This is a review of the Revell ’66 GTO kit #854479

This is a redo build, but I didn’t get “before” pics. Sadly, I forgot all about it, but never mind. This Revell kit is substantial, has lots of quality parts, has a lot of chrome, and is easier to build than 90% of kits out there. No lie, this “goat” is definitely one of the GOAT kits out there.

Revell has been busy reissuing this one, so there is no shortage of good kits out there. The 2 “Royal” kits refer to the Royal Bobcat racing treatments that some of these got back in the day. They include a wealth of racing decals and such, but are otherwise little different from the other ones. I can honestly say you will not find a bad kit in this group, they are high quality and super good builders.

CAR BACKGROUND :: Beyond the Italian counterparts that give it its name (and are better than this car by light-years), the ’66 GTO is the best GTO ever made. The styling, the speed, the panache, the sales… this car really had it all. It was a colossal improvement over the plain-jane ’65, and though the ’67 was a close facsimile, it still didn’t carry the skin quite like this tiger did.

Carry a GTO, indeed.

The 389 tri-power was strong enough to throw this car to 100mph in the upper 13-second range and would still pull for plenty above that. Even regular 4-barrel versions would probably scare granny’s knickers off her, and it couldn’t look any better doing so! Pontiac wasn’t done there either, as you could then get the “Bobcat” treatment, which added all kinds of performance tweaks. The car didn’t need it bone stock, but if Ford’s 427s and Chevy’s Yenkos were gonna be looking for fights, you might as well sport a Bobcat to give em a run for their money.

Painted with Tamiya Gold and a smart black pinstripe, this was heads and tails better than the Testors Aztec gold I used in my other build. It was smoother and easier to blend. This kit comes with all the goodies, too – nice side mirror; 3 different colored pinstripes; redline tires – just about as complete as you can get out of a box.

Easily one of the better interiors you’ll work with, the Revell ’66 GTO is highly detailed, needs nothing added, and looks fantastic even for the worst modeler. I added the wood-look wheel and kept the console chromed up. The gauges are decals and make for an easy good look. The only way this could be sharper is with a white/two-tone look.

The engine bay is awesome, too. I cannot say enough about the presence of the tri-barrel atop the big block. Say what you like, but it looks pretty nasty. I added the wires and some small details here and there, but with NO work, this is still a fanatically good engine to display. The only downside is that you have to paint the entire bay black after you paint the body so it matches GM style. It is a LOT of cut work and is tiring. It sure “pops” when done, however.

The underside is a blessing to work on, too. The wheels are easy to make and affix to the axles perfectly; the engine and exhaust mate well; there is a good amount of detail; and plenty to work on if you like to OVER-paint the bottom of your kits (tank, shocks, cross-member, etc.). I DID add my own exhaust tips, but the originals were really decent to begin with as well… I just wanted more chrome.

Red turbo-style mufflers help the bottom POP as well. Why Not?

This is one of my favorites kits and, I have to admit, one of my favorite muscle cars. The ease of putting it together after working tirelessly on the engine, interior, trim, and such will put such a smile on your face. It has very few faults and is still among the mid-range-priced kits. Because of the reissues and plentiful supply of kits, it isn’t much of an investment, however.

It is one of the best kits you’ll ever build, for sure!

10 – Astonishing