Building Muscle Cars

Consider, by the late 1960s, most factory built muscle cars offered literally thousands of different combinations of base models, engines, options, colors, and trims. Part of the great fun in building model muscle cars is researching the factory options and “spec’ing out” what you’ll include in your miniature version. Which engine will you choose? What about the body color and interior trim package? What aftermarket upgrades will you include? Or consider the newer restomod and Pro Touring categories, as exemplified in newsstand publications such as the Goodguys Gazette and Modern Rodding. The ability to engage your automotive imagination and creativity to re-create such modifications in miniature offers infinite, exciting possibilities. And that’s all before you begin actual construction of your model! In the book Collecting Muscle Car Model Kits (CarTech, 2018), I…

When I first gave voice to the idea for the special issue you now hold, I was at the last NNL Nationals in Toledo, Ohio, in 2019 sitting across the table from Tim Boyd and discussing how-to story ideas as we had a bite to eat. For weeks prior, I had made it a habit to tootle around Pinterest (don’t laugh!) and look at the cool cars, motorcycles, and trucks that were showing up on my page. More and more, I saw photos and stories about these aggressive cars with classic lines, modern amenities, and distinctive paint jobs. And my heartbeat noticeably accelerated every time I scrolled down the page. Models of restomods and Pro Touring cars had started to show up on the display tables at model-car events, but they…

When Revell introduced its long-awaited, all-new, 1970 Plymouth Hemi ’Cuda kit in 2013, amongst the many kudos for the model were two common reactions: First, modelers wondered when Revell would produce an AAR ’Cuda model based off this kit. Second, the body in the kit still looked a little off when compared to the original MPC and JoHan ’Cuda kits from the early 1970s. Six years later, we have answers for both. Revell’s 1/25 scale factory-stock AAR ’Cuda in many ways achieves a higher level of realism than that Hemi ’Cuda kit it is based on (see the tiny dashboard vehicle serial number decal that can be read through the windshield!). And while the ’Cuda body in this kit is more accurate in certain respects than those original MPC and JoHan…

This build began like many of my other model cars: me sitting on the couch, looking on my phone at the Keith Marks decals Fotki page, and concocting in my mind some unique blend of colors, decals, and dealer options. During the Muscle Era, and specifically from 1968-1971, options were plentiful and, in some cases, outlandish. Personally, I prefer more “show” than “go.” Typical for me is wavering on whether or not a white vinyl top is too bold, or if hockey stripes clash with mud flaps. Regardless, I really get a kick out of less-typical combinations of colors and décor on my builds, with all that muscle under the hood coming as an added bonus. Once I settled on a 1971 Dodge Super Bee, I went searching online for images…

The final year the Pontiac Trans Am was available with a 455 V8 was 1976. That was also the final year of the second-generation’s round headlights ahead of the 1977 redesign with four rectangular headlights. In 2019, I bought Missing Link’s beautiful 1/25 scale 1976 Trans Am resin conversion intended for use with MPC’s Firebird. The transkit features front and rear fender spats molded to the body, an integral rear spoiler, clear headlight lenses, a three-piece shaker hood assembly, separate rear bumper, and a taillight panel. (The Missing Link kit sold out quickly, but MCW Resin offers a similar conversion as well as a number of Firebird, Formula, and Trans Am conversions for second-generation F-body Pontiacs.) Although the transkit is designed for use with the MPC offering, Revell’s ’77 Smokey…

I’m a big fan of second-generation GM F-Bodies, especially Firebirds. So, when C1 Models introduced a restomod transkit I had to get one. It is designed to fit Revell’s 1/24 scale 1978 Pontiac Firebird 3-in-1 (No. 85-4927). I originally planned to use the more recent Revell ’70 Firebird (No. 85-4489) to make a restomod tribute to the 455-SD with the smaller rear window and earlier taillights. However, while test-fitting the parts, I realized that the rear bumper and inner and outer rear diffuser did not fit the tapered rear of the 1970 kit. So, I went with the 1978 kit body, using an older Monogram 3-in-1 Monogram Warbird Trans Am that the 2011 reissue was derived from. The C1 transkit is based on a couple of illustrations of a Roadster Shop…