Joe Handley Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 (edited) Came up with this idea when I was still at the LHS and we got in the Fujimi Pantera curbside kits. Bought one and never got around to aquiring the GT kit until after switching to my current job. The idea was to take one of ex-Polar Lights Ford GT kits and put the chassis and drivetrain from that under the Pantera body. Kinda surprised how close the two were in size and only had to cut down the GT pan a little and will need to hog out fenders to fit the larger rolling stock from the GT, especially out back. Edited June 27, 2021 by Joe Handley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vamach1 Posted June 27, 2021 Share Posted June 27, 2021 I had never thought of doing that so I’ll be watching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 Played around with the Pantera more tonight, looks like the engine bay parts for the GT fit with just a little modification to the Pantera’s interior tub. This is almost too easy at this point and it’s making me a bit nervous to start opening the arches now😶 Quick question for anybody who looks at this thread, I’d like advice for this situation. I’m Kinda debating if I want to cut open the hood or make a little window in the cover like many modern super cars with the buttressed B-Pillars use so you can “see” the engine while not seeing enough to realize just how basic both the GT kit’s drivetrain is and just how little there really is to the engine bays for both kits. So, who thinks what on that?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 And here’s where I’m leaving the Pantera for the night, this is going way too smoothly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthijsgrit Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 I love what you're doing here, great project and actually very logical (on a certain level). But those tires! Man, they look like tractor tires to me. Some flatter rolling stock might have saved you from cutting up the arches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David G. Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 Interesting project. I'm currently building the Heritage Edition of the Ford GT that you're working with so I feel like I have a connection to this one. David G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 1 hour ago, David G. said: Interesting project. I'm currently building the Heritage Edition of the Ford GT that you're working with so I feel like I have a connection to this one. David G. Your build is some of why this one has happened so soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 3 hours ago, matthijsgrit said: I love what you're doing here, great project and actually very logical (on a certain level). But those tires! Man, they look like tractor tires to me. Some flatter rolling stock might have saved you from cutting up the arches. I do think that in 1/1, the GT tires would be big enough that the same amount of surgery would be required. There’s a lot of time where if you compare the tires on modern vehicles to a comparable vintage model, they look a lot bigger. For example, the factory tires on my Dad’s ‘20 Grand Caravan are about the same size as the factory tires the ‘87 Chevy Beauville, even though the GC is the smaller of the 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David G. Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 14 minutes ago, Joe Handley said: Your build is some of why this one has happened so soon! So I do have a connection to this one, I knew it! One thing I was wondering though, have you considered using the wheel sets from the Pantera? David G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 16 minutes ago, David G. said: So I do have a connection to this one, I knew it! One thing I was wondering though, have you considered using the wheel sets from the Pantera? David G. Yup😎 and Yes, but I’m trying to minimize the kitbashing to these two models. Something else to is that in full scale, the problem with vintage rolling stock is that they don’t clear modern brakes, even if those breaks are from 15 years ago, so bigger wheels tend to be needed anyway. A plus in all of this is that the huge tires, wheel openings, and flares should look pretty dramatic once done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinkybritches Posted June 28, 2021 Share Posted June 28, 2021 I really like where this is going. 2 of my favorite cars put together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted June 29, 2021 Author Share Posted June 29, 2021 Messed around with a Model Master paint bottle that has some sandpaper attached to smooth out the wheel openings today. Still have work to do before I can start creating flares, but at least they look better now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Cool build idea ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted June 29, 2021 Author Share Posted June 29, 2021 45 minutes ago, cobraman said: Cool build idea ! Thanks Ray! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Can-Con Posted June 29, 2021 Share Posted June 29, 2021 Pretty sweet Joe. You're making me want to dig out my old Revell Bora. 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David G. Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Looks like it's coming along quite nicely. David G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYLIBUD Posted June 30, 2021 Share Posted June 30, 2021 Saw this beast at a local car show recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted July 1, 2021 Share Posted July 1, 2021 very nice, Joe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted July 3, 2021 Author Share Posted July 3, 2021 A few update pics, got started on the fender flares tonight!, even threw the original chassis plate and rolling stock under it just to see how much I’ve changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David G. Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 The newer wheels make a big difference in the overall appearance. David G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted July 3, 2021 Author Share Posted July 3, 2021 2 hours ago, David G. said: The newer wheels make a big difference in the overall appearance. David G. They do, but I also noticed the altitude difference in the two chassis as well. I noticed when posting these pics that the GT Chassis sits a lot lower than the Pantera’s does, despite the taller rolling stock on top of it, which seems to exaggerate the difference in tire size too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Lacy Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 This is a rad idea! The larger GT wheels and tires reproportion the car very nicely and it’s looking even better with the flares. Looking forward to following along! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted July 5, 2021 Author Share Posted July 5, 2021 16 hours ago, Dennis Lacy said: This is a rad idea! The larger GT wheels and tires reproportion the car very nicely and it’s looking even better with the flares. Looking forward to following along! Thanks, I’m about ready to get it into primer, think the flares might be close to ready! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Handley Posted July 6, 2021 Author Share Posted July 6, 2021 Another update on the Pantera, about ready to lay down primer to see what I have! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David G. Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 Great progress on this! It seems like a chassis swap that might actually work well in the 1:1 world. David G. 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.