ChrisBcritter

"Did the Japanese go and sit down and have dinner with Pearl Harbor before they bombed 'em?"

100% on both.

The AMT '56 Ford and the AMT '66 T-bird have them.

Deerfield HT store doesn't have it and they can't or won't get it from another store (ironically, the clerk I spoke to wants some too now that I described it ).

Ultra fine sounds like just the ticket - thanks! The precise cuts are exactly why I need 'em - they'll save me some time and effort for the long cuts on all these cars I'm Frankensteining together from damaged bodies (latest is a '58 Ford convertible that is now a hardtop).

How about the trans in the Revell '56 Ford pickup, or the Thunderbolt? Hate to scratchbuild something and then have an AHA! moment.

That Micromark set should work nicely (a set of blades and a mandrel for what Walthers wants for one blade!). Thanks!

As I've mentioned before, I'm gathering parts for a '57 Fairlane my uncle had in the mid-'60s. It had a 406 backed with what he said was a Ford truck 4-speed; maybe a top-loader because I remember it having a floor shift. I'm using the FE engine from the '60 Starliner kit; would the manual trans in that kit be modifiable to a top loader? If not, what would look correct? Thanks!

Who makes the fine-tooth rotary saw blade that fits a 1/8" Dremel screw-on shaft? Like the thickness of a razor saw blade. I used to have a couple but haven't seen any lately in the Dremel accessories.

Good to know - I'll check the Deerfield store this weekend. I've been wanting to make backup light lenses for my '64 Chevelle to replace the molded-in ones.

That poor Rambler had more paint on it than Ann-Margret in The Swinger, but you sure did a fine job of de-gunking it! How about a photo of the engine? Good work with the Alclad as well.

Very informative comparison, Tim - thanks! Now to find a real four-door to get all the correct dimensions...

Will it have the working front suspension with metal coil springs?

Food for thought: Maybe do something similar with the Jimmy Flintstone '48 Chevy Barnette hearse body and one of those diecast Jada '47 Cadillacs?

Nice color! Bet this will result in the ultimate "before and after" photos.

Glad I could help!

I've had a Jo-Han '64 Dodge project in limbo for a few years, because the original kit came with a Polara 500 interior (buckets and different door panels) but a non-500 body and wheelcovers sourced from the promo. Finding a promo interior with the split bench and correct upholstery has been futile - even wrecked Dodge promos are expensive, and Modelhaus doesn't make one. Well, this evening I was looking through parts on eBay, and found someone had parted out a USA Oldies reissue '62 Dodge. I took a look at the interior bucket, and saw it was actually the '64 Dodge promo piece! I remember some mixing and matching was done with these kits in the '70s because some molds were missing; looks like they took the '64 interior and the '63 dash and steering wheel, then modified the package shelf to fit the curved '62 rear window (not a hard fix). You can see where there was a slight mod to fit the dash, but a little trimming will fix that. Best part is I already have an NOS interior from a '62 I parted out long ago. I know there won't be too many of you building a stock '64 Dodge Polara, but hopefully this will save someone some expense/work/aggravation. P.S. Don't forget you can find more accurate Polara wheelcovers in the AMT clear trailer kit (sourced from the old '65 Coronet - they're the same as '64).

For the Biscayne you'll need to hunt down one of the sixes that was offered in the AMT '63 Nova wagon or the '64 El Camino. I think those are available in resin from somebody - not sure who (or if the axle hole was filled in).

"Literally" goes for the models as well; notice how almost all the hardtop kits by both AMT and Jo-Han had convertible interiors. Some of the early convertibles also had little vestigial stubs of roof C-pillars that would be hidden by the top boot. I've always wondered why AMT kitted the '64 and '65 Chevelles the way they did - full detail El Camino and four-door wagon but Craftsman-only hardtop and no convertible.

It's probably less work than what I'm doing - transplanting a good roof from a damaged '64 sedan body onto a '65 convertible; but it will be a challenge to cut that hood open cleanly (I'd use a the tip of an X-acto blade to deepen the groove a little, then a photoetch saw) and hinge it properly so it doesn't bang into the hood ornament.

Here's a switch - just saw a Buick Grand National headed south on I-94 on a trailer; the car was very rusty (like holes in fenders, doors and quarters). Totally original but must have been driven in the winter on salted roads - a far cry from most of the GNs I've seen which are pampered show cars or are stored with delivery miles only on the odometer.

Those were the 13" compact car tires first introduced in 1963; the Corvair kits used them longest (I think the later Corvair also might have used those plastic sidewall covers for the racing version?)

I tried a test of something like this long ago; wrapped a fender in kitchen aluminum foil, removed the foil and dented it, then mixed up a little resin and poured it in to sort of slush-cast a new fender. The test seemed to work OK once it set and I removed the foil.

That must be a major relief to find it so clean - that much paint could have hidden who knows what. I have several parts sellers I watch - will keep my eyes out for a hood.

The aforementioned '58 Fairlane arrived Saturday - as I had hoped, there's enough usable for a conversion on one of my convertibles. The black and blue paint has various shades of red, yellow and more blue underneath; I gently chipped/peeled away several layers on the roof to reveal some light coarse grit sanding scratches - but the seven grooves were intact. Interior came out with some grinding on the posts, but the windshield is glued on the A-pillars so the photoetched saw will get a workout again. Right now the purple stuff is at work on the body and interior, so we'll see what happens later. By the way, I once asked on the forum about the spacing on the roof grooves - if you need to do a conversion to a '57 roof, they're all spaced 7.5 mm apart. The more you know...