Welly '67 Firebird

[Snake45]

This is my 2nd Favorite Cheap Diecast. If it were in 1/25 instead of 1/24, it would be tied for 1st Favorite with Welly's '70 Challenger. It's a bit bigger than AMT and Revell  1/25 '67 Camaros, and the same size as the M2 '69 Camaro, so it's 1/24. 

Body shape is right on the money. The paint seems to be a good match for '67 Pontiac Gulf Turquoise, and is a little bit greener than it looks in these pics. Mine has a couple minor dust boogers in the roof but is otherwise smooth, shiny, and nice. The model pretty specifically represents a 326 HO--no scoops on the hood, but it does have the hood tach. The hood tach and dashboard instruments both have some sort of decal or stick-on faces--nice detail! The entire steering wheel is chromed, so while I had it apart, I took the opportunity to paint its rim Testor Brown to simulate a fake wood one. Others might want to detail the interior even further, and it would be worth it on this one. 

Unlike the Welly '68 4-4-2, the wheels don't disappoint.  In fact, they're as nice as any scale Pontiac Rally IIs I've ever seen and better than most. They come with a matte silver finish. I detailed them with Tamiya Metallic Gray and they look great. I detailed the grille area with Testor Steel, and of course hit the back of the headlight stems and the backside of the taillights with flat white. The front turn signals got some acrylic Pearl White. This is a REALLY nice little model that has slid my Revell '68 Firebird kit WAAAAAAY down my "Kits to Get Built Soon" list. 

 

Here's the underhood insert, just since I had to remove it to get the grille out (to back-paint the headlights, a Snake-Fu Must-Do). Not a full engine, but it does look convincingly busy in there; biggest problem to my eye is that the engine paint is more like Olds Engine Blue than the distinctive light Pontiac Engine Blue. (I don't really care that much about engines in my diecasts.)

 

Here is is teamed up with one of my M2 '69 Camaros, just since I had one handy. It compares quite nicely with the M2 IMHO, and most of the M2s are pretty nice stuff!

[Gramps46]

Oh yeah!!  Looks really good in the blue.  I also have the silver version so thanks for the tips.  I was surprised at the tiny emblem on the gas tank door and the Pontiac in the grille.  My only concern is the headlamps seen small to me.

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, Gramps46 said:

My only concern is the headlamps seen small to me.

Part of that is an optical illusion caused by the black centers due to the stems. Take it apart, remove the engine plate, and cut the heat-weld nubs holding the grille to the body. Then you can remove the grille and paint the back of the headlight stems WHITE (not silver, chrome, etc.). I routinely do this do get rid of the googly-eye look, but it's especially needed on this one. You'll be surprised at how much this will help. 

While you have it apart, you might as well paint the all-chrome steering wheel, too. 

Oh, the engine plate is a little tricky to get out, until you figger out the secret: It has two mounting lugs that fit into the TOP of the radiator wall. You have to pry the front edge of the engine plate straight up until those lugs come free, and then the whole thing drop easily out the bottom, as you'd expect. 

Go for it! 

[THarrison351]

Looks good Snake. I redid this one 5-7? years ago. Before I moved. Now it's packed away. Only picture I have. Painted interior white, detailed the rest. 

[Gramps46]

Thanks for the disassembly tip Rich.

Edited November 6, 2018 by Gramps46

[randyc]

Those wheels are great.  These have the trim rings molded in.  On the one I did recently, I silly puttied the centers to mask them and hit the rings with Rustoleum chrome paint.   Not true chrme but trim rings weren't that chrome either.  Just wanted them brighter than the centers.   Then the detail job on the spokes and bam! great looking Rallye IIs.   And interestingly, on the 72, those wheels are molded without the the trim rings.   Another great variation.  I think it's hard to mess this one up.  It's beautiful as presented.    

Tim's looks great with the white interior, too.  

Excellent work guys.

[Geno]

These are really nice and I'm happy to have one in my collection, with a little mods lol. I redone the headlight areas and added actual 1/24 headlight lenses, that made a huge difference. Tim, Rich, those both look great, it's amazing how much a little detailing does for the cheapies. You can make them extremely presentable amongst its more expensive brethern.

 

[randyc]

8 minutes ago, Geno said:

These are really nice and I'm happy to have one in my collection, with a little mods lol. I redone the headlight areas and added actual 1/24 headlight lenses, that made a huge difference. Tim, Rich, those both look great, it's amazing how much a little detailing does for the cheapies. You can make them extremely presentable amongst its more expensive brethern.

 

Needs a set of slapper bars, Geno.  lol.  Nice!

[Snake45]

11 hours ago, THarrison351 said:

Looks good Snake. I redid this one 5-7? years ago. Before I moved. Now it's packed away. Only picture I have. Painted interior white, detailed the rest. 

Thanks! The pics you posted of yours what was made me buy one of these (Geno's pics, too). It looks like the "drooping" white TA stripe on the left door is standard on these--and I saw another one that had that, too. Yours might be a little less droopy than mine. 

But overall, I am still VERY pleased with this one. If they ever come out with it in Verdoro Green, I'll buy another one! 

[Gramps46]

8 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

 It looks like the "drooping" white TA stripe on the left door is standard on these--and I saw another one that had that, too. Yours might be a little less droopy than mine. 

Now that is interesting.  One droop and one no droop.

[Geno]

2 hours ago, randyc said:

Needs a set of slapper bars, Geno.  lol.  Nice!

Oh yeah, those would look good lol, some fabrication time.

[Geno]

50 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

But overall, I am still VERY pleased with this one. If they ever come out with it in Verdoro Green, I'll buy another one! 

Uh oh Rich, you got the wheels turning, I actually have a can of Verdoro Green paint. Another project for the list. I actually got it to replicate the 1:1 '69 Grand Prix I had,

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, Gramps46 said:

Now that is interesting.  One droop and one no droop.

Even more interesting--you're showing the right side. The right side stripe on mine is dead straight front to back. But my left side droop is just like yours in this pic. 

I'm going to keep my eye open whenever I go through decal sheets from now on. If I ever find a white stripe decal that matches the model perfectly, I'll remove the stripe from the door and replace it. Yes, I COULD do it by cutting strips from a plain white decal sheet (which I have on hand), but that would be a buttload of work, with three separate chances to screw it up. No thanks!