Building the Black Widow *Updated 3/03/09*

[Len Carsner]

The long anticipated 1957 Chevrolet Black Widow/150 Utility Sedan plastic model kit will soon be available to one and all. For me, this is a version of the venerable 57 Chevy that though it has been available in a wide variety of versions from the after-market, I for one never envisioned it would ever be done in poly-styrene plastic.

Announced at iHobby 2007, the newest 1957 Chevy appears to have been worth the wait.

The new kit box art is an attention getter with actual built models featured in both versions. I like the tricky way Revell has done the race car numbers on the BW version. Though to my knowledge no one ran the No. 64 in NASCAR competition in 1957, jockeying the numbers around a bit will give you one that did.

Again, like many recent Revell releases, each set of parts is individually bagged making it pretty easy to review the contents without the fear of losing anything. The parts set shown here is from one of those clear bags a is comprised mostly of the bulk of the parts shared with the 1956 210/Delray kit that has been so popular.

This is the first parts set specifically created for the BW/150 Utility Sedan. Note the correct door panels, steering wheel and column, front seat, four-point roll cage, dashboard with suspended brake and clutch pedal and the back seat delete interior floor pan.

Here we have the second parts set specifically for the BW/150 Utility Sedan. Of particular importance here is the correct production 1957 Chevy dual exhaust system, six lug Chevy truck weeks, rams horn exhaust headers, stock hood, core support/radiator, firewall etc. and a new 283 SBC with a heavy-duty three speed synchromesh transmission.

The body shell is packaged separately in it’s own clear bag. We’re showing it here with the other items in this grouping for convenience only. The bodylines and proportions look to this designer’s eye to be right-on with all the reference material I’ve amassed on this subject.

The decal sheet contains some basic stock car graphics, production scripts and badging, license plates and I’m pleased to see the factory seat/door panels fabric patterns included.

Tires are period correct (read that tall and skinny) plain black donuts with no tire manufacturer markings or other surface details.

Clear red taillights are included.

The BW/150 US contains two separate chrome trees. The large tree holds most of the exterior bright work including front bumper/grill, rear bumper, head and taillight bezels, rearview mirror, hood/deck emblems, windshield wipers and such.

The small chrome tree has the small parts including dog dish hubcaps, and a variety of parts for the Rochester fuel injection system.

The clear parts tree features front and rear glass (note the sunvisors attached), vent and side window glass, headlight lenses and turn signal light lenses.

In preparation for our build/review, some of the things that stand out on this new kit include: a choice of 3-speed standard or Powerglide transmissions, both the carry-over 56 dual exhaust system plus the 57 unit (great spare parts box stuff) and the usual nit-picky attention to all the little details we’ve come to expect from Revell these days.

Stay turned as we gear up to build for you both the NASCAR No. 87 Black Widow and the 150 Utility Sedan.

Edited March 4, 2009 by Len Carsner

[MADmodelDOCTOR]

This should be good

[James W]

I've waited 30 years for this kit. 6 more months and my LHS will have one.

Looks awesome. Thanks for the review. And the pictures.

[LVZ2881]

looking forward to the build Len!!!

[Custom Hearse]

....and the back seat delete interior floor pan.

....and the usual nit-picky attention to all the little details we’ve come to expect from Revell these days.

Not to be nit-picky, but where is the back seat for the stock 150? It'll be kind of hard to build a stock vehicle with no back seat....

[Len Carsner]

Not to be nit-picky, but where is the back seat for the stock 150? It'll be kind of hard to build a stock vehicle with no back seat....

Not to worry, it's on another tree. We didn't show all of the trees with common parts.

**Correction**

As has been pointed out the kit DOES NOT have a back seat, which would be correct for this particular model of 150 sedan.

Sorry for the confusion, it was an error on my part. Flog me with a used sanding stick and lets get on with the discussion!!

Edited January 30, 2009 by Len Carsner

[Lyle Willits]

Don't know why you keep getting that ol' MOPAR guy to do your CHEVY buildups!

[Bill Coulter]

Don't know why you keep getting that ol' MOPAR guy to do your CHEVY buildups!

My research tells me the basic 1957 Chevrolet 150 Utility Sedan did not come with a back seat. The idea was to provide a utilitarian vehicle to be used for commercial duties much like a sedan delivery. Leaving out the back seat provided an abundance of room for just about anything an over-the-road salesman, utility company meter reader or general delivery guy would need for example. I guess that's the reason they called it the Utility Sedan.

Lyle...you have far too much free time on your hands. Somewhere around here I have an image of "Captain Grumpy". What a shame if it were made public.

[SoCalCarCulture]

But I wanted the one-piece California bumper!

[SteveG]

Nice to see another in depth review by Len and Bill. I've been waiting to see this kit for a long time. It's been on my wish list to Ed Sexton for a number of years. I'm glad it made to the to do list before he left.

Here's a few tidbits on the 150 Series 57 Chevys. Only the 150 Utility model came without the back seat. All the rest of the 150's came with a rear seat including the non-utilty 2dr sedan. All engines were available from the 6cyl to the FI 283 in any 57 Chevy model except the Corvette as the power pack 283 was standard on it. Only the V8 optioned models had the V shaped emblems on the hood and deck lid. They were gold on the Bel Air models only, same for the grille. The 6 Cyl cars had a Chevrolet script on the hood and crest on the deck that matched the one in the grille bar.

And yes there really was a California specs one piece fron bumper. There were also three different designs of rear bumper ends. Can you list them ?

-Steve

[gasman]

looks like another excellent kit.

[Daniel Lynch]

Another great kit from Revell!

Were going on the top of my building list!

Daniel

Edited January 29, 2009 by Daniel Lynch

[Custom Hearse]

And yes there really was a California specs one piece fron bumper. There were also three different designs of rear bumper ends. Can you list them ?

-Steve

uhhmmm.... One had reverse lights, one had an aluminum cover over it, and one had exhaust outlets?

Thanks Len. I wasn't sure if it came with one. I definitely want to get one of these kits. It looks like it'll be a great builder!

[MADmodelDOCTOR]

And yes there really was a California specs one piece fron bumper.

Were these chrome, body color, or what ?

and one had exhaust outlets

Were these for the V8 cars ?

Thanks,

[SteveG]

uhhmmm.... One had reverse lights, one had an aluminum cover over it, and one had exhaust outlets?

Thanks Len. I wasn't sure if it came with one. I definitely want to get one of these kits. It looks like it'll be a great builder!

The back up lamps was an option on all models including the 150 series regardless of which bumper end they had. They all got the aluminum dummy plate otherwise. Your getting warm on the simulated exhaust outlets. From a distance they all three looked the same. All the front bumpers were chrome plated. The California Front bumpers were stamped in one piece. The rest of us got a three piece front bumper consisting of a center bar and two ends.

-Steve

[Bryce]

The California Front bumpers were stamped in one piece. The rest of us got a three piece front bumper consisting of a center bar and two ends.

-Steve

Excuse my ignorance, but why did California cars have a different bumper?

[Custom Hearse]

The back up lamps was an option on all models including the 150 series regardless of which bumper end they had. They all got the aluminum dummy plate otherwise. Your getting warm on the simulated exhaust outlets.

O.K., I give.... What was the difference?

[Dr. Cranky]

I think it's a great kit. Great companion to the 55!

[SteveG]

O.K., I give.... What was the difference?

Well back before good 57 Chevy reproduction parts were everywhere and you were looking for a good restoration candidate or a nice original car one of the places you always checked were the rear bumper ends. First because they were a known rust area and also they were commonly replaced after a rear collision.

1st design and still the most most desired style has a ridge or a hump on the top and a stamped and painted lower exhaust split.

2nd design lost the hump but had still the split, this was either a late production or early GM replacement part.

3rd design was also smooth top and lost the stamped split, it was just painted on and strictly a GM replacement part.

The last one was very easy to spot and a clear sign you were looking at a car that wasn't all original. It's funny that I can't remember what I ate for breakfast a few days ago or family birthdays and I have even forgot my wedding anniversary once but I can remember trivial details about 55-57 Chevy's that learned over 30 years ago .....

-Steve

[Len Carsner]

Well back before good 57 Chevy reproduction parts were everywhere and you were looking for a good restoration candidate or a nice original car one of the places you always checked were the rear bumper ends. First because they were a known rust area and also they were commonly replaced after a rear collision.

1st design and still the most most desired style has a ridge or a hump on the top and a stamped and painted lower exhaust split.

2nd design lost the hump but had still the split, this was either a late production or early GM replacement part.

3rd design was also smooth top and lost the stamped split, it was just painted on and strictly a GM replacement part.

The last one was very easy to spot and a clear sign you were looking at a car that wasn't all original. It's funny that I can't remember what I ate for breakfast a few days ago or family birthdays and I have even forgot my wedding anniversary once but I can remember trivial details about 55-57 Chevy's that learned over 30 years ago .....

-Steve

Thanks for the info, Steve. Quite a lot that I never heard before.

BTW - this is the first ever TRI-FIVE Chevy model I've ever built, so working on this is going to be educational for me as well as informational for the readers. Hopefully I can do this great kit justice.

[Maliburacr]

I can see that floor pan being used to do some drag race versions on the other 2 RM Tri 5's.

[Custom Hearse]

It's funny that I can't remember what I ate for breakfast a few days ago or family birthdays and I have even forgot my wedding anniversary once but I can remember trivial details about 55-57 Chevy's that learned over 30 years ago .....

-Steve

You and me both Steve.... How did you survive your wedding anniversary mistake? I had to buy my wife a new gift everyday for the next month!

Thanks for the info. I love to learn new things!

Edited February 1, 2009 by Custom Hearse

[Len Carsner]

Hello all,

The next installment of the buildup should be posted no later than Saturday afternoon.

Tentatively we're showing the chassis and drivetrain, possibly some interior shots.

Here's a little teaser for you:

Stay Tuned!

[Custom Hearse]

Hmmmm.... Your workbench seems neat.... A little TOO neat.

looking forward to the build. The door panels look really good. I'll definitely be watching this build.

[Len Carsner]

Hmmmm.... Your workbench seems neat.... A little TOO neat.

That's just Bills' set up for taking pictures. I'm sure his work area s nowhere nearly as neat.

As for my work area, its so bad it should probably be condemned but it fits my needs.

Thanks for following the buildup.