1:25 Plymouth Valiant Scamp Kit car

Plymouth Valiant Scamp Kit Car in 1:25 scale (AMT)

This injection-molded plastic kit from the American maker AMT captures the racing version of the Plymouth Valiant Scamp coupe, known as the Kit Car, in 1:25 scale. The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Mind the term Kit Car: it does not denote a model kit but the racing car itself. That was the name for the package of racing parts a team ordered from the maker and built the car from on its own.

The real subject

In civilian form the Plymouth Valiant Scamp was a two-door coupe of the compact Valiant line of the 1970s. In the drag racing of the same period, however, it was its lightened racing form, assembled from a factory-supplied package of parts, that made its name. The car received a modified chassis, a cage structure, lightened body panels and a big-block V8 with a prominent intake protruding through the hood. It is precisely the combination of an unassuming compact body and thoroughly uncompromising engineering that makes these cars a popular subject among collectors.

Building and painting tips

Nip the parts off with nippers and sand away the marks left by the gates. Glue with liquid cement for plastic drawn into the joint by capillary action. Wash the body in lukewarm soapy water before painting, spray on a primer and then thin coats of paint; racing cars of the period suit a deep gloss shade set off by contrasting lettering. Finish and paint the engine and the caged interior before you close the body up. Lay the decals onto a gloss base and unify the result with a final varnish.

Who the model is for

• collectors of American drag racing machinery of the 1970s
• modelers who want to practice gloss paint and laying decals
• anyone interested in the less usual racing versions of compact American cars
• builders with basic experience of car kits

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.