Claude Thibodeau Posted July 31, 2020 Share Posted July 31, 2020 Hi! The 69 Camaro is a timeless design, a "one year car" as they say. It's replacement was marketed as the 70 1/2... What if that new grille had debuted on the 69? And some experiments took place? Mix a Revell 69 Z28, ZR-1 Corvette powertrain, radiator and tailights panel, IFS, rolling stock, fuel cell and battery case from the Phantom Vicky, all modified. Nose & hood from AMT's Baldwin Motion 70 Camaro, with hidden headlights (ah... the 60's!) headers from revell's 41 Willys motor, and now let's start cutting... The monocoque frame is totally scratch-built. The front section rises on electric actuators, the new cowl is there, as are the door sills and seat-belt retractors. The inner door panels are part of the front section, the rear window becomes a hatch, the rear seat is junked to give way to a powerfull speakers enclosure & amp, and the trunk welcomes a pedestal on which resides a twin-cantelivered mono-shock air suspension, fed (as are the front air struts) by a Ride Tech air compressor & reservoir. The 9" Ford rear is anchored by a triangulated 4Bar system. The floor pan is totally flat, using a taller "tunnel" to encase the tranny & driving shaft, leading to huge tubs. Scratchbuilt console, arm rest, cup holders, fire extinguisher and hand brake lever. Bucket seats are from my parts box. Fully hosed and wired, including the AC hard lines running to the radiator. Scratchbuilt: pedals, shifter, column, steering shaft, 4W disc brakes and calipers, carpets, valve stems. Blacked-out window surrounds. Paint is Tamya's Titanium silver + Testor's Wet look clear. Custom Tamya's acrylic mix for the interior and carpets. Alclad chrome on numerous parts. The joy of scale modeling is you can let your imagination run, and have fun! CT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 This clever, attractive, imaginative, and well-executed custom answers the question, "What would be the most convenient way for me to let a bunch of water into my engine compartment every time I drive my car in the rain?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 11 minutes ago, Snake45 said: This clever, attractive, imaginative, and well-executed custom answers the question, "What would be the most convenient way for me to let a bunch of water into my engine compartment every time I drive my car in the rain?" Hi Snake! Indeed, you are right... except those "trailer queens" rarely see anything but dry faiground pavement, under sunny skies. Lawn chair collisions are more likely than a downpour, in my experience.... CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 I love it ! Very creative and I know it was a ton of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NitroMarty Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 (edited) Another beauty, Claude!!! So much clever ingenuity going on, that I could spend hours studying these pics... I love it!!!!! Edited August 1, 2020 by NitroMarty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Claude, that is a super cool build. I am inspired. I might do a much less modified version, '69 body with the 70 1/2 grill as a pro touring car. Thanks for the inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michelle Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 nice custom work and a very cool "what if" idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PappyD340 Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Creatively awesome, a lot of outstanding work, well done Claude! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooOld Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Interesting concept and some great custom work and paint ! Well done ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 10 hours ago, Steve H said: Claude, that is a super cool build. I am inspired. I might do a much less modified version, '69 body with the 70 1/2 grill as a pro touring car. Thanks for the inspiration. Hi Steve! Thanks for the comments. The most challenging part of the grille swap is that the hood profile of the 70 doesn't match the top of the fenders on the 69. If I had to do it again, I would glue the 70's hood to its nose piece, and then, remove all the hood surface but the central bulge-scoop. And glue it on top of the 69 hood. All you would be left to deal with, then, would be the headlight flat opening doors tracing. Have fun with your project! CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 11 hours ago, cobraman said: I love it ! Very creative and I know it was a ton of work. Hi Ray! A ton and half... Thanks for the comments. CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 11 hours ago, NitroMarty said: Another beauty, Claude!!! So much clever ingenuity going on, that I could spend hours studying these pics... I love it!!!!! Hi Marty! Thanks. Hope you eyes are better than mine, then. CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 10 hours ago, michelle said: nice custom work and a very cool "what if" idea Hi Michelle! Thank you. I know you are quite a prolific builder yourself, keep on! CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 1 hour ago, PappyD340 said: Creatively awesome, a lot of outstanding work, well done Claude! Thanks Larry! CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 48 minutes ago, TooOld said: Interesting concept and some great custom work and paint ! Well done ! Hi Bob! Thanks for the comments. CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slotto Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Wow, what an imagination! Killer build Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doorsovdoon Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 I like that! The front looks very much like a car I used to own, a Vauxhall VX4/90. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 Your front end looks MUCH cleaner than the '70 Rally Sport front, which has always looked to me like a cheap copy of a Jaguar sedan. I think your front end would have also worked with exposed headlights (maybe too Monte Carlo, though?), or with the '69 RS "windows" in the headlight doors (too '69 Camaro?). But your solution was imaginative, attractive. and different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 The tilt front end including the doors has to be unique, I don't think I have ever seen that done before. The way you blended the grill area into the '69 body it looks just like something that GM could have done. The overall engineering and design that you put into this is exceptional on so many levels. The interior is just so nicely done it's a model all by it's self. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 1 hour ago, doorsovdoon said: I like that! The front looks very much like a car I used to own, a Vauxhall VX4/90. Hi Gareth! You may traumatize a few Camaro owners here... Just kidding! CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 36 minutes ago, Snake45 said: Your front end looks MUCH cleaner than the '70 Rally Sport front, which has always looked to me like a cheap copy of a Jaguar sedan. I think your front end would have also worked with exposed headlights (maybe too Monte Carlo, though?), or with the '69 RS "windows" in the headlight doors (too '69 Camaro?). But your solution was imaginative, attractive. and different. Hi Snake! The remaining cavities in the 69 grille, on both sides of the transplanted 70 central section, were very narrow. Any light looked squeezed... I even tried Starliner glass panels, but same problem. That's why I cheated with the simulated panels. Best outcome I found... CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 36 minutes ago, espo said: The tilt front end including the doors has to be unique, I don't think I have ever seen that done before. The way you blended the grill area into the '69 body it looks just like something that GM could have done. The overall engineering and design that you put into this is exceptional on so many levels. The interior is just so nicely done it's a model all by it's self. Thank you David! When i build a ProTouring type of car, I always try to build a totally enclosed floor platform, who also serves as the under-belly pan. It raises the powertrain OVER the floor, and requires a taller central tunnel, but it facilitate the creation of the front and rear frame clips with frame rails running higher in relation to the ground. Therefore, you IFS and rear axle are easier to locate, and give you room to adjust the car VERY LOW. Plus, the underside is clutter-free. In this Camaro, the transmission "cover" is made from part of a Dollar store pencil sharpener cup, and the rear tubs with sliced Super Glue transparent pill-bottle style containers. I will soon post a 49 Ford ProTouring which is heavily scratchbuilt, and where I applied the same approach. CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 2 hours ago, Slotto said: Wow, what an imagination! Killer build Thank you Steeve! CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted August 1, 2020 Share Posted August 1, 2020 2 minutes ago, Claude Thibodeau said: Thank you David! When i build a ProTouring type of car, I always try to build a totally enclosed floor platform, who also serves as the under-belly pan. It raises the powertrain OVER the floor, and requires a taller central tunnel, but it facilitate the creation of the front and rear frame clips with frame rails running higher in relation to the ground. Therefore, you IFS and rear axle are easier to locate, and give you room to adjust the car VERY LOW. Plus, the underside is clutter-free. In this Camaro, the transmission "cover" is made from part of a Dollar store pencil sharpener cup, and the rear tubs with sliced Super Glue transparent pill-bottle style containers. I will soon post a 49 Ford ProTouring which is heavily scratchbuilt, and where I applied the same approach. CT I look forward to the '49. The basic kit has always been one of my favorites and my family had a '49 four door when I was a child. I have owned a couple of 1:1 '51 Fords years ago and I can't count how many models of these I have built thru the years so I think you can see why I'm so interested. None have been of this level of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Thibodeau Posted August 1, 2020 Author Share Posted August 1, 2020 5 minutes ago, espo said: I look forward to the '49. The basic kit has always been one of my favorites and my family had a '49 four door when I was a child. I have owned a couple of 1:1 '51 Fords years ago and I can't count how many models of these I have built thru the years so I think you can see why I'm so interested. None have been of this level of course. Stay tuned, then... Maybe tonight, if my wife is looking the other way... CT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.