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Revell 68 Chevelle


Kmb0319

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1 hour ago, Snake45 said:

'67 Rally Wheel caps are unique to '67, which is why they're in those kits. They're also in the AMT '67 Camaro, one of the Revell '67 Corvettes (the Coupe, I think, but don't hold me to it), and they were in the original annual AMT '67 Corvette coupe and its reissues. 

This type of cap was also used (with Chevy Rally Wheels) on the '67 Buick Skylark GS340, probably with Buick emblem inserts. Not sure if they were used on the GS400 or any other Buicks. 

'67 Rally caps on a '68 Chevelle certainly isn't an impossibility, but would have to be considered a "Day Two" mod. B)

I know... but looking at the blue one and the black one in the pics above, they just look GOOD.  I’ll figure something out... either keep the wheels in my picture or maybe buy the resin bare rallys, which certainly look mean.

I painted the body this morning... here’s my new dilemma.  Left side:

16D4658A-F23B-4FB7-831F-51838315D582.thumb.jpeg.5371911b62d695b1532cb1924cf5592d.jpeg

Right side:

215E4CD8-3624-4027-B567-B219CD1F02E0.thumb.jpeg.7f64b9d32823b262c0095ff72182b2fa.jpeg

I haven’t taken the masking tape off of the left side, and I’m torn between the black lower body and having it all body color.  I know the SS option meant the black lower panels, but I’ve seen enough of them that were solid that you must’ve been able to order without the black lower panels from the dealer.  I can’t decide which I like better.

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49 minutes ago, Kmb0319 said:

I know the SS option meant the black lower panels, but I’ve seen enough of them that were solid that you must’ve been able to order without the black lower panels from the dealer.  I can’t decide which I like better.

You might have been looking at plain-jane Malibus on which someone stuck SS396 emblems. Lord knows I've seen enough '69s that way--SS emblems on a body with the '69 Malibu/'68 SS chrome strip on them, which is just wrong. 

Look, it's your model, build it any way you want. Put '67 wheels on it if you want, and paint the lower body sides any color you want. Just call it Day Two or a "custom," don't try to pass it off as factory stock. B)

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13 hours ago, Kmb0319 said:

Sweet... I’ve seen some resin short caps on eBay, but the only kits I’d seen them in were the AMT 67 Impala and the Revell 67 Chevelle.

I’ve started doing a little work on this kit... today I did the “mass painting” of all the semi-gloss black, flat black and steel parts, and got primer on my body and chassis.  Tonight I went ahead and shot the black on the lower body.

6F89AA41-3288-40A7-85C2-F45A168BDB94.thumb.jpeg.9cb10d8a4e489631b6f814b75b700d7b.jpeg

These are my wheels at the moment, but I believe they will be changing.

22300F74-EC82-4364-9C9C-9C2A42CE8355.thumb.jpeg.8e1d20d24531fef045ce7873f041d5f2.jpeg

Finally, I painted my front and rear facias. I shot the front grill/headlight piece and the upper portion of the rear Dacia with the tail lights in some dull coat, as they didn’t look so bright chrome in my research photos.  Then I painted in the grill, first using flat black and then going over the grill mesh with a black sharpie to give it some contrast from the holes.  Then I painted thin black rings inside the headlight bezels.  On the real car, there is a tiny gap between the end of the headlight and the trim, so I want to see if I can create that effect.

93941B56-8E78-4CD4-A5A5-CD145FE93E74.thumb.jpeg.73c983444ffd8516f12db68601ca6070.jpeg

Just a start....

I'm using those tires on mine too, but I'm using F60 15 on the front, and L60 15 on the rear with steel wheels and dog dishes. I think it's going to look pretty good.

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3 hours ago, RichCostello said:

I'm using those tires on mine too, but I'm using F60 15 on the front, and L60 15 on the rear with steel wheels and dog dishes. I think it's going to look pretty good.

That will be SWEET!!  I’m saving the steelies and dog dishes for the 69 when it comes.  With the rear body pieces around the taillights separate pieces, it’s set up for an easy conversion for a new release 

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14 hours ago, Kmb0319 said:

I’m saving the steelies and dog dishes for the 69 when it comes. 

I believe the SS wheels (Magnum 500s with Argent spokes) were standard on the '69 SS396. Would work for a 300 or Malibu, though. 

Edited by Snake45
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I personally like the lower body painted black as it lessens the visual 'weight' of the car. Not that it's a bad looking car at all, but it makes the body seem all the more slender with those lower portions blacked out. That might have been why the designers made them standard for the SS------to make the car appear more 'lithe and athletic'. ;)

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48 minutes ago, MrObsessive said:

I personally like the lower body painted black as it lessens the visual 'weight' of the car. Not that it's a bad looking car at all, but it makes the body seem all the more slender with those lower portions blacked out. That might have been why the designers made them standard for the SS------to make the car appear more 'lithe and athletic'. ;)

I do really like the “clean” look without the black, although it isn’t proper SS. Something like this:

BE97D4A1-B572-4991-8C4F-CCCA3C818ADF.thumb.jpeg.5377130d25f69c034f1f491f2f5b89a3.jpeg

Also, look at those short caps again!!  But, I will keep mine authentic and have the black lower body.  

Since the short caps were 67 only, I will most likely buy the bare rallys, as other than the “pretty” blue, I want it to look all business.

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For what it's worth I'd go with the black trim as I agree Bill Geary , it just look right for all the reasons he mentioned. As for the hub caps, a lot of the '67 style hub caps were replaced as everyone at the time wanted the taller "Hats" to make their cars look newer. Like you I think the smaller caps are better looking. In '68 I ordered a new Bel Air two door with Disc Brakes and Rally wheels. I worked with a guy that had a '67 Camaro and jumped at the chance to trade hub caps. While this wasn't all that common it did happen. Have you check tire clearance with the L60 x 15 tires ? These tires were larger in diameter and width than the F60 x 15 tire both in scale and the real world. I think the biggest problem you may have will be the fronts. Remember these cars had 14 inch diameter and 6 1/2 inch wide wheels from the factory. If need be you could always put the F60 x 15's on the front. Even this would be larger than OEM. At the time it was common practice to put larger tires on the rear anyway since everyone knows a car goes faster down hill. We never toke into account how it also in effect changed the axel ratio, but you may already have 4:11 in back anyway. I'm not trying to be smart, I'm just telling you some of the thinking of the time.   

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I’ll see as I build the chassis what my clearance is, but the two completed builds of this that I’ve seen both used the kit tires, and those are wallowing inside the fender wells.  I think that there will be plenty of room for the L tires up front, but I have a large supply of the F size if they don’t.  I usually prefer to use the smaller in front/larger in back split to give the car a little muscle car presence, but the Fs look really small against the body of this car.  All TBD at this point.

The paint I used was a Duplicolor GM Light Blue Metallic.  I used it on a 71 Cuda build, and really liked the color.  I was surprised when I took my outside pictures at how much the color brightened in the sunlight.  Then I started doing research for this build, and noticed it was nearly a dead ringer for Grotto Blue.

It looks lighter in indoor light.  This was my Cuda indoors vs in the sun... same paint I’m using:

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Edited by Kmb0319
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1 hour ago, Kmb0319 said:

I do really like the “clean” look without the black, although it isn’t proper SS. Something like this:

BE97D4A1-B572-4991-8C4F-CCCA3C818ADF.thumb.jpeg.5377130d25f69c034f1f491f2f5b89a3.jpeg

Also, look at those short caps again!!  But, I will keep mine authentic and have the black lower body.  

Since the short caps were 67 only, I will most likely buy the bare rallys, as other than the “pretty” blue, I want it to look all business.

Of course, that's not a SS396, just a modified Chevelle. 

As I said, it's your model, build it any way you want. (Is this a great country, or what?)  Just don't call it "factory stock." B)

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Okay, here is a 1968 Chevelle you will never see again.

Ordered by my grandfather prior to the introduction date of the 1968 Chevies.

This is a 1968 Concours Sport Coupe, built in the first 2 weeks of production.

Almost immediately, the Concours option was canceled on the Sport Coupe but allowed to continue on the Station Wagon and 4-door Hardtop.

Officially, this car never existed: Concours Sport Coupe, but it did, right here. This one was Ash Gold, Black Vinyl Top, Black Bench Seat interior, 307, and

3-Speed manual ON THE COLUMN. A Unicorn if there ever was one.

I drove this car several times and know it's history since it was brand new.

Drove it around San Jose, Cali several times while my parents owned it, took my kids to the Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater in it a few years after that.

I have the VIN somewhere. Should look to see if it was built in Canada because the Canadian build records still exist.5c5c784793a54_1968Concoursb2.jpg.6c21f47c3abfb26ee871f7d6f2069edd.jpg5c5c786cada7e_1968Concoursd2.jpg.edd535480a54dcee7b3b1c66dae949e9.jpg

5c5c79b7423e2_1968Concoursa2.jpg.1761de471c40c6e98902524517d25ebf.jpg

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Got a little done... started on the engine, assembling and drilling out holes for spark plug wires and hoses.  Also tried something.  I laid down embossing powder for the carpet, but stopped about 1/8 inch from the end of the floor.  Then I used a chrome pen to make an edge.  It may not be seen, but I hope that when the door panels are glued in, it will just be seen enough to be the ends of the Body by Fisher door sills.  We’ll see...

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7 hours ago, jaftygas said:

Looks really good. Love the 68’s. Did you decide on what wheels you’re using? I’ll send a picture of my wheels for my 68. 

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Those look amazing!!! I love the black paint on the wheel center.  I read your thread earlier today and I think it said you’re isn’t wheels from an AMT 69 Chevelle?? If so, they were white plastic... the rims look like perfect chrome.  Great job!!!  And, are those the kit tires or AMT redlines? They look bigger than the kit tires.

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Oops... forgot to mention.  I’m going to order the bare rally wheels from eBay and once I get them and paint them them, I’ll compare them to the 69 Camaro rallys inmy earlier pic and make a final decision. I THINK it will be the bare rallys that win.

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7 hours ago, Kmb0319 said:

Those look amazing!!! I love the black paint on the wheel center.  I read your thread earlier today and I think it said you’re isn’t wheels from an AMT 69 Chevelle?? If so, they were white plastic... the rims look like perfect chrome.  Great job!!!  And, are those the kit tires or AMT redlines? They look bigger than the kit tires.

Yes they are the AMT round 2. The rears are bigger by just enough. The beauty rings are parts by parks flat 5/8 dia. The SS centers are MCG, 69 parts. My grille is from the 68 el Camano. Your paint will look good either way, but I have always been a fan of the black rockers. 

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A little more progress.  This kit is really good, and it has a lot of the same Structural elements and easy design for pieces to fit together like the 69 Nova kits, but it isn’t a very high piece count.  Molding is outstanding, though, so getting a good result will all come down to details.

I started working on the interior, which is the make or break of this build.  Since I’m doing a black interior, there’s a lot of detail that can get lost, or really stand out if you screw it up.  My dash is close to done, but needs some more work.  In the meantime, I took to the door panels and the console. The hardest part of these are the two thin vertical trim pieces that run from the quarter window down to the main chrome trim.  On the kit, instead of being raised, they are tiny grooves.  The same is true for the thin strip running down the center of the console armrest.  Even my 1mm Molotow pen was going to be too wide for those areas, and I didn’t want to end up with chrome all over the sides of those grooves.  So, I took a little acrylic silver paint, watered it down slightly, then painted with my smallest brush and scraped the sides with a toothpick to get the excess off.  It isn’t perfect.... this is when I wish I had better detailing skills, but it worked.  I also used the silver for the plate that surrounds the door armrests and the door handle to give a little contrast from the chrome.  The final detail was to do the knobs on the window cranks in gloss black... again, a little contrast in a sea of black.

One nitpick: why didn’t Revell mold the seat trim in??  This is what I’m talking about.

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That trim around the seat is nowhere to be found, and it makes a difference in all the black.

Anyway, here’s where I am with my interior trim so far.

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More to come...

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