35 Yr. Old Monogram 69 Camaro SS-Now "Under Glass"-07/20

[mustang1989]

I’m pretty much at a standstill on my modified VW bus build with trying to come up with a suitable seating arrangement and waiting on all the aftermarket engine items that I’ve ordered so I thought I’d throw something on the bench that’s been catching my interest for some time now. I showed pictures of this bad boy last year after I did some repairs on it but thought it deserved more than that…………so here we are a year or so later to do it some real justice.
Presented here for rebuild is my 35 year old Monogram 1969 Camaro Z-28 which many of you will know the boxing of this kit back in the late 70’s/ early 80’s:

 

I’m going to go through this thing I don’t even know how deep I’ll go with it so I aint even going to say that this’ll be a mild rebuild. Anything I touch can’t be done in timely manner it seems like but I’m going to TRY to keep as many original parts as I can in this restoration/ upgrade. There’ll be some definite changes in regards to the interior as well as the exterior. I’ll be changing up the wheel and tire combo and will stay within the boundaries of a street machine using street tires with some Cragar SS wheels and a mildly upgraded Chevrolet 396 with a single four barrel carburetor to top things off.
Here’s a picture of what we’re going to start with as it sat on my bench this morning:

 

The options were wide open as there hasn’t been anything in the engine compartment in 30 years now:

 

A picture of the interior:

 

Now apart on the bench:

 

To start with I have managed to come up with another hood thanks to a friend on the forums:

 

We’ll be going with this 396 from Revell that I had in the parts stash:

 

 

Stay tuned.................this may take a minute.............or two.

Edited July 21, 2017 by mustang1989

[James2]

Love me some restorations. I built that kit many moons ago and liked everything but the scale. I'm just funny about staying with 1/25. 

[geemoney]

for the time, this car came with so many unique parts

the motorwheel wheels

dana 60 rear?

the transmission was wild too as I recall (like an auto with a blow-proof bell housing)

twin (albeit tiny) turbos!

I never finished my original issue, it is here somewhere..........................

love the resto...keep us posted!

[mustang1989]

James: I hear you on the scale. I'm that way with aircraft..........1/48th scale ONLY. Thanks for the good word.

Mike:Yeah it was a hot kit when I got it way back then. I forgot about it having twin turbos though..............

Edited January 3, 2017 by mustang1989

[DumpyDan]

Looking good so far

[mustang1989]

Thanks Dan. Hopefully I can make something good out of this.

[cobraman]

I'm sure this will be cool when done. Keep it going.

[AC Norton]

..........this has always been one of those kit's that, as flawed as it is, somehow screams out with potential if the builder goes the extra mile,,,,maybe two miles. over the years I've parted out probably a dozen of these back in the day when you could grab them at show's and such for next to nothing. I'm interested in your build, and know if it's tweaked just right, it will be very neat....best, the Ace...

[Snake45]

..........this has always been one of those kit's that, as flawed as it is, somehow screams out with potential if the builder goes the extra mile,,,,maybe two miles. over the years I've parted out probably a dozen of these back in the day when you could grab them at show's and such for next to nothing. I'm interested in your build, and know if it's tweaked just right, it will be very neat....best, the Ace...

Yup. It's a coin flip as to which is the bigger backbirth of a '69 Camaro, the Monogram kit or the even older MPC...and yet I've built three of one and five of the other. What is it about these wretched hot messes that draw us to them?

I'll be watching too.

[AC Norton]

Yup. It's a coin flip as to which is the bigger backbirth of a '69 Camaro, the Monogram kit or the even older MPC...and yet I've built three of one and five of the other. What is it about these wretched hot messes that draw us to them?

I'll be watching too.

....it's the era we are from, as much older builders....they were the only game in town unless you had annual AMT 69 Camaros piled in the basement. some kits are just plain fun and exciting to own or build just, well, because they are.....and this Monogram car is one of them. and let's face it, there are many more kit's that we own, have owned, and for the same reason's love, that are even more horrid than this. but so what,,, I've often thought about thing's from time to time in this manner.....suppose a guy received a particular model way back as a gift,,,could be birthday, xmas, whatever, and it was a big event for him at that time. that model may have been a terrible kit, but at the time he slammed it together and loved it. I think you know where I'm going with this.....certain car model's just tug at your heart string's due to the time or place you may have enjoyed it, and also whom may have given that gift to you and why... I can tell you many do that for me, for many emotional reason's as well...I'll leave it there.....the Ace....

Edited January 4, 2017 by AC Norton
text

[mustang1989]

Thanks Ray, Rich and A.C.

 I have to agree with both of you guys (Rich and A.C.) . This being my first ever car model kit which drew my interest to automotive subjects waaaaaaay back when, I felt I had to go back to it and do it a little better justice. The build just called out to me from the display case. To tell you the truth though I don't see myself going "all out" like I feel I have on some of my past builds because quite frankly I just want a relaxing but good turnout on the build. We'll see.

Edited January 4, 2017 by mustang1989

[Snake45]

 quite frankly I just want a relaxing but good turnout on the build.

That's exactly what a HOBBY is supposed to be all about.

[mustang1989]

That's exactly what a HOBBY is supposed to be all about.

LOL. I hear ya there Rich. Don't get me wrong I do love an all out-double throw down build now.....but I do hear ya talkin' pal.

[NY Modeler]

....it's the era we are from, as much older builders....they were the only game in town unless you had annual AMT 69 Camaros piled in the basement. some kits are just plain fun and exciting to own or build just, well, because they are.....and this Monogram car is one of them. and let's face it, there are many more kit's that we own, have owned, and for the same reason's love, that are even more horrid than this. but so what,,, I've often thought about thing's from time to time in this manner.....suppose a guy received a particular model way back as a gift,,,could be birthday, xmas, whatever, and it was a big event for him at that time. that model may have been a terrible kit, but at the time he slammed it together and loved it. I think you know where I'm going with this.....certain car model's just tug at your heart string's due to the time or place you may have enjoyed it, and also whom may have given that gift to you and why... I can tell you many do that for me, for many emotional reason's as well...I'll leave it there.....the A

 

Apologies for going off-thread, but ACE, that was really well-put.  Just the other day I saw (in the "Under Glass" section) the Monogram "'66 Malibu Street Rat".  That instantly brought back fond memories of building models back in my high school days.  It was my favorite kit back then, and I built a few of them, along with the '69 Z/28 here.

Looking forward to seeing how this rebuild turns out!

[AC Norton]

Apologies for going off-thread, but ACE, that was really well-put.  Just the other day I saw (in the "Under Glass" section) the Monogram "'66 Malibu Street Rat".  That instantly brought back fond memories of building models back in my high school days.  It was my favorite kit back then, and I built a few of them, along with the '69 Z/28 here.

Looking forward to seeing how this rebuild turns out!

thanks, Ken....memories that are attached to many of our car kit's sometimes are golden, even though the kit itself may not be compared with other's. I know that most all of us have story's about kit's from special time's long ago.....like yours above from you high school day's. regards, the Ace....

[espo]

I have bought a couple of these kits thru the years, just never built one. The box art and the body proportions just put me off enough that I didn't want to bother.  I look forward to what you make of this kit. You mentioned using the big block Chevy engine, I noticed the carburetor looks wrong on the instruction sheet. If it is a Carter AFB carb then while not stock and older technology than the big block that's OK. If this is a Holly carb, which would of been OEM and or a typical upgrade at that time it should be turned length wise north/south instead of east/west. I notice that the interior seats are an interesting design. They look almost like some of the Camaro seats from the early '80's.    

[Snake45]

As I mentioned, I've built three of these. After the first one, I figured out that narrowing the front pan and tucking it in a bit improved the look of the whole body about 100 percent. I did that on the second and third I built. I'll try to get some photos of them shot sometime so you can see what I mean.

On another net site, I saw where someone built a '67 Impala 4-door using a Camaro roof. It didn't look half bad. Couple months ago at the local toy show I picked up a glue-bomb Mono '69 Camaro for this use. I want to do a '67 2-door Biscayne or Bel Air. Looking at it carefully, the Camaro roof shape isn't exactly right for this, but it's kinda-sorta in the ballpark. I'm gonna do it anyway--as a "phantom" if necessary. (There's something wrong with the roof on the AMT '67 Impala anyway.)

In other news, Revell has a 1/32 '69 Camaro that was obviously made from the same masters as the Monogram 1/24. Bought one at Walmart last year.

Sorry for the sidetrack. We now return you to Mustang89's very interesting rebuild project....

[mustang1989]

As I mentioned, I've built three of these. After the first one, I figured out that narrowing the front pan and tucking it in a bit improved the look of the whole body about 100 percent. I did that on the second and third I built. I'll try to get some photos of them shot sometime so you can see what I mean.

On another net site, I saw where someone built a '67 Impala 4-door using a Camaro roof. It didn't look half bad. Couple months ago at the local toy show I picked up a glue-bomb Mono '69 Camaro for this use. I want to do a '67 2-door Biscayne or Bel Air. Looking at it carefully, the Camaro roof shape isn't exactly right for this, but it's kinda-sorta in the ballpark. I'm gonna do it anyway--as a "phantom" if necessary. (There's something wrong with the roof on the AMT '67 Impala anyway.)

In other news, Revell has a 1/32 '69 Camaro that was obviously made from the same masters as the Monogram 1/24. Bought one at Walmart last year.

Sorry for the sidetrack. We now return you to Mustang89's very interesting rebuild project....

No problem at all Rich. I kinda like the background info chatter in here. It's good and entertaining info to read. I'm looking forward to seeing the pics of what you did with the front pan.

[mustang1989]

I have bought a couple of these kits thru the years, just never built one. The box art and the body proportions just put me off enough that I didn't want to bother.  I look forward to what you make of this kit. You mentioned using the big block Chevy engine, I noticed the carburetor looks wrong on the instruction sheet. If it is a Carter AFB carb then while not stock and older technology than the big block that's OK. If this is a Holly carb, which would of been OEM and or a typical upgrade at that time it should be turned length wise north/south instead of east/west. I notice that the interior seats are an interesting design. They look almost like some of the Camaro seats from the early '80's.    

Thanks for the info Dave. I've already got a resin Holley carburetor to take the "blobs" place.

[disconovaman]

This was the go to 69 camaro before the 1990 revell kit. I built many and I always loved the simplicity of the kit. Many different versions of the kit have been issued including a 4X4 version (HIJACKER) I have slowly been building the boxart monogram vesions using the revell kit. 

http://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.racingjunk.com/ui/7/39/44530397-268.jpg

[mustang1989]

This was the go to 69 camaro before the 1990 revell kit. I built many and I always loved the simplicity of the kit. Many different versions of the kit have been issued including a 4X4 version (HIJACKER) I have slowly been building the boxart monogram vesions using the revell kit. 

http://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.racingjunk.com/ui/7/39/44530397-268.jpg

I saw that one as I'm learning a lot about this kit. It also got released as a drag version....

[mustang1989]

Here's your 4 x 4 version right here:

[Snake45]

I saw that one as I'm learning a lot about this kit. It also got released as a drag version....

I have one of those. I was halfway through building it as Jenkins' Grumpy's Toy VI (had it painted and had started decals) when the Revell '69 Yenko was announced. I stopped work on it immediately and put it back in the box and I haven't seen it since. Would like to find it--I'd like to finish it as an imaginary early Pro Stock or MP in Testor Emerald Green flake, kinda sorta like Wally Booth's (though not an exact replica).

[mustang1989]

I have one of those. I was halfway through building it as Jenkins' Grumpy's Toy VI (had it painted and had started decals) when the Revell '69 Yenko was announced. I stopped work on it immediately and put it back in the box and I haven't seen it since. Would like to find it--I'd like to finish it as an imaginary early Pro Stock or MP in Testor Emerald Green flake, kinda sorta like Wally Booth's (though not an exact replica).

That'd be good to watch come together.

[1930fordpickup]

The kit with the White Car was a christmas present way back from my older sister. Never painted it just put it together. Decals and all. Still have it broken and dusty. Thanks for the idea of a rebuild Joe.