Manufacturer: Revell-Monogram, 8601 Waukegan Rd., Morton Grove, IL 60053-2295, 847-966-3500.
Kit: No. 7668
Scale: 1/25
Price: $11
Comments: Injection molded, 122 parts (5 vinyl), decals
Pros: Top notch detail, separate chassis, very good clear parts, engine coolant hoses and in-cab heater included
Cons: No factory color list, some chrome parts marred by sprue attachments
The 1941 Chevy pickup was a restyling of the trucks from the late '30s. The headlights were moved from the sides of the hood to the fenders, and the "waterfall" grille was new. These trucks were powered by the famous 216.5 cubic-inch "Stovebolt" valve-in-head six- cylinder engine that would soldier on for years beyond, and while these trucks may have had a harsh ride, their solid construction, attractive styling, and longevity have made them classics.
Revell's kit features a separate chassis, a detailed engine including a road draft tube (oil breather), vintage 6.00 by 16-inch vinyl tires, an in-cab heater, and, whether by design or not, a windshield that can be installed open at the bottom just like the real thing.
Most of the sprues are poly-bagged, but in my sample, the chrome parts were not - and they were scratched. The four clear parts and single clear red taillight are thin, undistorted, and a perfect fit.
The decal sheet has five sets of license plates, two instrument panels, and markings for three light commercial trucks, but the real truck in the photo on the box cover is not one of these. While the model shown on the sides of the box uses one of these marking sets, no references are provided. I elected to use the same marking set on my model, but with what I feel is a more attractive color scheme.
The ten-step assembly drawings in the eight-page instruction booklet are excellent. Rarely do I follow assembly instructions exactly, but I did here, and this kit went together like the ticking of a metronome. Parts fit was excellent. Faint mold separation lines on the body and on the parts required minimal cleanup.
I painted all the parts before assembly except the engine block. Revell states that one side of the engine block is gray and the other side dark blue - surely an error. I painted the entire block light gray with a dark blue valve cover.
I painted the truck with Floquil's gloss railroad enamels (Wisconsin Central Maroon and CSX Black). I don't know if they are close to vintage colors, but the truck looks representative of the era. To paint the legends on the hub caps and the lettering on the grille, I used Testor Model Master red and blue. These recessed details are so small and precise, there was no avoiding slopping a little color over the edges. Once the paint had dried, however, a splash of mineral spirits on the tip of a paper towel wiped off the slopover without touching the paint in the recessed detail.
After the paints had set, I began final construction. Small chrome-plated parts, such as the hood handles (labeled hood hinges in the instructions) are some of the best I've seen. Even so, some of the sprue attachment points will leave voids in the chrome no matter how careful you are when cutting them free of the sprues.
I was impressed by the accurate interior with the in-cab heater. I glued the top of the windshield to the body leaving the bottom adrift. I appreciate Revell's clothes-pin-shaped axle ends that hold the wheels firmly. Take care to leave the axle ends and the holes in the inner wheels unpainted. If you use a lubricant that won't eat plastic, it will ease the installation and keep the wheels turning freely. The wheel-to-tire fit is snug, too.
Follow the printed decal application instructions. The well-printed glossy decals are not affected by solvents, and will stretch slightly during patient application. You will need to trim the clear edge from the air cleaner decal and from whichever instrument panel decal you choose to fit inside the recesses. The adhesive is slow-acting, but once it starts to set up, you can carefully stretch the decal over any compound-curve surfaces. Trust me, the milky adhesive will dry clear if you blot each decal carefully.
It took a little over 22 hours to build this model, most of that spent painting. I hope Revell continues producing cars and trucks from this era - I love 'em.