Large 1/12 Scale Kit

This is the first part of the Revell 1969 Camaro Z/28 3in1 1/12 Scale 85-2812.

“What is a Camaro?… A small, vicious animal that eats Mustangs.”

With the introduction of Ford’s Mustang, car manufacturers were quick to put out their own Pony cars. And for Chevrolet, that was the Camaro. First released in late 1966, the Camaro quickly obtained popularity amongst car enthusiasts. But the 1969 version was where the Camaro really got its hold on the general public.

The 69 Camaro was a slight redesign of previous offerings; this time, it was squared off and less round. This simple reshaping proved to be very popular; it looked sleeker, faster, and tougher. It certainly looked like something that ate Mustangs.

To this day, with the long heritage of Camaros, the ’69 version is still a top favourite of Camaro fans.

This is a BIG kit. You might see the box, and you might think you know how big it’s going to be, but once you open it, you’re in for a treat. This is a beautifully molded body, and there are only a few slight imperfections that will need to be cleaned up.

The plastic is quite thick, and this helps add some realistic weight to the model. The surface details are nice and sharp, and this will make painting the smaller details easier.

The car body is almost 15 1/2 inches in length, and there is a thin seam line running down the center of the body. This was first produced by Monogram Models in 1988, and I do wonder if they used some sort of slide molding to produce such a large and detailed body.

Moving on to the interior, the tub features some really interesting texture patterns for the floors and the back of the seats. Unfortunately, there are some ejector pins on the textured areas that will have to be dealt with.

The underside of the car has the fuel tank and sections of the frame. Again, things here are really sharp, and this floor section is thick and heavy.

One detail I really like within the wheel well housings is this rubber texture that they added. It’s a bit of a shame as you won’t appreciate it once the wheels are placed on. But it’s extra small details like this, that really make the kit feel special.

The forward windscreen as well as the headlights. Molded into the windscreen are the sun visors. The windscreen is very clear, and I think it could be a bit better with some careful polishing.

This large section of clear is for the rear window as well as a section of the back side windows.

A small bag was included with wire and tubing for the engine.

Clear red brake lights are included, and they look very realistic.

The standard tires have excellent sidewall details, and the treading pattern is nicely replicated. A slight weathering, and these would look just like the real deal.

The second set of tires is for the Street version. These tires are wider and have a deeper tread pattern.

Lastly, these 2 smooth Racing tires are included and are to be paired with 2 of the Street tires.

Some of the interior details and the inside of the door.

I really like the texture that they’ve added to the seats. There are other seamlines around the seat, and be careful not to sand these sections away, as these are the seams stitched together.

The next sprue features the radiator and some parts for the center console.

More interior and underside details, as well as the back sections of the front seats.

I just wanted to show the dashboard and the great details that are already molded in. There are quite a few decals included for a fantastic wood grain effect.

Large sections of the exhaust, as well as the front grille.

A close look at the detail on the front grille. There is a small bit of flash that will need to be cleaned up, but even in this state, the details are very crisp.

More parts for the exhaust and the engine details.

Here we have parts for the engine, as well as the large hood section

Looking under the hood, you can see some of the details as well, very faintly, see a thin oval. This section is meant to be cut out for the modified engine, for the Street & Racing options.

Two sprues are included with chromed parts. Here you can see the optional rim styles.

The other section of chrome parts with the sides and bumpers. Most of the parts look very clean and will be easy to remove from the connecting joints.

Now that we are done with the parts, we can take a good look at this large decal sheet. It’s printed on blue paper, making things a lot easier to see. There are white racing stripes for the stock version, and the decals feel quite thin, so I imagine these will apply easily to the model.

Taking a closer look at some of the instrument decals, these are printed with silver, which adds a realistic effect.

Here is more of the woodgrain I had mentioned earlier. And these mesh-looking decals are meant to go over the center of the seats.

I had to look up the license plate “HUGGER”, and this is in reference to the Hugger Orange that many Camaros were painted in, as is featured on the box art.

Lastly, taking a look at the instructions, you’ll first have to make a choice of which version of Camaro you would like to build. The instructions are quite well labelled in regards to which version you are building.

Revell provides full color instructions, and the parts are well listed and easy to follow.

Looking through this kit, I can see that this is going to be more difficult than the Corvette I built last year. That being said, I think that this Camaro is going to be a very unique and fun challenge. Plus, I’m really eager to have another go at painting a smooth and glossy finish.

To my surprise, I’ve warmed up to this project a lot more than I had expected, and I think that this model is going to give me a greater appreciation for these classic cars.

The only complaint I have (if you can call it a complaint) is that I wish that the doors were separate and posable. I think that this was done on purpose, as my brother pointed out, it probably had to do with the main body. The overall weight of the part, and molding it all in one go.

This is a stellar kit, with great details and 3 options! This is easily the sort of kit you can go overboard with details. Out of the box, it’s very nice, but should the modeler desire, they can add a lot more to it, and this will easily become a show stopper at a model show.

Best to grab one of these while you can, you’re going to love it.

To be continued…

About the Author:

Jared Demes is a modeler from southern Alberta. He has been building models since he was 4 years old when his Dad first introduced him to the hobby. He has written for several magazines including, Fine Scale Modeler, Scale Aircraft Modeling, Phoenix Scale Models, and others. He has an interest in all modeling subjects, with a focus on WWII Japanese aircraft and Science Fiction.

Jared has won several IPMS awards for his modeling, and currently operates his YouTube channel rebelsatcloudnine, where he showcases model builds and product demonstrations.

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