Joe Handley Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 (edited) Bought this right after Christmas at Hobby Lobby, finally broke it out today for some needed mental therapy. From the first time I saw it months ago, I wanted to do a Custom with it and eventually bought one and set it to the side until today. I started by figuring out how much I could raise the wheel pegs on the chassis then moved on to sanding off the emblems, and fake quarter panel vents. After Dad and I got some dinner and watching some videos on YouTube when we got home, put things together enough to see how it looks. Think it's low enough? I haven't tried to clean up any of the mold lines and I'm hoping I got all of the trim sanded off, but need to prime it to know if I got everything I wanted cleared and where the mold lines are, seems that they're pretty faint and the white plastic hides things a little too well. Edited January 23, 2020 by Joe Handley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cool Hand Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Being low like that reminds me of Billy Gibbons Mexican Blackbird, and could picture that type of paint job on your build Joe. Keep at it, small distractions can help us get by and as ease the mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modlbldr Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 That's looking good. I like your idea. I have a couple of these 1/32 scales (Caddy and Impala) that I have the same idea for. I'll be watching. Later- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 Thanks guys! 22 minutes ago, Modlbldr said: That's looking good. I like your idea. I have a couple of these 1/32 scales (Caddy and Impala) that I have the same idea for. I'll be watching. Later- Have you ever run across suitable replacement wheels and tires for these kits? I'm digging the stock hub caps that came with this kit, but also have the '63 Stingray from this series that has the 6 bar hubcaps vs the knock-offs represented in those kits and I'm not a fan of them. I was wondering if there's any appropriately scaled rolling stock on either the aftermarket, in other kits (even if I have to mix scales), or even can be used from 1/32 slot cars that would look right on it?! Not sure if that one would be another Custom like this T-Bird, a Lowrider like I have planned for the 1/25 kit, maybe a period correct corner burner (not sure which period yet though), or something like the red Stingray road racer that Letty drove F&F8, I'm not sure yet and what I can find would likely determine the direction I'd go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 5 hours ago, Cool Hand said: Being low like that reminds me of Billy Gibbons Mexican Blackbird, and could picture that type of paint job on your build Joe. Keep at it, small distractions can help us get by and as ease the mind. I was looking for inspiration on Mom's brand new iPad while wating to go get dinner (Dad was talking to a the Daughter of one of Mom's childhood friends) and found that car, he and I both were digging it, but want to do something a bit more of my own. Noticed there were a lot of Larry Watson inspired cars out there, including the Blackbird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisc63 Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 What a neat little 'bird! Looks nicely proportioned in the pics. Who makes this? Revell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 26 minutes ago, bisc63 said: What a neat little 'bird! Looks nicely proportioned in the pics. Who makes this? Revell? Round 2 from old AMT molds, bought at the Hobby Lobby not far from here as well as one of the '63 Stingray kits from the same series, although I don't like that one as much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modlbldr Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 I have not come across suitable wheels and tires. I would assume the closest would be scratch building something using 1/25 13 inch wheels and some small poverty style caps along with parts and pieces. Later- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 1 hour ago, Modlbldr said: I have not come across suitable wheels and tires. I would assume the closest would be scratch building something using 1/25 13 inch wheels and some small poverty style caps along with parts and pieces. Later- Thanks, and oddly, I was kinda thinking that! I was going to try the Lowrider rolling stock from a '65 Impala kit I have somewhere around here (might be in my Jeep, need to look in there, I guess) since some of the Dayton style wheels when shrunk down look kinda like the factory knock offs.......or I could just make it look like a Lowrider with bigger rims as well. Dad and I are going to be babysitting my Niece this morning, so maybe I can ask my Sister if she and her Husband can keep an eye out for some sort of toy car that might be around that same size that can be parted out, already mentioned it to Dad last night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modlbldr Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 I have these. Unfortunately, I am 1 short of the gold ones for two full sets. I also forgot that I had the 1/32 Firebird. Interested? Later- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Smith Posted January 24, 2020 Share Posted January 24, 2020 It is a cool little kit - I picked one up too. I’m amazed at how good the casting is - not a lot of mold lines and cleanup for an old kit. I think I’m going to use some wheels and tires from either the Tamiya Mini Cooper or a Hasegawa Subaru 360 - they both have options for wheels with covers (so you can’t see the four lug wheel) and the tires are sized just about right. looking forward to seeing what you do with yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 25, 2020 Author Share Posted January 25, 2020 (edited) 6 hours ago, Modlbldr said: I have these. Unfortunately, I am 1 short of the gold ones for two full sets. I also forgot that I had the 1/32 Firebird. Interested? Later- I appreciate the offer, but let me look in my XJ for mine first, oddly that happens to be the same Impala kit that I have too! Mine is missing the Stock tires and maybe hubcaps, but I'm going to use something from Pegasus for that kit once I get around to it. Edited January 25, 2020 by Joe Handley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modlbldr Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 Sounds fine. Thought I would offer. Later- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted January 25, 2020 Author Share Posted January 25, 2020 18 minutes ago, Modlbldr said: Sounds fine. Thought I would offer. Later- Thanks again though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 Found the Revell/Lowrider Magazine '65 Impala kit yesterday! It looks like the tires might be 1-2mm taller than kit and the knock off Daytons look to be about 18"-20" in comparison, which is fine with me. Figure strip off the plating, spray them flat black, then brush paint them alumimum, they may not look too far off the factory wheels, just bigger. May have to see if the Stingray hubcaps will fit the T-Bird as an alternative for that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 Let me know what you guys think of the '63 Stingray tires and hubcaps on the T-Bird. The tire is about .01mm shorter than the box stock tires with the Vette hubcap being about 1mm or so larger than the T-Bird cap. Also noticed that there are pins molded into the backside of the front bumper, right now I have the front of the chassis plate on top of the pins that seem to be do a very slight channeling up front.........not totally sure if I like the extra drop on the front, too be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 Ok, thowing the '63 Stingray onto this as well, hogged out the fenderwells to make room for the different tires. Still figuring out how I want to mount the wheels and tires to the chassis and want to cut the valances off the chassis since those were molded to that and not as part of the body like the on their 1/25 '63 Stingray kits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted February 16, 2020 Share Posted February 16, 2020 I really like fact that there's so little chrome to deal with. I'm going to go ahead and buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted March 10, 2022 Author Share Posted March 10, 2022 (edited) Long overdue update! I managed to misplace these two and another kit about the time the world went sideways in 2020 and finally found them last week and revised how I mounted the tires to the Bird so I used some 1/8” Evergreen rod and did the below! I’m thinking I want to try different rolling stock for the Vette and save those wheels and tires for the Revell 1/32 Eldorado I bought back in 2018 or 2019 Edited March 10, 2022 by Joe Handley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisc63 Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Glad you revived this one! Love me some squarebirds, and I was digging the Vette caps on it. On those gold wheels it occurs to me you might cut one down by cutting away the rim and filing the center diameter to drop into one of the stock rims that you file the center out of, then cast copies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted March 10, 2022 Author Share Posted March 10, 2022 17 minutes ago, bisc63 said: Glad you revived this one! Love me some squarebirds, and I was digging the Vette caps on it. On those gold wheels it occurs to me you might cut one down by cutting away the rim and filing the center diameter to drop into one of the stock rims that you file the center out of, then cast copies. Thanks, it’s been bugging me for over a year now as to where they went so I was happy to find them! With the Vette, I was going to flare it to fit them, but I think the tires are still too tall for my liking and I haven’t decided where to start looking for 1/32 slot car wheels and tires to use on it. I put the Vette’s tires on the T-Bird too, since they’re a hair shorter than the stockers on that. I think the low rider rolling stock will be a better fit for the 1/32 Eldo anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisc63 Posted March 10, 2022 Share Posted March 10, 2022 Another possibility: you may want to keep an eye out for a 1/32 Revell (I think) Ford Bronco. I think it's a snap kit, but can't recall for sure. ( I actually have one buried in my stash somewhere from years past) It has a nice little set of 5-hole aluminum slots in it! Just another that popped into my head; not much to choose from in 1/32! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldcarfan27 Posted March 11, 2022 Share Posted March 11, 2022 You could try diecast toy cars. They're available everywhere an have all kinds of wheel designs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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