Made By:
Jada Toys
Scale:
1/24
MSRP:
US$24.99
Overview: | |
---|---|
Packaging (Design): | 10/10 |
Packaging (Durability): | 9/10 |
Casting (Body): | 10/10 |
Casting (Interior): | 9/10 |
Casting (Chassis): | 8/10 |
Casting (Engine): | 8/10 |
Paint (Exterior): | 8/10 |
Paint (Interior): | 9/10 |
Paint (Trim/Graphics): | 10/10 |
Overall Panel Fit: | 9/10 |
Total Score: | 9.0/10 |
Background
Starting in the late 1960s, muscle cars started using catchy names to appeal to a younger audience - names like "The Judge" or "Road Runner." Chevrolet introduced this idea to their Chevelle line for 1971 with the "Heavy Chevy" - a Chevelle coupe equipped with engines ranging from the 307 up to the 402 (neither the 250 straight 6 nor the 454 SS engine were available with this trim). Visually, the cars came with a domed hood, hood pins, graphics, and a blacked-out front end treatment.
Packaging
The Chevelle uses the second Pink Slips box design, with the plastic tray built into the base of the box. While the name under the window is correct, the back of the box incorrectly identifies it as a "Corvette SS" (the other photos are the Aventador, the Challenger, and the Raptor).
Casting/Paint
Jada's '71 Chevelle has been around since the Big Time Muscle days, but so far shows no sign of mold wear - the panels are nice and clean, the panel breaks straight and even, and the overall fit and finish just as good as you could want. The main body is their classic monolith, a single slab of diecast that feels as heavy as it looks. The bumpers, grille, and headlight bezels are black plastic; the marker lights, condenser, and exhaust tips are chrome; the headlights and glass are clear; the taillights are transparent red; and the mirrors are soft vinyl with chrome inserts.
Continuing the theme of standout paint jobs, the car is painted a gorgeous black-to-blue fade that transitions as smoothly as any airbrush job. The bumpers are solid black and the door jambs and engine bay are solid blue, creating a cool contrast that adds an extra "premium" look to the finish. Black has been added to the front vents and exhaust tips to give them a little depth. A faint blue "SS" is printed on each front fender, with the Pink Slips logo on each door straight back from the SS. The only other graphic is a small Pink Slips license plate on the rear bumper.
the interior is solid black, with the only color coming from two small stickers for the speedometer and tach. It's nicely appointed with custom racing buckets up front and four speakers across the back dash. Two more speakers are mounted in a box in the trunk. Under the hood is a supercharged V8, nicely detailed with a separate intake snorkel and cleanly defined radiator, master cylinder, belt assembly, and intake manifold with 4bbl carb. I'm assuming the chrome piece under the front bumper is an AC condenser as it's too far forward for the radiator and you can see from the piping that there's no intercooler. The chassis is old-school Jada, with only the most basic details indicating the front suspension, engine, transmission, and dual exhausts. It even has the rear wheel cutouts for their massive rollers, though these aren't quite so wide. These are only slightly narrower, with 8 split-spoke wheels in black and chrome wrapped in rubber bands and mounted over the usual disc brakes with red calipers.
Features/Accessories
The doors, trunk, and hood all open and close on stiff but smooth-operating hinges.
Accuracy
This is clearly a heavily customized Chevelle, so other than a few styling cues there's not much to try to call out. The greenhouse looks chopped at first, but i think that may be an illusion created by the slab sides and extended rockers. Scaling is just about dead-on at 1/24.
Overall
Another win for the Pink Slips line. The classic muscle car and old-school Jada design touches give it a nice retro feel, while the wheels and absolutely fantastic paint job give it a modern twist.
or criticism about this review? Send me an e-mail with your thoughts!