The REVELL Company, located in Venice, California, was founded by Lewis Glaser in 1943 as a plastics molding firm called PRECISION SPECIALTIES, eventually branching into plastic toys. The name REVELL came from the French word “reveille,” meaning “new beginning.” In the early 1950s, REVELL offered its first unassembled plastic hobby kits, which helped kick off the model building craze of the 1950s and 1960s. In the later 1950s, REVELL started producing more automotive-themed models. Cars tended toward a more global selection than other American plastic model makers, with several European brands produced. The models were typical for the time in that there was full chassis detail, and bodies were cast in several pieces. The kits were sold in cardboard boxes with elaborate artwork created by skilled commercial artists.
Highly detailed unassembled plastic model kit (H1228) of the 1958 23-window VW DELUXE MICROBUS. The kit featured an engine, undercarriage, running gear, one-piece wheels and tires, full interior with seats, dashboard, controls and door panels. Body details included hinged doors and engine lid, beltline trim, bumpers, skylight windows, front VW emblem, and the sunroof could be built open or closed. Clear plastic windshields and skylight windows were included, and the builder was expected to make the other windows from scratch. Two versions were offered: one with and one without chrome-plated parts. There also were figures of a woman and two children included along with assembly instructions.
