Franklin Mint 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Hardtop Coupe, SS 454 - Blue

WITH THE RELEASE OF THE 1970 CHEVELLE SS454, IT WOULD SEEM THAT FM IS CHARGING THE FORAY AND TAKING NO PRISONERS! This is a dynamite replica of one of the USA's most wanted muscle cars. Proportions are right on; details are first rate; the feel of the real car is right there! The engine, an LS6 (LS6=mean and nasty , 450 BHP V8) is fully plumbed and detailed down to the last warning sticker and wins an accolade for its COWL INDUCTION. The interior (black) replicates the custom buckets (folding seat backs here.... seems this will be a permanent feature on both FM & DM) with console and huge 4-speed stick rising out of the floor. The "vinyl" represented uses the various textures present in the 1:1 scale SS... and comes off dead perfect. The body is perfectly proportioned; all the swoops and sexy curves that made your heart race in 1970 are all there in 1/24th scale. The color is Fathom Blue Metallic, exactly the right color for this car accented with wide white rally stripes.

All trim is either chromed or tampoed on this car and carries the look and actual feel of the original. Body panels are well fitted with no slop or looseness and the paint is first rate. The trunk lid even carries jacking instructions as well as tire inflation information. The spare tire is mounted on the floor and caries the same Super Stock wheel as the other four wheels. To wind up the attention to body detail, the car has actual suspension, with coils on the front and leaf springs in the rear! Tires are GOODYEAR POLYGLAS GT "Billboard-Style" super wide tires complete with large (correct) legible (hence the name ) characters. Wheel centers sport the delicate "SS" logo. The overall effect is the 1:1 car being shrunk to 1:24; Jewel-like in its appearance. This is an excellent model and represents some very positive effort from FM; it is apparent they are "listening". I know the FM design staff has committed itself to accuracy, and with product like this (at only $105!), it looks like all that hard work is paying off!

PS.... This is a GM "A" Body car.... could be the portent of other GM muscle cars of the same era... 442/W30s; GTOs, maybe even a Gran Sport Stage1 could come from this ! Who knows.....maybe The Shadow. The issue price is $105. (06/26/1998)

-Jay Engel