First Big Block Chevy Engines in Kits

[Snake45]

Near as I can tell, the first BBC engine was in the AMT '66 Vette Coupe (but not the roadster). It was reprised in the '67 Vette Coupe, and I suppose in the '67 Impala (I never had one, so can't say for sure). I believe the first-gen AMT Funny Cars appeared in 1967, and the '65 Chevelle and Nova funnies had the BBC. 

On the MPC side, I believe the first BBC was in the Mako Shark, which debuted in late '66 or early '67 (the kit). Then it was in their '68 Camaro, Corvette, and Impala kits. It was NOT in their '66 or '67 Corvettes, although both included the special big block hoods. 

I don't know what was in the AMT '68 annuals, as I never had any of them. By '69, AMT was all over the BBC, and they were in the Camaro, Corvette, Chevelle, and Impala. They were still in the MPC Corvette and Camaro. 

If I've forgotten any, please feel to jump in here. Tim? Mark? 

[Exotics_Builder]

AMT 66 Impala had the BBC, 65 had the 409

[Motor City]

Snake,

That's kind of a trick question.  AMT's '65 and '66 Impala SS models both have front fender 396 emblems ( I'm not sure why the '66 wasn't upgraded to a 427).  The engines look like the previous generic engines of 265/283/327/348/409 variety.  I can't get at my AMT '67 Impala SS 427 kit right now, but the MPC '68 and '69 Impala SS 427 kits have larger heads as used on the real car.  AMT's '69 Impala SS 427 is also a big block.  If you're looking for an authentic big block, the MPC 454 as used on the '71 Impala and '73 Caprice (and possible later) kits is a good one to use.  I owned a '73 Caprice 2-door hardtop with the 454 that my Dad ordered new, so of course I built the kit to look like it (black, black vinyl top, red interior).  A trivia note: all '69 Impala SS models came only with a 427 engine, but the engine was also available on all full-size Chevies.  The MPC '72 Impala kit is a 400 even though the box says it's a 454, and the fender emblems are also 400.

 

[Motor City]

oops ... Gerry's correct on the '65 kit having the 409 (at least the fender emblems are)

[Snake45]

9 hours ago, Exotics_Builder said:

AMT 66 Impala had the BBC, 65 had the 409

Good catch. I realized after I posted I forgot the '66 Impala. Never had one so I tend to forget that kit. 

[Mark]

The AMT '66 kits (Impalas and 'Vette) were probably first, in late '65.  The MPC '66 'Vette (they only made a coupe) included an undersize pair of "big block" cylinder heads, but otherwise it kept the small-block (still with the stock FI setup too).  The AMT altered-wheelbase funny cars didn't come out until '67, or maybe late '66 at the earliest.  Those engines are on the small side too.  Monogram didn't do any until a few years later, in one or two of the Tom Daniel cars.  I can't even think of what the first Revell BBC was...

[Exotics_Builder]

1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

Good catch. I realized after I posted I forgot the '66 Impala. Never had one so I tend to forget that kit. 

Have both, unbuilt, sitting in moving boxes.  But instructions are online.

 

Edited February 10, 2018 by Exotics_Builder

[Greg Myers]

Interesting bit of modeling history Snake. Thanks for posting. 

[tim boyd]

The optional two-part headers and cowl induction air cleaner in the AMT '66 Impala kit BBC are dead ringers for published pictures of the original "Mark II" 427 engine that was in the 1963 Chevy NASCAR racers until 'the plug was pulled'.  Those parts are the same ones pictured in Gerry's post above.  TIM 

[Mark]

The '66 Impala engine is the big-block Chevy that was put into the AMT '61 Ranchero kit around 1977.  Why a BBC, especially when in the real world that engine doesn't come close to fitting an early Falcon?  The best guess might be that AMT wanted to issue the Rancho with an engine, and had their engineering people comb the tool bank for an engine rather than tool one up.  The Modified Stocker Ford kits' engines have axle holes that would put the engine further forward than the Chevy, probably not fitting too well.  The Chevy was probably the easiest one to fit...

[Casey]

10 hours ago, Mark said:

I can't even think of what the first Revell BBC was...

Good trivia question. 

[Motor City]

Note the wider heads and valve covers used on the 396/427/454 (this is a '66 Impala SS with the 427 option).  The '66 AMT kit still used the small heads.  The MPC kits of the '70s had the larger heads and painted valve covers for building an accurate big block Impala or Caprice.