45 replies to this topic

[CaptainAhab]

Hey guys... Gonna do my first chop. We'll see how it goes. Using the 53 lowrider Bel Air kit from Revell, which is 1/24 (ugh) but oh well. After testing the so called "lowrider" suspension I was less than impressed, so out came the Dremel and heres what I got. Going for a Bagged lead sled.


Painted some wide whites (terribly) just to see how it would look while i wait for my Modelhaus tires to show up. This was my first step lowering:


Here's where she is sitting currently. I'm Pretty content with it, What do you guys think? Also with some less drastic white walls:



And with Skirts... Yay or nay?



Thats all for now, Ill try to keep up with the build thread. Hopefully the next post will have the roof chopped and trim/handles shaved down. Any advise would be much appreciated. Thanks

[Dirty Gringo]

I usually like skirts but these look to small for the car or something. Nice work so far I say no skirts

[mannyclub]

Looks like its going to be a cool build! Looks good loward, I think without the skirts though.
Manny

[Joker]

Here is some inspiration.
It's about a 6 year old build.
Shown at a club meet.


photo credit..G.H.

[DumpyDan]

I like the second set of wheels, seem to look just right. I like the skirts but maybe make some from scratch longer, right to the bottom of the body. Looks to me lower with the skirts...............Waiting for the chop, just use a sharpie where your gonna cut and cut it up.

DAN

[dodgefever]

I would try to keep the rear window close to the original size - cut out the whole rear window frame out first, in one piece. Then chop the top and move the rear window frame forwards; trimming the rear of the roof if need be.. That looks better IMO than a simple chop with the rear window cut down. I did a quick hack job on you photo to illustrate:

 DSC00001.jpg   72.68K   59 downloads

Edited by dodgefever, 15 January 2012 - 02:10 AM.

[58 Impala]

Looking foward to seeing your progress. I built a stock version of this kit years ago. I bought the low rider kit a while back with the intention of doing it the way you're going with it. I like the idea of the skirts,and I agree they should be longer-even with the bottom of the body.

[Leadworks]

My 1st car was a 53 Chevy, Bel-air, but a 4 door....Yellow and White...EXCELLENT..keep up the GOOD Work

[CaptainAhab]

Thanks for the comments fellas. Your advice means a lot. I Started shaving the mold lines and trim today and I think I will be omitting the skirts. I think it would look good if it was a tail dragger and shes not quite that. Going for a meaner look. Joker, nice clean build. Very classy chop. And Stu, Love your idea for the chop, but how should I go about filling in that trunk lid after I slide the window forward?


On a closing note, heres My inspiration. It will be very loosely based on this, I just really dig the look without all trim lines:


Thanks again

[CaptainAhab]

I am aware that this is not a 53 But this is what inspired me to do a Chevy sled.

Edited by CaptainAhab, 15 January 2012 - 07:19 PM.

[dodgefever]

Thanks for the comments fellas. Your advice means a lot. I Started shaving the mold lines and trim today and I think I will be omitting the skirts. I think it would look good if it was a tail dragger and shes not quite that. Going for a meaner look. Joker, nice clean build. Very classy chop. And Stu, Love your idea for the chop, but how should I go about filling in that trunk lid after I slide the window forward?

If you do it the way I suggested, you'd only have to add a strip of plastic to fill the gap between the trunk and the rear window. If you just chopped it at the pillars, rear window and all, you'd then have to lengthen the roof, which is more difficult and doesn't look as good to me.

[CaptainAhab]

hmm... decisions...

[tooltas]

thats not a 53 by way but a nice 50 to 52 coupe

[CaptainAhab]

todd, read my post after I posted the photo.

[Brian Fishburn]

The 1:1 pictured is a '52 Sport Coupe, for whatever that is worth.

Be careful chopping this. They look so much better if chopped corectly, but if you take out too much, they end up looking way out of proportion with the body. Think 3-4 inches in scale.

And I agree with the notion of bringing the skirts further down, if you're going to use them.

[CaptainAhab]

Chopped, Shaved, Frenched, Tunneled, Bondo'd. Have to fix some panel lines, fill some more spots and hit again with primer. Phew, this thing has been alot of work so far but im having a great time with it. Have to make some windows as well. Any tips guys?

[V-LOW]

I've bought this kit 3 times, because it's so much fun to build.

I like your black rim and white wall tire combi. Going to follow this build.

Edited by V-LOW, 26 January 2012 - 01:14 AM.

[W-409]

That looks very cool so far. I like '53 Bel Airs very much, doesn't matter if it's Original, Custom or Gasser etc. Your build looks Old School and that's great. Rear window will be tricky to make, I have one pretty wild '56 Chevy build with the same problem...

[CaptainAhab]

Yes, very fun. Your builds are immaculate v-low! Very nice. Out of town for a few weeks so I won't be posting updates until I get back. In the meantime Thanks for looking

[tooltas]

i got 3 of them too great kit the older 53/54 chevy coupe kit was good kit too