ModelcarJR

I bought this the other day with a 40% coupon at Michaels. Its not a very good kit, one piece chassis, metal axles, hole in the motor, poor interior engraving, etc. But I bought some MCG seat belt buckles so I thought this would be a good one to try to add seat belts. I quickly painted it yesterday (low parts count) on the last day for awhile that we will have good weather. Cold and rainy today. Thanks for looking! I forgot to mention there are a set of redlines and a set of white letter Goodyears in the kit so I might find a set of tires in the parts box and save these for other builds.

Thanks, Carl, Tom and Steve! I appreciate your comments!

Thanks, everyone, for your very nice comments! Harry, I am using a Kodak PixPro AZ252. Sounds professional but its a camera that my wife bought not long ago at Kohl's, where she used to work. It was on clearance and with all her coupons and discount, she probably paid next to nothing for it. But it is bulky and hard to hold and push the button sat the same time, so I think I get some shaking in my hands. As you can see in the last photo of the engine, the picture is a bit blurry on close-ups with zoom. I might need a little stand for it. In the camera's defense, I also haven't downloaded the instruction manual from the internet yet so I guess I better do that. But I am not a computer, cell phone or camera guy, so its always a chore to accomplish these tasks. I'm a point and shoot guy. I'd rather line up and mount a three piece bumper on the front of a 57, although that would take about three people to do it. Thanks for looking!

This Revell kit is painted in Dupli-Color Ebony Black and Testors Diamond Dust on the exterior with a black and silver interior also using the decal sheet for seat inserts. Built box stock except for the tires from the parts box with Pegasus vinyl whitewall appliques, moons from the Polar Lights Volkswagen Beetle, and two MCG Chevrolet scripts. Photos are OK but still trying to work out new camera. Some pics in morning light on patio. Thanks for looking!

Beautiful build, Harry! What kinda camera do you use? I need a new camera! Your photos are great! ??

This one is done! Box stock except for a couple of PE Chevrolet scripts, tires and hubcaps.

Very Interesting, Jerry. Looks like the old red, white and blue box from the 80s. I couldn't find it on Model Roundup but did find a Revell Germany kit called 1956 Chevy Custom that is the same kit for $42.90, plus shipping. For the price you paid you should go back to Ollie's and find as many as you can for that price! and any others! Merry Christmas! I've added a photo of this kit that I built several years ago. Its MCW Classic Copper in lieu of Sierra Gold and Krylon Satin Almond to substitute for Adobe Beige, inside and out. I've also added PE from Model Car Garage. One of my favorite builds!

Thanks, Jerry! I appreciate your comment! I haven't seen a 56 Bel Air for a while. Did they re-issue it? I know the Del Ray is out there and that is a nice kit as well. I'll be looking for a Bel Air if they have re-issued it. The 57 is on wheels and I've completed the engine compartment and the front end. As I was completing all the steps for the front end, I once again really appreciated all the complexity of design of this car. The hood rockets, chrome hood bar, black screen portion on the top of the headlights that vented air into the interior, the black appliques at the bottom corners of the headlights that provided some symmetry, gold Chevrolet script and "V", gold grill, light bar in the middle of the grill for the turn signals and Chevy logo, rubber bumper cushions, and three piece bumper. All of these design features made the 57 Chevy one of the most collectible cars of all-time. I guess I am lucky to own one. I've also added a couple of more pics of the interior as I think I have the new camera figured out so I thought I would post the new photos as the others were a bit blurry. Thanks for looking!

Thanks, Carl! I appreciate your comment! Finished the engine and chassis today. I didn't add any wiring to the engine because you won't be able to see it if I did. I stole the carb from this kit for another build so I found one that is tall enough in the parts box. Once the air cleaner is added you won't be able to see it either. I mocked it up and the rear wider tires barely fit inside the fenders. The front will sit down a little more once glued in. The tires are also a little shorter than the standard skinny firestones so I think it sits a little lower than stock. Should be able to finish in the next couple days as it will be raining anyway. Thanks for looking! ?

Looking good, Bob! A cold wet front is coming through so I hope you get lucky with weather. Doesn't look good here in Houston. Good Luck!

Thanks, David and Bob! I appreciate your comments! Not much done today. Rubbed out the hood and put the wheels and tires together. The tires are a bit wider from the parts box, steel wheels painted black, and baby moons from the Volkswagen Beetle that I built a couple of weeks ago. There are actually two sets of baby moons in the Beetle kit in addition to stock hubcaps and other wheels. The whitewalls are Pegasus vinyl stick-ons I've had for years that will probably peel off in a few weeks. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks again, all! I appreciate your comments!

I'm back on this one. I originally taped off the top and left the rain rail black but once I got back to this one I decided to brush on some aluminum on the rain rail so it would blend in with the top. Once that was completed, I installed the window glass. I also used the decals in the kit for the seat inserts. I had an extra set of decals from an earlier build and also decaled the top of the seat insert that wouldn't have a pattern in it normally but I have seen all sorts of patterns for the 57 Chevy. Its kind of a hybrid between the standard Bel Air interior and this pattern. There is also another pattern that is sort of splits the door panel in two colors. I don't think its a difference between Bel Air, 210 and 110 as I have seen many 210s with the more standard pattern. So I'm not sure how its determined what interior goes in which model. Anyway, here's this rendition. Thanks for looking!

Thanks, All! I appreciate your comments! Yes, that is the last can of a Model Master color that I have and is no longer available from Testors.

Looks great, Mike! Nice engine and interior work and a nice finish in black! I've recently purchased the kit but don't think I can do it justice the way that you have! ??

Thanks, Dan and Jeremy! I appreciate your comments! Here are some photos of the finished model. Also posted in Under Glass. Thanks for looking! ?

This one is painted with Testors Prowler Purple Metallic (an old can) to substitute for In Violet Metallic or Plum Crazy Metallic. The interior is tri-colored in black, white and gray. Plug wires and a coil have been added and the hood stripe is painted, not a decal. No white decal is provided in the kit and I know that the majority of hood stripes are black. These are my first outdoor photos with a new camera so they may not be the best. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Dan, Carl and David! I appreciate your comments! Well, I ran into a snag - I couldn't get the black hood decal on. I'm generally pretty good with decals so I am not sure why this one acted up. So I am going to get my wish and paint on a white decal. A little bit tough at this point but not impossible. First, I taped off the hood and painted it. I came out pretty nice so I then used it to line up the tape on the cowl for painting. It came out pretty good and I think I can touch up the cowl a bit with a brush. Unfortunately, paint came through the index card onto the windshield so I will have to spend some time sanding and rubbing out the windshield. I can also finish the decals and touch up a couple of edges with a brush. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Carl and David! I appreciate your comments! My computer has been in the shop a couple of days and that's why I haven't posted but it hasn't kept me from building. This one is almost done. I re-painted the hood and still have to rub it out. Then I'll finish the decals. I thought about doing a white stripe on the hood be its too late now. The paint is so dark its hard to photograph and maybe I can get some outside photos soon. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, Jeremy! I appreciate your comment! Finished the interior and the engine. The engine is a bit tough to wire as spark plug locations are not presented in the plastic. I had to notch the exhaust manifolds a bit and then drill holes after placing the manifolds in place. I just drilled out the flat top of the distributor and glued nine pieces of wire in it. I also created a coil from tube stock. The dash is very simple and doesn't look like a roadrunner dash according to photos that I looked at. So I'm glad that I painted the three-tone seats and door panels to give the interior a little pop. Thanks for looking!

Thanks, Carl and Keith! I appreciate your comments! Finished the foil on the body and I have finished painting the interior. One door panel is finished with foil. Looks like I need to replace one run of foil on the top of the door. One door panel to go and then I'll tackle the dash. Thanks for looking!

Thanks, Joe, Dan, Carl and Mark! I appreciate your comments! Rubbed out the paint today and before I rub out any more edges I am going to call it good and start with the foil. Also, I know that the Roadrunner was suppose to be the low cost, no frills, muscle car but I thought I would spice up the interior with a black, gray and white combination. Can't do anything else today as it has been raining and the humidity is too high. Thanks for looking! ?

Thanks, David and Joe! I appreciate your comments! Touched-up the paint on the body and added a clear coat. Looks pretty good now. I'll let it dry and rub it out. Still have to re-paint the hood. Thanks for looking!

Thanks, Joe and Keith! I appreciate your comments! I painted the body and a few other parts today. I painted the battery and water bottles earlier and taped them off before adding the color coat. The body came out OK except there were a few bubbles. The hood didn't come out so its in the pool. I re-paint it but it shouldn't be a big problem. I didn't add the clear on the body so that I could sand out the bubbles and adds another light coat before I clear it. I rubbed out the bubbles this evening and everything looks pretty good. I'll try to get another coat on it tomorrow. Thanks for looking! ? Before rubbing out the bubbles: After rubbing out the bubbles:

I bought this one the other day at HL. Yes, the price is $39.99. That's a 33% increase over the going price for a new or newly re-issued kit of $29.99. With the 40% off, it comes to about $27, with sales tax. Even if the energy problem is solved, which affects plastic, this price will not come down. The new box art for this old Monogram kit indicates that its a "4" on the complexity scale. But a "4" on a scale of "6" is the same as a "2" on a scale of "3". This kit is a "2", not a lot of parts and not very complicated. I've built this one before but not very well. I painted it Sassy Grass Green which is not a very appealing color and the trunk area has some kind of contamination that I couldn't solve. So I just finished it. The engine compartment looks OK but the paint really ruins it. So maybe I'll have better luck with this one. I have a old can of Prowler Purple Metallic that is close enough to Inviolet Metallic or Plum Crazy Metallic, the Dodge color, which is the same thing. Black and white interior. Maybe I'll get a chance to paint today, if it warms up. Everything is prepped and washed so if the weather cooperates I'll be in business. Thanks for looking!