John Goschke

Except for very minor body work the wheel opening mods are complete on the final model! I'm pretty pleased with how this turned out – it gives this model a real "hook!" I also detailed the wheels with an India ink wash, along with painting the tri-color and gold emblems in each center cap, now they're not so toy-like. The tailpipes got their customary hit of Alclad Chrome, and the chassis's been detail-painted in the usual style, including a "Buick Green" engine and trans.

Nice build of a great subject. Looking forward to more.

Excellent start!

Thanks Jim! Much appreciated! Thanks, Bob! I, too, love me some big fins! Thanks Jeff! I think it helps the flow and lessens the visual "bulk" of the original rear quarter.

Thanks, Bill! I wanted to it look as if the factory might've done it.

Thanks, Casey! I don't know, I kinda like that rear overhang!

Thanks, Wayne! Glad you like it. The fins on the final model won't be rounded. The car shown here is a parts car with damaged fins that I used to test the idea.

Thanks, guys! Timothy, you're right, T-birds look terrific minus the skirts, and the Wild Bird is a great example.

Here's the second side of my '59 Buick test car with a new version of the revised wheel opening. I think I'm ready to do this on the final model. Let me know hat you guys think. Here's a link to the original topic post...

Thanks, guys! Dave, I'm won't be trimming the fins like that on the final model. The parts car I used for the wheel opening test has damaged fin tips.

Well, I've made all of the usual modifications to move the Invicta further into mild custom land. Got rid of the hood emblem, along with the script on the front fender, and the grill badge using a section from a spare grill. Shaved the door handles. Eliminated the emblem on the deck lid, along with some nasty glue scars. I had to cut out and replace the rear panel between the taillights because of more glue damage using the same section from a parts car (I'll have to do some filling underneath the fins to restore that bit. I cut the stock mufflers and tailpipes off the chassis, making filler panels for the resulting holes, and notched the splash pan for a new set of tailpipe extensions. Because I've never quite liked the stock rear wheel openings on the '59 Buick and have always wondered "what if" and whether the designers had ever considered something more like the rear opening on the '54 - '57 Buicks (especially the '53 and '54 Skylarks) where the whole wheel was revealed. I decided to try something similar in Photoshop by copy and pasting and further manipulating a copy of the front wheel opening. I liked the result so much that, after discussions with a trusted colleague, I had to try it in plastic using my battle-weary parts car. By making a pattern of the front opening I was able to open up a new wheel opening, which I then outlined with Plastruct .080 half-round styrene. So that the front opening would match, I removed the original opening lip, and created a new lip with the same half-round strip. My technique cementing the strip in place needs a little refinement, but there is another side to play with yet!  I think this treatment shows the beautiful wheels to their best advantage, so I'll almost certainly do it on the final model.

Coming along nicely. Keep at it!

Thanks, Patrick. It was molded in styrene, like a kit. You have to look for ones that are straight and unwarped. They came without windows or an interior, with a metal friction motor chassis. They're usually molded in a coral color, or bright yellow, and sometimes, red. I found this one on ebay about two years ago.

Very cool project! Your new work looks terrific!

Thanks, Bob! That car has some nice touches. Love that subtle peak that runs down the front of the hood, I hope I can achieve that. Not a huge fan of the rolling stock, however.