23 replies to this topic

[Sixties Sam]

Hi guys. I just finished my fourth 1950's build in the last two months. This 55 convertible is a Monogram kit, and it builds up nice, although it reminds me of some of the fiddly Revell kits of the 1960's. No major problems, though. I chose the orange color based on a real 55 convert I've seen in local car shows. The orange is Allis-Chalmer orange tractor paint, and the white is Testors gloss white. The interior is too glossy - I just forgot to spray on some flat clear before I mated it to the body. Oh, well! The orange is actually much more "orange" than it looks in the photos.

Here are some photos of it on my dioramas.

 

 

 

 

 

I liked doing this build. The 55 Belair is one of my favorite cars. I hope you guys like it!

Edited by Sixties Sam, 08 February 2013 - 02:02 PM.

[rmvw guy]

I don't like it........ I love it!!  Nice job!  It looks kind of like the original color in the photos.  I think I am going to have to build one of these soon.  I love it with the top up. I remember a guy having one of these in High School with a torn up top.  Everyone laughed at him with the cold Indiana winters we used to get.  I bet they aren't laughing now. These cars are probably the most collectible '55s of all.

[slusher]

Excellent build Sam, love the orange with white.  Nice foil work and interior looks great .....

[Pete L.]

Very nice build...really slick dioramas !!!

[TooOld]

Beautiful car !    I also like the "top up" look !  Great color choice and very nicely done .

[cobraman]

Very sharp ! Nice choice of color.

[Grant]

Your diorama is very nice too!

[Sixties Sam]

Here's a shot that shows the interior better. That guy on the left likes it!

 

 

Slusher mentioned foil work. One of the reasons I like this kit is because it doesn't require very much foil compared to many other 1950's cars. The windshield frame, vent windows, and rear body side trim parts are all separate chromed pieces. The only foiling was the strip from the doors to the headlights and the strips on top of the doors and around the back of the interior. I foiled the chrome trim on the inside of the doors, mainly to cover up my sloppy masking job between the orange and white colors.

One problem I forgot to mention was the three piece dashboard. I took it apart twice to get it right, once after it was installed! Thanks for the compliments, all!

Sam

[Olds Rocket 88]

Looks great.. the continental kit was a nice touch... really nice!!     

[Ramfins59]

Great looking car Sam.  I just love ALL those 50's cars.  Re the too shiny interior, you can get brush on Dullcoat by Polly S, usually in the train paint section of a well stocked hobby shop.  I think there might also be some other brush on dullcoats you can get too...... and worse case, just spray some of the clear flat into a little cup or on a waxed paper plate and just brush it on. 

[Ron35369]

I'm not a big fan of orange, but this really works & looks beautiful. I built the Revell 56 Nomad so I know about that 3-piece dash...not fun! I've got one of these 55 converts waiting in the stash. I might just have to get it out.

[Skydime]

This thing looks really slick.  I like the more modern or performance look on tri-fives but, this one is by far an exception!  Great Work!  BTW, I think that guy just drooled on the driver door panel. 

Edited by Skydime, 08 February 2013 - 07:21 PM.

[charlie8575]

When AMT released the '55 2-door sedan, SAE had an article on a build-up, and in it was how to duplicate the original Coral paint, using a mix of Testors orange, black and white. I don't remember the ratio, but it looked convincing.

 

This looks very good. I agree with Rich, some brushed-on Dullcote or similar product would fix that glossy interior right up.

 

Charlie Larkin

[Dominik]

Very nice - car and diorama. Well done!

[Tom Geiger]

Great looking car Sam.  I just love ALL those 50's cars.  Re the too shiny interior, you can get brush on Dullcoat by Polly S, usually in the train paint section of a well stocked hobby shop.  I think there might also be some other brush on dullcoats you can get too...... and worse case, just spray some of the clear flat into a little cup or on a waxed paper plate and just brush it on. 

 

I agree with my esteemed colleague!   Testors Dullcote  from the spray can, sprayed into a little cup will work dandy. It dries flat so you won't see brush marks if you paint it on generously. Practice on something first if you are leery. You may want to try a semi-gloss to get a different sheen but still look like vinyl instead of the dead flat of dullcote.

 

Also, per the little cups... I like the Dixie brand bathroom cups. I use those for everything from spraying paint in them for touch up to using them as paint stands. 

[W-Machine]

Nice, eye-catching color scheme!

[outlaw035]

good look'n double nickel....

[bondo bill]

very nice great color choice

[RatRod]

Very nice Sam, love the continental spare!

[Sixties Sam]

John, the continental kit comes in the model kit, with the bumper extension molded in, so you pretty much have to use it unless you have a spare 55 bumper from some other kit. No problem, though. The real 55 I was copying has the connie kit too.

 

I brushed some flat clear on the interior. It worked to dull it down a bit. Thanks for the tip Richard and Tom! I didn't have dullcote, so I used some Krylon flat clear. It started to make the orange paint run, but I cleaned it up. It could have been a real mess!

 

Thanks to everyone for the nice compliments - much appreciated!

 

Sam

Edited by Sixties Sam, 09 February 2013 - 05:16 PM.