Modeling TV sit-com cars from '50s-60s; any out there?

[W Humble]

I'm going to attempt to models some TV sitcom cars from the 'fifties, beginning with the nice '40 Ford ragtop from Leave It to Beaver (Wally and Eddie chain Lumpy's car to a tree and extract the real axle) and the ratty Model A tub Bud Jr. drove before he got his '48 ragtop,  from Father Knows Best.  I'm putting them in the same diorama, for fun.  Billy Gray replied to my inquiry as to the color of the hand-brushed flames on the A; gray!  Also sent me two nice images of him with a '54 Merc ragtop (Jim Sr. drove a '54 sedan in the first season or two) and his flat-track racer.  See below; I rolled up my jeans cuffs in that era, too!

I was wondering if anyone else had done something similar to 'preserve' those old crocks in replica, or had any tips; after sixty years on-and-off playing with plastic kits, I've never tried a model scene.  I'm trying to keep it very modest, btw; first effort at diorama, and weathering model cars at age 73 -1/2.

Ever wonder what else those kid actors drove?  Apparently Tony Dow had a Corvair Monza; still exists, and I recall Paul Petersen in what I think I recall as a Siata roadster (beautiful V-8 car; I've judged on at concours!), which may have been his --  but what else??  Bet it wasn't a tired '51 Ford club coupe, like I had, huh?!

Any interest?

Wick Humble

Edited February 13, 2019 by W Humble
additional info

[Eshaver]

James , I say go for it . This coming from someone who has dealt with "Movie " cars . This much I will share . Usually the "Real deal " is a LOT rougher car than what you see on camera . I too well remember the Grease car . That car was ROUGH !!!!!!!

[thejunkman]

Not a 50's-60's car but I did a Vista Cruiser from "That 70s' Show" from a Matchbox car

 

 

[stavanzer]

How about, "My Mother the Car"?

I have the AMT kit. Pretty nice, if you want a T with a nose-job and a trunk.

[the goon]

I've thought about this one; "CAR 54, WHERE ARE YOU".

 

Mark

[bisc63]

Darren Stevens drove a convertible, I think it was a Camaro, but do I recall an Impala from earlier seasons?  (Bewitched)

Another fun one; Greg Brady bought a piece of junk '55 Chevy convertible, but felt too guilty to pass it on to another sucker.  (Brady Bunch)

[Wickersham Humble]

2021, and I'm getting closer to having my diorama a fact.  We loved 'Car 53' when it was on prime time, but can you find a '61 Plymouth sedan?  BTW, a Snap-Tite '49 Merc kit, when first issued, had decals that showed car 54, no less.  Wish I still had 'em !

LITB was full of cars, as was FKB.  Perry Mason was great; his sponsor changed several times and new rides appeared for he and Paul Drake, incl a Stingray!  The Beverly Hillbillies Olds is well remembered, but what about the Model A in The Real McCoys?  G-pa McCoy even had an encounter with an LA rod club, who helped him with a breakdown; I still recall that they put on 'a real Stromberg carburetor.'  Not sure how...?  Wick

[Wickersham Humble]

Okay, I meant to type 'Car 54' -- you knew that!  Gettin' old!  Wick

[Mike999]

Not a sit-com, but one of my favorite car-spotting shows is "Adam-12."  It was on from 1968 to 1975, some prime years for the car industry.  I have every episode of the show on my obsolete WD-TV box.

Just the other night I caught a later episode in the run where Malloy buys a brand-new AMC Matador.  It immediately gets dented, and there's a sub-plot about him trying to find a cheap body shop.

Along with vintage cars we see a lot of vintage Los Angeles.  Back before downtown got redeveloped to the clouds, and the tallest building was still City Hall.  (I lived there for many years and still miss the place.)  

[Paul Payne]

The Life of Riley included a hot rod. 

[Can-Con]

Although not a sitcom, the original MacGyver had a couple intresting vehicles , besides the Jeeps, that are available in kits. 

He has a brown and beige '40s Chevy pickup and a blue '57 Nomad. Kits are both available. The Nomad could be done with the old Monogram kit but it really isn't that great. The pickup could be done with the Revell/Monogram kit, that's a nice kit. 

Edited July 11, 2021 by Can-Con

[Snake45]

I've given some thought to doing the Rally Green '69 Camaro from Bewitched. 

https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_230250-Chevrolet-Camaro-1969.html

Would love to do Hyde's '67 El Camino from That '70s Show, but if I'm gonna go to all the trouble to do a '67 Elky conversion, it's gonna be painted Marina Blue. 

https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_69142-Chevrolet-El-Camino-1967.html

[RSchnell]

I always wanted to build Major Nelson's Pontiac Bonneville convertible from I dream of Jeannie, any of the Ford Galaxie squad cars from Andy Griffith show, Kramer's car from Seinfeld.

While not a sitcom, I'd like to get a case of the MPC Dodge Monacos and build a few variations of the many Monacos that Sgt. Rick Hunter wrecked over the course of the TV series. It's my favorite show. There is one episode where Hunter is driving a '56 Chevy convertible and it breaks down. It's only seen that in that one episode.

[Snake45]

14 hours ago, RSchnell said:

There is one episode where Hunter is driving a '56 Chevy convertible and it breaks down. It's only seen that in that one episode.

 

Looks like a good use for the old Monogram '56 Bel Air hardtop kit! 

[RSchnell]

7 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Looks like a good use for the old Monogram '56 Bel Air hardtop kit! 

That's a great idea! I had not thought of that. I could pick up one of the old AMT Dodge Daytona kits and do McCall's ride as well.

[Warren D]

Two kits I remember were the Hogan's Heroes Jeep and Maxwell Smart's Sunbeam.

[Bob Ellis]

On 2/14/2019 at 6:46 PM, Eshaver said:

James , I say go for it . This coming from someone who has dealt with "Movie " cars . This much I will share . Usually the "Real deal " is a LOT rougher car than what you see on camera . I too well remember the Grease car . That car was ROUGH !!!!!!!

Rough? It doesn't matter if they are any good. They are a props. George Barris made props that if you looked too closely, you might not like what you see.

[W Humble]

10-4: I actually could have bought 'Falfa's '55' Chevy from AMERICAN GRAFITTI back in about 1978 (or thereabouts) at the Harrah's Reno swap meet -- for $3K! -- and it was deplorable.  Well, as Ziggy said, 'When my ship came in, I was waiting at the airport!'  Remember, even by the late 'seventies, three big ones would still buy a new or near-new car.  I'd done several '55s by then (my first car was a '55 Delray 2-door with all the right parts, when it was six years old) and I would have ruined the movie car by restoring it.  I'm having fun planning more dioramas, but they're a lot of work.  Thanks for the encouragement.  Wick

[GMP440]

The My Three Sons character Chip Douglas drove a 64 Tempest or Le Mans convertible during the 70 and 71 seasons.

[oldcarfan]

On 6/3/2019 at 8:40 PM, bisc63 said:

Darren Stevens drove a convertible, I think it was a Camaro, but do I recall an Impala from earlier seasons?  (Bewitched)

I think I read that for the popular sitcoms, the manufacturers sent the studios new cars every year, and the cars differed depending upon which vehicles they were really pushing that year.

 

[W Humble]

I'm sure that's so.  On the pilot for LITB, there was a pretty new Ford Fairlane 500 in several shots but it had the brand and model moldings carefully masked-off!  OC, it was Ford who supplied Ward Cleaver's '57 Custom 300 sedans for the first seasons, then LITB changed networks and Plymouth stepped in until the '64 demise.  He had a '60, '62, and '63, but not the wacky '61, although other MoPars were seen on the streets , including a Simca.  Wally and Eddie drove old Chevies, Lumpy the pretty Ford.  For me, it's a lot of fun seeing those rides from my own Jr. Hi and Hi School days!  And modeling them!

[oldscool]

I watch Kojak and The Rockford Files almost every weeknight and enjoy all the old cars as well as Adam 12. I've noticed in the Rockford episodes how much older the police cars and taxis are. It's a mid 70s show and the cop cars are 66-67 vintage. I don't think they kept cars for that many years in the real world.

Don't forget the various new Chrysler products in the Beverly Hillbillies.

[W Humble]

As I mentioned, there were a plethora (!) of neat cars on Perry Mason, and I once found a website that featured most of them, plus a lot of LA cityscapes. 

Ever watch Speedway, a one season 'hot rod' adventure?  Thought it was great back when!

Wick

[speedboy57]

intresting

[W Humble]

As I posted elsewhere, I'd like to find source(s) for 1/25 scale 'teenage' figures for my sitcom diorama.  I'm going to take a whack at it thanks to all your encouragement.   Need Wally Cleaver, Eddie Haskell, Lumpy Rutherford, plus Bud Anderson... and maybe a teen babe for his tub.  Ideas?