Testor's Camaro

Testing is more like it. Horrid kit. Cheapskate Testors used the same body for the Firebird & Camaro, so there is a huge join across the rear quarters
& boot lid. They provide an ugly Porsche whale tail to cover said joint.

I'm not happy with fill job on the boot, the quarters are OK, so I'll scratch build a Z 28 rear spoiler.

The 'engine' is way over sized, its bigger than a big block Chev, that and the lack of detail means the bonnet is sealed.

Tamiya metalic red over the orange plastic.

Ugh!!! the engine compartment is so big you could get a Rolls-Royce Merlin Aero engine in there. No wonder you are going curbside Chris!!

I picked up one of these in a large lot of kits a couple years ago...and promptly put it on eBay.



Your a braver man than me Chris.

Man-O-Man. I think you are doing the right thing. What an ugly kit.

Al, I reckon you'd get a Pratt & Whitney R 4360 in there, never mind the Merlin.

Sam, I actually bought this one because I didn't have one.

Buck, the overall shape is OK. Just don't look under the bonnet, under the car, or inside...........

Its a bit of a hybrid, the body is an '80, the dash a '78 or earlier. I'll call it an '80, since I have
the Monogram '78 built. Its an old kit, but vastly superior to the Testors. I don't know why Testors bothered to tool up for it.

Do you have a picture of the box cover? I think I have this kit too. Picked it up for $3 At a garage sale but haven't been tempted to build it yet. Nice colour you picked out.

Shelby wrote:Do you have a picture of the box cover? I think I have this kit too. Picked it up for $3 At a garage sale but haven't been tempted to build it yet. Nice colour you picked out.

Sorry, the box is gone. From memory, it was the version below. Aparently some versions of the kit had the Firebird wheels and the Firebird got the
Z 28 wheels.  I googled it to get that picture.

Colour is Tamiya TS-18 Metallic Red, over the orange plastic. Here it is after a polish & with the rear window installed.
Black pen for the mouldings. Way quicker than black chrome from BMF.












Here's a review I found on Amazon.

You'd have to be nuts to pay around $35 bucks for this kit! The box says skill level 2, but with only approximately 40 parts it should've been labeled a quick build, for beginers. It comes molded in orange, black, clear, and very minimal chrome. Not even a license plate decal is included. You have to cut it from the instructions pattern. How cheap! Be aware the box cover illustrates engine detail. However, the engine is molded into the body and the only assembly parts are the manifold and chrome air cleaner. There are no vinyl tires, you must glue two hard plastic black pieces together. I've never seen this from any other 1/25 or 1/24 scale model company. I've seen snap-fit kits with better detail than this. The general lack of detail(parts) makes this kit very disappointing and will only appeal to those who once owned a 1980 Camaro Z28, wanting a nostalgic replica

Different box cover but really the same kit. I checked and mine molded in yellow with Firebird wheels.

The colour you picked is nice and the black pen is a good call. I find the black chrome from BMF is thicker and difficult to work on curved surfaces.

Yeah that's a real turd of a kit.. The Revell-o-gram (old Monogram) 1/24th kit is really the one to build of that body style.

Luv that amazon-based kit review! Gets right to the shortcomings. Actually, any kit can be useful for parts. That one would be good as a rusty abandoned hulk!

Beating the taillights into shape. Lenses are too thick, so my choices are:

1) Cut the body in the tailight recess. Not keen as I've got a paint job I'm happy with ( rare!)
2) Thin the lenses from inside with the Dremel. Which is playing up.

Plan 2 is the go. A day off tomorrow so I'll have a go at sorting the Dremel.

Cant you scratch some covers for them out of clear styrene?

A5h wrote:Cant you scratch some covers for them out of clear styrene?

Good point. It can't be less painfull than the current method. I might try it.

Wow Webby .......... looks as though you have your hands full with a really bad kit ........... you're a braver man than I

This horror drags on. It's on its wheels now and I've given up on the kit tail lights.
An hour each side, after I fixed the Dremel. Finally said 'screw this' and promptly cut the kit lights into pieces, so I wouldn't be tempted to waste more time on this pooch.

Going to make my own tail tights.

Time to take this pooch for a walk in the back yard...........

Looking good Chris. You are making the best of this dog!!

Yep.

Doing your best, and at certain angles, with the nostalgic "T" top, it's not as bad as some.  I think in an earlier comment you were going to put on a rear (?) spoiler. Yes or no?  Just curious.

I'm working on it in small doses, lest I'm tempted to put the boot to it!

Tail lights first, then the rear spoiler. Also have to to paint the black areas around the lights.
Just did the grill, and now back to the others WIPs