Review

The cars around the Milwaukee neighborhood where I grew up in the 1970s were much like those at today's classic car shows. The teenage guys who lived nearby, and all their friends, had the "baddest" muscle cars, and us kids who were relegated to bicycles dreamed of owning one someday.

Twenty-five years later, I still haven't forgotten all those muscle cars parked on my street. That's why I enjoyed building Testor's 1:24 1971 Ford Mustang Mach I (No. 460030, $22), part of the company's Hot Metal Platinum Series and a skill-level-2 kit.

The packaging says it will assemble in about 3 hours, but I spent close to 5 because I paid particular attention to detail. The result was a beautiful model that looked as if would have fit right in on my old street.

The yellow body with black trim looked great coming out of the clear plastic packaging, which measured roughly 9 3/4x 5 3/4 x 7 inches and should stand out on a hobby-shop shelf.

Little details on the body, like the door handles and the Mach I logo, were well done.

The directions were simple, as a number system is used to delineate the overall assembly sections as well as the steps within each section. Darkened number circles indicate steps that require cement; light circles mean no cement is needed. The numbers were at times difficult to follow, but that forced me to focus a bit more and my model turned out better.

Assembly progression was engine, engine compartment, exhaust, interior and exterior, and I had virtually no trouble at all save the Phillips screws, which were tiny and looked alike. The screws also were difficult to turn, especially when attaching the body to the chassis. Patience is key.

But overall, I couldn't have been more pleased with the final result. The front and rear spoilers look "boss," as does the long hood, which opens, revealing a V8 power plant. Rear visibility on the full-size version was poor, and on the model it's easy to see why. Open the doors, and you'll get a good look at the snazzy interior, which looks even better (and accurate) in molded black plastic.

Another add-on you'll want to have for this model is a display case, as I'm guessing builders will want to place it on a desk or in a den.