Revell 1/24th Z06 Corvette
By Tommy VanNess
The Car
Nothing says American muscle and performance like the Chevrolet Corvette. The Corvette has been an icon in American sports car history. For more than 50 years General Motors has produced one of the most exciting and beloved cars in the world. There are different versions and trim levels of the Corvette, and the Z06 is near the top of the list when it comes to “the best bang for your buck.” In 2006 the Corvette had a list price of $43,800, which is a bargain compared to the cost of the normal European super car. The Ferrari F430 can cost more than $227,000 dollars and it travels from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. If you decide to go with the Z06, the 7-liter 505hp LS7 engine will get you to 60 mph in a very close 3.6 seconds.
And one last tidbit for the performance buffs: the Corvette will top out at 198mph, as opposed to the 197mph top speed in the F430. In my opinion, this is the second most important reason why General Motors deserves a bailout.
(For the most important reason, see last month’s review of the 2006 Camaro)
The Kit
Revell makes this particular 2006 Corvette Z06 kit. I feel Revell has come a long way in its quality, which is well represented in this kit. The fit of the parts was excellent. There were no warped parts in the kit and the windows were sealed from the rest of the parts, preventing any scratches or scuffs. This was a “Skill Level 2” kit, so the directions were easy to understand. The engine detail was convincing. The drive train and interior pieces were well executed, so you can use your imagination when it comes to building a Corvette the way you would like it.
The kit comes with a few extra parts such as a different roof, so you can create the drop-top look. There was also a set of stock Corvette wheels, just in case you wanted to build a stock C6. When I first built the kit, I decided to go with a “blacked out” look where the car and wheels were all black. So, I stripped the stock Corvette wheels of their chrome and painted them to match the body.
When assembled, I didn’t like the look of the completed model as much as I had expected.
After about 2 months of stewing over it, I slapped on a set of Aoshima Kranze LXZ wheels and tires. It finally had the more aggressive look I was after. I really like the look of the car now, and the wheels make it stand out as if to suggest that this is no car to mess with.
Conclusion
I enjoyed this kit very much. As mentioned, the parts fit together really well. There was no frustration at all with warped or twisted parts. I loved how the windows just eased into place without much effort. Windows are always a big deal to me and I always seem to mess them up
somehow. But in this kit, the windows are fantastic. The kit is very clean and the instructions are easy to follow. I would gladly build this kit again and it looks really sharp in my display case. I definitely recommend this kit to any model builder, especially those who like and enjoy the Corvette. Thank you for reading!