Those familiar with the ups and downs in the model car world will NOT be surprised by this article at all, but I wanted to show a major issue with a newer reissue.

This is the 2025 reissue of the 1972 Chevy Chevelle SS. I purchased it to fix up my older build with stripes and potentially a new grille. However, though the stripes were EXCELLENT and there are enough of them for 4 different kits, the grille was a farce.

Here is the before and after with the new stripes added. The white looks good and doesn’t let the color bleed through. There is also RED and BLACK included, as well as a third “SLASHER” multicolor look. The decal sheet is GIANT and sports side markers, 7 license plates, air cleaner decals, and much more. The glass is excellent, the body has no dimples from the posts, and the tires are gorgeously white lettered.

The model is much nicer than anything made previously, but it still has a big problem. On the left below is a real-life picture of a ’72 for sale. I’ve taken the pic from https://www.vanguardmotorsales.com‘s website for comparison (NICE place to buy excellent classic cars). As you can see from the left side pic, the headlight is

recessed inside the chrome frame. Unfortunately, the headlight setup for the older kit (see XRAY **HERE**) – [TOP] , and the 2025 reissue [BOTTOM] both have headlights and bezels that are “bulging” instead of surrounded by chrome and recessed. It seems like a minor issue, but the result from the front is a completely different look, and frankly, it seems a bit ruined to me.

Similarly, the promo vehicles from years ago for sale on the internet are also made with the same crappy look (not surprising since the promo companies were typically the modeling companies anyway). They are expensive and usually not very detailed, but they also do not help in this case. Unfortunately, I haven’t found anything on the web that helps with this situation. A new resin grille section would be just the ticket, but for now, I’ll keep my build off the shelf. I REALLY do not like inaccurate models, and this one is lousy when compared to the real thing.

Is the reissue better than the previous editions? YES. There is almost nothing that isn’t better than the older models in this case. Some new kits (looking at you 70½ Camaro with its cheap-ass disgusting orange plastic, lousy flash, and BAD dimples around the posts) have NOT gotten better, but this one is 100% a better car to build… just try not to look at the front end too much.