76-77 LeMans Enforcer 0r Smokey & Bandit Sheriff Justice Car

[DEL]

Another project I am working on simultaneously with my 91 Ford LTD Crown Victoria P71.  A 76-77 Pontiac LeMans Enforcer, or in other words, Sheriff Buford T. Justice's ride. :-)  Also used by many other dept.'s across the country including my buddy Bill in DFW who is waiting oh, so patiently for this one. So I THINK I am  finally getting past the 80% mark. Apologies for the pics. My regular camera died, and I don't know much about adjusting the controls of my video cam that also takes pics but here are a few of it as best I could get.  On top of it all they removed my fav. pic grooming program as well from my 'puter.

Still a bit rough, but almost ready for drip moldings, trim, tail lights and other fine details and then it will be done. At least to me. Feel free to criticize & point out deficiencies, and thanks for stopping by..

 

[bigdrag1]

Wow !! , great beginning , looks like your on the mark...

[gator52]

Looks great; I would love a '77 LeMans.

 

Jonah

[DoctorLarry]

This is a fun one to do. I have already done it and it was a great project. Still need to do the interior, though.

[DEL]

Hello Doctor Larry,  Nice to meet you.  A very nice version you have there.  Do you have any pics of one built up?  I'd really like to see that if you do.

Did you extend the frame as well?

I bet it took you a lot less time than me. I'm ashamed to say I've been working on this one since 2009.  I have a little cat that was born the month I started it.

She's getting OLD..

 

[American 185 Heavy]

A very good looking start to what will be a great model !! For the life of me, I can't figure out why the model companies don't cast more 4 doors especially ones like this, since people actually drove them. The potential for what could be done is unlimited. Instead we are showered with every type of Camaro, Firebird or Mustang ever produced or even dreamt of. None of which interests me. Can't wait to see the completed model !!!

Edited May 1, 2017 by American 185 Heavy

[NY Modeler]

I can't remember - does Sheriff Justice's ride get a shaker popping through the hood?

[dwc43]

Where can I get one of those?I've never seen one in a kit.

[DoctorLarry]

Dwayne, it did not take me quite as long to do mine.  I did a 73 Grand Am, 73 GTO, then a 74/75 Grand Am and then did a 77 Can Am after that.  I just took the Can Am and turned it into the LeMans Enforcer.  Like you, I have limited time so I still have not built a 77 LeMans yet.  I am finishing a Pro Touring 74/75 Grand Am and am almost done.  I also did a 76 Hurst Grand Prix.

[DumpyDan]

SWEET!

[disconovaman]

A very good looking start to what will be a great model !! For the life of me, I can't figure out why the model companies don't cast more 4 doors especially ones like this, since people actually drove them. The potential for what could be done is unlimited. Instead we are showered with every type of Camaro, Firebird or Mustang ever produced or even dreamt of. None of which interests me. Can't wait to see the completed model !!!

I agree and I would love to see model companies take a chance on something like this. It's definitely not a one trick pony either... could do at least 3 versions of Sheriff Buford's car. Unharmed version, top off version, and the other damages. Not to mention the other builds... stock, custom, or beaten beater versions.  It would be nice.

My buddy and I were talking about taking the squad rod nova and turning it into a 4 door. Because these cars were police cars. Any suggestions on where to start? He said the Citation's have the back roof simular to the 4 door nova but I think maybe the joker/goon monaco doors and roof would be an easy start.

I also would like to take on the Family Truckster and I'm kinda wondering how someone would go about that? Sorry for Hijacking the thread it's just that this project is going so well that I couldn't help myself.

[espo]

I agree and I would love to see model companies take a chance on something like this. It's definitely not a one trick pony either... could do at least 3 versions of Sheriff Buford's car. Unharmed version, top off version, and the other damages. Not to mention the other builds... stock, custom, or beaten beater versions.  It would be nice.

My buddy and I were talking about taking the squad rod nova and turning it into a 4 door. Because these cars were police cars. Any suggestions on where to start? He said the Citation's have the back roof simular to the 4 door nova but I think maybe the joker/goon monaco doors and roof would be an easy start.

I also would like to take on the Family Truckster and I'm kinda wondering how someone would go about that? Sorry for Hijacking the thread it's just that this project is going so well that I couldn't help myself.

AMT used to have a '76 Nova Hatchback model. With the exception of the roof it would be an easy  conversion to a PD car.

[disconovaman]

AMT used to have a '76 Nova Hatchback model. With the exception of the roof it would be an easy  conversion to a PD car.

Round 2 has the MPC Squad rod out currently and it is more accurate than the AMT "squashed roof" version IMO. Also there are other inconsistencies, the wheel wells are funky and it's just not a good start to me. However, I do believe the Squad rod with the joker/goon roof and doors would be a good fit. But I think the roof line in the back will have to be addressed. 

[DEL]

First of all: No shaker for Justice.  Mostly those were fake-o four screw holes drilled through the hood non operating J.C. Whitney junk.  Looked kinda cool from a distance on the Mississippi HP squads. In one scene from the driver's seat you can see daylight all around the base of the 'shaker"

First of all I too want to say I have had the same sentiment towards the model companies. Seems like they always only want to focus on two door sport cars or MAYBE a pickup truck here and there.  When I was a kid about 11 or so I wrote Revell (I think) and asked them to do a more modern copcar.  Got back a letter that more or less said THEY chose what to model and did not need any input from a snot nosed brat.  Never forgot that. I mean it really did have a snide tone to it. Their subsequent monetary troubles and sale to...AMT? I dunno, but it gave me no less than a good gloat.  Like you I have pointed out their blindness for anything other than camaro's, firebirds & mustangs ad nauseum but if that wasn't bad enough, you had to wade through a different offering of each of those each model year, from every one of the model companies out there!!   God I hated them all for that. Would it kill them do do a good four door family car as they used to do the Lincoln continental annuals each years? Guess so. They killed that off even  around 1970 I think.

To all that asked about scratchbuilding, I'm afraid it is simply not as simple as mating this half a model to another half, if I read that correctly.  First you need to find the nearest styrene kit to use as a donor. It's best if there is already a two door version of the car you want but barring that a near sibling helps and is better than total scratch.  Remember that in the 70's, there were many cars that were the same under the sheet metal. Wheelbase, dimensions etc. As in the Buick Regal,Olds Cutlass, Chevy Monte Carlo and the Pontiac LeMans. SO I want to build a LeMans the nearest commercial modeled sibling was the JoHan Olds Cutlass 73-75 versions. They are 2drs but you have to stretch the body and the frame.  Do you're homework on wheelbases and get a good 1:1 - 1/24 or 1/25 conversion ruler. Use Evergreen styrene to stretch the frame first to a 4dr chassis and then the body itself. Re-work the body lines from the 2 to the 4 doors. Oh, and stretch the interior tub as well.   And it may be just me but I search for and copy off the net whatever I',m building. I need pics of it from every conceivable angle for reference. If I can get access to a real one I spend a good while measuring every body panel top to bottom, & width.  Use the ruler to transfer and work slow. Feel free unlike me to spend less than a decade tho!

The final body sculpting for me is done using 1:1 tube body spot air dry body putty from PPG.  It has tolulene as a base so it 'melts into the styrene and gives the catalyzed body putty (the good stuff) a chance to grab on better.  If you put the catalyzed stuff directly to styrene it eventrually WILL pop loose or crack  PPG non catalyzed air dry spot filler is great for a start and try to do as much in styrene as possible. Putty is easy but it shrinks and has other problems if used thickly.  About all I can think of really  More pics coming SOON.  Thank you one and all!

[DoctorLarry]

I used the Jo Han Cutlass as the basis for my Grand Ams.  I sculpted the body with plastic and Squadron putty with Tamiya White putty and finally lacquer based automotive spot putty.  I then shot with Dupli Color filler primer and repeatedly sanded to sharpen all of the body lines.  I have three notebooks full of pictures of cars and Hemmings Muscle Machines had features on both the 73 Cutlass and 73 GTO.  They do a line drawing of those in the features so I copied those and scaled them down then made tracings of the GTO and overlaid them on the Cutlass drawing.  This allowed me to modify the body lines.  Then I made templates of the body lines and put them on the body to mark it where the lines should be.  I then sculpted the lines with putty just like a real car.  I scratch built the nose, hood and rear deck.  When I thought I had it right I made a rubber mold.  I actually owned a 73 2 door Grand Am which I sold to buy a 73 Grand Am sedan, which I still have.  I then went to the 74/75 Grand Ams, then the 77 Can Am, and then stretched the Can Am into the sedan.  I filled the shaker hole in on the Smokey car.  I built the Grand Prix from a Revell 77 Monte Carlo snap kit.  Same technique although I also went to a junk yard and took photos and measured a real car. Bottom line, it took the better part of a year to do each car.

[DEL]

I am slow.  Sadly, sickly slow.  I'm NOT proud of it. I just am.  the only good thing about that is by the time I'm finalizing the obvious stuff really sticks out to be addressed.  I guess those makerbots will put a stop to all this scratch building nonsense before much longer.  Still i do enjoy the proces even if I get tikked at myself for dragging..

[DEL]

Update:  Almost finally done with my project.

I have some details to finish, door handles, door mirrors, & chrome grille/boxes for the tailights. Also the rear bumper shrouds, Pontiac "V"s on the front peak and trunk lid,  and I think that will finish it.

Please have a look and see if it passes muster with those that like this car. (I even put the bolt heads in the plain steel bumpers that the 1/1 cars sport)

Happy Holidays, All!!

 

Edited December 20, 2017 by DEL
spelling

[Ron Hamilton]

You are getting pretty close with this one. I suggest that you make the rear window a little larger, the deck lid shorter, (about 1/4") and sharpen up the side sculpture. 

I would love to have one of these if it were offered in resin.

[Crankenstien]

now you just need the trans am scoop and your on the money dude where did you find these Pontiacs?

[martinfan5]

13 minutes ago, Crankenstien said:

now you just need the trans am scoop and your on the money dude where did you find these Pontiacs?

He didnt find them, he made them.

[Crankenstien]

yeah just caught it but with the work that's been done man I know folks would buy those but heck of scratch job

[Crankenstien]

seen one years ago in scale auto the guy had started with the old johan olds

[ChrisBcritter]

Looks terrific, Del!

If it's any help, here's a couple shots of a base model LeMans dash, with no a/c and radio delete:

Sorry it's a bit blurry. This was a coupe but you get the idea.

 

[DEL]

Crankenstein, thanks for the good words.  Mr. ChrisB, thank you for the interior pics I DID need those, I still have to modify the dash to create that exact dash you have right there.  It's the one that was usually found in the police & base offerings.  I used to own three Can-Ams and two 4dr LeMans Enforcers but some of my digital pics from back then got 'ate-en' :-(

Mr. Ron, thanks for the tips. getting those sculpted body welt lines on this model have been a total PITA.  They are'nt very pronounced on the 1:1.  I have access to another Can Am and visited it regularly for more pics and to check everything I could. If you have any suggestions as to how better to achieve it I am always open to learning a new techniqe.  On the trunk/rear slope,  I have had heck with that C-piller/slope. I've used about 75 different pics to try and get the angle just right.  It's super sloped in every pic I have.  I also cut the rear half off once to raise it and get the angle a bit steeper rather than the longer angle it had, and shortened the trunk area. But it is still quite sloped. As you have probably surmised I used the old JoHan 75 Olds Cutlass kit to build this since it, the LeMans, the Buick Regal and the Chevy Monte Carlo of the day all used the GM A-body platform.  So this model's dimensions fit exactly inside the ones that were already laid out on the Cutlass. With the exception of a light stretch of the body & frame to achieve the difference of 116" of the 4dr vs the 112" of the 2dr, everything fits perfectly and the wheels are perfectly situated in the center of the wheel well openings.

I know it's not micrometer exact, but for a model in the works since 2011, and since I work for a parish, as the old saying goes, 'close enough for gov't work'.   I did not, however, have the exact side pic of the 4dr that you provided and I will use it to go back and check it to see if anything further can be done without wrecking it for another year.  I thank you ALL for your input and suggestions!

Here are two pics just for back and forth comparison's sakes. I modified the screen grab pic of the Alabama HP Enforcer to show where I think the B & A pillers are. The pic of my model is not the exact same angle in that it's turned a bit more to the left and you can see a bit more of it's side.  Perhaps it even messes with the perspective of the angle slope. I dunno. But I WILL be re-checking everything.  Thanks again to all..

Edited December 21, 2017 by DEL

[Chuck Most]

I would love to have one- because it could get me pretty close to building something I've always wanted to build....