2009 Dodge Challenger

[Spiny]

This one is probably the quickest build I've done, all thanks to being on furlough. The build thread is below if anyone wants to see that before the finished pictures.

 

I can't say that it was entirely plain sailing with quite a few niggling issues coming up along the way. Nothing major, but just enough to keep me on my toes. It's not actually as bad a kit as I may have made it sound, and does build up into a nice-looking model. Unfortunately, right at the start I failed to sand down a couple of ejector pin marks on the engine bay cross-member thinking that these were just going to be against thin air - it actually turned out that the cross-member rests on the radiator which meant that the front bumper doesn't quite sit right. That's what makes the bonnet look as though it's sitting high - actually it's sitting absolutely right with the wings and it's the front bumper which is sitting ever so slightly low (less than a millimetre, and the camera makes it look much worse than it does in real life). The other major disservice the camera has done is the usual thing of picking out all the flakes in the metallic paint - although it is paint for an old car I had the flakes are actually quite small and you don't see them until you get about 1-1.5 feet away from the model.

 

One thing about this colour though is that it does change a lot with the light. This afternoon was quite grey here, so the paint is a little duller in most of the photos than it can appear in sunlight.

 

First of all, this was one where I provided my own light source:

 

 

Then it's onto a selection of higher angle shots:

 

 

 

 

 

A few more shots now, but at a lower angle. I prefer this angle of photo, but it doesn't show as much of the car (maybe that's got something to do with it )

 

 

 

 

 

I tried to get a shot of the underside by propping it up on some containers - not sure that was entirely successful but it gives the idea.

 

 

I know that when I put up the Countach RFI, there were requests for close-ups, so here's a few for the Challenger. First one is the engine bay:

 

 

A couple of the interior - from the instructions it looks as though it's just a sea of semi-gloss black but the decals to lift it a bit.

 

 

 

I didn't realise until I'd packed away that I've covered the brake assembly in my wheel close-up. Definitely glad I got rid of the kit chrome and painted them though.

 

 

And finally, close-ups of the front and rear corners. Unfortunately, the shot of the front really emphasises what I mean about the front bumper sitting below the bonnet.

 

 

 

Thanks for looking. As always, all comments and constructive criticism are welcomed.

 

 

 

 

[Andy J]

Great work mate I like this a lot. Clean, crisp and smart well done top job 👍

[Alpha Delta 210]

Great job on one of my favourite modern muscle cars.

[HoolioPaulio]

Love it, turned out real good in the end fella.

[ElectricLightAndy]

Wow, some of them pics look like genuine brochure snaps! Neat and tidy build of a nice car, colour really suits it too

[gt6mkiii]

Nicely built, paint looks great and the silver instead of chrome wheels is bang on for me. It's interesting to see a modern kit with no tire sidewall detail though - is this a consistent thing with Revell kits?

[Harry Callahan]

Looks really nice, i was ever a fan of the Challenger. Well done

[JeroenS]

Well done again Spiny! And in record time, like you said. I too like the rims very much, and that interior shot works for me!

[Spiny]

17 hours ago, gt6mkiii said:

Nicely built, paint looks great and the silver instead of chrome wheels is bang on for me. It's interesting to see a modern kit with no tire sidewall detail though - is this a consistent thing with Revell kits?

From the builds I've done, I suspect it's something that Revell US do - certainly none of the Mustang, Corvette or Cuda have writing on the outsider of the tyre. However, the Trabant I built which is a Revell Germany kit has got sidewall markings. No idea whether that is coincidence or how they are with all kits.

13 hours ago, JeroenS said:

Well done again Spiny! And in record time, like you said. I too like the rims very much, and that interior shot works for me!

Thanks, and indeed thanks to everyone who liked it. I must admit that I genuinely did not expect the interior to work very well being a sea of black, and was pleased with how it turned out. This is also one of those rare occasions where I managed to get a good shot of the interior (I always find that difficult) so glad it works