ModelcarJR

Thanks, Carl! I appreciate your comment! I got the interior together today. The kit decals are not very good. The color doesn't register very well. There should be the two red stripes on the end of the Dodge lettering on the steering wheel but you can't see it. I might try to pick in some red paint. I think there is a speedometer and tach in the drivers display but you can't see them very well. I didn't even try to use the decal for the control panel as I knew it wouldn't sit down on the buttons and dials. So I cut up the extra screen display and used the colored part of the decal for the buttons on the control panel. The interior went together pretty well with Chrome pen for door handles and such. Thanks for looking! Sorry that my close-ups just don't work out very well. ?

Thanks, Carl and Atin! I appreciate your comments! I rubbed out the body and since I have finished the 60 Chevy I can start working on this one. I still have to paint the black on the rear fascia around the exhaust area. But everything else is painted, I think, so I can start progress on this one. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Donato, John, David, and Carl! I appreciate your comments! This one is done, except for the heater hoses. The kit piece wouldn't work so I already had drilled holes in the block so I can add the aftermarket Pro Tech hoses tomorrow. I am warn out now after doing all the detailing all day. I wanted to use the red decal in the strip on the side but the decal wouldn't cooperate and the red acrylic paint I am using didn't look good and wasn't very forgiving. So I opted for the white decal but first painted around the Impala script and then added the decal from that point. I also added the antennas on the rear but the chrome on the kit pieces was so bad I cut off the stem, drilled out the base with a tiny drill bit, and inserted Jewelry Shoppe pins cut down to about 3/4" each. Oh, earlier I lost one of the backup lights to the carpet monster (before I realized I had another kit) so while searching for a replacement, I found some clear round thingys attached to a clear part and I cut them down and used them. And I didn't add the black on the emblets up front - enough black already! Here are a few photos! Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Glen, David, Steve and Mike! I appreciate your comments! David, I was sure there was a more engineering-type solution to this issue but not having that skill, I resort to clamps. While I am working on the taillights, etc. I have taped off the top of the front fender to re-paint. It wasn't caused by the clamps but by a spot of superglue that I apparently had on my finger while holding it together while putting the clamp on. I thought I could sand and rub it out but that was not to be. Although it is hard to see, I can see it clearly, so I am going to re-paint the top of the fender as soon as the weather and humidity permit. Thanks for looking. ?

I have a horror story to tell from Halloween! While the little cretons were knocking on the door, i noticed that the back window had fallen down on this build that I had been working on all day. Maybe it was the pressure on front and back from the C-clamps that just buckled it out. No problem even though I had to install it while the interior was in, I thought I could do it. So I took the window out to clean it up and get the glue off. While cleaning the window broke right across the middle in two pieces! So that was it for the night. Maybe I could sleep on it and think of something to fix it. So the next day I remembered that I had built this one before and maybe I could steal the rear window from it. I built it years ago and it probably wasn't very good. So I found it in one of the first 5 scrapbooking cases that I keep built models in. I pulled it out, dusted it off and noticed that it probably looked as good as the one I am currently building! As a matter of fact, it probably looks better than the one I am building! So my next thought was to cut a piece of clear acetate and try that. I did, but the curvature of the rear window really won't work with the clear acetate. What next? I thought I had a 59 in the closet and I could steal the back window from that kit, even though I would like to build it again. So I dug through the closet and look what I found! Another 1960 Chevy Impala! So I decided since I have a good rear window, I should take this one apart, clean it up, and install the rear window in right and tight. It was a battle, but I got it apart and cleaned all the glue edges up. I had to re-do some of the chrome trim and polish the paint again. One more time through the clamps and it on wheels again! Hopefully, just hardware and decals to finish!

Thanks, Carl and Steve! I appreciate your comments! Got the windows in and it was time to mount the body and interior onto the frame. For some reason, this one needed a little more persuasion than normal. Maybe I could have mounted the dash a little lower but it lined up with the door panels really well. The firewall mounts on the interior so there is no way to shorten anything there. Its done now and I guess I'll always have to do it the hard way! Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Dan! I appreciate your comment! Finished the interior today. The dash was pretty straightforward. I wish they had included a decal for the steering wheel center but I added a crossed flags decal that I cut from another decal in the stash. You can hardly see it but you see something is there. In addition to the door trim and the decals for the seats, I de-chromed the rear seat radio speaker grill and painted it red. Then I added some foil to make it look more like the speaker grills I have seen in photos on the internet. The wire sticking up is the coil wire from the coil on the firewall. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Dan! I agree and I like it! ?

I've been working on painting all the many parts in this kit, at least getting the base color on each piece as its suppose to be rainy and cold all this week. Now I have three kits completely painted and in various stages of production. Should keep me busy through at least Thanksgiving. Here's the basic set-up for the interior, painted Krylon Satin Black and Khaki. I painted the doors Khaki and then taped the scallops off and painted again with Satin Black. So far, I like the looks of it. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Jim! I appreciate your comment! I should get back to it tomorrow. I've been busy painting all the many parts for the 2021 Charger because its gonna be rainy and cold all week! ?

Thanks, David and Carl! I appreciate your comments! Finished the chassis and installed the engine and radiator. Kit-supplied heater hoses will be added at final assembly. I also managed to get the door panels foiled and constructed. I really like the chrome window cranks they included in the kit and wish they would do that with more kits. They really pop! The frets at the top of the doors were a bear but I managed to foil them and then add a couple of brush strokes of clear lacquer to keep them from coming off. Thanks for looking! ?

Very nice, Greg! the body, headlights, interior look fantastic! You're really going to great lengths on this one and it shows! ???

Thanks, Kevin! Its not hard to do. Just buy a pin vise, a set of drill bits, #61 - 80, and some pre-wired distributors from Morgan Automotive Detail. For about $50 you're in business!

Thanks, Carl and Kevin! I appreciate your comments! Kevin, I don't think this is a "Candy". Its just the name of the color.

Thanks, David, Jim, Carl, and David! I appreciate your comments! I am out of pre-wired distributors, so I decided to wire up the kit distributor. I have plenty of plug wire but I noticed that I had a package of four wires that were included with a plastic case that I bought some time ago that had wire tie-downs. These wires were already pre-stripped on the ends and if I cut them in the middle, I would have 8 lengths of wire 2" long. I also have plenty of boot material packaged with each of the pre-wired distributors that I buy. So I glued a piece of boot material on each of the kit distributor nibs and inserted the pre-stripped wire (I shortened the stripped wire a bit) into each of the boot pieces I had glued to the distributor. Voila - A wired distributor! I bent the wire around and I had to use some plug wire scraps to serve as wire looms since the tie-down wire was too big for my Pro-Tech wire looms. Then I just stuck the ends of the wires into the holes I drilled in the block without boots or glue, in case I want to replace this distributor once I get my pre-wired distributors. I built the rest of the engine and added a fuel line with a glass filter by drilling a hole in the end of the line molded onto the tri-carb set-up and the fuel pump and gluing both ends. The only draw-back I see is that the distributor has to be pushed back a bit in order to mount the air cleaner. I can also use handy-tack to hold the air cleaner on so I can display with the air cleaner off. I hope distributor won't interfere with the firewall but I'll have to cross that bridge when I get there because there is not a good way to mock it up as the firewall also serves as the foot area for the interior. Here are a few photos:

Thanks, Mike and Jeremy! I appreciate your comments! I painted the black on the window sides and engine interior surfaces and then tried some Pledge clear acrylic on the hood and rear spoiler. After it had dried for about an hour I didn't like the finish as it appeared grainy, which probably indicates that the painted surface is not as smooth as I thought. So I removed the clear acrylic with some Windex and set about to clear coat with a new can of Krylon Clear Lacquer. Two coats of clear and it looks a bit dull probably due to the 50% humidity today but its suppose to rain for the next two days so I wanted to get it done now. I wait another day and then rub it out as I normally do, knowing that the paint is well protected now and it should rub out with minimal work using cloths and Scratch-X. I think the clear also brought out the color more. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Carl, Mike, Jason, and David! I appreciate your comments! So I painted it today with Tamiya Candy Lime Green over a Gold base for a warm, inviting color, as they say. I really like the finish and it almost looks like a Day-Glo color in the light. Two coats of color and I haven't added a clear coat yet. I am going to let it gas out for a couple days and then may try to rub out carefully with some Scratch-X and Wax and after painting the black side window surrounds, I may use some Pledge Revive It which replaced Future. I haven't had good luck with my clear lately and maybe I just got a bad can. In any event, I think this paint just needs a little gloss. Thanks for looking! ?

I'm starting this one, or at least painting the body. I saw this kit at HL during there recent 40% off sale and thought I should build a new one for a change. I see that MrMike is also working on this kit and that's just a coincidence. I don't have a story and I'll probably just paint the body for now for future building. I glued on the antenna and ground effects on the sides. I'll white glue the front and rear fascia for painting while the rear spoiler and hood will be painted separately. I'm not sure on color yet but I have a can of Candy Lime Green that II think would look good on this one. I think I have seen one in a similar color but that might have been Sublime Green. Its in primer now so I may start painting tomorrow, if it doesn't rain. Let me know what you think! Thanks for looking! ?

Hang in there, Mike! I'm sure it will turn out very well! ?

Thanks, All! I appreciate your comments! Finished the foil on the body and I still have a little work to do on rubbing out the hood but its mostly done. I'll be moving on to detail the interior and the engine next. But first, I may get another body painted to back some up before the weather turns. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Jeff! I appreciate your comment! I painted the interior red after taping off the seat inserts and door panels. Since the plastic is white I used it as the accent color. I have some Scale Motorsports fabric decals that I have had for a least 10 years. I gave them a coat of clear lacquer yesterday in order to help keep them from breaking apart. Although they are houndstooth pattern, which is incorrect, its what I have on hand. I used a copy of the decal sheet to cut the patterns for the seats and doors and although they are not perfect, they are good enough for me. I add some Dullcote once the decals have dried. Here are a few photos and I have started on foiling the body. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks again, everyone! I appreciate your comments! ?

Thanks, Carl, Jeremy and Bob! I appreciate your comments! Carl, hope you're feeling better! Rubbed out the paint a good part of the day. Still have some work to do on the trunk and the hood is not started. I did rub out some edges but used a sharpie for touch-up. I sorting out the rest of the parts for painting. May get some more painting done tomorrow and start on the foil. Thanks for looking! ?

I started this one last night trying to get another body painted. Worked on it last night and all morning just trying to get rid of all the nitty flash. Everything had to be worked, window openings, wheel openings, hood and trunk (opening trunk but i am going to glue it shut as I am not big on opening trunks as you have to put stuff in it), A & B pillars, headlight area and underside of the rear fenr wing. I added inside hood plastic strip to hold the hood in place without having to rely on the front chrome grill. There was also a small sink mark in the left rear fender wing so I filled it. Several hours worth of work. I got it in primer and painted it late this afternoon. Two coats of Dupli-Color Universal Black with one coat of clear lacquer. I will rub out tomorrow and then see if I need another coat of clear. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate your comments! ?