The second to last generation of Camaro has received a lot of love from both AMT and Revell Monogram, especially by AMT who have been releasing a model of the car since the 4th generation kicked off in 1993 all the way through 1998, even though it was the same kit every year just with different wheels, trim level or sometimes even a convertible.
Revell Monogram on the other hand picked and chose the ’93 model, releasing it as the ’93 Indy 500 Pace Car kit in the same year and Revell of Germany released the standard Z/28, which was the same kit just with less decals. However, while AMT was awesome enough to ensure the ’97 30th Anniversary saw a release in kit form(article coming soon!), it was Revell that produced two kits of the last 4th gen Camaro with the facelift. Technically three, if you count the Pontiac Firebird release from 1998, which is the same kit, different front end, updated engine, so forth, just like the real relation of the 4th generation Firebird and Camaro. In ’02 they released the 35th Anniversary edition Camaro kit(along with a regular SS/Z28 kit as a separate release), again, the same exact kit as the ’93 one, just with updated tail lights, front fascia and of course the updated LS-1 V8 engine, just like the Firebird.
The kit I got here is the 2010 re-release, only this time they made it a two in one kit. Even though it mentions on the front it’s 2’in’1 but it’s so subtle that I can believe most folks don’t even realize that the kit has half the decal sheet dedicated to either version and comes with the SS wheels as well as the SS Anniversary wheels!
I gotta give Revell credit though, normally I’d say it’s a bit lazy but expected that companies wear out their molds so that making it was worthwhile before going onto a new tool, but man this kit just goes together so well. It did on the 1993 kit, it did with the 1998 Firebird and it still does on the 2010 kit. It’s such a sturdy build, especially the body and the chassis. The way the glass is slid into place onto specific parts of the body and the way the weight of the chassis feels even, it actually comes into die-cast territory of just feeling tough and not a flimsy plastic model.
It’s kind of amusing to see all the legacy of the kit still being a part of it, there’s still the little Firebird ram-air inserts, the ’93 Camaro rear brake light, the little prong that you needed to be able to place the lights deep in the front bumper and such.
The whole kit is really, really good. The mold quality is fantastic and of course the decal sheet has enough to cover either the whole 35th Anniversary edition or the Z28 or SS model(there’s little logos for all three of ’em and I will be the first to admit that the decal sheet’s usefulness lasted three years for me, with most third generation Camaros having the same Z/28 design and AMT doesn’t really do big decal sheets), plus all the logos, sheets and dash knobs for the engine bay and interior. Even four silvered ones for the seats, little extras that count!
Downsides? Well there’s a few, I mentioned in the other articles that the kit’s really prone to warping. Lots of the parts are meant to either connect or slip right into place and they sit perfectly forever, however if you got a older version of the kit and say the front bumper, chassis or rear bumper’s a bit warped? Shit outta luck. It’s gonna look off, sit off or just never attach correctly no matter the effort. Another downside is that the front axle’s real prone to bending under its weight too, causing the wheels to sit at a ugly angle.
Speaking of the wheels, the car usually has a unnaturally high stance by itself, usually caused by the fact that the kit’s such a perfect little puzzle where all shapes have to match or it’s a total damn mess; the interior tub is molded slightly off, by 0.2mm at most, which causes the prong that holds it to the body to eventually buckle and let loose, causing the chassis plate to go a bit lower than it’s meant to, causing the wheels to sit hilariously high. This whole one-thing-leads-to-the-next issue was a problem on every single release so far and hedge your bets if you don’t wanna do the extra effort to get it to sit correctly. Oh and it has a giant negative impact on the front bumper/fascia, as you might’ve seen as it’s meant to sit perfectly aligned with the chassis to the body or… else the droopy front happens.
But to mend the giant ride height, I cut the rear coil springs in half, took out the sway bar and bend the axle arms by 40 degrees, only then would the wheels sit somewhat in their wells and not look like a raised 4×4 in a Camaro shell.
And another thing that may be considered a downside, but that’s totally up to how the builder sees it. The later Camaros got their good ol’ T-tops back… And the model was never updated to have ’em. Weirdly enough, the Firebird does have molded in lines for the T-tops but even then still resorted to two decals to “fill” them in. This kit has a giant decal slab you place on the roof to simulate the T-tops and boy does it look… off. I mean, it’s more a dated print quality issue cause you can clearly see the inkjet pattern even from a but of a distance.
But I digress, it is a 2 in 1 kit after all. Molded in T-tops gets rid of the choice to have ’em or not and variety, I suppose. Regardless, it’s still a stupendously great kit that’s been on my to-do list for some time, and not to mention it fits in line perfectly with AMT’s ’92, ’97 and ’17 Camaro kits. Now all that remains to complete the Anniversary line is the 1997 Camaro Z/28!
’02 Chevrolet Camaro SS 35th Anniversary Edition specifications:
Kit: #85-4273
Skill Level: 2
Parts: 90
Molded in: White
Scale: 1/25