62 Buick Electra 225 for the BCAS 'same kit' build.

[whale392]

As a member of the BSAC (Buckeye Scale Auto Club...in Columbus, Oh), we have a 'same kit' build that 'started' on the 5th of August (some started earlier, but I think it was officially started on the 5th as that is when the remainder of the paid for kit were brought to the meeting and some spares for us who didn't get in on the initial go). The kit we all agreed upon was the 1962 Buick Electra 225 reissued by AMT/Round2. Let me tell you, whoever thinks that the 60s are the 'Golden Era' of kits (maybe in subject matter, but not in detail/quality of casting) is slightly Rosey. This kit is a hotbed for casting flash, misaligned mold plates (leaving pretty good sized casting lines in the body), sink marks, ejector pin marks, and ill-fitting parts. Now, don't get me wrong, I do love the 60s kits; but I will confess to being spoiled by todays higher quality standards and overall detail improvements.

Anyway, enough of my bagging on and critiquing the reissue. On to the build, or something like that. Now, I haven't done a lot picture-wise, but I have done quite a bit to the kit. First, I believe the squared-off C-pillars are sexy for Grandma and Grandpa but are less than flattering for this body style. In that vein of thought; I chopped the top from a spare 1960 Chevy Impala kit I had, narrowed it, cut most of the roof from the 62 Buick, added a slight forward-biased rake to the roof, and grafted the modified 60 Impala roof to the 62 Buick body. I am not completely happy with the look (should have used a 1962 Bubbletop Impala roof, but I didn't have one spare), but it makes the Big ol' girl flow better in my opinion.

The C-Pillar area I added some lift to to give the roof the rake; before it was actually tail-raked (the roof was lower at the rear than at the front). I still have a boatload of filling, sanding, and re-making of the trim, but this will give an idea of what was done.

I am also using Pegasus Hobbies M5 wheels in 19" size, but I am sticking the rears into their 23" stepped sleeves and having a set of 21" sleeves manufactured for the front (so that they too will have a more realistic lip).

The nose of the car suffers from what I call 'anteater syndrome'; where the headlights and grill stick out too far from the terminating ends of the fenders/hood line. I cut the buckets back flush with the fender ends and hogged out the headlight bucket area (so thick with plastic that it could hide Jimmy Hoffas body) to get the headlights/grill to sit further back. I like the way the hood lip and front bumper profile now match and the grill/headlights sit back in from too far out.

I still have to modify the radiator locator/bulkhead/screwholes to get the bumper to sit square with the body. next order of business is to get the front wheel arches to line up with the newly relocated rearward front bumper (this will clean up the 'too cavernous' look I believe the front wheelwell openings exude). I also shaved the 'ELECTRA 225' moldings and the chrome ribbed panel in front of the rear bumper on the lower quarters (makes them too 'busy' looking to me) in preparation for material removal to tuck the rear bumper tighter to the body. Taillights I am taking a second set and through cutting/pasting making the original housings about half again as tall, so that the taillights can actually be seen on this car.

Anyway, enough talk from me; back to work (I have cut the tranny from this kit and grafted it to the Nailhead in the AMT 39/40 Ford kit for a better looking Nailhead engine. I will post more when it happens. Hope you liked my introduction to what I am calling my 'Ten Penny Nail' project.

[DocLong]

If I didnt like the 60' top so much I'd send you a 62' top

I'm partially kidding.

PM me more about this BCAS...please.

Thanks bro.

Doc

[CrewDawg15]

Looks promising Bradley. I do like that roof a lot better than the original one...Good Choice!

Jimmy

[brett]

I really like where you're taking this one, and that new roofline looks great.

[whale392]

Thanks for the replies guys. I have the engine block in paint, and the tranny is painted, awaiting the block to dry. Heads are painted and being wired up as I type (I am doing an LS1/2 type coil set-up for this engine). Started making the headers for it, and am contemplating the induction set-up now. Most of the upper engine detail will be obscured by a cover anyway, so do I really need to go nuts with the detail? And to add to it, it will still have the metal axles........trying to 'keep it simple' here (laughs hysterically at that comment).

Pics coming soon as I continue to hammer away at the 'TEN PENNY NAIL'

[DRG]

While I am inpressed by the detail in the newer kits I still love those old late fifties and early sixties kits.

If Cleveland wasn't so far from Columbus I would be interested in joining your modeling club but 2 hours driving time one way is a little much.

[whale392]

I know how you feel Don, I drive about an hour and 15 minutes myself (I am over in Dayton and the club meeting is on the North side of Columbus). Worth it to me though as I have met some really good people (some are even members here) and seen some REAL modeling works (not the piles I never complete).

Steve, borrow away man. Ideas are fluid and meant to be used; if you can use it do it, The girlfriend is building the same kit and we are both shooting it in the same color (I borrowed loosely her color scheme, but with some tweaks).

More to come hopefully tonight.

[Modlbldr]

Bradley-

Looking good with that new roof swap. The work you did on relocating the grille/headlights makes it look a little more like a 64 Caddy from the side (at least to my damaged brain ) Take it easy.

Later-

[59 Impala]

Great start Bradley. You've got far more done than I have on mine. The only thing that I've done is fill in the right front fender that is out of align and fix some of the sink holes. You're going to be finished way before I get going good on mine. Hope ta see ya at the next meeting. Dan

[whale392]

As promised, some update pics. Now, I am converting this to run EDIS and GM LS1/2 coils, so I have been working on that set-up. Some preliminary pics of the Tone Wheel and the very beginnings of the Coils:

, ,

Also got the heads semi-complete (waiting for the plug wires to be added) and the valve covers painted. Added the kit trans to the 39/40 Ford AMT Nailhead engine for a better looking Nailer.

,

I should have the front wheel sleeves here and on by the end of the week, and the heads/valve covers/coils/wires done by Friday.

That's all I have for this episode of 'TEN PENNY NAIL'

[1972coronet]

Cool Buick ! It's interesting to see what looks to be the ol' "Slim Jim" Roto-Matic trans behind that NailHead !

[BHarrison]

Looking good!

[whale392]

just took the kit tranny, cut it from the kit engine, and them cut the tranny from the AMT 39/40 Ford kit and mated them together. Whatever trans was supplied with the kit is what I am using (I will be the first to admit I do not know Buicks very well. Mid-60s Mopar B-Bodies and FOX Chassis Mustangs are my areas of consumed brainpower).

I will have the front wheel sleeves by Friday morning, so they will be ready to test fit and have the front inner wheelhouses modified for them. I will also be adding inner fender detail as this kit has none. Stay tuned for more of "TEN PENNY NAIL"

Oh yeah, color choice is Model Master Laquer Dark Cherry Pearl (GM color) with the hood center depression shot in Testors One Coat Laquer White Lightning. Interior will be two-toned White and Light Gray. Still deciding if I should leave the wheel centers Chrome of finish them in some other color.

[Ramcharger]

Lookin' good, Brad! I guess I'll have to do something to mine, it looks the same as it did at the meeting!

[whale392]

Yeah Ron, but you were a LOT further along than I was that night (wait, I had just purchased two of these kits that night........still in the shrink-wrap! ). And you will still beat me done too!

As a side note or progress update; the front wheel sleeves won't be ready until NEXT Friday. However, I have ordered 20 of them in the first batch. They will have the ability to turn an 18" wheel (some 17" and 19" if you turn down the original wheel lip) into 21" wheels. I am hoping I can stretch the 19" tires to fit them.....we'll see and I'll report back. If it works, I might just have some sleeves up for dibs.

Edited August 17, 2010 by whale392

[CrewDawg15]

Looking good Brad. I've always like the look of a Nailhead...lots of character

[whale392]

Too bad most of that character will be hidden by an engine cover (which I am still working on the design of).

[Tony T]

Nice progress. The roof swap is a great look!

[whale392]

Well, never one to leave well enough alone, I broke her tonight trying to correct a little 'flaw' in my plan (why I wanted the Bubbletop roof to begin with). When I looked at the car from the rear, the back window upper arch just looked HUGE and out of place. So what do I decide? Well, I am going to slightly pie-cut the roof sheetmetal to bring the upper window frame down and more squared-off with the roofline. Yeah, great idea except the C-Pillars were too weak (well, drivers side was anyway) to take me hacking on the roof. SNAP!.....drivers C-Pillar lets go at the body line. A few choice words later, I glue it back together and add some plastic bracing inside to hold it all together. Finished sectioning the roof and got it pushed down in/glued. Waiting for the glue to fully dry so that I can get the Evercoat on the roof and smooth all of this mess out. So much for a positive update huh?!

I will be hacking the roof (or at least supervising her while she does it) on the girlfriends build for the same purpose this weekend. Maybe I'll have the filler all done and the body in primer by Sunday. I have stopped with the LS2 coils, as you won't see them once the engine shield is in place.

Now, once this Buick is done, I have something 'Special' planned to go with it.

Edited August 19, 2010 by whale392

[whale392]

Well, I guess it's pic time. Not a whole lot to report, but it has been riding in a bag back and forth to work with me for the last week waiting for me to fix the C-pillars. Well, I did..........but I am still unhappy with the overall backlight upper arch (I will leave it though, as I do not feel like fixing the pillars again).

This is how she looked all last week!

This is how the backlight arch looks now....a little lower (I want to take more out, but am afraid to break it again!)

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You can see the Frankenstiening the roof took (is still taking) to get it to the point it is at today. I have a lot more to do to it, but I am happier with it now. Have to add in the rear window chrome trim upper and C-pillar pieces, and add the drip railing (although I almost like the smoothed railing look!).

[whale392]

Ok, I also had to shave the grill support bar (cast into the rear of the grill) to get it to sit flush with the recessed headlight buckets; and remove some of the area behind the buckets to get the grill upper ledge to tuck into the front end of the body.

, , , , .

Now I have to fill in the front of the front wheelwells to match it up/re-radius it to the wheel profile and bumper tip. I will wait to do this until I get the 21" sleeves from the machinist so that I know exactly how much material to add.

I also am finding/filling most of the sink marks on this (so much for a 'quick build').....lots of them on this one. Two deep recesses are in the front fender tops where the molds came together. With the addition of core (mold) shift, they are a problem. Nothing filling and sanding won't cure though!

,

Got the rear bumper area smoothed, fitted, and the bumper test-fit as well.

Overall........she is slowly coming together (spare time is a little in short supply right now.

[whale392]

And since I mentioned the 'Special' at the end of last installment, I figured I'd at least let you see what I am starting with.

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She is a 1961 Buick Special Station Wagon kit. Glass and rear bumper are MIA, but mostly all there. Someone had started to add some goofy pillar into it, and I will correct this with .040"x.040" styrene. However, she will be 2-doored and the rims you see under her are from a Nissan GTR33 Skyline and will be staying. I have a spare C6 drivetrain I was thinking of transplanting into her (once I open the hood). Color undecided, but that will come with time.

[59 Impala]

Lookin good Bradley. I like the 61 Special too. I had one of those way back in the early 60's when they came out. Including the trailer which both are long gone now. I haven't touched my Buick since I found the sink problems. I think that I fixed them but other projects have taken front door for now. Dan

[whale392]

Dan, the sinks can be overcome easily. If I can do it, I know you can! Thanks for the words on the 61'. I still have the trailer, toolbox, and A-frame cherry picker this kit came with somewhere. The working pullies and hooks for the picker were awesome and stunningly done for a 60s kit.

Anyway, I want to see yours done and at the meeting. The girlfriend and I can't be the only ones bringing finished kits to the meet (assuming I finish this one!) can we?

[CrewDawg15]

Nice save on the roof Bradley. It definitely feel it flows a lot better than the original slab sided one