ChrisBcritter

I think I've turned into the '62 Chrysler version of our friend Cobraman: So I spot this thing on eBay last night - original issue with correct interior, wide whitewalls, wire axles and chassis screws; minus the hood, opening bid $35 - and add it to my watch list to see how the bids go. This morning in my email I get one of those "private offers" for 42% off, in other words cheeeeep; and, well... The original builder got a bit sticky-fingered installing the left skirt : So anyway, I swear this is the last '62 Chrysler - Revell, Jo-Han, or even Atlantis (?) - I'm buying.

Great, thanks!

so, no Godzilla?

So, so clean! Nice to see it in a color that doesn't end in "...Firemist" for a change! How bad was the damage you had to fix?

Beautiful job, Paul! You must have been so tempted to make molds from it. Did you start with a built kit or unbuilt?

Looks good now that it's been de-Pinked! Tom, could you do me a favor and measure the width of the sun visors? I'm restoring a promo that had a broken windshield; I got the frame and glass from a reissue funny car but I have to scratchbuild the visors: Thanks and good luck with it!

So with the GM license settled, I guess we'll see the Vega and Camaro first?

Bravo, Nigel! As for me, I sawed off the other '62 Newport's intake manifold, trimmed the flash and refitted it properly to the block - then sawed the block and trans lengthwise through its original seam to realign the halves before I glue it together and cut off the 3-speed trans... well, I see I've put everybody sound asleep now, so off to bed for me too.

That tiny lathe was cool, too - another "Why didn't I think of that?" idea.

They always have those pyramid-shaped custom taillights, don't they? Let me know if you need the stock bezels; I've cast up a few sets. Just hit them with your Molotow pen BMF silver Sharpie, add a little piece of clear red for the lens, and done. The front wheelcovers are from the '61/'62 Buick Special wagon; good trading material if you can cut off the tire melt.

I'm using the transparent red dye Alumilite makes for their two-part clear resin. It doesn't take very much - a small drop will tint 1/4 teaspoon of resin very dark. They also make an orange dye you can use for turn signals.

Looking good so far, Gareth! For all who asked, the wheel covers are resin copies of Jo-Han 1957 Plymouth promo wheels (I found ONE usable one in Model Empire's parts sale bin). They have the right look when the centers are slightly flattened with a ring added, and are the right size to fit either the kit tires or your usual AMT Firestones. Gotta be honest, though - I was always a WLS listener growing up, and a devotee of John Records Landecker...

Very sharp, Gareth - looking forward to seeing your WCFL Cutlass!

Bill, I just went through this thread and I'm amazed at your skills! Will be ordering the '60 Ford pickup emblems soon. Just a thought - how about the nose and rear door lettering, front door emblems and all the door handles for the Jimmy Flintstone early '60s Ford Econoline? It's a nice kit, but it's missing all those things. Thanks for all the nice work!

Update: Looks like the taillight experiment worked! Practiced on a few smaller lenses in the clear mold; 1:15 on top, then turned it over for another :30 and they cured with little to no dye fade (if anyone needs a set of '41 Plymouth or '52 Chevy clear red lenses, first PM gets 'em).

The 300-watt UV light arrived today. Put it to the test with AlumiUV on a headlight lens mold and, while it wasn't the 3-5 seconds Alumilite said, in one minute it was fully cured. Next I molded a set of '63 Plymouth Fury turn signals and got the same result; it was a clear rubber mold so I bet that helped. Later I'll try tinting the stuff red and see if I can get some good '65 Belvedere lenses (since Moebius didn't make them that way), and I'll see how Bondic reacts as well.

Nice work Craig!

with baseball bats

If the last 1998 issue was the one with the Linda Vaughn figure, then it may still be stateside - although Linda won't be: (from an eBay listing)

I can imagine using the V8-60 midget's engine to upgrade a T speedster - or downgrade a '37 Ford sedan. Was that engine detailed well enough to do some kitbashing? Back on topic. Again, any idea if the Hurst Hairy Olds was obtained by Atlantis, or would Revell have kept it?

Yes, made reservations

Sweeeeet!

Gently sawed the Torqueflite off the MPC '65 Dodge engine and did the same with the '62 Newport's 3-speed; got the automatic to mate with the Revell engine - crooked at first; sanded the trans a little and the block a lot to straighten them. Added 3 mm to the tailshaft and looks like it will drop right into the chassis. Also carved up the interior from the parts car, grinding away the door panels to get at the front seat so I can separate it and fill the gaps in the sides. Doing this will save some detailing headaches later, I hope...

And if you don't smoke, look at the foil seal on a container of Philadelphia Cream Cheese. It's a bit heavier than cigarette foil. Plus the cream cheese tastes better on a cracker than a cigarette does.

Then there was this '66 Fairlane GT promo which I took back to original. Before... ...and after: Tough part was getting that black paint off and its stains out, eventually got it with Testors ELO stripper and a lot of elbow grease. Got the bumpers redone by GT Kustom Krome (after dislodging the front one which was held on with half a bottle of Elmers Glue), touched up the taillight bezels and wheelcovers with Molotow, gave it a final polish, and done. Couldn't do much with the stripes (nobody I know of repros them, and neither the original kit nor the new version have them).