The Corgi Model Club: Chevrolet Sting Ray Customized (sic)

 

Landing on my desk today is the latest reproduction from the Corgi Model Club, the Customized Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray (sic.) All very American and not quite right. I never liked this model at the time and am still not fond of it now, although I'll admit to warming slightly over the 55½ years since this first appeared in July 1967. Not exactly a Summer of Love car (which title has to go to the Pop Art Mini probably available at this time) but I guess more appealing than the other model new to the shelves this month, the Tandem Disc Harrow.

In the familiar slim brown package you'll find the usual quite shiny and a little too bright box and inside that the model wrapped in a piece of thin foam sheet.

The box is a pretty good copy, just the usual font difference for the numerals and white lettering and the printing process does create that unrealistic glossy surface. The model itself, though, appears to have very few faults.

Its stance, wheels, colour, chrome fittings and detailing, even the recreation of the interior are first class.

Look closely, well not all that closely as they're pretty obvious, and you'll see several errors with the transfers. First, the 'eyes' are round and should be oval.

Secondly, the '13' decal on the doors is way too small compared to the original.

Thirdly, the 'Lazy Bones' transfer at the back is not as deep and the characters have a squarer profile that the original.

Otherwise, though, this is excellent and, unless you have the old and new models standing next to each other these are not things that would spring to mind. Indeed, I suspect the 'eyes', at least, will come as a surprise to many as one would expect them to be round. That is, in fact, why they're oval on the original as they would then, as a result of perspective, appear round to someone seeing them from a distance or, perhaps, in their mirror.

Something I have noticed is a small flaw in the casting finish of the original which, as one would expect, does not appear on the reproduction. There are two small arcs either side of the central cut out section. I imagine this must have resulted from whatever process was used to re-shape the #310 model bonnet when creating the original #337.

The colour difference in this photo is due to shadow, nothing else.

Once again, congratulations to the Corgi Model Club people. Whilst not one of my favourites, I respect the fine work done here. Why on Earth no-one spotted the decal size errors I do not know but never mind. Still very good for £24.