Revell-Monogram '65 Chevy Convertible kit #85-2533
By Donald F. Atherton
Of all the automotive subjects that have been made into plastic model kits over the years, I'd have to say the Chevy Impala is my favorite. So when I saw this kit at a small Department Store in my home town, I wasted no time in snatching it up and taking it home.
The Impala for 1965 was an all new design. This kit replicates the Convertible Super Sport. Early in the production year, the engine offered in the SS was the 409. The new 396 was it's replacement later into the production year. Revell - Monogram has seen fit to give us a kit depicting the early production 409 Super Sport.
Engine: 
Revell - Monogram has done a fair job of replicating the 409 V8 in it's final days. The engine consists of 23 parts. The block and transmission are molded in halves. You get a separate oil pan with the oil filter molded on. Other separate parts include: cylinder heads, valve covers, intake manifold, carburetor, water pump, starter, fuel filter, fan belt/pulley assembly, fan, air conditioner compressor, alternator, power steering pump, exhaust manifolds, oil filler cap, distributor and coil. This is a pretty well detailed engine. Engraved casting textures are not as good as another Company has done, but is still a very nice job.
Chassis:
The chassis in this kit is unchanged from the Hard Top version. It has the frame and fuel tank molded to the floor boards. More engraved texture would help bring this piece out. The front suspension is the typical simplified but good looking type that Monogram has been doing for years. The rear suspension and drive train consists of 10 pieces and is well done. Dual exhaust pipes round out the chassis.
Interior: 
The interior in this kit is very well done. the engraving is crisp and it will be easy to paint and detail. It consists of a separate platform with the rear seat molded in. The side panels are separate and have very good detail. The dash is a two piece affair with separate brake and clutch pedals that glue to the back of the dash. There is a separate gas pedal as well. The center console, shifter and rear seat insert are chrome plated. A separate clear lens for the instrument panel is a nice touch as well.
All of this builds into a very attractive looking interior, which is especially important when building a convertible kit.
Body:
The body in this kit is similar to the hard top version by Revell - Monogram. The body comes with out the roof of course and the windshield frame and vent windows are separate plated parts. The Badge on the front fenders has been changed to the 409 badge. It's engraving as well as the other scripting is done sharply enough to take some paint coats without getting buried.
The kit can be built with the top up or down. Both the top up and the top down boots are done very well, right down to the stitching in the seams and the mechanical hardware in the up top.
The grille, wipers, dual side mirrors, door handles and rear bumper are separate plated pieces. There are clear lenses up front and clear red for the rear. The tires look correct except that the tampo printed white walls are chipped and a bit to wide. These tires are still molded on a sprue and I don't care much for that. The wheel covers are plated and have separate spinners.
Decals:
The decals in this kit are very nice. There are 22 of them. There is a set of 1965 Wyoming plates as well as a set of 1996 Georgia plates. Every marking you can think of for under the hood has been provided on this sheet as well as all the instruments for the dash. If you want to sand the engraved scripts off, they have included decals as a replacement. There is even a decal for the hood and trunk ornaments.
Instructions:
Revell - Monogram has adopted the instruction sheet style of Revell - AG. The diagrams are a bit vague on where the parts go together. Each part is labeled with it's name and the color to paint it. More detailed painting instructions would be helpful. Other wise, the Instructions are pretty straight forward and better than they used to be.
Final Thoughts:
Revell - Monogram has done a superb job on this kit. Quality is good overall and detail abounds. A more carefully designed chassis and suspension would put this kit way above any other manufacturer. None the less, this kit will build up into a display model to be proud of.
The photos for this review were scanned from the actual kit box.