Phildaupho Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 (edited) This project combines the Mini-Exotic resin kit with the AMT 1957 Corvette kit to produce a replica of the blue SR-2. I started this 14 years ago and hope to get it finished before spring. The first SR-2 was modified from a stock 1956 Corvette for Harley Earl's son who wanted to go racing. This car became known as the Earl SR-2. Although originally painted red it later became better known for its blue color. The Earl car started off with a small central rear fin but was modified later to the headrest fin configuration. The second SR-2 was built from scratch to be a racecar under the direction of Bill Mitchell. This car has become known as the Mitchell or the red SR-2. The Mitchell car did not have the small scoops on the top of the fenders and had a license plate recess under to trunk. A third SR-2 was built strictly as a road car. Modifications - The headlight cones were removed to be replaced by the plastic custom taillights from the AMT "50 Ford Convertible. - The front fender top scoops replaced with ones from the AMT '57 Corvette. - The cove scripts and nose emblem were removed to be replaced with Model Car Garage photo-etched items. - The dash required that the top be cut away from the plastic body to fit under the cockpit fairing. An extension was added to the centre part of the fairing. - The headrest pad was cut off so it could be given pleat detail & painted separately - Stock gas filler door lines filled - Filled the cowl vent - A small vertical tab was added to the body between the seats ahead of a fabricated rear bulkhead. Edited February 9, 2018 by Phildaupho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted November 3, 2017 Share Posted November 3, 2017 Whoa baby. I recently finished the research to build one of these. Really looking forward to seeing yours come together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misha Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 Hi Phil,This has always been a favorite of mine from the straight axle days, great that you're back at it after all these years. The modifications to the Mini-Exotic kit that you're making is most interesting and combined with the attention to detail and construction will make this a great WIP thread! I'll be following closely as I'm sure many will. Cheers Misha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps46 Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I too have the pieces assembled to do this model and will be watching closely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 (edited) - Made the fin slightly higher and longer - Lower front “lights” opened up as brake vents which will be filled with mesh - Taillight lenses from Revell ’59 Corvette [I lost one of the Mini-Exotic resin lenses] - The seats are modified Revell 427 Cobra. - Rear bulkhead fabricated - The steering wheel was modified to have solid spokes. Center gauge panel came with Mini Exotic kit. Need to find a tachometer to mount between steering wheel and speedometer - The distinctive door panels modified to have recesses which were made from the side coves of the donor AMT Corvette - Head rest thickness reduced by about half and scribed to represent pleats Edited November 17, 2017 by Phildaupho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aurfalien Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Hi,W0W this is fantastiK!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 Wow! One of my favorite Corvette racers! In fact, the road car is a "grail" build of mine that I want to do someday. You probably know it as the Harlowe Curtice car which was given to him back in '56. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted November 5, 2017 Author Share Posted November 5, 2017 Wow! One of my favorite Corvette racers! In fact, the road car is a "grail" build of mine that I want to do someday. You probably know it as the Harlowe Curtice car which was given to him back in '56. This would be a great project for you. The Earl car originally had the low center fin and rear fender bumperettes with exhaust exits like this road car. After the Mitchell car was built, the Earl car received many of the updates although the elimination of the bumperettes and change to side exit exhaust came much later. Since raising and lengthening the fin I have been looking closer at photos of the real car and think the headrest/fairing/fin on the model should have been narrower and taller overall but I am going to stick with what I have. I have a very close Humbrol Metallic Blue for the body and I am thinking of darkening down Testor's Pontiac Engine Blue for the interior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted November 5, 2017 Share Posted November 5, 2017 I have other pics of this car which show the back end ('58 taillights and backup lamps), and some black and white photos of the interior. Many years ago, this car was featured in a Corvette magazine in full color and I sure wish I had the article now. It got lost (or tossed out) over the years, and it would be nice if the street SR-2 would turn up at a show somewhere where more pics of it can be seen. If I do another C1 Corvette, it'll more than likely be this one. It's been on my mind for years, and I have all the bits and pieces to make it come together. The ambition will strike me at some point..............someday! Your SR-2 will be an interesting build---------it's a somewhat obscure racing car of the '50's that doesn't get as much attention as the Ferraris and Maseratis of the era for instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gramps46 Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 I really appreciate the in progress photos. They are very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted November 20, 2017 Author Share Posted November 20, 2017 The engine in the model represents the engine used in the real car during its vintage racing career which was a 327 bored to 333 fitted with dual air flow meters and a custom air cleaner. Air cleaner from the Trumpeter ’65 Falcon Headers from AMT ’63 Corvette which will lead into aluminum tubing side exit exhaust The generator moved to right side MORE HISTORY The real car’s vintage racing career is over and a recent owner wanted to make it more original although a moment in time will have to chosen as it went through many changes in sixty years. The body and interior are in excellent condition so attention was first paid to the chassis and under-body. It was discovered the under-body was originally painted red. I could not find the definitive answer as to why. It has been suggested that red well-wheels were something Harley Earl favored on his show cars but maybe the car started out as red production Corvette which after the body modification were made, Jerry Earl had it painted blue which became a signature color for a number of racing Corvettes that followed. We do know that this SR2 was light blue when it had the low center fin and was painted a darker blue after it received the high driver’s fairing fin. During its transformation to a vintage race-car it was a given a medium shade of blue after a few body medications. The rear fender bumperettes and exhaust outlets were removed with the exhaust re-routed out ahead of the rear wheels. The Corvette crest on the nose was also removed. In regard to the engine, it started off with two four barrels and was one of the first cars fitted with Rochester Fuel Injection. The bucket seats were competition seats from a Porsche. There had been some problems with stock steering wheels breaking so the steering wheel in this SR2 from was The engine in the model represents the engine used in the real car during its vintage racing career which was a 327 bored to 333 fitted with dual air flow meters and a custom air cleaner. Air cleaner from the Trumpeter ’65 Falcon Headers from AMT ’63 Corvette which will lead into aluminum tubing side exit exhaust The generator moved to right side MORE HISTORY The real car’s vintage racing career is over and a recent owner wants to make it more original although a moment in time will have to chosen as it went through many changes in sixty years. The body and interior are in excellent condition so attention was first paid to the chassis and under-body. It was discovered the under-body was originally painted red. I could not find the definitive answer as to why. It has been suggested that red well-wheels were something Harley Earl favoured on his show cars but maybe the car started out as red production Corvette which after the body modification were made, Jerry Earl had it painted blue which became a signature colour for a number of racing Corvettes that followed. We do know that this SR2 was light blue when it had the low centre fin and was painted a darker blue after it received the high driver’s fairing fin. During its transformation to a vintage race-car it was a given a medium shade of blue after a few body medications. The rear fender bumperettes and exhaust outlets were removed with the exhaust re-routed out ahead of the rear wheels. The Corvette crest on the nose was also removed. In regard to the engine, it started off with two four barrels and was one of the first cars fitted with Rochester Fuel Injection. The bucket seats were competition seats from a Porsche. There had been some problems with stock steering wheels breaking so the cut the steering wheel in this SR2 was made from a saw blade!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aurfalien Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 Hi,Wow, impressive work. I really really like it so far!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted November 20, 2017 Author Share Posted November 20, 2017 Thanks. Made a little more progress on engine compartment and exhaust Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aurfalien Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 Thanks. Made a little more progress on engine compartment and exhaust Hi, Wow, now this is looking Richter scale! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 Lookin' good Phil! Love those Halibrands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted December 21, 2017 Author Share Posted December 21, 2017 I am not sure if I will be able to finish the complete model before the end of the year but I have got the interior done. The color is a mix of Testor’s Pontiac Engine Blue and Metallic Black. Although Mini-Exotics did provide a nicely engraved resin center panel with gauges, crest and texture detail, I made a decal of the panel in the 1/1 car which had been autographed by two of the renowned drivers who raced the SR-2 - John Fitch and Jim Jeffords. The tach is also a decal of the actual 8,000 RPM unit in the 1/1. Pull straps were added to the inner door panels. [I am still learning about by new camera which seems to be hit and miss in terms of fully focused depth of field] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Woodruff Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 Wow I can't believe I missed the start of this build Phil. Glad to see you taking it on. I don't have the resin body but have started with the AMT Vette. I have the tops of the fenders done. I will post those as a reference. I think the problem with the Mini Exotic version is the hood is too short. Unless there was a real SR2 built with the short hood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted December 21, 2017 Author Share Posted December 21, 2017 Yes Len I have to agree with you that the Mini Exotic hood is too short and is an aspect of the design I failed to identify and correct although a I think a fix would be very difficult. I had a look to see if I had a '58 Corvette hood but remembered I had sanded off the louvers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Woodruff Posted December 21, 2017 Share Posted December 21, 2017 39 minutes ago, Phildaupho said: Yes Len I have to agree with you that the Mini Exotic hood is too short and is an aspect of the design I failed to identify and correct although a I think a fix would be very difficult. I had a look to see if I had a '58 Corvette hood but remembered I had sanded off the louvers. Phil I wasn't being critical just something I ran across during my research. I am sure once it is finished it won't show up that much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted December 22, 2017 Author Share Posted December 22, 2017 1 hour ago, Len Woodruff said: Phil I wasn't being critical just something I ran across during my research. I am sure once it is finished it won't show up that much. I appreciated you pointing it out and now that I see it I cannot resist the challenge of trying to correct it. I have already penciled a more correct shape and I am formulating an action plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Woodruff Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 8 minutes ago, Phildaupho said: I appreciated you pointing it out and now that I see it I cannot resist the challenge of trying to correct it. I have already penciled a more correct shape and I am formulating an action plan. Kool. I look forward to how you are doing it. It will help me get back to mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ismaelg Posted December 22, 2017 Share Posted December 22, 2017 WOW! I started the same project over a decade ago! There is even a thread on that somewhere buried in this forum. Love your progress and looking forward to see it done! Now I have to dig mine out of hibernation. Bill, wasn't Harold working on this body? I kind of remember stopping working on mine because he was mastering the body for resin..... Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted February 9, 2018 Author Share Posted February 9, 2018 it is finally finished and posted Under Glass February 8, 2018 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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