Viper Dodge Viper RT/10

       

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Original Kit:
Viper Dodge Viper RT/10
Made By:
AMT/Ertl (kit #8311)
Scale:
1/25
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Viper Dodge Viper RT/10
Dodge Viper RT/10 from the Viper TV show
Viper Dodge Viper RT/10 interior Viper Dodge Viper RT/10 rear badge and license plate Viper Dodge Viper RT/10 rear

 
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Given where the toy industry and TV shows were in 1993, Viper actually started off with a halfway decent marketing push. In addition to the usual ads and TV spots, there were slot cars, a large radio-controlled car, a telephone, diecast cars, and model kits. Most of these used existing molds that were created as part of Chrysler's larger rebranding efforts of the early 1990s, with only the Tyco cars representing the Defender that had been created for the series. A further expansion was planned by some companies, but when the show failed to take off any future ideas were binned and what was already on the shelves was all anyone would get. For model builders, that meant SnapFast Plus kits of a Stealth and this factory stock Viper RT/10.

I debated for a while about how I wanted to build it. The earliest Viper kits from AMT/Ertl all had darkly tinted headlights, and this one also had a tinted windshield. These very much did not match what we saw on the show, but correcting them would negate the few things that make this a unique tie-in. In the end I went with box stock plus a couple of minor decorative upgrades.

The assembly was what you'd expect from a snap kit of the time: a few minor parting seams on the curved body, little flash, and good tight connections between parts. Most parts went together with push fit or small screws, though the wheels required the old "hammer them onto the axle and hope you don't blow out a wheel hub" method that has thankfully since been abandoned.

Inside, I used a combination of Tamiya primer and TS-29 Semi Gloss Black to recreate the early Viper's cockpit. Embossing powder was used for carpeting, and the gauges were my own custom prints. The body was painted TS-86 Pure Red, with satin black details brush painted and more custom prints used for the badges, rear corner lights, and screen-accurate license plate.

 

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