1967 Chevelle SS396, Red/black (Ertl)

What can I say? This car is still one of my favorite Ertl items. Not only because it is a Chevelle (my favorite 1:1), but because it was done so well overall. And who can argue red muscle cars look great. This one got the whole treatment with chrome and painted details. Here you can see the effects of the chrome. I do kind of wish Ertl would have tooled up a non-vinyl top hardtop as well but this model still has great visual impact. Now if they'd just make a 1965 model...

Here you can see a couple of the more subtle details. The bumper brackets that show through the split in the bumper have been blacked out for a better look on the bumper. The chrome on the windshield trim is obvious as is the SS license plate. That twin-domed hood looks very cool. Too bad they were never made functional. The grill could stand to be detailed just a bit more, but I'm not sure I could add the proper details (more black background) without messing up the look of the grill altogether. The details needed would be very small indeed and thus hard to add. The custom-made SS plates were made by Ken Macolly. He can make custom plates for almost all states or unique statements. Just click his name to e-mail him.

From any angle this car looks hot. Chevrolet's SS trademark black rear treatments and grill treatments always look good on Chevelles. The chrome really helps set off the car's overall look. A dab of paint to the exhaust tips adds a nice touch too. Check out that rear license plate. Though it is hard to read, it is modeled after a real life 1965 issue (used through 1968) Nebraska plate. Vintage plates always look nice on these models. The custom-made Nebraska plates were made by Ken Macolly. He can make custom plates for almost all states or unique statements. Just click his name to e-mail him.

Ertl has done so well in here there really wasn't that much left to detail. The shifter knob got some white, the screw nubs got blacked out and the shifter boot got a bit of black as well. The dome light got painted white but does not show in this picture. Ertl even did a very nice job detailing the console and steering wheel so I didn't even touch those.

Ertl did a good job here too but with some extra black to the radiator support, underside of the hood and top rear edge of the grill it really looks good. A dab of paint to the master cylinder, distributor, alternator, battery, washer bottle and hose clamps helps everything come to life. Ertl failed to cast the water pump in orange so I had to paint that item to have the motor look right.

More great work by Ertl. I added the gas tank, drive shaft, steering link, anti-sway bar, transmission, starter and oil filter details to help it along. One of Ertl's very best efforts!