32 replies to this topic

[mr68gts]

This is a project that has been under wraps the past few weeks with exception to a couple of other exclusive model sites I'm on. Well there's been pretty good progress so I thought it time to show the rest of the modeling community lol.
There has been no 73-77 El Camino's produced in model form that I could find so I am making one. (this is actually a commissioned job) Starting with a 73 Nascar Malibu kit and a donor El Camino I have combined the 2 and with some scratch building managed to come up with a pretty good representation thus far. I still have alot of mods to do to correct it for a 73 but it's getting there. I need to take some photos of the bumpers and correct the nascar peices for starters and close up the other 3 wheel wells to reflect a stock bodied El Camino. ( the front bumper is hanging glower for example because I corrected the upper facia panel.) Then add an upper belt line around the bed, and add the other stock pieces.
Paul
What I started with after relocating the rear wheel wells to a wagon/El Camino wheelbase. (also closed up the door window to correct it)

Where it's at this morning! I had to lengthen the chassis also from the donor kit.
These are just mock up shots to make sure everything is working as planned.

Edited by mr68gts, 24 October 2010 - 08:39 AM.

[charlie8575]

NICE work!

Would you consider doing one for the resin-casters as well? I think this could be a very good seller; I know I'd buy one.

Charlie Larkin

[mr68gts]

SOOOOOOOO, after a long stint of sand and fill and sand and fill with primer in between ( ! ), this is where the El Camino sits as of this morning!
Color is factory color for a 73. Had it mixed locally. I still need to mess with the headlights and make the SS stripes for it but other than that
all the modifications are done for it now. (whew!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
All in all it was alot of work thus far. I will be doing another one as a master for resin. There are some things I don't like how it came out as
far as to the real car but the customer will be happy with it.
There is one more coat to airbrush on it and it's ready for clear.
Paul

first coat.



Second coat

[disabled modeler]

Very nice work!

[Green Duster]

Very nice work. If you do them in resin, you should sell alot of them.
Only thing I can say is WOW! You are an artist.

[Romell R]

Beautiful ! id buy one for sure

[hvymtl]

Paul that is awesome work there really love it . i would even have to get
a resin copy also. and the colour looks really good too . i have tried to get that
color but only thing i could mix was acrylic enamel where i work.
what engine trans combo for it? there are a few 73-74's running here with 454's in 'em

Can't wait to see it done

Michael

[mr68gts]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Michael, the color is acrylic enamel. I could have gotten it in Urethane but this was the cheaper route and works just as good.

Paul

Paul that is awesome work there really love it . i would even have to get
a resin copy also. and the colour looks really good too . i have tried to get that
color but only thing i could mix was acrylic enamel where i work.
what engine trans combo for it? there are a few 73-74's running here with 454's in 'em

Can't wait to see it done

Michael

[Eshaver]

I'm not sure as to the severe slant on the top of the tailgate . Overall, nice work . I want to see the end result before I pass a final judgement though .......Ed Shaver

[Johnny]

Having owned a 77 for the better part of 12 years I will say that the tailgate of the 1:1 does have a pretty good slant to it with a sort of early stage of pregnancy look to the lower third!
The wheel base does appears to be a little shorter than the 1:1(which was based on the 4 door or station wagon) but other than that you have captured the 4th Generation very well! Including the overly large wheel well they came with!

[mr68gts]

Ed,
The tailgate is pretty close but this isn't the final product. I sat there and compared a pic sized to the model to get the tailgate slant so it should be "close" lol. There will be a master remade for the resin body.

Johhny,
The wheelbase was changed to correct it to the wagon/ elcamino wheelbase.

Paul

[Scale-Master]

Very nice Paul, and you made it look easy!

[jeffs396]

Looks good!

[Rob McKee]

Nice job!

The lines look great. I can't wait to see the finished product.

I love these cars. My first 1:1 was a 73 Malibu 2 door.

[justin2020]

Ed,
The tailgate is pretty close but this isn't the final product. I sat there and compared a pic sized to the model to get the tailgate slant so it should be "close" lol. There will be a master remade for the resin body.

Johhny,


.
The wheelbase was changed to correct it to the wagon/ elcamino wheelbase.

Paul

I would love to see one of these. I had a 76 GMC Sprint and u would love to make one like my 1:1. Please let us know when they are done and i will be the first on your list

Edited by justin2020, 25 July 2011 - 03:34 PM.

[Michigan Madman]

Having owned a 77 for the better part of 12 years I will say that the tailgate of the 1:1 does have a pretty good slant to it with a sort of early stage of pregnancy look to the lower third!

After you and a buddy are sitting on it, and the cables snap, slamming the gate, you, and your buddy into the bumper, it won't have a 'baby bump' next time you close it!
This was my old '75- the Official Pace Car for the Ithaca High School Class of 2001


Oh, is Jeff Ballard the one who will be casting it?

[Johnny]

Tell me about it Chuck! Mine was perfect until my sons band mates decided to sit on the tailgate on a break from practice!

There are a few guy on an ElCamino Forum that would love to see that model!

[Michigan Madman]

Don't know about yours, Johnny, but a smashed-in tailgate was the LEAST of the problems mine had!

[MrObsessive]

Paul, that is some FANTASTIC body work! You've got the look pretty much nailed! An Uncle of mine once owned a '74. He ran his with blown out mufflers and boy was it LOUD!

I can remember seeing a few of these in high school in the '70's with the "Laguna" nose. That would be a real eye catcher!

[Michigan Madman]

Paul, that is some FANTASTIC body work! You've got the look pretty much nailed! An Uncle of mine once owned a '74. He ran his with blown out mufflers and boy was it LOUD!

I can remember seeing a few of these in high school in the '70's with the "Laguna" nose. That would be a real eye catcher!

Paul, please keep us posted! I never thought I'd say this, but I'd buy the resin body to build my old high school ride!

Bill- mine had the 'hollowed out' glasspacks. Basically, you'd take an old glasspack, burn it so it was hollow inside, then spray it in red, high temp paint so when the friendly neighborhood peace officer stopped you for having a loud exhaust you could say "Why, sure... I've got brand-new Thrush mufflers on it!" even though it had no mufflers at all! A local junkyard had a '74 Laguna nose, I toyed around with the idea of buying it and putting it on mine.