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51 Chevy Belair custom


Ferbz

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This model is a few years old and is the last full build I've finished in a long time. I started doing all the custom mods, got discouraged because of the time/energy it was taking, and put it away for almost 10yrs. One day, I dug deep to regain interest in it thinking that it could be a pretty cool car if it was completed. I took it back out, started working on it. A year later, it was finally finished. Let's hear it for perseverance! If anyone else has a story like this, please share! This car proved to me that any project setback can be overcome with determination. 

Top is chopped, hood/trunk pancaked, 60 Vette side coves and rear roll pan, rear fenders extended, sunken license plate, AMT 49 Merc custom front roll pan, Revell 53 Chevy grill shell, frenched parts pack Lucas headlights, AMT 49 Merc interior customized with tuck n roll and modified door panels, narrowed 64 Impala dash. Straight six motor from Galaxie 48 Chevy is hopped up and detailed with period parts. The paint is Duplicolor Mirage over black AND white base(except for the side coves which are plain white). I designed/made my own scallop patterns and used BMF for masking.

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Really cool custom, really like the scalps paint job. You mentioned wanting to hear similar stories about old builds put aside.  I started the '50 Ford convertible when it was first issued. I was just out of high school at the time. I used the chopped top and got as far as the gold base coat before life got into the way,  I came across the kit in my stash about 2008 and stripped the paint and redid the interior in tuck and roll and painted it a dark Maroon after "Frenching"  the head and tail lights and molding the grill. I got a first in class at a club car show with a "Show Car" theme. It was interesting to look back and see how adventuresome I was all those years ago.  You build reminds me of the customs of the '50s and early 60's.  

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Love it. Everything flows nicely and has that 50s touch. The body mods, scallops, gold grille and center caps on the sombreros, and crazy detailed engine...definitely worth the wait!

I have an extreme kustom project or two that are in a similar predicament, and a mild custom that I've dug out of the box after it sat for 10+ years. Your awesome project gives me hope that with time and patience, they'll get finished :D

 

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Wow. That's one of the coolest customs I've ever seen in scale. The forward lean that makes it look like it's moving, sitting still. All the body mods are very tasteful and well done. The paint.................is off the hook. Great engine choice and detailing is excellent.

This is VERY impressive and I'm glad to see this from someone new to the forums. I look forward to seeing whats next from you.

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Wow Ferby, that car is just awesome.  You did a fantastic job on all aspects of it.  

I built a '51 Chevy Fleetline Custom last year that was going great until final assembly time when I just could not get the engine /chassis / interior assembly to seat properly up into the body.  I disassembled and reassembled things 3 times and just could not get it to go together properly...... I was ready to throw the whole thing against the concrete block wall in my basement, or just step on it...!!!  I wound up just putting it all back in its box and leaving it there for about 4 months.  When I finally got back to working on it, I figured out that the problem was caused by the dashboard which was sitting too high.  I trimmed it down, reassembled everything, did whatever paint touchups were necessary, and got it all together.  As you said, "let's hear it for perseverance" because the model has won 2 First Place Custom awards and a Best In Show award at contests.

Your model is sure to do the same at shows you enter it in.

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Wow - that's truly impressive! Glad to see you finished it finally, those body mods are done very nicely and I like the styling. I can believe that the body mods required lots of work but you did a very good job. Paint scheme looks excellent, too. Excellent work.

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Thanks for the compliments everyone! This car is as crazy as I've gotten on a project and I really felt like I got in over my head with it early on, but putting it away then seeing its potential years later gave me a determination to push through that 'sticking point' as some of you have experienced.

David - Your story about that 50 convert is great! The late 50's/early 60's style was exactly what I was after.

Chris - All you need is to get excited about the vision of those two kustom projects the way you want them and they'll get done!

Ron - Haha! Yeah, a Snap Kit would be much easier. I've built curbsides because they don't take as long or have to be as involved as a full build. I don't know if/when I'll ever get as ambitious as this Chevy again.

Rob - This site has been such a cool place to hang out! I've been inspired by and have learned quite a bit from many members in a really short time. I've posted a couple projects in the 'On the Workbench' forum and will try to keep them updated until they're done.

Richard - I've been at that concrete block stage! Glad you found out the problem and was able to finish that 51 Chevy. Very often, just finishing a tough project is rewarding enough, but receiving awards for them is really satisfying, congrats! 

  

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