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They
call the European fast cars "Exotic Cars", but we have
own exotic car right here in the USA: It's called the Corvette.
It's
grown from a 1953 sports car to a near fighter jet in engineering,
and yet, true to American tradition, the engine is still in the
front. Just the way we like it.
The
cars are more popular than ever, and the new C7 Corvettes are
amazing drivers with crazy handling and plenty of horsepower.
The true rocket on rails.
C1
Corvettes - run from the original model in 1953 (powered by
a six cylinder no less) till 1962. Both AMT and Monogram / Revell
make models of the 53' crovette. MPC and AMT also make several
versions of the car on up to the 1962 level.
C2
Corvettes - run from 1963 to 1967. Both Revell and AMT makes
1963 models. This year is significants because of the famous "split
window" in the back. (though Revell makes a convertible,
so it's a moot point at that stage). The 1965 and 1967 cars are
available in model form as well. Best kit? Probably the Accurate
Miniatures 1964 version. It has one of the best detailed small
block Chevy engines ever made in model a model kit.
C3
Corvettes - run from 1968 to 1982. Many models have been made
of this Stingray body style, from AMT, MPC, and Revell. Even Arii.
These kits were hot sellers for many years, and since the body
only had minor changes over the years, the model companies could
use the molds for a long time. What does that mean? That means
you have a lot of kit choices and a lot of Corvette options! In
1978, the Corvette was even used as a Pace Car at Indianapolis
Raceway.
C4
Corvettes - run from 1984 to 1996 (officially to GM, there
are no 1983 Corvettes). The 1984 body style was slow out of the
gate, with some quality issues, but eventually, car fans came
around, and the shape only recieved minor cosmetic changes till
1996. In 1995, the Corvette was once again a Pace Car at Indy.
AMT and Revell both make several version of this body style as
model kits.
C5
Corvettes - run from 1997 to 2004. New state of the art engineering
and electronics were now dependable enough to take full advantage
of the Corvettes speed and agility. It was fast becoming the fighter
jet of cars, and able to go toe to toe with cars that cost more
than twice it's price. AMT and Revell both offer models of these
cars, including some special editions and race car versions.
C6
Corvettes - run from 2005 to 2013. Different variations of
the real cars included the Z06, ZR1, Grand Sport, and the screamin
7.0L / 427 Convertible. Doing the quater mile in 11 seconds and
with a top speed of 207, the car was unmatched by anything but
the most expensive and rare cars. Several model kits are available
of the C6 versions, including the Z06.
C7
Corvettes - run from 2014 till now. If you ever sat at a light
behind one of these cars, you know that tail end looks the business
end of a race car with it's low, mean profile. The top of the
car probably only comes up to your knee caps. It just screams
speed at you.
Revell
has released a kit of the C7 Corvette, so now you can build this
bad boy for your own model collection at home. But I'm sure many
other Corvette kits will come out in the future, because it's
a car that just begs to have a model made of it, and offers a
great project to build.
By
knowing which C-series Corvette you're building, you'll be able
to swap some parts when you want to, though, with these being
model kits, especially on the older version Corvettes, you can
swap a lot of different performance parts to make the car of your
dreams.
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