DR JAY Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 (edited) This will be my 1st "Real Time"build coverage on a modeling forum. I normally build very slowly as my time is limited, but medical leave from work has given me a lot of free time. I also want to enter this in a local IPMS show in spring, so hopefully being almost obligated to make regular posts if anyone is following will keep me motivated. Anyhoo: It begins with a purchase via a club member. I got it home and immediately began assembling parts from the spares bins and kits. Although the lion's share of conversions I have seen like this use the Lindberg Polara as the donor, the full chassis will come from the Revell 1968 Charger kit. There are many reasons I prefer this B body offering over the Lindberg; most notably being that the Lindberg front suspension isn't as good as the Revell offering in my opinion. The Revell chassis fit with minimal trimming at the ends and rear wheel wells and required only a tiny wheelbase adjustment. The trim line demotion of the Dart from a 440 to a 330 required the removal of the rear quarter trim, the rocker molding and the removal or correction of the trim running below the rearmost side glass, up the B pillar and over the drip rails. The only kit supplied interior parts I would be using would be the dash ( There has been previous discussion regarding the dash and a review of this kit in other sections...) and steering wheel as well as a trimmed section of the package tray. The seats would be modified Lindberg units and the interior floor pan would come from the Charger, but the rest--door panels, headliner, etc--would be scratch built. I try to get that stuff close, but I try not to take the fun out of it by getting too carried away with being exact or spending a bunch on stuff I could make myself. Comments are welcome and since there are a whole bunch of builders here that can put my stuff in the weeds on their worst day--including another current build of this same subject-- tips or constructive suggestions are appreciated. Thanks for looking Edited April 10, 2016 by DR JAY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedotwo Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Looks like a good project to follow along with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMCMAN52 Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Looks like another project I'm going to follow. Love those Darts and have a couple just waiting their turn on the bench Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CometMan Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Mopars from that era really stand out, I'll be pulling for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louie Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 This is nice. The chassis fits and looks great under the body. I will love watching this one come together. Thanks. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72 Charger Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 That chassis fits in their really well . I will be looking forward to more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
om617 Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Nice to see one of these being built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dann Tier Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 Nice to see one of these being built. Agreed!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR JAY Posted February 24, 2016 Author Share Posted February 24, 2016 ...some see a Johan Model and put it on a shelf with a bunch of other unbuilt Collector Items...I break out the razor saw and start cutting. These are injection molded styrene parts that have no value to me as anything else. Sacrilege? Perhaps, but when I get my hands on a Johan 1963 Polara (after a lottery win, of course), that box is getting opened and I'll be snipping parts from the sprues pretty quick in order to start the very same project again! I want to build all of the models I missed out on as a kid. Making an interior was simple: trace out door panels using the interior bucket as a template and transfer the patterns to styrene sheet. I cut 2 sets of door panels in order to laminate them to gain a thickness that lends itself to carving, sanding and shaping. I removed the Johan package tray from the tub and secured everything together using the inside of the body and the Revell Charger floor as a guide. The screw posts in the body only needed light sanding in order to use them for maintaining chassis placement within the body. I hang the dash last so I can adjust its height according to its fit with the kit glass and correct any space between the leading edge of the dash and the windshield base. Once the interior and chassis are more or less in their final placement I can slap together some suspension in order to set wheelbase and ride height. I used the Charger suspension--with the exception of an AMT 8 3/4 rear end from an unknown kit. The wheels came from the Charger and the tires are from the AMT slicks and white wall parts packs. It was also at this time that I decided I should use the Lindberg door pillars and make this a sedan. I also used the Lindberg firewall and inner fenders, which definitely required some gap filling and adjustment. This is some mock up to get an idea where I'm at. I don't clean my fabrication desk every time I take pictures or I'd get nothing done... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyrichard Posted February 24, 2016 Share Posted February 24, 2016 cool !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR JAY Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Real Time Build or not, I haven't been able to update as I planned due to life getting in the way. I am well under way to have this completed by the end of April for an IPMS show. I have a lot more pictures, but these will give a general idea of progress thus far. (For those who haven't given up on following an "In-Progress" build last updated in February! The scratchbuilt interior bucket is completed and the Lindberg seats are ready for upholstery. I cut the door handles and window cranks from the Lindberg door panels to go with the arm rests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR JAY Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 The Headliner: something lacking in most model kits. Once I made retaining channels and "weatherstrip" for the trimmed kit glass, a headliner is almost mandatory to make the ceiling complete. Also used this time to begin correcting the kit-supplied 63 Polara dash back to a facsimile of a 62 Dart dash. It looks a little rough now, but paint, foil and detailing will fix it up visually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Not my favorite design from Chryco, but I certainly LOVE what you're doing! I'm definitely watching! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR JAY Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Chassis details: I dislike kit supplied shocks, driveshafts or anything else that should be perfectly round but isn't. I make these parts from brass as well as styrene tube and hex stock--for nuts and bolt heads. I guess I could use photoetch bolt head detail or model railroad nuts and bolts, but I prefer scale realism when at all possible; no manufacturer used nuts to hold shocks in place with a 1 1/16" head and some of the aftermarket hardware I see in use is HUGE! So... I made up a driveshaft, 4 shocks, radius rods and hardware and a set of torsion bars and sockets for the control arms. Overall--simple stuff, although the shocks are time consuming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR JAY Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 The Engine And Transmission: In my attempt to build an accurate Max Wedge powertrain, I used several sources for components. The trans is from the AMT 71 Charger--it appears to be the most accurate in appearance and scale, and the separate trans pan is outstanding in its accuracy even if it may be a tad shallow. I did modify another pan with more depth, but will use it for another project. The block, valve covers and heads are from an old Pro Modeler Daytona because despite the identical parts being in my 68 Charger donor kit, the Pro Modeler stuff was crisper and the details were much sharper--i guess 'cause the molds were newer? I drilled bolt holes and added details to the ends of the heads. The rest was a mix of parts box items and donor kit parts. I removed the belt from the pulleys and grooved them with a razor saw for a belt. I also made a deep sump oil pan, but that will be replaced with a more accurate pan. The exhaust will be fenderwell headers made from aluminum tube, styrene and collectors from an old Revell Oldsmobile Pro Stock. I WAS going to use the manifolds from the new Moebius Belvedere, but due to time restrictions, I couldn't wait for its release. I have the Belvedere kit now and will use the manifolds on a similar Max Wedge Plymouth project I have in line. The intake is of unknown origin, but I detailed it with bolt access plugs and frost plugs, as well as some reshaping. The carbs are from a couple of AMT 71 Charger kits because the air cleaners--from the AMT 49 Mercury--will be glued in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR JAY Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Not my favorite design from Chryco, but I certainly LOVE what you're doing! I'm definitely watching! I agree that they were homely cars! The 360 degree ugly combined with the Max Wedge just does something for me. Don't get me started on the available colours for 62 Darts...painting a dog turd Dusty Pink or Motel Carpet Burgundy doesn't make it prettier! Thanks for the comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR JAY Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DR JAY Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 There. Caught up.... Which brings the project to the current state. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Nice work Jason!I'm planning on doing a '62 Dart very soon as well, although mine will not be nearly this involved.Mine is a convertible & I'll be swapping the engine too, but that will be about as far as I go.Keep up the good work! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtx6970 Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 I like it, I like it a lot. Reminds me of the Blairs Speed Shop car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 I'm very impressed with your level of detail, like the drilled header flanges, for example... and so much more. Exceptional work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gino Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 wow ! that looks really good ! nice work ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CometMan Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Very cool! I always follow these because one of my earliest memories is of my grandparents' '62 440 hardtop, a triple beige example. Let's just say it was an "interesting" looking car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afx Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Very nice work Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragcarz Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 wow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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