Matt Bacon Posted January 6, 2018 Share Posted January 6, 2018 I've wanted one of these for a while, but they've always seemed rather expensive. But for £17 at Scale Model World, how could I resist? It's such a cool-looking car, even if the performance wasn't so hot. It's only when you get it in the display cabinet that you realise how small it is compared to say, a Miura or Daytona... The kit comes with three engine options, but I wanted to use the Opel straight-4 as in the real thing. Paintwork is a Zero 2K "Giallo Fly" intended for Ferraris, but also good for 80s Lancias, and close enough for this baby. There are a bunch of pimping options, with different hoods, suspension, roll cage, grille, wheels and tyres, but I think it looks pretty good made the way nature intended. I opened out thenose vents, and followed Harry P's suggestions for the tail lights, which as moulded are too big and in the wrong place. These are the kit parts in coloured red plastic, sawn off, and placed on a filled and smoothed rear panel, surrounded using 7mm "slip rings" from the jewellery aisle at the local Hobbycraft. It's not a £40 kit, but for £17, it's a steal... best, M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkyardjeff Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Looking good,I built a AMT version back in the early 70s and would like to build another but I would get carried away and put a V8 in it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classicgas Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Beautiful. One of the nicest I've seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoopdog Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 58 minutes ago, Classicgas said: Beautiful. One of the nicest I've seen. X2. Fantastic build. Puts mine to shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PARTSMARTY Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Looks great !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Super nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisR Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peekay Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 I love these baby Corvettes and your model is beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintagercr Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Matt, it looks great! I always loved the "mini Corvette" ever since I saw one in the showroom of the local GM dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbowser Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 That is really nice. I've been mulling over getting one, how was it to build? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooOld Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Nice looking GT , you did a fine job ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curt Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 Nice work, Matt. That's how I remember them back in the day. My buddy Chuck was an Opel mechanic and he had an immaculate red '70 GT. He always took offense to the baby Corvette nickname; he referred to C3 Corvettes as "big plastic Opels". He also used to say that OPEL stood for "Old Parts, Expensive Labor". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Bacon Posted January 7, 2018 Author Share Posted January 7, 2018 (edited) Thanks very much, guys. It's a nice little kit, especially at a bargain price! Now I just have to figure out what to do with the spare Buick V6 I have kicking around. I have some build photos which got a bit overlooked in the rush to TRY and get it done by Dec 31st. Now I have a little more time, I'll post up a WiP next weekend, which may help a few other people building one... BTW, as for putting a V8 in it, this is a great example of how building a kit helps you understand the real thing a bit better. Without scale, it's hard to see how small this thing is: it's 2/3 the size of a Corvette, at most. I have a spare Cobra V8 sitting around, which occupies about 1 cubic inch or so. You'd completely fill the engine bay, and have to knock out some chunks of the wheel arches. The transmission would fill all the space under the firewall and require a much bigger tunnel in the cockpit. Even then, unlike this, where the fore-and-aft balance looks quite nice with the engine block behind the front axle and the people in the middle of the wheelbase, you'd end up with the engine sitting right over the front suspension. It's a neet reet peteet fun car, which would only be crippled by a big iron mill at the front! All the best, M. Edited January 7, 2018 by Matt Bacon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shucky Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 Looks great and fantastic photos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 Looks great Matt. Thanks for the info about the size of this. You can always put the V6 buick in a Jeep and call it a Kaiser era Jeep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim N Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 Looks really nice! I always liked these cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdrag1 Posted January 8, 2018 Share Posted January 8, 2018 Great looking build Matt, always liked the look of these little cars, just cool!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stock Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 Very nice job Matt, and so nice to see one built bone stock ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenC Posted January 9, 2018 Share Posted January 9, 2018 I had a 1:1 of this - 1970 version and in this color! Mine had alloy slotted wheels. It was a great car to drive, very well balanced as it was a true front mid-engined design. The engine was behind the front axle and the fuel tank was in front of the rear axle and it was fun on the street as the engine revved freely and you could flog it through the gears without getting into trouble. Handling was very nice. Nice job on your model - brings back great memories! Congrats and thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Very sharp build! A couple of the photos could almost pass for "real." Nicely done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Smith Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Nice work. Great looking model. For some reason these are popular yard ornaments in this part of the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dann Tier Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 There aren't enough of these built......yours looks Outstanding!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
426 pack Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 (edited) Looks good. Yellow looks nice on these cars. I built one of Thea’s but went a total different direction. Edited January 14, 2018 by 426 pack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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