Sam I Am

Years ago I attempted to build a custom car. To call it a failure was an understatement. I took an AMT 1955 chev sedan and glued a Johan 1960 Desoto roof on it...and could not figure out what to do next. This fellow modeler who at the time lived back east, insisted I send it to him. This is what he did with it. When finished he took it to a large model show where it took first in custom and best in show. It has also been featured in a magazine. Gene Winfield was at the show and was so impressed that he signed the base. Then the guy sent my model back to me as a gift. When displayed at a show, it is sitting on four chrome lugnuts so you can see the chassis work. I took it to a small show and displayed it with the story of the build next to it. It won best in show again.

Just give the info to this guy. His next project is a rolled and slightly burned 69 roadrunner, so the Elcamino is right up his alley. Great guy, and funny.

Sounds like my father-in-laws truck. '03 Ford 4x4 crew cab one ton dually king ranch edition with powerstroke diesel. On the hwy, empty or loaded towing a trailer...15mpg

Wow, that Challenger looks the part. I love the wheels and the stance. I found with the amt kit, glue the front of the hardtop against the windshield first. Then take one b-pilar and glue it where it needs to be, after it dries then glue the other b-pilar down. That way everything is where it is supposed to be. Otherwise the b-pilars will be to far out onto the quarter panels if you just sit the roof down and glue it. Don't ask me how I learned this...

I think the thing about mounting the turbos like that is just for looks. lol So here we go. Remember, the holes are very roughly cut out. I also had to thin the inside of the hood to let it clear the front of the intake. Crazy thing is, the radiator still fits. Now to pretty it up.

I think I have the engine down as far as it can go without putting the oil pan on the ground. Nasty looking for sure.

Love it...

Stunning ?

Glad to see this pop up again. Absolutely gorgeous car. ?

I love your table, and glad the A sedan is on it.

Engine looks great ?

Love what you're doing with this. I have a couple that I need ideas for.

Great job. Looking forward to seeing how you complete it.

Interior looks great and those viper seats integrated into the rear, that was a great idea. So with the engine compartment all cleaned up, and the engine set down all the way....I will need to modify the hood. I think I have wheels and tires sorted also.

The old tractor was a crank start. It was easy to start so dad taught me how to bring it up on compression stroke and open palm it . After a few tries I could get it started. The clutch was way down the body of the tractor, it was tiller controlled with a manual throttle. I would click the throttle up a couple of notches, slide off the seat until I could push the clutch in all the way, push it into first, let the clutch out and get back into the seat. I was so proud that I could do it all on my own. Of course, you could walk faster than that thing could crawl at an idle in first. ?

1946 Case cleetrack crawler when I was ten. Dad's 1968 Chevy pickup when I was 12, his 52 Mercury when I was 13, and my 1953 GMC when I was 15. Really pays off to live on a dead-end gravel road out in the country while growing up.? Almost forgot the 1942 Ford Jeep when I was 13, which I now own. Also pays to have a dad who was into old cars. ?

I have a couple of their 1/12 1965 Mustang fastbacks but not enough to build one. I do know that the Revell issue is the same tooling.

Well, so much for a stress free build. The hood would not close all the way, even with relieving everything I could find, so I glued it shut. Then I found out that the decals were super thin and very aggressive. So...it will be touched up later and relegated to the back of the display cabinet. Funny thing, the crackerbox that I built last year took much more work to build, and lots of thought process, and turned out awesome (imho). This one I am disappointed in.

Thanks for the comments you two. Decals are next. I need to order a fine point molotow pen to touch up all the chrome, but I have eight months to get that done. ?

WOW !! Everyone is doing phenomenal work....WoW !! So, I just about have my big rig community build finished up and it's time to get the Chevelle sorted out. Hopefully I can get a little wider tire/wheel combo, you gotta hook up and handle better. That injected, twin turboed 427 is a monster. I already know that the inner fender wells are getting cut out and the fire wall is needing modified so this monster can fit. Have to get that engine nestled down as low as possible so the turbos just peek out.(hopefully the hood clears them but I'm not going to hold my breath)

Thank you for pointing that out Force, really appreciated it. Thanks for all the positive comments everyone. I know that most people get this model for the engine and wheels, but if you stripped all the chrome, took care of all the seams, did some filling here and there, it would make a great display piece. Worked on it some tonight. I have a few things to paint, wash the grill, touch up the chrome, and decals....I think that is it.

Just a couple more little things and I will call it finished.

You are just plain nuts...in a good way. ? so are those super singles out back?

Thanks for the reminder, I should be able to get them in the mail tomorrow. ?

After a very long discouraging time, I gave up on matching the paint. I bought numerous different bottles, but nothing was close enough to any of the colors, and that would look worse than nothing at all. So I am going with the suggestion of a flat black hood assembly. The sleeper doors are already off a bit in color and the one has some paint flaked off. So along with the various chips here and there, I think it will be ok for now. If I ever do find matching pain, I can always paint it then. Right now it just feels good to get another stalled project out from the cupboard of doom.