Since its introduction in 1953, the Chevrolet Corvette has been the icon of American two-seat sports cars. Now, with the eighth generation (C8) and its rear-engine platform, the Corvette has evolved into a world-renowned sports car. Back in 1972, the Corvette was smack in the middle of the third generation (C3), modeled after the 1965 Mako Shark II concept vehicle. On paper, the net horsepower ratings were down dramatically due to reporting changes, but, in reality, the model matched the horsepower for the previous year. Otherwise, the ’72 was mechanically the same as the ’71 Corvette, with minor trim changes inside and out, and was available with a variety of engine options—eight versions of the small-block 350 and four of the big-block 454 based on the transmission.
The AMT 1/25 scale 1972 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster plastic model kit features a small-block 350 LT-1 with a four-speed transmission. The 19-part powerplant builds into a lovely representation, with chrome valve covers, distributor shield, and ram-horn exhaust manifolds.
Seven parts comprise the rear suspension, which mounts easily to the chassis. You should find the 10-piece front suspension just as easy to assemble and install.
When assembling the chassis, attach the passenger-side front wheel well, but not the driver’s side. If you attach both at the same time, they’ll interfere with attaching the body to the chassis. More on this later.
Inside, you’ll find seams on the seat backs—you may feel better filling them, but they really can’t be seen in the finished model. Decals detail the gauges, radio, and console, and improve this edition of the kit. You’ll want to trim the lower portion of the windscreen to allow the interior to fit flush. Test-fitting the parts is key.
When fitting the body to the chassis, first, get it properly in place. Then feed the driver’s side front wheel well into place. Center the hood on the pivot points and carefully touch some glue between the chassis and the well to attach it. The body fits snugly to the chassis, only requiring minimal glue. The front valance below the bumper is not correctly angled, so you’ll have to work with it a little bit for an adequate appearance.
AMT provides an option for white-letter or redline Firestone tires, with the options printed on opposite sides of the four, vinyl parts. The only wheels in the kit are the ’72 Rally.
I added the brightwork, chrome bumpers, side-view mirror, luggage rack, and exhaust at the end of the build. The soft top for 1972 only came in black or white, so this Stingray got a white top to go with the hood stripe along with a matching, color-coded hard top.
Round 2’s decals for this American sports car were crisp, well registered, and went down with no or minimal setting solution needed.
Overall, this reissue of the AMT 1/25 scale 1972 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster plastic model kit makes the grade with only minor fit issues. Knowing that they exist makes building the model much easier. It’s a welcome addition to my Corvette collection, and I recommend it to anyone with a couple of car models to their credit.