22 replies to this topic

[mrmike]

I have decided to challenge myself with another rebuild of an old built-up model...Revell's ZZ Top Eliminator.  I built this back in the '80's when this version of Revell's '34 Ford was issued.  IIRC, I built this model in a weekend and it shows.  I am going to clean everything up, repaint, and rebuild.  Here's what I started with...

And, here is where I ended up with after half an hour or so...

I am repainting the body parts with Tamiya TS-49 Bright Red and hopefully will add some missing components like rear shocks and plug wires.  I also have a new set of decals with thanks to montecarlo1980.  Thanks Ruben!

 

More to come... 

Edited by mrmike, 24 February 2013 - 03:38 PM.

[Joe Handley]

Looking forward to seeing this one redone!

[crazyrichard]

interesting curious !!

[Dave Mikrut]

I'm happy to see you doing this! I have the original kit and have been meaning to build it. Hopefully your restoration will inspire me!

[hemi]

I love this car,I have a hot rod magazine that has an article on this car,tons of imfo.Now I just need to get my hands on the kit.

Im sure you will do a great job on it and I'll be watching close.

[Dogfish_7]

 _{This'll be fun to watch}

[mrmike]

Thanks guys!  I hope that my rebuild will influence you to go ahead and build those '33 Ford Eliminators you have stashed away, awaiting to be built someday!  Maybe someday is sooner than you think...

 

 

The engine has a coat of Chevrolet Engine Red.  The carb needs to be detailed and the distributor and heads will be drilled out for plug wires.

The body and interior have been washed and is currently air-drying.

 

More to come...

[Shelby 427 1965]

I'm a ZZ Top fan myself, looking forward to seeing where this goes!

[mrmike]

Thanks Tomo!  I think you'll like where this will end up at.

 

 

The body and chassis was painted this morning with Tamiya TS-49 Bright Red.  

I'll let the paint dry and then give it a quick and easy polishing.

 

More to come...

[Custom Hearse]

Cool. I forgot I had the kit until I saw this. Now I wanna break it out and build it(unfortunatelly I have two other projects going right now).

[mrmike]

Thanks Marshall!

 

 

The engine is in progress at the moment.  I've drilled out the distributor and the heads for plug wires and plug boots.

The chassis is up on four wheels again.

A mockup with the body.

 

More to come...

[Dragfreak]

Paint looks great mike!

[jeffs396]

Nice!!!

[Custom Hearse]

Nice work! I just hope that when I build mine it comes out as sweet as this!

[Rob McKee]

Very nice resto job.

 

The paint looks liquid. In other words awesome!

[mrmike]

Thanks for the nice words guys!

 

 

I have added my wires and plug boots and installed the engine back into the chassis.

The view from the top!

I masked the grille for paint.

When I started to disassemble the Eliminator, the grille didn't sit right because of the radiator sitting too high in the chassis.  I fixed that by notching the radiator base to slide into the chassis more.

The grille has been painted.

 

More to come...

 

[slammedi'am]

Nice!!

[Duntov]

I have always liked this car and you are doing a great job on it!!!

[slusher]

Nice work Mike, great color and finish...

[mrmike]

Thanks Shane, Bill, and Carl!

 

 

After doing much research to start with, I have read of the finicky body panels and build fit of this kit and many of those were not finished.  I can't remember having these issues when I first built this kit, but hey...that was a long time ago.  Now I find that the engine side panels are a finicky fit and so I have gone and glued them on and tape them in place until the glue has had sufficient time to set up.  

The one thing I cannot find are interior pictures of the Eliminator.  I'll leave the interior detailed as I originally did back when I first built the kit.  For the most part, I am in the home stretch with the Eliminator.  Hopefully, I'll finish it today.

 

More to come...