This is a review of the Revell 1/25 Ford Mustang Street Machine (Boss 429)

I love Mustangs. Always have. I loved my 2006 GT, and honestly, there were only a couple made in its glorious history that I wasn’t a fan of. With that, I have never made this kit before EVER. I have made numerous GT500/GT350s and a multitude of Mach/Boss 302 cars, but never the alpha dog 429. Now that I have… I can say I’m not that impressed… but not with the car, the kit.

The one I chose is like the white one to the left, but I am not sure it has the same fault as the one I made. The kit I did included decals but NOT the “Boss 429” decals. All that was included were the ugly black/red stripes that I’ve NEVER seen on a car. I made my own decals, but shame on Monogram for not including the correct stock ones in a 2n1 kit. The other 4 kits are good, and I believe all but the Hasegawa kit include the 429 decals. The Hasegawa kit MAY include them, but I’ve never bought/owned one, so I have no idea.

CAR BACKGROUND :: I included the pic to the left for the Mach 1 because I’m not sure whether Ford made a blunder or it is correct, since the Boss 429 is listed as a Mach 1 with an engine option. I say “blunder” because the Boss 429 IS the quickest Mustang produced in the muscle car era. I have seen everything from mid-13s in the quarter mile all the way down to high-11s. The test from Super Sport Magazine back in the day – and the one I think is closest to the truth – has the 375hp nightmare running 13.6 @ 104.65. That IS quicker than any Mustang NOT track-ready. There have been a slew of 428 drag cars that easily run into the 11s, but they aren’t factory street legal… this one is.

So, if it is an option on the Mach, than the ad is good, but if not…. oops, Ford! Beyond the hype, numbers, and exclusivity, the car is just awesome. Your hair WILL stand on end when it fires up, and don’t think for a minute it’s had exhaust treatments. If it has… your hair will fall out completely. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t want this one on a track like Silverstone. The front is SO nose-heavy that a mere Boss 302 should beat you almost every time. It is also a guzzler like no other. Stomping it around can produce MPG readings in the FOURS – it is quite ridiculous. BUT, it is a monster of a muscle car and a rare one at that.

Shame… the god-sent ones always are.

Back to a lousy car? Well, I meant the car is lousy as a kit because it is 97% a Boss 302. For example, if you made a Challenger R/T, you can then buy a Challenger T/A, and the cars are VERY different: spoilers, stripes, exhaust, hood, AND engine. This one has a small decal and hood scoop… and the decal didn’t even come with my kit!

The interiors, chassis, overall look, wheels, rims, exhaust – most of the kits are interchangeable. It is a sham when it comes to being a “different” car.

I went with Emerald Green for this one, and as you’ve already guessed… not a stock color. Well, two parts to that. First, I am making as many muscle car kits as possible without duplicating exact colors. The second is I LOVE me a green Mustang. So much so that I painted my ’68 GT500 green as well. This was a nice paint, but it takes a couple of coats to gloss over like this one, so be prepared. The only other things not “stock” are the mag rims and exhaust. The “street machine” rims were terrible, and the exhaust tips were MEH.

Oh, and like the other Revell Mustang kits, this one has the windshield rear-view mirror. SUPER ANNOYING and prone to ruining the glass if not careful.

Here is another brilliant example of ALMOST the same as other Mustangs. To the right is the engine bay for my ‘69 GT500 with the 428 Cobra Jet. Obviously, to the left is the Boss 429. Only the valve covers tell the tale, and honestly, I think the 428 looks just as nice.

As another example, when you put a 426 Hemi and a 440 next to each other, you can tell which one is the HEMI – no guessing or questions needed. These two, however, are just about interchangeable. On the plus side, the Revell engine bays are VERY good. Both have everything you could need and are very detailed. I would suggest painting the bay black (for either car) if you want pure authentic, but I like mine painted.

*Self high-five! I am getting better at photography! (My skills still suck, but I’m learning). Also, like the GT-500 or Boss 302, the interior is very detailed. I don’t think I added anything here, and I’m happy with the extra detail. It’s no better than the other Stangs, but it still looks very nice when finished.

Well, I am happy to report that the Boss has an easy chassis to work with. It is a bit better than other Mustangs, as the terrible wrap-around mufflers have been replaced by a regular single-bend exhaust. The ends are from a ’67 Revell Charger, and as I’ve touted before, are AWESOME for this scale.

The rest of the bottom looks good and has plenty of detail to add if that’s your bag. The exhaust matches up with the engine nicely, the wheels and axles are solid, and nothing else is needed. As a side note, the unmolded exhaust is also great if you want straight headers for a supreme performance look. It just makes it easier.

All complaints aside, the kit is really good, has a LOT of custom pieces to use, has almost ZERO flash, and is a fantastic display piece. These ARE getting pricey since the reissue was a while ago, and I think they’ll only go up from here. Unfortunately, I can’t say this is a better build than the ‘69 GT-500 or Boss 302, and the 429 is certainly more expensive. What I can say is it HAD to be on my shelf… where else for the fastest Stang of the muscle car era?

8.5 – Very Good