Peterbilt 359 Conventional Tractor 1:25 Scale Revell Model Kit #85-1506 Review

Right On Replicas, LLC SnapShot Review 20150612*
Peterbilt 359 Conventional Tractor 1:25 Scale Revell Model Kit #85-1506 Review

Review and Photos by Alan Mann  

 Peterbilt Motors Company was founded in 1939. They are an American manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty Class 5 through Class 8 Semi trucks. From the early 1960s until the mid-1980s the company was based in the San Francisco Bay Area in California, with its headquarters and main plant all in Newark California. The Newark plant closed in 1980 and manufacturing all moved to Denton TX and Madison TN. The Model 359 was Introduced 1967 as the first long-nosed conventional Peterbilt. In 1967–1972 it had the small-windowed “Unilite” cab. The first 359 was specified as a wrecker and sold to Coast Counties Peterbilt. In 1973, the 1100 series cab with bulkhead-style doors debuted and the distinctive “Corvette” dash added in 1977 its formal name “Dash of Class”. The 359 was in production until 1987, when it was replaced by its successor the model “379”. 1987 Peterbilt produced the “359 Classic”, a limited run of 359 trucks with numbered dash plaques. The bulkhead style doors of the 1100 series cab are still used today. The sleeper debuted on a 359-127″ and can be seen in the 1978 brochure “Best in Class”. This truck also featured the first set of rectangular headlamps. The first raised roof sleeper was on a 359 in 1986 and with changes carried through to the 379 family.

 

 

For the Modeler: This Snapshot covers the Revell Kit 1506 1/25 Scale Peterbilt 359 Conventional Tractor. This kit is a Re-release (Re-Pop) with updated decals and the chassis is Copyright stamped 1982. While listed as a GLUE kit in Skill Level 2 this was more on the lines of a Snap-Together kit and is simplistic in assembly. There are roughly 110 parts molded in White, Chrome, Clear and has Vinyl tires. This kit has Waterslide decals not Stickers! Most of the parts can be attached without glue and is a little more advanced than a basic Snap kit. The buildup starts from the chassis and works in progression with everything being built on to it. The suspension is simplified and very sturdy once assembled. The motor looks fairly detailed and the molding is good but overall it is about 10 parts. The interior is fairly basic with few parts and the dash details need to be painted as there is no decal supplied. The body and sleeper are one unit which makes final assembly much easier for alignment. The hood is separate and will open to show the motor. The kit has plenty of chrome to make the rig stand out and the quality is nice and with no blemishes. Unfortunately, the fuel tanks have the typical parting line through the middle. You get only one set of decals for an American Pride themed truck, although you can find a multitude of big rig decals online or create your own quite easily. Overall size is: Length: 12”, Width: 3-3/4″, Height: 6”.

 

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:  This is a great kit. Most Big Rig kits are a few hundred parts, require advanced skill to build properly and can be very time consuming. This kit is none of those. So, for the beginning Big Rig builder this is a great starting point to “Get your feet wet”. Fit and finish is very good. All the parts have positive attachment points and pre-drilled holes. Assembly is simple and the finished look is nice and not “toy-like” as many Snap kits can be. For the modeler that is accustomed to the Rig kits and wants something to be a “weekender” build this fits that bill perfectly. A builder can do this kit with paint, decals and complete assembly in a couple of days and come out with a very nice looking shelf model. As for the kit itself; the chassis is one unit and my sample (as well as all previous ones I have built) was straight and required no clean up or work. The suspension SNAPS on to the frame/leaf springs and is very solid once installed. The tires were nice looking but I would recommend upgrades there as they have a bit more of a plastic look to them than rubber.   While that’s not a serious issue, for a contest build it would be important. The motor assembles easily and looks good overall, detail painting works well highlighting the different parts as it is only 10 pieces and molded in modules. The interior is detailed and the dash does have all the dials and buttons. I would recommend searching the internet for decals. Online, I found that Revell did release a set of dash decals for another version of the Pete 359. The body is one unit with the sleeper attached. This eases painting and assembly. The hood is separate and the fenders can be installed and painted as a unit. Final assembly is very nice, all the chrome work mounts in pre-drilled holes and snaps in easily.  Decals are a patriotic themed stripe and USA flag only. But finding alternative decals is easy on the internet. Overall; this build is straightforward and looks good finished. I enjoy this kit and would recommend it to other builders as it is a fun build. On a scale of 1 to 10 I give it a 9.

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