Dodge produced Warlock pickups, a special model of the D series, from 1977 to 1979 in black, red, green, or blue. These short-wheel-based, four-wheel drive trucks with custom gold wheels appealed more to a younger crowd and were often thought of as “adult toys.” The MPC 1/25 scale 1977 Warlock pickup plastic model kit hasn’t seen the light of day for many years, but Round 2 has brought it back with the company’s “Retro Deluxe” packaging.
Warlock trucks came with a 440 V8 engine, and the first three steps of the build have you replicate the powerplant with 16 pieces. Part 29 attaches to the oil pan, but will need attention to fill the void left from when the kit had a metal axle. Even though the
carburetor (Part 116) lacks detail, the air cleaner (Part 117) covers it, so don’t worry. When complete, the engine provides a great rendition of what these trucks had as they came off the assembly line.
When diving into the chassis, be careful because many of the parts look similar and the numbers on the trees can be hard to read. Make sure to compare the parts numbers to the instructions because you don’t want to use one of the additional parts that aren’t meant for the Warlock.
For some kits, you can skip around in the instructions during the assembly. Here, I suggest that you follow the order of assembly as shown.
Parts of the front and rear suspensions and exhaust system needed a little cleanup but otherwise went together without issues. I did notice at the end of the build that the exhaust could have been a little shorter at the end—photos of 1/1 Warlocks show the tailpipe ending right after the rear wheels. The kit’s exhaust goes all the way to the rear bumper. That’s an easy fix.
I added a coat of clear over the molded gold wheels but nothing else. The 4WD suspension has a good ride height, and with the front radiator and upper hose, front firewall with battery, and placing the wheels and tires, the chassis and drivetrain were complete.
Eight parts make up the basic interior—large bucket seats, a big center console, and dash. Round 2 supplies decals to decorate the dash and an optional CB radio for a ‘70s vibe. Detail painting can take the interior to the next level.
Step 11 has you place the interior inside the pickup body. First, drop the clear window in place—it fits seamlessly. Then pop in the interior. The front firewall simply glues to the interior front.
I found the decals to be tricky to work with. The hood contours made it difficult for the decal to settle, and I went back and forth with a setting solution to get it to lay as flat as possible. In my sample, on the side decals that cover the fender and the door, the clear sections had spots inside that were noticeable only after they were applied to the model. I ended up painting between the stripes to hide the imperfections. Cutting the decals apart to minimize the amount of clear film between the stripes may be a lot of work, but you won't end up with imperfections.
After I finished the few trim options for the stepside pickup box, the model was complete, except for the toolbox, jack, and more optional items you can paint and place in the back. Overall, the reissue of the MPC 1/25 scale 1977 Warlock pickup plastic model kit assembles without any issues but inspect your decals. If you are looking to add another 4x4 to your collection, make this Dodge Warlock one of those choices.