Revell 1961 Chrysler Slant Six

1961 Chrysler Slant Six Engine

This is a pretty rare kit that I came across by accident. I found two of them in storage at my new job. I didn't even know this particular engine had ever been made as a kit. I asked the boss if he would be interested in selling one, and he said I could have it. Score!

This kit was released by Revell in 1961. It is a functioning mechanical model of the Chrysler 225 C.I. slant six engine. All the mechanical parts move as they would in the real engine, and the electrical system illuminates the sparkplugs in the correct firing order. It's a surprisingly complex kit considering its age. 

 Whoever had this kit before me had started assembly on it, but it had been sitting in the box for a really long time. The glue used was starting to break down, and the assembly was pretty flimsy. I was lucky in that all the parts seemed to be there, and the other box had a full set of plans. I started by taking a bunch of photos of the assemblies and parts for documentation. 

The full kit, minus instructions.

Electronic components, (motor, lights and wiring) still factory sealed.

The partially assembled head, with working valvetrain.

The partially assembled block, with crankshaft and cylinders installed. 

I decided that I would strip this model down and clean up the individual parts before reassembling and painting everything. I wanted to eliminate some of the seam lines and joint gaps to improve the fit and function of the model. I will also be replacing the old incandescent bulbs with LEDs for a brighter light effect and less heat.

The first thing I had to do was break down the individual components and repair them. I removed the crankshaft and pistons from the block and stripped the head down to its individual parts. Getting the rings off the pistons was tough as they are quite delicate but I managed to keep breakage to three.

The crankshaft needed a bit of cleanup on the seams and journals. Once it was filled, sanded and filed I painted it dark steel. 

 

The pistons needed work as well. Mostly it consisted of smoothing out the seams and joint lines in the four center pistons. The two on the ends are not exposed so I didn't worry about them.

 

Once the crank and pistons were done I put the crank assembly back together and set it aside while I worked on the cam and distributor.

 Most of the work on the internal pieces involved smoothing out the mating surfaces so that the engine will turn as smoothly as possible. I'm not optimistic about the old motor having the juice to make everything work, so I'm trying to reduce friction wherever I can. According to the instructions I can also lube the engine with petroleum jelly. Hopefully that will be enough.