sbm1204 - Scale Auto

1962 Chrysler 

MAINSTREAM NEWPORT? 

Is Revell’s rare 1962 Chrysler Newport convertible annual kit 

a Mainstreamer? Let’s go through our checklist from the 

June 2004 issue and see if it qualifies: 

• Post-World-War-II to early 1970s model year automobiles. 

Check: right in the middle of the age range. 

• The best-selling trim series within a given product range. Yep. 

On the more-premium makes, the Mainstreamer offering 

was often the bottom series (think Pontiac’s Catalina and 

Oldsmobile’s Dynamic 88), rather than the top-of-the-line 

Chevy Impala or Ford Galaxie 500. In 1962, and for most of 

the 1960s, Chrysler’s Newport outsold the other two moreexpensive 

series (300 and New Yorker) combined. 

• The best-selling six-cylinder or smallest V-8 under the hood. 

Revell’s kit includes the standard 361 V-8, although the kit’s 

pairing of the standard three-speed manual transmission 

(instead of the Torqueflite automatic) would certainly make 

for “one of few hundred” status for this car if it had been 

made in 1:1 scale. 

• Bench seats front and rear. Check again. The kit even 

includes the rear seat ashtray plunked 

right in the center of the front seatback. 

• Hubcaps or wheel covers, and whitewall tires. You bet. 

• Paint and trim that reflects the preferences of the period. 

Revell’s 1962 annuals were molded in the same color as the 

catalog illustration of the car. In this case, the Newport convertible 

wore code Z Caramel – a solid tan color. The catalog 

shows many other similar colors (available as airbrush lacquers 

from MCW Automotive Miniatures). I chose MCW’s 

Code J Bermuda Turquoise solid for this buildup. 

• A wide variety of body styles. Although Mainstreamers are 

based on the most-popular trim series, that doesn’t mean 

they have to be the most-popular body styles within the 

series. In this case, the Newport convertible was the rarest 

of the series offerings. 

So based on our checklist review, Revell’s 1962 Newport 

convertible qualifies as a Mainstreamer in every way. 

– Tim Boyd 

44 Scale Auto • DECEMBER 2004

Newport Convertible 

by TIM BOYD 

Building a “Mainstreamers” kit 

IN THE JUNE 2004 Scale Auto we put forth the idea of 

“Mainstreamers” (see sidebar) as a new model-car building category 

– added to a list that already includes muscle cars, light 

commercial, racing, street rods, and so forth. We also mentioned that 

even though most Mainstreamer cars would be kitbashing projects, 

a few kits – primarily from the late 1950s and early 1960s – 

would quality as Mainstreamers straight from the box. 

Finding one of these kits can be a challenge, but thanks to online 

auctions, regional old toy shows, and mail-order/online kit vendors, 

the challenge is significantly less than it was five or ten years ago. 

If you are willing to buy a less-than-perfect kit, you can acquire your 

chosen kit for well less than the three-digit price tags that pristine 

1960s annual kits can command. 

And although the chassis and engine compartments are greatly 

simplified when compared to today’s new-kit tools, they respond 

surprisingly well to many of the same finishing techniques that 

have become popular among builders of today’s ultradetailed muscle-car 

replicas. 

I recently completed a buildup of Revell’s rare 1962 Chrysler 

Newport convertible kit. Follow along as I take an unbuilt-butdamaged 

kit (part of the windshield frame and cowl were broken 

away from the rest of the body, so it cost $70 instead of $110-120 

for a perfect kit) and create a shelf replica that captures the excitement 

of the Mainstreamers era. 

Most Mainstreamer subjects 

are kitbashing projects, 

but some straight kit buildups 

can be found, like this Revell 1962 

Chrysler Newport convertible. 

In 1962, Revell produced a one-year-only series of annual kits based 

on the Chrysler Corporation lineup. The kits were reissued later the 

same year as the Metalflake Series. Here are the 1962 Newport kits 

(no. H-1254 on the left, and H-1264). You can read more about this 

Revell kit series in the author’s book Collecting Model Car and Truck 

Kits (see References). 

DECEMBER 2004 • scaleautomag.com 45

The 1962 Chrysler products catalog contained these gorgeous illustrations. The Code Z Caramel Newport convertible occupies a two-page 

spread; the 300 Special series convertible, finished in Code J Bermuda Turquoise with black interior, inspired the color scheme of this 

Mainstreamers buildup. 

3 4 

The interior was finished in Krylon Ultra Flat Black no. 1602 spray, 

followed by a light coat of Testor’s Semigloss Clear. Although it has 

just three pieces, the interior captures the details of the benchseated 

1:1 car. 

Bare-Metal foil and flat silver paint are employed to recreate the 

“juke box” instrument panel of the ’62 Chrysler. I added Ken’s Fuzzi- 

Fur black flocking to the carpeted areas – an especially appropriate 

step for convertible models, where the interior is open for all to see. 

7 8 

After priming the body and painting it with the factory-authentic 

color from MCW Automotive Miniatures, I finished the paint work by 

polishing it with a Micro-Mark no. 3600 polishing pad, followed by a 

mild rubbing compound, Meguiar’s no. 7 Mirror Glaze, and Deep 

Crystal wax. 

Bodies from this era require a significant investment of time to complete 

Bare-Metal foiling of all molded-in chrome trim. The windshield 

was polished with wax, then glued in place with DevCon five-minute 

epoxy for maximum strength. The installed windshield also helps to 

hold the repaired windshield frame in proper shape. 


1 2 

If you don’t want to pay the going price for a mint, out-of-production 

1960s annual kit, online merchants and old-kit vendors often sell 

damaged kits at a reduced price. I picked up this convertible for 

around $70, but had to repair major damage to the windshield frame 

and cowl areas, which were broken away from the body. 

Strips of K&S sheet brass reinforced the cowl repair, and several 

“pins” cut from K&S brass rod assured that the windshield repair 

joint would stay aligned while the glue dried. K&S products can be 

found at any well-stocked hobby store. 

5 6 

The Revell kit replicates the Newport’s standard 361 two-barrel 

engine. The block was painted real Chrysler Engine Turquoise from 

Eastwood Automotive, and the remaining engine components wear 

factory-correct colors as shown. 

The completed engine was very nicely detailed for a kit from this era. 

The air cleaner is semigloss black. Dig that three speed manual transmission 

– the standard (but rare) choice for 1:1 scale 1962 Newports. 

9 10 

The simplified chassis castings of kits from this era are a fun challenge 

for those who enjoy paint detailing. The chassis is painted first 

with gray primer, then the body color is fogged along the edges. Don’t 

forget to finish the engine compartment components, including the 

body-colored firewall, at this time. 

Looking at the finished chassis installed in the body, the added painting 

effort definitely pays off. The suspension parts are shades of flat 

black and semigloss black, the exhaust system is shades of silver, and 

the rear leaf springs wear a simulated cosmoline coating (a mix of 

gold, silver, and gunmetal metallics). 

DECEMBER 2004 • scaleautomag.com 47

11 12 

Detail the front grille area with flat black paint, thinned to the consistency 

of lowfat milk and flowed onto the grille area. The plated 

headlights adopt a more-realistic appearance when painted with flat 

silver paint. Note the brilliance of the original plated parts from the 

Revell factory. 

Cars from this era had wonderful (and occasionally over-the-top) 

detailing. Note the semiflat black front fender insert above the 

bumper, which wore gold anodized series nomenclature, and the 

detailed badge on the upper driver’s side of the grille area. 

15 

NO JUNIORS HERE 

“There’s not a junior edition in the whole family.” 

That assertive statement from the 1962 Chrysler 

brochure summed up the marketing philosophy of 

Chrysler Corporation’s near-luxury brand in the 1960s. 

As competitors Buick and Mercury proffered compacts, 

and later, intermediate-sized cars to meet the 

broadening tastes of car buyers in the 1960s, Chrysler saw 

an opportunity to retain and convey exclusivity and caché 

by offering only full-size cars. 

But that wasn’t quite all of the story. 

The bird’s-eye view shows off the interior engraving and your kit-finishing 

skills. Even Chrysler’s most inexpensive models of the 1960s 

had premium interiors. Check out the ashtray in the center for the 

front seatback – another detail for your Bare-Metal foiling efforts. 

Note the realistic appearance of the flocked carpet areas. 

SOURCES 

MCW Automotive Finishes, Box 0518, Burlington NC 27216-0518, 

www.ourworld.cs.com/mcwautofinishes 

Eastwood Automotive, 263 Shoemaker Rd., Pottstown PA 19464 

(800) 345-1178, www.eastwoodcompany.com 

Micro-Mark, 340 Snyder Ave., Berkeley Heights NJ 07922-1595 

(800) 225-1066, www.micromark.com 

REFERENCES 

Collecting Model Car and Truck Kits, pp. 45 and 64, by Tim Boyd, 2001, 

MBI Publishing, St. Paul MN 

In 1961, the DeSoto brand, arrayed between Dodge 

and Chrysler in Mopar’s lineup, was near death. Chrysler 

Corporation hedged its bets by adding a lower-priced 

entry-level Newport series to its Chrysler lineup to cover 

the market DeSoto was to soon abandon. Price always 

sells cars, and the Newport was an immediate success. For 

1962, Chrysler dropped the slightly-more-expensive 

Windsor series and positioned Newport as the highest-volume 

Chrysler offering. 

These captions from the brochure tell it best: 

“Newport – Chrysler’s price surprise is no junior edition. 

Newport’s surprisingly low price has caused thousands of 

smart car buyers to move up to Chrysler. And because 

Chrysler builds full-size cars only, your new-car investment 

is fully protected. No small car steals thunder from 

the Chrysler name, or the pride you take in owning one!” 

And next to the Newport Convertible is this description: 

“Newport convertible is obviously a full-size Chrysler 

and nothing else but – the kind of car you’d like to see your 

family in. And you can. This glamorous Newport, shown 

in the exciting new Caramel shade, has a surprisingly 

low price, too.” 

– Tim Boyd 


13 14 

The plated taillights were detailed with Testor’s Model Master 

Stoplight Red metallic. Note the molding around the trunk lock; this 

model may represent a preproduction prototype, because the 1:1 regular 

production Newports did not include this ornamental molding. 

The personalized license plate came from The Platemaker. 

The engine compartment shows the potential of paint detailing as a 

technique for achieving a realistic appearance. The next detailing 

step would be to add sparkplug wires, heater hoses, and battery 

cables – a necessity for context models but an option for display 

models such as ours. 

PAINT REFERENCE CHART FOR 1962 CHRYSLER NEWPORT 

Order Code Paint Name Description MCW no. 

BB-1 Formal Black Black Solid 2000 

CC-1 Dawn Blue Pale Blue Solid 6253 

DD-1 Sapphire Blue Medium Blue Metallic 6254 

FF-1 Willow Green Pale Green Solid 6252 

GG-1 Sage Green Medium Green Metallic 6255 

JJ-1 Bermuda Turquoise Medium Turquoise Solid special order 

MM-1 Dove Gray Light Gray Solid 6258 

PP-1 Festival Red Bright Red Solid 6151 

TT-1 Coral Gray Light Beige Solid 6256 

WW-1 Oyster White White Solid special order 

YY-1 Rosewood Medium Beige Metallic 6250 

ZZ-1 Caramel Medium Tan Solid special order 

Additional 1962 1 ⁄2 (Spring Colors): 

LL-1 Limelight Lt. Pale Olive Green Solid special order 

VV-1 Seascape Pale Olive Green Solid special order 

(Sources: 1962 Chrysler brochure, DuPont 1962 Chrysler Corporation Paint Sample Chart, and American 

Automobile Paint Code Interchange Manual 1945-1995, Peter C. Sessler, 1995, MBI Publishing, Osceola WI 

54020) 

Below: The completed 

kit not only does a fine 

job of replicating 

Chrysler’s volume convertible 

for 1962, it also 

is an excellent example 

of the Mainstreamers 

theme. However, contrary 

to the myth that 

kit bodies from this era 

were nearly perfect, 

look closely at the body 

side molding as it traverses 

the front fender; 

the molding droops 

unrealistically because 

of slightly incorrect 

fender contours.

sbm1204 - Scale Auto

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