COMPLETED: 2006 Dodge Charger Daytona

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Yeah, it's got a HEMI

Another Scale Auto review model that's published now so I can share it here.

This is Testors Dodge Charger Daytona painted w/Testors Boyds Orange Pearl enamel to match the modern Go Mango color. Overall it's a pretty amazing kit, it's packed w/detail and has about 170 parts. Everything went together amazingly well, the only real fit problem I had was with one side window. Though the finished gaps of the hood/front fascia could be a bit better. Once the magazine photos were complete I revised the locations of the headlight reflectors upwards; Testors centered them and they need to be nearly cut off at the top. I got them looking better, but could have moved them further up inside the housings. I also lowered the front end a bit as it sat a bit high in front.

The instruction manual is riddled w/inaccuracies. It's pathetic, actually. Read the magazine review as a guide to build the kit if you rely on instructions; they totally forgot the steering mechanism, got parts #'s wrong, assembly instructions wrong, even said it was a "prepainted diecast kit" Of course it's an unpainted styrene kit

The decal sheet is also lacking. They forgot underhood markings like the "HEMI" lettering on the engine cover. Fortunately Keith Marks offers an aftermarket set of decals that takes care of Testors omissions.

I enjoyed the buildup, and will build the police car version whenever/if ever it hits. It's a well-engineered kit that goes together as easily as a Tamiya kit, but the graphics department was on a 3-martini lunch when that part of the job came up...








W/the Revell SRT-8. Revell's rear spoiler is better-proportioned.

[cham2020]

that's sleek man!
i wonder when i can have this kit cause in malaysia we don't have revells

beautiful work mate

[blubaja]

I wouldn't imagine you get Testors there either Cham?

Saw this(and superamerica) in the mag last week. Will was miffed at how my Barnes&Noble had the issue out so early..

The colors came out great for both! I wish testors did a better job on the tires And trhe kit's wing height..meh..maybe they were going for the SRT4 level...Great as usually Bob.

[janositamas]

Nice build, I like the color!

[Jaymes]

very nice build! you convinced me to pick up a kit. Which one is better overall from what you've seen?

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by Jaymes

very nice build! you convinced me to pick up a kit. Which one is better overall from what you've seen?

Thanks for the comments.

Best Charger? Depends on your preferred building style. The Testors is full-detail w/tons of parts, the Revell is a simplified bling-mobile that I made look stock by using Magnum wheels/tires and gluing the scissor doors in place and filling the door gaps w/sheet styrene and trimming. The body is fairly accurate, the interior is good, but the kit is a lot simpler and toy-like; the engine is just a molded compartment and there's an opening trunk. It's basically just like a styrene Jada model, but comes w/a comprehensive decal sheet w/stock emblems. I had to also make some door handle decals. I wanted an SRT-8 so I went the extra mile to build it in stock configuration.

BTW Lindberg will have a Super Bee version of the Charger soon sharing most of the tooling w/the Testors kit; it's an SRT-8 with graphics package. Retail price is a lot lower; $22.99 vs. $30.00. My only reservation w/the kit is the test shot I saw the wheels/tires looked small; the ones from the Revell Magnum look quite good and scale out correctly.

[drawzer]

That revell kit is on my wishlist, about your job, you did great on both!

[73superduty]

Bob, you are a building machine! How do you get the time????
Another fantastic build-up!

I have my charger and my CC paint. Just need some decals from Keith!

Chris

[SkylineFan]

I saw the write up... both were perfectly executed Bob!

DaveT

[Joe Blyth]

OMFG!! Thanks for posting this, I'm building the same exact kit right now. Yours really looks great. I was also thinking of modifying the headlights; can you go more into detail how you did this? You're really not kidding about the instructions and decals, they really suck...anyway, great looking build!

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

Originally Posted by Joe Blyth

OMFG!! Thanks for posting this, I'm building the same exact kit right now. Yours really looks great. I was also thinking of modifying the headlights; can you go more into detail how you did this? You're really not kidding about the instructions and decals, they really suck...anyway, great looking build!

Thanks. The headlight bezels have round/cupped receivers for the chrome reflectors, I took a ball-end Dremel bit that was about the same size/diameter, and machined those receiver cups into slots by cutting upwards. This way I was able to glue the reflectors up higher on the bezels. I could have gotten them up a bit higher than I did, but at least they aren't centered any more, they looked totally wrong like that...the Charger's headlights almost look cut off at the top, they're mounted very high up under the headlight covers, and both Testors and Revell simply centered them . The lamps on both could also stand to be a bit larger. The Revell reflectors are a bit easier to deal with, I just cut them away from the turn signal portion and glued them up higher.

I used thin strips of BMF to simulate the backup lamp portion of the taillights; both Revell and Testors give you no way to do them properly.

[brady_381need72c10]

Originally Posted by ZoomZoomMX-5

Thanks. The headlight bezels have round/cupped receivers for the chrome reflectors, I took a ball-end Dremel bit that was about the same size/diameter, and machined those receiver cups into slots by cutting upwards. This way I was able to glue the reflectors up higher on the bezels. I could have gotten them up a bit higher than I did, but at least they aren't centered any more, they looked totally wrong like that...the Charger's headlights almost look cut off at the top, they're mounted very high up under the headlight covers, and both Testors and Revell simply centered them . The lamps on both could also stand to be a bit larger. The Revell reflectors are a bit easier to deal with, I just cut them away from the turn signal portion and glued them up higher.

I used thin strips of BMF to simulate the backup lamp portion of the taillights; both Revell and Testors give you no way to do them properly.

thanx for letting us know cause i got the srt-8 kit from testors, so now what to do to correct these problems!
i can justify the instructions manual being riddeled to

[quadzero]

That is one beautifully built model. I love the colour you chose also. Very clean building technique you have there. Both of them sitting side by side makes for a great pic too.

[rambenna]

Totaly Awsome, Only One Thing To Coment On And That Is...it's Perfect

[kaho]

Is it 1/24 or 1/25?