KIT:

Revell 1/32 1956 Ford

KIT #

1242

PRICE:

$12.98

DECALS:

N/A

REVIEWER:

Scott Van Aken

NOTES:

First issued 1955, this is a 1996 reissue

HISTORY

Not much I can tell you about this car. I like its looks and you can tell that it has all the design themes of the fifties; small fins, two color paint, large areas of chrome. All that is needed for the modern 'jet' design that was so popular. I bet it was even 'longer, lower and wider' than the '55 version!

THE KIT

 

Can you say 'yellow'? Sure you can. And you'll have to once you open the box. There is lots of it around; obviously to help with painting. Unlike modern car kits, this one does not have a one piece body. I can recall making a real mess of several Revell sports car kits as they were also designed in this manner. The kit is also about 1/32 scale. Not exactly the standard scale of today, but one that was quite popular with Revell and some other makers of car kits at the time.

Other differences you'll notice are solid plastic wheels and the total lack of any clear parts. The instructions make no mention of how this anomaly is to be cured. I imagine that some clear acetate could be forced into position for the windshield, but that is supposition. The tail and head lights are molded into various other parts so will simply have to be painted on. The kit does offer an engine, though it is a bit simple in design compared to newer models.

What you don't get with today's car kits are figures. This one includes the two you see on the box art; a female driver and fancy-schmancy polo player for the second figure. Other details are a nicely done suspension and very nicely done chrome. The parts themselves are very well molded and though there is some flash, it isn't enough to be a problem. I did notice that the body sides were somewhat warped, but some strong gluing should take care of that problem.

Instructions are a copy of the 1955 version and are the semi-pictorial drawings. Each construction step also has a write-up on how the parts are to be glued together. Reading the instructions is almost like reading an advertisement for the car as all the Ford names are given for parts. For example, the shock absorbers are Viscous-Control shocks; the heater is a Magicaire, and so forth. No color information is given anywhere in the construction so you are left up to using the box art for your guide.

CONCLUSIONS

For some of us, this kit is a walk down memory lane. Younger modelers will wonder why we even bothered with some of these cars. The truth is that this kit would be a level 3 in anyone's catalogue, yet I can remember gluing these beasties together when I was 9-10 years old! Recommended for nostalgia and for those who like to build in 1/32 scale.

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and quickly by a site that has well over 150,000 visitors a month, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

Back to the Main Page

Back to the Previews Index Page