Revell Dodge Intrepid R/T

Revell-Monogram has done a great job in capturing the look of Bill Elliott's Dodge Intrepid R/T. The body shape appears to be a perfect match compared to the photo I have of the full-size cars.

The rear spoiler has the correct height and the notch for the inspection template, as do the roof rails.

The fuel filler is recessed and angled to the rear. The hoodpin engravings are deep so they won't be buried under a few coats of paint. Two roof air dams are included for the Daytona and Talladega race versions, but you will need to add a small angled piece to the top of the rear spoiler to replicate the wicker Elliott used on those cars. The front air dam seems a bit short, so some thin sheet plastic can be added to lower it for a better look.

The one-piece body shell is rather thick, so I used a motor tool with a sanding drum to angle back the insides of the wheel openings and make thinner edges. Fine sandpaper smoothed it out, and the process took only 10 minutes. The front edge of the hood needed to be flied back a bit to provide sufficient clearance for the nose after painting.

I sanded the few thin mold lines on the body, primed it, then painted with Mopar Flame Red lacquer acquired from a Dodge dealer. I polished the body to a nice smooth finish, then masked off the front air dam, lower side strips, 'B' pillar, and rear spoiler. I sprayed them with semi-gloss black.

The decals are the best from a Revell-Monogram stock car kit that I've ever used. They're opaque and they set well. A nifty time-saver is the single-piece window unit with all the trim and rails pre-painted. Just snap it in place and you're done!

The rolling chassis is identical to the ones used in the ProFinish Taurus kits, with the exception of the engine compartment brace (part No. 43). However, the brace used on the Taurus (No. 42, included in the Dodge kit) is closer to the ones on the Dodges that I photographed at the Michigan race in June. I used that brace, and with a little tweaking, was still able to mount the radiator hose in the correct position.

The chassis was assembled easily with good locating pins for everything. I built the entire cage assembly separate from the chassis pan, leaving the dashboard out. This made it easier to paint the padding, ignition boxes, fire extinguisher and dashboard details.

The instructions suggest gluing the gauge faces to the back of the dash. However, the dash is rather thick, and once assembled the gauges can't be seen.

I dropped in the headless driver figure after gluing the cage on, then slid the dash in place. With a slight tweak the steering wheel was put in place, and lastly the driver' head! I had to twist the head a bit because it collides with the cage bar, but at least it fit this way.

The rear end is a one-piece assembly with little detail for the gear carrier and cooling pump, but with some careful detail painting, it still looks good. The wheels are one piece, and when the brake rotor is in place, the assembly looks fine.

Goodyear #1 Eagle markings are tampo printed on vinyl tires. Aero wheel and "#9" decals arc included to give the wheels that realistic look. The rear of the car seems to sit a bit too high, so lowering the suspension by shortening the springs might improve its posture.

The only changes in the engine from the Taurus kit are the nice valve covers with "Dodge" engraved on them. The starter is on the wrong side, but can easily be removed from its mount on the oil pan, and glued to the left side. A nice front engine-mounting plate will hide the inaccurate water pump design.

All things considered, I think this is a great kit that will please most builders. Super-detailing may be more difficult with the thick body and simplified rear end, but most of these racers will be box stock, and they will be easier to assemble for the younger folks.

With the addition of aftermarket decals, you can do at least one version of every Dodge that ran during the 2001 season. I already have several in the works!