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Forum 43
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Topic starter
13/10/2026 12:08 pm
I have a 1:43 Chevrolet Impala 2 door coupe by TSM. It is nice enough but (rightly or wrongly) I've always had the impression the roof wasn't quite right, it looks a little "warped" and bulbous to my eye - which hasn't stopped people on eBay offering this model as a "rarity" at $150 - $200+ !!!
Anyway, quite by chance the other day I came across images of a 4-door sedan by Kinsmart, which looks quite pleasant and accurate enough in a simple sort of way, but I've found plenty of people online saying it is 1:43 and plenty of others saying it is 1:32 scale, and not all that wonderful as a model.
I think it may have been reviewed somewhere in the forums a long time ago but haven't tracked down any posts.
Any opinions on whether it is worth having as a "cheap and cheerful" addition to the collection?
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.
13/10/2026 1:10 pm
I have one of the Kinsmart 1967 Chevrolet 4-door Impalas and it is really nice and was very inexpensive, I think below $10 at a local pharmacy. I like it a lot and am very happy with it
I think I once measured the wheelbase as perhaps a 1/4 inch long, but it looks great on display or in photographs. It is a four-door discast replica, which possibly aren't quite so common. Very inexpensive but I think quite worth it.
13/10/2026 4:34 pm
I would absolutely recommend it as a "cheap and cheerful" addition to the collection. It is larger than 1/43, smaller than 1/32. Probably 1/39 or so. Do something about the oversized white ring that may represent a wide whitewall, lower the ride height, and it will be very cheerful indeed. Get two, if you find them priced really low, and add a genuine simulated vinyl roof covering to one. Have fun.
This post was modified 2 days ago by D Crowe
Topic starter
14/10/2026 5:38 am
Thank you, gentlemen. I have gone ahead and ordered two of them (the cream and the blue) because they were so cheap.
I'm not one to get terribly upset about incorrect sidewalls but I will take a look at the ride height, and I think maybe the grille and wheels would benefit from a black wash.
Having painful memories of owning two elderly cars with peeling vinyl roofs that embarrassed the whole local community and made us social outcasts, I may not go down that route on either model.
Oh, and a pull-back motor as well? The kitchen floor will soon be covered with skid marks. (Any forum member who suggests that might indicate I am getting over-excited with my latest purchase will kindly leave the room right now.)
This post was modified 24 hours ago 2 times by Graeme Ogg
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.