57 Chevy Kit Comparo

MAMA Sez! Volume 22, Issue 7 March, 2009 This is the newsletter Spring has Sprung! of the Maryland Last month’s meeting comparo inside. Another $101.00, while the door Automotive Modelers was pretty low-key (as MAMA’s Boy, Rik Hov- box contributed another Association usual), but we did man- ing, also makes his pres- $89.00. Yay—we made age a spirited conversa- ence known (see pg. 5). the rent. Thanks, guys. Gotcha! 1 tion regarding themes for New Model King good- Thanks again to the fol- Chevy Comparo 2 our NNL in ‘10. Several ies, hot rod Volvos AND lowing donors: Ed suggestions were made Diesels, Don Prud- Brown, Ron Bradley, Thoughts & Prayers 4 which will be voted on homme’s ‘Tooner’ Mus- Jerry Frazier, Mike MAMA News 4 this month. tang, more auction in- Hensley, Ron Hamilton, Speakin’ of this sanity, movie star and Howard Weinstein, Model Buffet 4 month, we have pace car ‘10 Camaros, it Chris Whalley, Rich Buh-Bye Saleen? 5 MAMA’s Boy Ron Ham- just keeps getting’ better! Wilson, Replicas & T ‘n T 6 ilton to thank for his hard Peek inside for more! Miniatures Co. of MD, ‘Snake’ ‘Stang?! 8 work on the ‘57 Chevy The raffle raised and yours truly. Auction Insanity 9 customers also will face the highway traffic cone Model King News 9 Gotcha! monthly fees and pay will supplant the Oriole Hot Rods?! 12 more for new and re- as Maryland’s State The Maryland Lets Go Racin! 13 placement transponders. Bird, eh?! Transportation Author- Standard and commuter In a somewhat related ity has approved rate toll rates are unchanged. item, the PA Turnpike 2009 Meeting Schedule hikes at its seven toll fa- The authority will may soon be more aptly Meetings are scheduled for cilities. the third Saturday of the month offer a 10 percent dis- referred to as the Barce- (unless noted otherwise). Do The changes an- count for multi-axle ve- lona Turnpike if a $12.8 NOT assume meeting dates— nounced recently are ex- hicles that make more billion proposal by a confirm them with a club offi- pected to generate about than 100 trips a month Spanish toll road opera- cer! $60 million more a year January 17th through the facilities. tor is approved by the PA February 21st for the self-sustained The agency said toll Legislature. March 21st agency to help it keep up revenues go toward a PA Gov. Rendell April 25th with increasing costs as ! $3.8 billion six-year made the announcement May 16th TE NO toll traffic and revenue capital program includ- that Abertis Infraestruc- June 20th drop. ing safety, preservation, turas won the right to op- July 18th Large trucks and August 15th customer service and im- erate it on a 75-year other multi-axle vehicles September 19th provement projects. lease. They git ya comin October 17th will pay from $2 to $13 Guess that means that and goin’!! November 21st more in tolls. E-Z-Pass December 19th Inclement weather phone MAMA Sez is the official monthly publication of the Maryland Automotive Modelers Association. Articles as attributed by author and source, and may be reprinted with proper credit given. Opinions expressed are those of nobody of any importance. Any corre- number: (301) 474-5255. spondence or contributions should be sent to: Timothy Sickle, 15905 Ark Court, Bowie, Maryland 20716. Page 2 MAMA Sez! ‘57 Chevy Kit Comparo [A Comparison between the Chevy has sparked a bit of Revell ‘57 Chevrolet 150 2-door controversy since it was Utility sedan (a.k.a. Black Widow) introduced to the modeling and the AMT ‘57 Chevrolet Bel community. Many model- Air 2-door hardtop] ers expressed concern that There has been mucho buzz the AMT tool looked a bit concerning the latest offering ‘fat’ compared to the previ- from Revell. The company has ous offering from the com- seen fit to modify its excellent ‘56 pany, which is true. From ner. Either version will take well Chevy 210 Del Ray 2-door sedan where I sit, the current AMT ‘57 to aftermarket super detailing kit into a ‘57 Chevy 150 2-door Chevy Bel Air 2 door hardtop kit parts and appropriate paint fin- utility sedan (no rear seat), with is absolutely the most detailed kit ishes to yield a contest quality en- building options as a Replica of the car ever offered. I feel that gine. Although the instructions do Stock sedan, and a period race the body in that kit is indeed very not mention it, the builder with car, with appropriate parts for ei- accurate, as the ‘57 Chevy was a both kits can build a ‘57 Chevy ther version. In doing my re- fairly “round” automobile. AMT with the following engine options search, the Revell kit, while hav- even marketed a “Pro Shop” ver- using the parts from either kit: ing some of the parts to do a pe- sion, which included engine wir- A) 283 cubic inch/220 horse- riod ‘NASCAR’ race car, is not a ing, vinyl hose for the radiator and power engine—Revell single 4- completely accurate replica of an heater, and photoetched trim. barrel carburetor, intake manifold, ‘as-raced’ car, but it is a very There are differences in kit and air cleaner, 283 engine block good start. I contend the kit will philosophy between these two. w/either the 3-speed manual trans- build into an excellent replica of AMT’s kit(s) are marketed as sin- mission or the 283 engine block the ‘Drag Race’ car that was sold gle building version kit, while the with the powerglide automatic through Chevy dealers at the time Revell offering has two building B) 283 cubic inch/245 horse- for sanctioned drag racing events. versions. Lets take a look at them. power engine—AMT dual 4- Add drag slicks and decals, and Engine: The Revell kit has barrel carburetors, intake mani- you’re good to go. two engine induction options in- fold, and unique air cleaner, 283 Upon opening the box, I was cluded—the single 4-barrel car- engine block w/either the 3-speed impressed to see that Revell has buretor and attendant parts, and manual transmission or the 283 executed a near-perfect replica of the Rochester “Ramjet” Fuel In- engine block with the powerglide the ‘57 Chevy 150 Series 2-door jection and attendant parts, as well automatic sedan body. To my eye, the over- as a ‘283’ engine block with a C) 283 cubic inch/270 horse- all shape and proportion of this Powerglide automatic transmis- power Engine—AMT dual 4- car capture the intended subject. I sion, and a ‘283’ engine block barrel carburetors, intake mani- did a test fit of the hood and fas- with a 3-speed manual transmis- fold, and unique air cleaner, 283 cias, and they lined up to the body sion. The common parts are engine block w/ the 3-speed man- very well. The body has a few shared with either engine block. ual transmission mold lines, but they are easily ad- The AMT kit has a single engine D) 283 cubic inch/250 horse- dressed. I couldn’t help but com- option, the dual 4-barrel carbu- power engine—Revell Rochester pare this kit to the last tool of the reted ‘283’ engine with a 3-speed “Ramjet” Fuel Injection system, AMT ‘57 Chevy 2-door hardtop, manual transmission. In all cases, intake manifold, unique air which, in my opinion, is also an the kit’s offering is accurate, well cleaner, and air induction setup, excellent kit. engraved, and represents the sub- 283 engine block w/either the 3- ject matter in an impeccable man- The latest tool of the AMT ‘57 (Continued on page 3) Volume 22, Issue 7 March, 2009 Page 3 1,” but there are no period available for the ‘57 Chevy Bel Comparo (contd) racing modifications in the Air 2-door hardtop model series. chassis assembly, so they The AMT kit has added detail, in (Continued from page 2) must be provided by the builder. that it has an opening trunk, and speed manual transmission or the Wheels and Tires: The Rev- that area is very well detailed. On 283 engine block with the power- ell kit has a single set of ‘no the Revell kit, a four-point roll bar glide automatic name’ black wall tires, which and a tachometer are included for E) 283 cubic inch/283 horse- mount onto a set of six-lug steel the racing version. Again, in or- power engine—Revell Rochester wheels. In the one-to-one world, der for the builder to make an ac- “Ramjet” Fuel Injection system, these wheels were sourced from a curate ‘NASCAR’ type race car, intake manifold, unique air ½ ton Chevy truck of the era for a there needs to be some modifica- cleaner, and air induction setup, ‘heavy duty’ (racing) application. tion of some of the interior com- 283 engine block w/ the 3-speed A separate ‘57 Chevy ‘dog dish’ ponents. A bit of research is manual transmission hub cap is provided to cover the needed to yield an accurate replica AMT has a ‘Street Machine’ lugs for the “Replica Stock” appli- race car interior. version of their ‘57 Chevy Bel Air cation. The AMT kit has a very Body Assembly: Both kits 2-door hardtop which includes a nice set of BF Goodrich Silver- include well proportioned, well- big block Chevy engine which is town tires with a plastic white engraved bodies with very crisp, available as a separate kit, not wall insert, which mount onto a but faint emblems.

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