Can-Con

Looks great Jeff. Love that blue on it.

Looks fine to me. It's about what I remember for the one I owned. I found this pic that's taken at about the same angle, looks good to me. BTW, , I should add, this IS NOT my old Nova. It was the same color and trim level but 4 inches lower all around sitting on Magnum 500s with white letter Bridgestones , , and much more rusty.?

Looks great in that color, Jeff. What is it exactly?

You're gonna need more then just a resin copy of the earlier grille. The area around the headlights is different so the earlier grille won't just drop in. Possibly the hood too, I'd have to check the ones I have to say for sure.

Perfect ! ???

Finished up the interior today. Kept it simple , just paint and a little black flocking.

I'd like to see a pic of the inside of the hood where the hinge attaches to it.

Maybe tanks from one of the 1/32 scale snap kit semis?

They were silver, Bill. Remember this was the first year for the Riv, Buick's "prestige" car so it was special. They were green in '64 and '65, same as other Buicks.

I like where you're going with this Dennis but one stupid question, You said you wanted to do a '63 but waited for a distresses rebuilder. Why didn't you start with a common as dirt '65 since your filling the side scoops anyway? Not that I think you've "ruined a rare kit" or anything like that it's just you could have done the same thing a lot sooner with a '65.

Oh well. I guess I'll just have to live with that. ??

First pic, left is AMT '70s Ford pickup Right is AMT '65 Chevelle wagon/Elcamino Second pic, Left, MPC '75 Chevy Caprice [possibly '74] right, AMT '65 Buick Riviera

Thanks everyone for the kind comments. It makes all the trials that went with this build all worth it. ??

Um, hate to tell you this Mike but your valve covers are upside down. The wider side goes to the bottom.

Yea, what Mike said. , ,PLUS , , That e-bay grille is from a 1'24 Monogram kit. It won't fit the MPC pickup. Wrong scale and wrong front fenders and hood for it. It's be easier to just get the Revell/Monogram 1/24 scale kit to start with.

Greg hasn't been here on about a year and a 1/2. But I think he did finish it. His company name is "Holy Grail Resin". You might be able to get ahold of him through that name but li looks like a lot of the posts on the website for the last year are spam, I see it's on facebook too, might be the best way to get a hold of him.

Just finished reading your article, Adam. I'm kinda puzzled, you say you couldn't figure out what was going on with the body and decals. Don't know if you went back and read the comments in your original post on the subject but I believe everything was answered in that thread. Bed was not stock on the original show truck, Long wheelbase truck with the rear of the bed bobbed off, kit is a regular short wheelbase. Pics on box are of the show truck built by "California Stepside" for car shows and promotions. The kit probably represents the standard kit the company sold for the short wheelbase trucks that the kit was since it's first issue. "California Sunshine" wasn't just one show truck. It was what they called their aftermarket wide body package they sold for the Datsun trucks just as the sold aftermarket stepside beds for them. That said, I'd think the kit , while not the exact truck shown on the box, would more accurately represent a truck a customer would be able to build with the company's kit for a short wheelbase truck. Anyway, Just my opinion. , ,and here's a link to the original discussion.

I wasn't going to mention it Jeff but no, it was a '66 only thing on that series ['64-'66] of Thunderbirds. But, it's pretty easy to make it into the regular top by cutting a strait line from the top of the window to the mold line just behind the door parallel to the rear edge of the roof and adding a strip of thin plastic for the rain gutter. I think it still looks fine though.

AMT kit with printed wheels and an injected 409. Not perfect, I see a few mistakes but I'm pretty happy with it.

Looks great Gerald.

Does the resin hood clear your injection setup, Jeremy?

It's a good thought David but it's in the final stages now. Bumpers, mirrors and such. I'll just have to plan a bit further ahead next time. I'll just chalk it up to a "learning experience". ?

Here's a page from the brochure, Jeremy. Says the halo and canopy were available but I bet the dealer would put a full vinyl roof on if the buyer wanted it and was willing to pay for it. BTW, by '74, GTX was an option package on the Road Runner, not a separate trim level, you may already know that though.

Thanks Greg, that's the one. ?

Looking good. I kinda hope Round2 reissues that series. I had the '69 Chevelle when I was a kid and it seems to me that it looked better then their 1/25 kit.