Manufacturer: Revell, 8601 Waukegan Rd., Morton Grove, IL 60053-2295, 847-966-3500.
Kit: No. 2549
Scale: 1/24
Price: $14.50
Comments: Injection molded, 131 parts (4 vinyl), decals.
Pros: Good detail, accurate shapes, gorgeous decals.
Cons: Warped belly pan and body, no tire markings.
The Porsche 911 has been one of the most popular sports cars in the world for over thirty years. One of the most recent, and radical, incarnations is the 911 GT-1 series of racers. The 911 GT-1 EVO features a few aerodynamic refinements and new headlights that resemble those of the Boxster street car.
The first thing you'll notice about Revell's kit is the nice detail molded into the white plastic parts. The engine/ transaxle and brake disc/caliper assemblies exhibit fine engraving.
However, the belly pan, part No. H14, was badly warped both length- and width-wise. This prompted me to open three other EVO kits in hope of finding a straight one, only to find that they all had the same problem. I straightened the part with heat and gentle bending. I also found that the bodies in these kits were a bit twisted, although not nearly as bad as the belly pan.
All the parts in the kit fit together well, especially the complex rear-suspension system, which looks fragile but is extremely strong. Careful test fitting should be done while attaching the left and right support braces (G7 and G8) - they're easy to install upside down.
The interior of the model is also well detailed, featuring a five-piece dash and a well-formed seat. Decals are provided for the gauges and seat harness.
The BBS wheels in the kit come pre-painted gold with the tires already mounted. The wheels require the builder to have a steady hand to paint the chrome rim on. The tires (slicks) have many swirls and flow marks in them. No markings for the tire sidewalls are provided.
Assembly of the kit is straightforward. Be careful when gluing the engine/firewall to the chassis, as it is easy to glue it too far forward. The windshield is a tight fit into the body, but if you take it slow and pay attention, a flush fit is possible.
Revell has captured the swoopy lines of the EVO well, as well as molding all the scoops and vents open. The rear body and rear valance are molded separately, and need to be glued together. The resulting seam needs to be filled and smoothed for a clean appearance. The rear-view mirrors are correctly shaped and feature chrome self-adhesive faces.
I painted the car with Tamiya's new Pure White spray paint with a clear topcoat. The decals in the kit are fantastic and feature all the multicolor graphics in the correct colors. They went on with only a little decal solvent. After the decals were dry, it was time to attach the body to the chassis, which brought to light an unforeseen problem. Despite my work at reshaping the pan and body, I found that the rear body section would not fit well.
Revell's Porsche contains a wealth of detail, but the warps and twists make it a chore to assemble. It took me close to 40 hours. With care and patience, a nice model can be built, and the very colorful graphics will make it stand out.
Mark Melchiori