This is a review of the AMT ’67 Camaro Z-28 #6638

Another of my youngster builds, the ’67 Camaro is a favorite because it was a simple-looking sportster with classic lines. The kit was a tougher one when I was little and is still a slight challenge for the novice. Still, I had to have this one, and it had to match the look of my early build. Needless to say, I am happy with it, or it’d not be here LOL.

The 1967 Camaro – the progenitor of the species – is a muscle car favorite. They ARE over-seen at car shows, overvalued, and WAY over-exaggerated in performance, but they are still very prevalent. The AMT versions are about the same and typically have only a few different pieces. The one I did and the other 3 newer AMTs above have the good decal page with the black-and-white stripes and other stock stuff. The top left is much older, and I am not sure about its sheet (maybe not important either, since it’ll likely run in the hundreds of dollars). I’ve never seen the Revells in person, as I’ve always gone back to my AMT that I made years ago. The AMT isn’t likely the better of the two, but it is nostalgic for me.

These kits are just a smattering of the 1968s available for building. They are 98% the same car as the ’67 and, in most cases, less expensive. If you need a gen-1 Camaro without paying a premium, the ’68s are the way to go. Unless you NEED the antique kits, they are a steal in pricing – somewhere around $15.

CAR BACKGROUND :: What do you do if you are Chevrolet and your rival, Ford, produces a small sports car that sells some 600,000 units? Well, you come up with this car. The 1967 Camaro was Chevy’s answer to the Mustang phenom, and though it wasn’t the record-breaking seller the trick pony was, it brought Chevy into the small-muscle fray. With a string of peppy engines, the Camaro did command performance (like the ad stated above). It did NOT, however, command it to the elites. Meaning, if you were in a Z-28 and found yourself next to a 440-6 Coronet, you were pretty sure you were taking the right on red to avoid being destroyed. Not that the Z wasn’t quick; at 14.9-ish in the ¼, it was cresting 100mph in a scant 16 seconds. Add a cam and some beefy tires, and you were in the 13s in a jiffy. Pretty toey for the $2500 Chevy.

My first one was white as well. Painted with a crappy paintbrush, it was lousy… but it was mine. I used the stock stuff, added mag wheels, and changed the bad, dangling exhaust. This one is done in Model Master Classic White, and it looks like what I had hoped mine would’ve looked like some 30 years ago. I will say if you are thinking white, be ready for primer or extreme patience, as this car is typically molded in a horrible grey, and the typical white paint sticks as well as a child’s reused scratch-and-sniff sticker. Stripes did work out – even with this being a 20+ year old kit.

Stock rims, red interior, and this one even had its own side mirror. Muy bueno.

The engine bay is decently detailed for an AMT kit, but the engine is absolutely TINY. Even the real 302 to the right looks a bit more snug. I know there are no hoses, and mine has white inner fenders, but the engine is still tiny. The radiator shroud is super decent for an AMT, however, the battery is too small, the brake boost is a bit on the small side, and the radiator hose is super long because of being shaped oddly. I assume the Revell kits would be better.

Who knows?… maybe I’ll buy a junker and swap out the bigger 302 someday?

Most AMT kits have lackluster interiors, and while I can’t call this an “A+” by any means, this is a decent-looking cockpit. Done in Red with red carpet, the inside certainly “pops” and I think it looks perfect with the white. Door detail is MEH, and the dash is a bit lean there too, but it is a solid display.

The underside is a mix of decent and average. The overall detail isn’t too bad but the car suffers from a lousy looking exhaust that happens to be a difficult placement. The over/under muffler goes under, around, and between for a complicated setup. Tough to pin down and get centered. The exhaust tips are a bit on the small/thin side as well. And those mufflers… off of a dirt bike? It came out really decent, but not a fan of the overall quality.

In the end, the Camaro ended up being exactly what I wanted and has made me smile more than once. Reminiscing about staring at this car when I was little, I hope it isn’t the last build for it. It was too enjoyable to walk through this memory. The kit is medium-priced, as it has far fewer than the ’68 & ’69 models. It is also probably a good investment, since it’s unlikely to be redone in the future. Since it is a great kit, you should get one while the getting is good – and build it.

8.5 – Very Good