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Blast From the Past - MPC Streaker Vette From my Teens - Photos Restored


Dave Darby

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I built this one back in 1977, when I was 16 years old. I painted it a couple more times over the ensuing years, then got tired of how it looked, and stripped it down to bare plastic (which of course ruined the filler) in 1989. After that, it sat in pieces, as you see it here, but scattered to the wind, until just this year, when I sorted through all my parts, and got all of the original pieces I could find back in one place...

The wheel flares and front spoiler were made from the plastic flats they divided record albums with at the stores... That green piece is a leftover bit from a '69 Cougar that was painted with the same can of paint...

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Originally painted Plastikote Metalflake Green, I recoated it a few years later with Testors Candy Transparent Green, which made it a good deal darker. I ran the stock hood, but in 1989 I decided to do this 'update' using the scoop from the 69 Chevelle kit.

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That was also when I reshaped the door windows, painted it red, and then, unhappy with the faint panel lines, stripped the body in 409. That rear spoiler is the front spoiler from the Revell "Jungle Jim" Vega funny car. Got a little rambunctious with the sanding there, didn't I? Sorry, louvers! Considering that it went through the stripper, that automotive spot putty has held up pretty well. (except for this flare...)

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Here's the motor and the rolling stock (minus the back halves of the tires (had yet to dig these up, still.) Not shown are the side pipes, which I ended up painting black. They'll be replaced with chrome ones. Keep in mind that was 16 year old me that put those plug wires on... The header flanges will hide the ends.

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I think the wheels were cribbed from the "Iron Horse" Mustang kit, but the Countdown Series 66 Mustang had 'em too. Anybody got 4 good ones like these?

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A little drilling, filing, and pinning got her back up on 4 wheels, with engine in place. Dig those old school sewing thread plug wires....

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Here she is mocked up... First time on all four wheels in 23 years.

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And after searching diligently, I've found me some Plastikote Metal Flake Green in an old school can! Just like I painted it with back in 1977....

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What do you think? Worth saving?

You can see more photos of the rebuild process here...http://public.fotki....vette/?show=all

Edited by Dave Darby
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Nah, after 35 years together, she ain't going anywhere. Today I sealed the edges of the old putty up, and filled the deep stuff with Zap A Gap, then gave her a couple of skim coats of Spot Putty. Nowadays I normally use Evercoat for this sort of thing, (I almost never use lacquer based spot putty) but this is a real restoration, doing it just the way I did it when I was 16. Hard to believe it was 35 years ago I first built this. It felt strangely familiar sanding on it. It brought back memories. I was working on it in my best friend Bob's basement, and I had it already to paint. I came back the next day to find his little brother had ripped the wheel flares off of it, and I had to do them all over again. I had to smile to myself when I thought of that...

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Edited by Dave Darby
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Dave-

That IS a nice one. I feel you. Where does the time go?? I remember my brother and I building many different kits when we were kits(53 Vette, 55 Ford Panel, some van with Kangaroo decals and two of the Monogram Classics series that we got for Christmas from my grandparents were among a few of them)

Glad to see this one is still in your possession. It'll be nice to see it done....again!

Later-

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thats cool - love the flares - paint it red and primer and it'll look like the car denis hopper drove in the movie king of the hill - sweet i sure would fix it.OH! and im with mademan gladly trade somthing for it.

It does at that! Not happening with this one, but it would make an interesting project. although someone's already done it with a 1/18th scale diecast.

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This is well worth saving. You did a great job way back when and its looking great again. The only kit I had from the 70's was the Revell Billy Carter pickup. I had built it with a diorama and won a few contests. I think its in a bin in as many pieces as it first came, time to rebuild like you and relive the memories.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well I got back on the horse and made some progress!

All the hood supports were broken off, so I made new ones from sheet styrene...

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Primer! One color for the first time in over 20 years! Still some bodywork to do, here...

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Annnnnnnd at long last... The same paint I originally painted it with 35 years ago.... (In 1977)

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Almost done!

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Edited by Dave Darby
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  • Dave Darby changed the title to Blast From the Past - MPC Streaker Vette From my Teens - Photos Restored

A few years ago, I let my Fotki account lapse, and consequently lost a BUNCH of photos. I've since restored them to both my Fotki account and to this thread. In almost 9 years since last time I've posted any updates, I've yet to finish it, although it's pretty close. Here's what it looks like since I posted last time....

This is the same paint I used on it originally, in a NOS can. Ironic that's a 67 Vette on the label!

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By the way, that is the original glass, polished out. (Compare that to the before photo!)

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The side pipes and bumpers are held on with Fun tak, but one of these days I'll buckle down and give her the big finish. The right side wheels are my originals, complete with the gold spokes I added around 1980-81. There will be no foil or clear coat, and I did not repaint anything that still had the original paint intact, so it's a semi survivor. I wanted it as close to the way I originally it built at age 16 as possible. Altho those green wipers ARE bothering me a bit now... Anyway, for those who didn't see it the first time around, or if you just want to revisit it, enjoy the journey.

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It's a long way from this basket case!

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