ForcedAWD Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Hello fellow modelers, The weather here in Chicago is starting to warm up a bit and my work schedule has let up a little so I figured I'd start on my 2nd model. My 66 Nova (link here)is still a work in progress since it was late in the year when I began it and we have had a brutal cold season here so outside painting was out of the question and I don't have anywhere to spray paint safely indoors. I did however, pickup a Microlux 1530 spray booth on craigslist along with a couple of airbrushes so the Nova interior will be finished up soon. Anyhow, My 2nd model will be the 1967 Pontiac GTO by MPC. Reading about this kit on this forum gave me a warning of what was to come from this kit. The chrome is way too thick on some parts, the engine seems way to small for the car, and the body has been under the knife quite a few times as is evident when looking at the underside. The kit lacks detail and has quite a bit of flashing on the parts (a perfect kit for a newbie..lol) The reason I chose this kit then is because I remember my neighbor having one when I was a kid and was in love with the way the car looked and sounded. Anyway on to the pics - Engine has been complete and it was my first attempt at engine wiring. Wiring came out a little sloppy but I'm still happy with it. I sanded the body a bit today and will hopefully be able to put a coat of primer on it tomorrow to see where I stand...I fully expect to be sanding this body quite a few more times...lol Thanks for looking and I look forward to tips and comments on this build. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Sam, Be advised that the front seats are for the 1970 GTO, so they won't match up quite right. There are a couple of resin-casters that make the correct seats. They're not too expensive- about $5/pair. The prep isn't too tough, either. To use resin, simply soak them in Whestley's Blech-Wite overnight, rinse off and air-dry. You then paint them like any regular part. That aside, with some care and taking your time, that'll build into a decent model. Personally, I like those cars in turquoise or blue. The white interior with those colors is quite striking, I think. I would recommend using white primer on the interior unless you're going to be painting it black to provide the best base for other colors with the blue plastic. This is a great reference site, too. http://ultimategto.com/ Most importantly, have fun! Charlie Larkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForcedAWD Posted April 8, 2013 Author Share Posted April 8, 2013 Thanks for the info Charlie! Here is the body and hood after 3 mist coats of Duplicolor primer I will let this dry over night before sanding some more areas that revealed themselves after the primer was applied. The A pillars need some attention as it looks like they have been cut and modified at some point of the molds lifetime. I have seen several members apply BMF over the logos and badges of bodies and then using the appropriate thinner on a swab remove the paint to reveal the BMF after every coat of paint. I would like to do this on this car and wanted to know when to apply the BMF. Should the BMF go on over the bare styrene or over the primer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted April 13, 2013 Share Posted April 13, 2013 Generally, the foil should be applied to bare plastic BUT.... With a decent paint job, you can foil the primer and still have it work. The idea is give the foil the best adhesion possible. Also, looking at that kit again, they might have fixed the seats. The easy way to tell is to look at the upholstery patterns on the molded in seats in the interior tub and see if they match the buckets. Also, look for headrests on the buckets, as the '67 didn't have those. I believe the '70 had low-back buckets with the big funny-shaped headrests GM used. So far, so good, keep it coming. Charlie Larkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bandit1 Posted April 16, 2013 Share Posted April 16, 2013 Cool project!...Im more liking the 68's but Eh each to there own eh?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForcedAWD Posted April 16, 2013 Author Share Posted April 16, 2013 Small update - Body and hood filled and sanded where needed. Also had to sand the hood and fenders a bit to get a nice flush fit when closed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForcedAWD Posted April 16, 2013 Author Share Posted April 16, 2013 I wasn't happy with the work I did on the mold lines coming off of the C pillar. So sand, sand and more sanding! Also worked on the hood some more today. The hood wasn't laying flat on the header panel - A closer look revealed that the brace was not letting the hood sit flat - Filed down the bracing (the passenger side needed more work) - Much better - Filled in the screw down bosses and sanded down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Just picked this kit up yesterday at my local Michael's. I've heard and read what a piece of junk this kit is. Lots of flash. Molded in blue. Nothing but trouble. First, as I was looking at the box in store, it stated on the side it's molded in white. Good! I get it home, open the box, and got a very pleasant surprise. Round 2 must be paying attention to us hobbiest out here. The body in my kit looks beautiful! Very nice. Very crisp. No flash on the body what so ever! Other trees and parts had some flash. But nothing too major. You can tell the kit is old. By today's standards the details on the engine and chassis are very low. But, I like what I'm finding in the kit I just bought. I should have no trouble building a fairly nice looking '67 GTO out of it. About the headrests. Headrests were available as an option on the real '67 GTOs. Not standard. And not commonly seen. But available none the less. Starting January 1, 1969 all cars by federal law were required to have headrests as standard equipment. GM and Ford made them standard as soon as their '69 models hit the show floor. Chrysler for the most part waited until January 1st. That is why you'll see a few early '69 Mopars without headrests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyrichard Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 nice ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Amendment to my info on headrests. Some '69 Fords, like some Mopars, built before January 1, 1969 did leave the factory without headrests. As far as I can tell this was not the case with GM cars. All 1969 GM cars built before or after January 1, 1969 came with headrests. As far as optional headrests on GTOs before the '69 model year. Headrests became available on most GM cars starting with the '66 model year. For 1966, 1967, and 1968 GTO headrests are listed as Pontiac option #571 with bucket seats. They came standard with optional reclining buckets (Pontiac option #574). Bench seat models had different style headrests - Pontiac option #572. So, the headrests in the MPC '67 GTO kit are correct. They look like the ones shown in the Pontiac cataloges. 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.