Snake45

I've also cheated when the rim is just a little smaller than the tire opening and wrapped the perimeter with a thin cut strip of masking tape to build up the diameter. I can imagine cases where double-sided Scotch tape would be of use, too. I keep a roll of the stuff on hand and every once in a while, it is EXACTLY the cure for some weird problem.

I almost never glue these, but when I do, I'll try Tacky Glue first, and if that doesn't work, superglue (as little as possible).

A few years ago when I was Javelin hunting in The Bay, I got a couple '68s but was never quite able to score a '69. I did cop one '70, which had been built as the Trans Am racer. Later I picked up a resin body (Flintstone, I think) that has the racing flared fenders, so I'm gonna restore the '70 as a stocker and build up a real TA racer on the resin body. I just happen to have an AMT '71 (absolutely mint, pristine kit except someone used the box for a paint stand and the entire main art has a thick coat of white spray paint on it) that will make a lovely donor for glass, chassis, engine, interior, etc., and I'm pretty sure I ordered at least one set of '70 trim parts from Modelhaus. I don't plan to start a collection of TA cars but I would like to do a '70 Javelin and at least one of the Donahue first-gen Camaros. (I'd really like to do all three.)

I think I like the color, but to be honest, your pics are pretty bad. If you could post better pics, I think there's a good chance we could be amazed.

Exactly what I needed to know. Thanks much!

Very sad day. Never met him, but I felt he was a friend. He will be sorely missed.

I'm still praying for him every day. Most days several times.

I ordered some Javelin stuff right at the end, pretty sure I got at least one set of taillights but I don't remember if more than that. I THINK I got enough Javelin stuff to finish up my Javelin projects (3 or 4) but I guess I'll have to wait and see. I do know I have a red promo awaiting its turn to be polished out. Here's a peek at the nose of it, modeling (no pun intended) the difference between a detailed and an all-chrome front end.

One more stupid question, Mopar Gurus: With an Argent grille area, would the headlight rims (rings) be black or chrome? I'm seeing pics of "restored" cars with them both ways. If both ways are acceptable, which would look better with an Argent grille on a black car?

Because the "skin" of the plastic is harder than the "core," kind of like case-hardened steel. Sand off a detail and you expose the softer core.

Shiny! (Both literally and in Firefly-speak.)

I guess JC Whitney was all out of the Double-Secret Extra Long Spring Shackles when he ordered.....

Clear coat before chrome.

That 's always worked for me, too.

And here's a yellow one: http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/images/g/ZnAAAOSwIgNXoYN0/s-l225.jpg

Yeah, it's prepainted in that green, and fairly cleanly, too. I think there might have been other colors as well. I think I've seen a red one. http://www.oldmodelkits.com/jpegs/AMT%2031949%2071Duster.JPG

I did some google-fu and that car (the racer in your pic) seems to be a '67, with chrome trim on the front fender tips and the chrome trim down the side.

That's a very, VERY clean build that you can be proud of! I've done a couple of these Revell snappers and like them a lot. Hadn't thought of doing this one, but you're making me want to....

Thanks for the details, Swede. I too love the first-gen Javs. Have rehabbed a blue one, and have a red one waiting in line, and then a gold-painted one. If you didn't see it, here's the blue one:

I have one and don't remember it being quite as bad as you describe, but it's definitely in that ballpark. And it has the flared fenders of the Trans Am racers, too, which I what I'm gonna do with it if I ever do build it.

Here's another fun fact about the AMT C2 Vettes: On the real '63 Coupes, the windshield pillar and the corresponding area on the door frames was covered with chrome (or some shiny metal) trim. This went away in '64 leaving conventional windshield chrome surround and a thin body-color A-pillar. AMT molded the correct 1963 configuration in 1963, and never changed it. All the '64-'67 coupes are wrong unless you modify them. And it's still that way today, but of course it's now correct again for the '63 configuration. This is the one area where the MPC body is actually more correct/more accurate/better than the AMT body. (Of course, MPC never kitted the '63, they started with '64.)

Oh it all interchanges, no problem. But the backlight in the original annual '63 coupe had a subtle little recess in it for the window split. I wish I'd taken a pic of that before I buttoned that one all back up again.

Fabulous ideas! And I think Jimmy Flintstone offers a body with the correct Trans Am race flared fenders. At least I have such a body somewhere in my stash of Stuff To Get To Someday. (And before y'all try to blow up my PM box: NO!)

You can't argue with a confident man.

I discovered the same thing when I restored one recently. While I was working on it, I acquired a second '63 coupe that came with everything but the engine, the stock wheels & tires--and the glass. But the glass from more recent reissue fit that one just fine, no problems at all, and if you didn't know it, you wouldn't be able to tell. BTW, both restorations are finished, I just need to find the time to load the pics on photobucket and write them up. Hope to get to that sometime soon. They're the green and black cars in this thread: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/120923-the-snakepit-sting-ray-rescue-resto-shop/#comment-1755629