jaymcminn Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 It never fails to amaze me that ANY of these old Avanti kits ever got built... this was a rough one. The windshield is acetate due to the kit unit having a big ejector pin mark or something right in the middle. The kit seats were swapped for modified units from a Revell '68 Firebird... the kit seats looked like they were actually closer to 1/32 scale. All in all I'm quite pleased with the way this turned out- Studebaker should have produced an Avanti notchback. On to the pics!
jaymcminn Posted November 30, 2011 Author Posted November 30, 2011 (edited) The wheels are the "Miami Vice" Daytona Borranis with an old set of SATCO goldlines I found in the parts box. Paint is Testors Emerald lacquer with the stripe done in White Lightning. I'd probably do the stripe in gold or copper if were to redo it now. Fitting the kit's optional square headlights was a nightmare- it took hours of trimming and filing and fitting to get them to sit level with each other. I do like the look of them, though. The interior wood is just Tamiya clear orange brushed over the same red-brown as the rest of the interior. The carpet is Detail Master flocking. The engine is the stock R3 type from the kit. I was going to to the dual-supercharged version but that wouldn't be accurate for a street- drivable car. There are actually ignition wires exiting the wiring shroud at the bottom. Edited November 30, 2011 by jaymcminn
Jantrix Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Wow, that is really great looking. I really love Avanti's but there is enough wrong with that kit to keep me from really getting fired up about building one. You did great.
Chuck Most Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 One of my all-time favorites- that goes for 1:1 subject and the kit, even if the kit does have a few issues. Your build proves it only takes a few well-chosen upgrades to make it look really good.
Greg Pugh Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 I love that shade of green. Beautiful build.
Dr. Cranky Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Great job on the paint, interior, engine . . . the details and color really make this one stand out. Thanks for sharing.
DavidChampagne Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Wanted one of the real ones since I first saw one in high school..1968 +/- Great job
cortinanut Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Beautiful job! Very clean and well conceived--I never would have guessed how good this modification could look.
Sixties Sam Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 I always thought the Avanti's lines were too good to improve upon, but your subtle mods really look good! The interior is great, as is the engine bay detail! Very nice custom! Sam
Lunajammer Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 NIIIICE touch with that fogged stripe. Everything is superbly executed. Now that's a smooth-stah.
RodneyBad Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Holy C!! That looks Sweet. Killer paint job!! Interior looks Sweeeet Too...
sjordan2 Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 The gauge bezels look very precise. Are they from the kit or did you make them?
jaymcminn Posted December 1, 2011 Author Posted December 1, 2011 The gauge bezels look very precise. Are they from the kit or did you make them? They're the kit bezels, foiled then filled with thinned gloss black and a drop of Kristal Klear for lenses. This kit is a weird mix- some details, like the glass, are downright primitive, while others, such as the interior engraving, stack up pretty well to modern kits.
jaymcminn Posted December 1, 2011 Author Posted December 1, 2011 Thanks for the great feedback, guys. This build is a perfect example of why I love building customs- it's a safe bet that nobody will ever build a 1:1 like this one. For the next project I'm tackling a more recent kit of a slightly older subject... stay tuned!
Danno Posted December 2, 2011 Posted December 2, 2011 Love Studebakers a whole bunch! Love Avantis even more. Nice build. You made it look great.
surfjunke Posted December 7, 2011 Posted December 7, 2011 Beautiful build! Great finish inside & out.
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