The original Revell '71 Satellite (first offered in 1984 and subsequently 1995 as a GTX), appears again with new wheels, tires, and disc brakes to make it look like the GTX from the 2017 movie The Fate of the Furious. While it can be built factory stock, with appropriate wheels and decals provided, kit comes with a secondary modified K-member for the front suspension to work with the larger wheels, and I wanted to see how all that worked together.
A couple of note: To render a model more resembling the movie car, the wheel-well and rocker trim should be removed from the body; I left mine as molded. Additionally, the movie car has a significantly different 1972 rear bumper and taillights and alternate exhaust tips not included in the kit.
However, the trim and configuration are correct for and makes a good-looking factory stock '71 GTX. So you know, the nicely rendered, cross-drilled Wilwood disc brakes do not work with the stock version; I dry assembled the stock wheels and tires and they look good.
One of the custom front wheels in my sample did not have all the engraved details on the face; a noticeable issue. All the wheels have small sink marks around the rim from the bosses, but paint hides them to some degree.
The parts fit well, and the molding is still about as nice as when the tooling was new. Be sure to cement the engine block and transmission securely to the mounts. The engine needs to be low in the frame or else the hood will not close properly, and extra hold will help keep it in place during final assembly. Be warned, the body is a tight fit.
Before painting the body, I cemented the rear valence (Part 2) in place using the bumper as a guide. It’s easier to attach the valence now rather than later and worrying about marring the paint.
The plastic is a bit soft, and while not a problem in itself, it didn’t work very well with Tamiya TS paints, which I use primarily for exterior finishes. The first few passes of black (TS-14) crazed the body parts, even where I had primed. I wet-sanded all the parts smooth, decanted the same paint, and applied it in several very light coats with an airbrush. That worked well, and I was able to apply the final (light) passes straight from the spray can.
Decals are included for the body graphics and badging, instruments on the dash, and exterior lights. The stripe decals fit acceptably well, but solvent used Tamiya Mark Fit (strong) to get them to settle onto the fenders. Apply the two hood sections first then align the fender decals to them. Expect to spend at least a good 15 minutes on each side to get them to stretch enough to remove any wrinkles. In my kit, there was a light mottled pattern or texture on all the decals while still on the sheet. Much of it disappeared after they went on. But even with mild polishing and waxing, the pattern was still visible from certain angles on the gold stripes. I suspect a coat of clear could remedy this.
Overall, Dom’s ’71 Plymouth GTX is a good-fitting kit that captures the essence of the Fast & Furious car. Admittedly, it sits a bit high compared to the movie version, and I don’t see a way to lower it without significantly altering the chassis. Still, this car was one I wanted to build for a long time and I’m ready to get another to build the factory-stock version. And it looks good parked next to other movie car models on my shelf.