Deal’s Glitter Bug Revell Model Kit #85-1740 Review

RoR SnapShot Review 20131031* 
Deal’s Glitter Bug Revell Model Kit #85-1740 Review

Review and Photos by Doug Cole

Dave Deal’s cartoons graced the likes of CARtoons magazine regularly back in the seventies and he did some work on the original Disney Cars movie. Dave lived large and his nickname “Big Deal” seemed a very appropriate match for his hobbies and talents. He was credited with being the first person to race a Baja Bug back in 1968 and set an off-road racing record in 1973. In addition to this he was also an accomplished pilot with thousands of hours in the air. His love of cars and planes combined with his talent for drawing were a natural fusion of passions so he put them all together and designed dozens of model kits for Revell.

This quote from the Revell website sums it up pretty well, “Custom cruiser from the cartoon king! Designed by the dashing Dave Deal, drawer of “Deals Wheels”, this devastating drag demon demands only the most daring drivers. The box art and kit design were both developed by Dave Deal who has been an avid racer, driver and restorer of classic cars as well as an artist for many years. With just a little effort you can build this custom contraption and display it proudly at home or in the office. This kit features a “far out” model with massive tires and a radically sculpted driver figure.” Dave passed away in 2008 but his legend lives on in our hearts.

For the Modeler: This is a re-issue of the Deal’s Glitter Bug Model Kit #85-1740, part of the Deal’s Wheels model series. This Skill Level 2 kit consists of 47 plastic pieces molded in white, clear and chrome with four black vinyl tires.  Finished dimensions: Length: 4-1/8″, Width: 3-3/4″, Height: 2-7/8″.

Have you ever been in a place where they sell models and saw a kit on the shelf that looked like fun but you thought, “I don’t have time for that”. Well make time, it won’t take much and this “Made in America” kit is the perfect way to help rejuvenate those modeling desires.

Construction is pretty straight-forward. The body and chassis are one piece each and a couple plastic axles connect the oversized tires.  The tires are a bit of a challenge because they are assembled in two pieces.  I simply let some household contact cement get tacky then put them together.  The exhaust was really the only other difficult part as the placement isn’t well shown in the directions and the mounting posts are on the wrong side of the pipes.  Just put the two halves together in the center with the triangular collector joint and glue the longer of the pipes to the bottom of the engine in the valleys provided for them.  You might also have a time getting the windshield in place.  I used a little five minute epoxy and placed it on the two mounting tabs of the frame letting the glue get tacky and pushed the frame into place. Hold it for a minute or two and you should be fine. Everything else goes together without issue.  Finishing off the crazy driver figure is up to you but it is well designed (to hide the seam) and the model wouldn’t be the same without him.  To paint the sunglasses I used a black Sharpie marker and an iridescent tint for the back of the lenses.  All considered – this is a great weekend project kit that will bring back some of those crazy memories from the sixties with some good clean fun!

 

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