Kit: No. 72156
Scale: 1/25
Manufacturer: Lindberg, Craft House Corp., 328 N. Westwood Ave., Toledo, OH 43607
Price: $13
Comments: Injection molded, 114 parts (4 vinyl), decals.
ADDING a couple of instruments, a roll cage, and racing slicks to an otherwise stock hot rod made the "super-sport" class popular at drag races around the country in the '60s. One of the best of these cars, "Color Me Gone II," developed and raced by Dick Branstner and Roger Lindamood, has been restored and is the subject of this Lindberg kit.The Mopar dragster features good detail and excellent fit. The fit between the transmission and rear end is always a good indicator, and Lindberg's drive train fits without any slop or trimming.
The body parts also fit well. After you finish the body, you can slip the back of the chassis above the rear bumper, and pivot the rest of the chassis up under the body, where it locks in place without glue.
Considering the absence of engine wiring and linkages, the awesome Mopar "Max Wedge" V8 is accurately portrayed. Wiring is molded on the inner fender wells and fire wall. The ducted hood can be posed opened or closed. An excellent detail shot of the engine compartment is reproduced on the box side panel; all the photos on the box are of the full-size car.
Except for insignia red indicated for the door panels and gloss black for the steering wheel, no detail color information is provided for the interior. The box photos show the steering wheel to be red, and the upholstery red with white stripes.
Strangely, the model has no shifter either on the column or on the floor. I doubt the car had a push-button automatic on the dash. (Actually, it did. -- Ed.)
The clear parts are good quality and fit easily, but they look thick at the trailing edges of the wing-window vents.
The trim is a combination of paint and decals. The kit provides the blue body and hood trim, but you must paint the roof and taillight panel to match. Lindberg recommends Testor "Ford phone GM Engine Blue," which is the closest out-of-the-bottle color to the decals.
The decals went on well with a little solvent to help them fit around the headlights and rear fenders. I had to paint along the edges of the side trim in several places where there was not enough decal material. Apply the decals before you add chrome trim as they overlap the side trim in some places.
The instructions don't show the "Tuned By Dick Branstner" legends that go on the front fenders, but the photos on the box will guide you to their placement. Missing are the "Dodge" logo and the lockpins for the hood. I used Bare-Metal Foil for the trim.
The low front stance of the finished model looks just right. Most of the 15 hours I spent on my model went into painting and decaling. Modelers confident enough to touch up decals will enjoy this kit. Contest builders need only add aftermarket wiring and linkages.
Al Jones