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Reviews, pictures, hints, and links 1/24, 1/25 car kits
Review : 1967 Dodge Charger Hemi, Revell 1/25
This is a review of the Revell 1967 Dodge Charger Hemi – kit #7669
This Charger kit is one of a group of Revell Mopar kits that are a must-have. The kit is well made, well accessorized, and decently decaled. The car’s 2-in-1 is about average, but the stock form is about as good as it gets.
The differences in the kits above are minimal. #1 is basically a dupe with slightly better decals. The FOOSE model has most of the stock parts but includes a slew of fancy aftermarket pieces. It also includes a big FOOSE decal sheet with a few of the stock emblems/decals.
The above 3 kits are from MPC (AMT), and I have never purchased any of them. Revell kits are usually the gold standard, so I never thought to try these. What is certain: MPC kits have fewer chrome pieces, poorer fit and finish, and less overall substance. Buyer beware.
CAR BACKGROUND :: The Charger first arrived in 1966 and sold really well. The sleek fastback and wide range of engines made this a great option vs. Chevy and Ford. Engines ranged from a lowly 318 all the way up to the behemoth 426 Hemi – though only a VERY few 67s wore the Hemi badge. The 425hp would scoot this rather large muscle car through the ¼mile in under 14 seconds at over 102mph. I really like the full-width front and rear valances and, in fact, this could be my favorite Charger of the namesake – even more than the Bullitt and the General.
BUILD NOTES : Like I said earlier, this Revell kit is fantastic. The rear light chrome piece should be scraped on the back side before fitting, as it will come loose over time. The grille+bumper piece can be difficult to fit as it is hefty, but it always looks good. The interior is one of the better you’ll find by any manufacturer and is one of the better detailed you’ll find.
First – under the hood. The 426 hemi is secured in a very detailed engine bay. The big V8 sits nicely around a detailed radiator, firewall, battery, and has a nice master cylinder. This hemi is black wired – through the valve covers – and includes a ignition coil. Add a open air cleaner and the car is ready to rock!
The first time I made this Charger, I designed it after one my brother’s friend used to own. It was bright yellow with a red velour interior. Completely unoriginal, the car was absolutely beautiful and sounded crazy good. It was powered by a custom, $10k 440 with all the aftermarket trimmings. For this redo, I decided to do something very different. I was going for medium copper, and Testors Gloss Copper seemed to work like a charm. I decided not to use the stock Magnum wheels and instead used some Dodge rims from another kit. It also sports slicks in the back vs. the standard ones, but they are removable for standard tires if I want to switch. The toughest part of this model is the long trim along the side of the car – it is thin and a focal point
As I said earlier, the interior of this model is HIGHLY detailed. I love working with this one and would die to own a real one. It is a low-gloss red with tons of aluminum trim. The glass is a bit tricky with the side vents, as gluing them can lead to a mess if you’re not careful. I usually use a really small piece of Scotch tape to hold them while gluing.
The bottom of this wonderful kit is also very nice. It has a really sweet exhaust with one of the best sets of tips you’ll find. They are hollow and turned down as the stock car would have. I painted the shocks a blue/silver combo.
I really liked the detail in the body of the car as well. There are 426 Hemi emblems, but there are also chrome door handles, taillight lettering to paint, a chrome gas cap insert, chrome wipers, and chrome strips along the wheelbase. It’s a bit of work to do stock, but it is worth it in the end.
This IS a must-have kit. Even if you are not a fan of this Charger, the kit is superb, and the car looks sensational when you’re done. I cannot vouch for the MPC kits, but this one is perfect every time! I would say that this one is also becoming a decent collectible, as there hasn’t been a reissue for years. It is STILL too nice of a kit to shelve.
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it’s interesting that you basically called the mpc chargers junk without having built either of the kits.
I appreciate your looking and comment, thanks for stopping. However, I didn’t say that they were “JUNK”. After selling tens of thousands of open kits and building enough MPCs I can say with 99% certainty that the MPC kits will have more flash, more de-brightened chrome, less parts-per-build, and less fit and finish than a Revell kit. MPCs CAN be more interesting and are usually worth more money due to rarity. So, LOTS of experience, not just spitballing. Cheers.