CB's Die Cast Review: April 12, 1998
Revell / Monogram
"Snap-Tite" Hot Wheels Transporter
Two differing critiques on this Hot Wheels
model, one from Stoneman and the second from TyRod:
Okay,
okay; I admit it! I'm weak. Well, it finally got the best
of me. I couldn't even wait a week. It just kept sittin' there lookin'
at me and goin', "Open me, open me. You know you want to. Come on, open
me you crazy man." Well, I got tired of
hearing the voices, so I opened it! Let me start by saying this
is one impressive model; Revell/Monogram
has done a very nice job with this thing. It's NOT without a few small
problems, though. Also, let me state that I put this together as it was
designed, basically like a child would. The only exception was that
I used an Exacto knife to trim excess plastic from some parts, which
is recommended for a better appearance. Of course you would not want
a young child doing this part. I used NO glue and NO paint. All parts
are snap fit.
All in
all, this is a very unique addition to any collector's display. It stands
just over five inches
tall and is just over 24 inches long. I was hesitant to open it originally,
but I'm glad I did. All my other Hot Wheels model kits are still sealed.
:-) Go out and find yours before they're gone.
Still smiling,
Stoneman
This kit will be around for a long while, since it is
regular production. Maybe the price will come down. Sorry to be somewhat
negative, but I was a little disappointed in it. There are other
Hot Wheels oriented model kits that are more worthy of your money.
Look for kits like, The Mongoose & Snake, Kyle Petty Pontiac (some
came in a beautifully printed tin) and the Avon Camaro kit that came with
a '93 Camaro Hot Wheel car. I had to pay some money to get the
Avon kit since it is out of production.
Ty Rod
One of the first things I took note of was that the box
front has a picture of the real thing on an interstate or highway. The
"real" truck has twin exhaust stacks, but the model only has one. Also
the "real" thing has a running board assembly, but the model doesn't. The
biggest detail disappointment to me though, was that the wheels on the
trailer were not chrome. All others were. No biggie, but would have been
nicer if they matched that way. Even with these imperfections, this kit
is a detailer's dream! A little detailing paint would make this piece a
real show stopper. :-) There is even a drive shaft that gets put
in place, a fifth wheel that pivots up and down to a degree, and even real
rubber mud flaps! The trailer interior literally screams for well-placed
paint. The roof is removable so you can show off the details, which
include two bench vises, a drill press, and a bench grinder.
Take your time and you'll really have something! As I said, I built it the
basic way and it took around three hours, maybe four. The self-stick sticker
decals are one of the areas where adult help is just about a MUST. They're
the typical "stick to everything when you're not ready" type. However,
take your time and use some sense, and they go on nicely and look terrific!
Although this is a SKILL 1 kit, adult supervision/help is a must due to several
small parts. Also due to this being a snap-tite kit, it is very important
that parts not be cut or broken in the wrong place. In addition to some of
the parts being small, several are fragile, as in the small thin chrome handles
on the back of the truck (four of them). Also, I would suggest that a minute
amount of glue be used to hold the rubber tires to the rims. They have a tendency
to not stay where they should. I also had a problem with the right front
hub not snapping to the axle. It spins nicely, but will not stay on the
axle. I also had one of the gray hubs on the trailer that wouldn't snap
on either, but it fits tight anyway. A couple other things to note:
There are several parts that must be put on certain sides of the truck and trailer.
Pay very close attention to the rear view mirrors! There is a mistake in the instructions
which has them going on the wrong sides of the truck. These parts are very
detailed AND very fragile, so it'd be a shame to break them. And as the
instructions point out, parts are designed to only snap ONCE. Also, I'd
recommend that the gear shift be put in place before the steering wheel; just
opposite the instructions. Adults
with big fingers may have trouble here and both parts are very thin and
going into tight space. There are two sets of trailer stand legs.
Short or long.
I chose the short, since I will leave the whole thing together for display.
The long can be used to display the trailer (level) by itself. The rear
door is designed to raise and lower, as well as slide up and down. Finally,
one small easy addition that could have been
made to give this model a nicer touch, would have been the addition of
clear lens for the headlights and red lens for the tail lights.
Let
me fill you in about the Revell /Monogram Hot Wheels Transporter. It is a
"Snap-Tight" kit and it has the
quality of one. The $25.00 price tag does not make it a better than
normal snap together. It is a very average kit that looks better
than average when put together because of the Hot Wheels decoration.
All of the decals are "peel-and-stick" and the model is molded in blue
to eliminate painting. The tires are not whole like a regular model kit would
have. They are hollow and missing the inside wall. As
you have guessed by now, I have put one together. I painted mine and discovered
that it was not worth painting. The decal blue will not match any
color that one may decide to paint it, even if using the new Testors #44
NASCAR blue. I put it together with my son and that was the best part
of it. Bottom line... it is what it is and it does look good
from a distance, but if not for the desire to put it together with my boy,
I would not have bought it if I knew what the kit was like.
If you cannot find current production kits, contact me.
I support my hobbies by working part-time at a hobby shop. I hope
that I have helped. Have a great Easter everyone!
