Ragtop Man

Currently available?

And it isn't really rocket surgery to adjust as needed for an Advance Design / modern chassis swap. Only thing stopping me on one of those would be the inability to swap in a GMC 270-302, which is as much of the character of the truck as the grille.

My brother in law was a Sonoma brand manager for a while on GMC (when that was a thing) so very tuned into S-Truck. GM needed fuel economy credits, so they would strongly incentivize base powertrains by adding 'eyeball' percieved value with packages that had low variable cost and could be installed in the plant (the key to managing accessory cost.) Then the field team would go out and load up the dealers with as many as they could stand, with the implied promise that going heavy on S-Truck to get them more Sierras and Yukons ... "Bob, I've only got a few left for this week... do you want them or should I call Randy across town?"

Wins the hobby today - love every bit of this build. Very creative use of the basic kit, had the sense to just tweak the bits that needed more love. Color, wheels stance - 101% Moby should reverse engineer this as a custom version, it is spot on.

The CRAFT CHAIN THAT SHALL NOT BE NAMED is blowing out Iwatas - planning to rip up there and get one. Do you like the external cup better than the internal feed for paint, and why? FWIW, I have the badger, and while I've had a few decent jobs with it - mine seems a bit fiddley and hypersensitive to cleaning technique. Would love to hear any thoughts, or, if a long thread has already beaten the subject to a pulp, a link would be even better.

I've met Peter, super nice guy who must have done a lot better in his end of advertising than I did in mine to restore some of these projects! The car is lovely, the shop they used was top notch.

OOOooof! What happened there? Hope that is not the whole run. Pulled from the mold too soon?

I got nuthin' - this GA is the best build of the subject since Juha's feature car so long ago.

I popped for the download at the Modelversium (?) site, and the build is simply out of this world. Well past museum quality! Very inspirational, it shows how much potential there is in the kit.

GEEK ALERT: ANCIENT GM TRIVIA IN HERE FIRE FROST AND FIREMIST FINISHES They were a popular (albeit a little expensive) upgrade for other GM cars in the day when (makes shocked expression) customers were always right. The FireFrost colors debuted in '63 as a special Mitchell inspired extra, and are separate from the the Firemist colors. Both did a great job of careessing the sheetmetal (or fiberglass.) They were not the only colors available, but they sure did a great job of setting off your Grand Prix or Impala. To get an otherwise un-available preminum color required a hip GM dealer with the patience to take your money later, vs stuffing you into whatever was on the lot. Chevrolet and Pontiac seemed to have special color requests the most often; premium divisions usually had them in the book. Unlike today's automated shops, the GM plants routinely managed unusual colors for utilities, taxi companies, police/fire/municpal accounts. Another day at the shop... The upcharge 'in the day' was $100- $200, but you got a quart of touch up paint to go with it in the trunk. Typically a request would be reviewed by the factory district manager while taking his orders (preference) from the dealer, then go to HQ for a sign-off (to be sure you weren't some crazy sports fan getting an orange paint job on a car with a blue interior...) hen approved, the job would get assigned to a plant, and their production materials team would source your paint. On the appointed build day day, a Fisher Body utility man would prepare the pressure tanks (that were wheeled on small carts) with the finish and hand off to the painter(s) . The same paint would also be supplied to the plant's Divisional coating line (separate from Fisher) where fenders, hoods, gravel pans and other doo-dads would get painted and baked. Eventually they would meet up in final assembly and presto, a custom paint job from GM. I'd guess if you wanted TWO custom colors on a tutone job, that would get priced in, but have never seen that documented. That ask would make most plant scheduling managers pull out what was left of their hair... the practice could slow down the line which is the cardinal AND ordinal sin at GM. Likely the most famous cross divisional color use was on the limited run of "Swiss Cheese" 1963 Pontiac Catalina SDs - all were painted FireFrost Silver, the better to be photographed, methinks. Good quick writeup on firemist/firefrost here: https://autouniversum.wordpress.com/2022/05/14/pearls-of-colour-general-motors-opalescent-1960s-fire-finishes/

Sweet - Elvis is in the building!

Well, when I can remember something of that nature... #crs #anheusers

Hah... when I stop to think, "gee that happened in the 80's, so it was pretty recent" and realize it was 45 years ago.

I could shave with that build - ultra sharp.

This is a terrific build, and would really pop at any local show I've been to - "Wait - it's not red?" The Italieri (insert your distributor here) 250 GTO is quite good; I have one with a diecast (!) body that I'd like to do as a bare metal 'in restoration' build. Thanks for the DM on this thread!

Mid 2010s? That is a long time aborning. Glad we are seeing the fruits of their labors now.

Pow! Really sharp, great job. For a minute, I thought it was a bash with the Revell '67 roadster, that shows how good the kits really were.

Madonn! Love thta build - post more pics of THAT (or a link if you did it already) build. Was that the Grossman car that C/D was going to line up with a Pontiac GTO?

Many thanks for the hint on the wheels; once in a blue moon the DM wires pop up, will keep my eyes open. I think I've seen 3D Borranis, but I need to go dig for them. Have been hoarding Revell slot car tires for the job now for the better part of a decade... need to get on the stick when my shop re-opens.

There ya' go... That is great. Now if the 3D verse can come up with a GMC 270...!

Box art just grabbed me, and it followed me home! Looking forward to an A-B comparison with the AFX. Resisting the urge to blow up my Craftsman '64 and make a monument to overcomplicateditis.

I have a '68-9 annual and I don't recall the v-top. Purchased in the early '70s, before any re-releases... now I gotta go back and look.

Has the 3Dverse contemplated this one, yet? Seems like a natural. Your rendering has a great look!

That is a beeeeeautiful build! Box art quality, surgically clean. Is there a Hobby Design (or other brand?) photo etch wire wheel that is correct for the 250 GT cars? I know there is a set for the Testa Rossa and GTO... pretty sure I have both. Appreciate any tifosi input!

If you have ever seen a 1:1 ... it is boxy and broad shouldered, which was an intention of the original designers. The dated custom wheels are the only thing really holding it back; it is infinitely more compelling with the Torq-Thrusts available in one of the Monogram 1/24s - or the surprisingly good Cragar SS in the '78 Elco. Engine wise, if it was any more Pontiac, it would be leaking oil and boiling the starter cable (do not ask me how I know this, lmao.) The single greatest drawback is the 1/24 scale, but if you don't give a RF about that, it practically snaps together. Should you decide to be an utter delinquent, I've seen a few bashed with the 1/24 '66 Chevelle SM, ( cos that's the way uh-huh I like it.) Future plans for the few in my stash involve body being draped over a 1/24 Monogram NA$CAR chassis... snagging a correct Ferrari GTO engine and committing utter heresy (you should see where the Pontiac is going) and finishing the replica of the '64 owned by the guy who did me a major solid on my 421 engine purchase. I did one many years ago that is still one of my faves, promise to look for pics this week to share.