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1964 El Shorty


BIGTRUCK

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Yesterday at the swap meet I bought a 1964 El Camino, it contained most of the parts but not the Westcraft boat. Since I have a 64 Chevy wagon in need of a few nicer parts I bought this. Inside also was this build that is nicely started but odd. Everything fits perfect, even the screw bottom holes line up perfect. Someone spent alot of time on it,, the least I can do is try to figure out what the builder was going for and finish it. I found a shortened windshield in the box so I guess it was topless. Cant explain or figure out the rear wheel wells tho'.DSC05313DSC05314DSC05315.

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That one could result into a wild looking ride.

I have one of the '64 El Caminos on my build list. When I bought my kit, it was supposed to be a new, unbuilt kit, but I found that the previous owner brush painted the Westcraft Boat poorly, and stuck it back in the box. Fortunately, the person I bought it from made good on the discrepancy to my satisfaction, and I was able to get a resin copy of the Westcraft for my model. I may build a small trailer for it, instead of mounting it on the bed. The painted Westcraft boat went to a friend in our club.

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It's an ancient project, probably from when the kit was new.   I'd finish it in the style the original builder would have!  

Many years ago Dave Burket handed me this old Valiant body. He knew I'd love the original work and would preserve it.  This body was painted but nobody ever went any further with it. See how the body was built up with old magazine card stock.  The way they had to do things in 1960, way before Evergreen plastic!  

 

So I thought it should be finished using techniques and materials available in the early 1960s.  I found a matching Valiant screw post chassis. I made a grille from scrap plastic since I didn't have a spare Valiant one to use, a dashboard and custom seat from the original 1957 Chevy kit.

I figured that the two slots in the body were for a roll bar so I cut one down from pieces in my parts box. It was red, so I left it unpainted just like a kid might have.

The rhinestones fit into the holes already drilled in the body.  I didn't change a thing with the body since it was already "finished".  The wheels are from the Monogram Green Hornet kit, for that Salt Lake look.   In the end, I have a model that might have been entered in a hobby shop show in the early 1960s.  I just love the nostalgic bit about it, and it fits right into my Olde Kustom Kollection.

That's what I'd say to do with the ancient Elkie!  :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Back to the ''shorty'' . Cleaned up and re arched rear wheel wells, smoothed out rear quarters. I needed the 1964 hood so I have to make the 65 hood work. Rear tires are just wide ovals, fronts are part box. I found a nicer windshield but Im stalled on how it should look. Should it be trimmed down to half height and no frame?, Convertible frame? Roof ?DSC05370DSC05366DSC05367

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks to Andy AKA ''Sledsel'' for a great idea on using the Fireball 500 as a donor. With a little trading on the forum I acquired a partial kit and a beater body. I fit the top half on the build. Now I can keep moving forward with no idea where this is going:D.DSC05703

The rear quarters from the Fireball 500 body were cut out and fit onto an old Cuda that the builder hogged out the wheel wells with a hot knifeDSC05695

DSC05699

So thanks for the suggestions it all helps, like I said, dont really know where this builds going.:)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Im staying on this ,got to get it done. I had a Datsun 4 X 4 on the up for trade list, I kept eye ballin' the chassis and what Snake45

said about lifting it. The Datsun wasnt going any place so I grabbed the chassis , shortened it to fit, and I feel this is the best route to take.DSC05744DSC05745DSC05760

Edited by BIGTRUCK
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