint markings for locating the hood and trunk emblems and the door handles. The body itself looks to be a fairly good rendition of the ’56 Chevy’s shape. The 25-piece engine assembly creates a good-looking rendition of a V8 engine, although a 6-cylinder may have been more common in this model. The chassis is nicely detailed, but here again, the dual exhausts seem a bit out of place on a lower-end model like the Del Ray. The front and rear suspension assemblies are simple, but they go together well and look good; the front wheels are not moveable, however. The wheels have good lug nut detail, and the whitewall inserts look great, but the “dog dish” hubcaps look a bit thick and seem to stick out farther than they should. The interior is a platform type, with the rear seat molded in. A two-piece front bench seat, separate side panels, 3-piece dashboard assembly with hanging brake pedal, and 2-piece steering wheel and column assembly complete the interior. Engraving on the side panels and seats is good: you can even see the tip of lever that would provide fore-and-aft adjustment for the front seat! The eight-page instruction sheet is divided into 10 assembly steps. It provides clear, well-labeled drawings for all the assemblies, with numbers and part names for all parts. Painting suggestions and decal placement instructions are also provided. The kit comes with a fairly extensive decal sheet. There are decals for the radio, speedometer, and glove box trim on the dashboard; labels for the generator, oil filter, washer bottle cap, and radiator cap in the engine compartment, two sets of license plates, “Chevrolet” scripts for the rear fenders, and hood and trunk emblems. There are also two different sets of trim decals for the hubcaps. With the aid of a little setting solution, all the decals went on beautifully. The only hitch was with the hood and trunk emblems: there are chrome pieces provided for these emblems as well, but the emblems are somewhat smaller than the decals. If the intent was for the decals to be applied to the emblems, then some incredibly delicate trimming would be necessary. I elected to forgo the chrome bits, and just put the decals directly onto the body. While this kit has all the “basics”, it is the added details that really make it shine. There are chrome windshield wipers and door handles instead of molded-on ones, and a 2-piece outside rearview mirror assembly. The hood hinges attempt to look like real hood hinges. The interior roof liner detail is molded in, and includes a dome light with a clear lens. Add to that the fact that everything fits like it should – pins fit into holes, tabs fit into slots, and trim pieces fit into openings – and the end result is a kit that is a pleasure to assemble and provides gratifyingly good results. |
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