The Gasser class drag cars were popular in the mid-1950s, and smaller cars with a shorter wheelbase made perfect candidates for gassers. The Henry J was only produced for four years by the Kaiser-Frazer Corporation completing just more 7,000 units. However, you may still see a few racing down a local track today.
Revell originally released its 1/25 scale '51 Henry J Gasser in the 1960s. With this reissue, you’ll immediately notice the retro box art, but the company has tuned up the plastic inside, too, where you’ll find 108 parts molded in white, clear, and chrome plated. The one-piece rubber tires are a nice upgrade from the two-piece plastic tires in the original kit. The decal sheet provides plenty of marking options and contingencies to make this kit your own.
Interestingly, the instruction sheet starts out with a suggested paint guide and a detailed parts list, which consists of the part name and number.
Improved, this kit still comes with its challenges. Perhaps the most difficult of these is cutting the windows from a flat sheet of clear plastic. The flat pieces for the back glass and side windows work fine. The front window takes more effort. I had to repeatedly fuss with and shape the piece for the windshield until it fit acceptably, if not perfectly.
Before gluing the dash, steering wheel, and hinge retainers to the firewall, I recommend attaching the firewall to the floor pan first. This will determine how square the body will fit to the chassis. It will pay off come time to close the body and chassis. Assembly for the rest of the interior can resume with a choice of two options for the trim panels — just flip the part! However, you’ll need to shape the rear interior trim panels to fit so the body doesn’t get hung up.
Yes, the doors open! But the hinges are a bit clunky and need some work to make them operate better. Sanding the oversized door panels helps the doors to close a little smoother.
The frame comes separate from the chassis. The suspension has flash and ejector-pin marks that need cleaning up to ensure the car sits level. The front suspension has posable steering and the classic straight axle look you would expect from a gasser. The rear suspension with the extra-long ladder bars, leaf springs, and simple wheelie bars are a nice touch.
Revell provides a big-block 427 powerplant, and just the thought of trying to keep this car straight down the strip with that much horsepower gave me the chills. The engine goes together without a problem. Be sure to take extra time when assembling the headers; they should look even when the engine is in place. The upper radiator hose is a bit long, so I trimmed it to properly attach to the radiator.
Another significant building challenge comes in the form of the Henry J’s seven-piece flip-nose front end. All I can say is take your time. After I assembled the hood, test-fitting showed I needed to do some minor cleanup to get a proper fit hood-body fit. Deep breaths and trust your skills.
The decal sheet gives you tons of options. I liked the box art so much, I couldn't resist! With some time and patience, Revell’s 1/25 scale Henry J gasser model kit will give you a unique addition to your collection that is sure to spur conversations with fellow modelers.