Ron Hamilton

http://s245.photobuc...360649487511238

I just finished this one last weekend.

I had a ball building this one. I take my hat off to Revell for giving us such a well engineered kit.

Note: To Dr. Cranky:

What came first? The Chicken, or the egg???

I have a thing for Chevy Novas. I have the Trumpeter kit (hardtop) under construction, which in my opinion was the best model kit that company has done.

This one will be a replica stock build, with the 6 Cylinder engine.The AMT convertible will be built as a "GM Executive" car, with "Experimental" drive train mods, as well as a reworked interior, and a different wheel/Tire Combination.

The Cragar SS mags in the picture are not going to be used, as I have something else in mind, and the engine is going to be a surprise. The AMT '66 Nova is the source for the chassis under this one, and yes it fit with some modification. The interior is completely scratchbuilt in a style similar to the factory configuration, but would be leather in a one to one world. I Plan on this one to be Red, with a Red Leather interior. Whitewall tires will be mounted on the wheels I am using. At this point, I still have some cuting and fitting to do before paint.

A couple of years ago, I bought an empty 1963 Nova Wagon Box, to go with an F & F Resin '63 Nova Wagon I built several years back. As luck would have it, I was able to acquire a pretty clean built-up Nova Wagon to be re-done.

It was missing a few pieces, but believe it or not, I had the parts to complete a nice replica stock build, in a set of resin tail lamps, and a set of resin full wheel covers. I also had a Replicas and Miniatures Chevy 6 cylinder engine for it.

It's waiting its turn to be done this year. I have to decide on a color combination for it, and I may fabricate a roof rack for it.

I have to find the photos of the F & F nova I did several years ago, as it came out pretty nice. It was built as a mild hot rod with a V8 engine/4-speed and a set of big and little Halibrands with a rake.

I may do a "Before and After" with this one, with the before version getting a Dr. Cranky style weathering treatment.

Several years ago, I acquired a built-up Revell '57 Ford Ranchero . I blew it apart with the intent of rebuilding it. I also acquired one of the "chopped" Rancheros, which I was going to use with it for additional parts. However, in looking at it, the kits had too mant "foibles" for me to deal with, especially the too short doors from a 4-door, and multi-pice body construction. So when Revell issued the new, updated '57 Ford kit, which by the way is very nice, I knew what I had to do.

I found several pictures of one-to-one '57 Rancheros from various sources around the web to get an idea of what I had to do, and here's where I am so far.

I used parts from the old Revell Ranchero kits, primarily the bed, tailgate, and tonneau cover, and melded them into the "new tool" kit. I also made new panels from sheet styrene to complete the conversion.

I also did a custom "Tuck and Roll" interior trim for the doors and bench seat, which will be two-toned.

The hardest part of the conversion is the area around the rear of the bed and the tailgate.

I have to re-work the rear window mouldings, prime it, and tighten up the bodywork at this point.  This build is not going to be a dead nuts "replica stock", but it is going to be a "mild custom".  I am also going to leave the trim on the body. I know that this particular chrome trim was not available from the factory on the Ranchero, but I like the way it looks, and I am going to use it for the two-tone paint break.

I wanted to put some primer on it today, but it was too humid.