DoctorLarry

That was my Laguna S-3. I built a replica of my real car. If you want accurate interior, use the parts from a Revell 77 Monte Carlo Snap Kit. They are real hard to find now, but I have some spare parts I would donate to the cause.

Another nice build, Tim!

Beautiful job in all areas. What did you use for the interior paint?

Straight out of the 70's street scene. Nicely done. All it needs now is a set of yellow Lakewood traction bars...

Gerald, are you selling copies of the wheels? I'd like to get them. Did Tim use them on his build as well?

Who did the wheels?

Who did the wheels, Gerald?

I love this body style and being able to do "what if's". That's what is fun. Much cheaper than doing it to real cars, too!

New projects, continuing with my favorite Pontiac A body, the 1973 Grand Am. I have two things I am starting. On the left is one of my old resin castings. It will be a lowered road race style Grand Am. 17x10 Fifteen52 wheels all around (resins from Germany, as I recall), flared fenders and rear spoiler courtesy of a 1985 Olds FE3-X? Cutlass (EBAY), random tires from the parts bin, my own resin interior tub, dash, steering wheel and console, Clearly Scale Recaro Sport front seats from another interior box of stuff, 67 Chevelle Pro Street chassis narrowed to fit (EBAY). I was thinking of a wide body stretch but that might be too much work. Engine from a Revell Firebird (EBAY again), my own resin firewall and core support and everything else from scratch. 1975 Fire Coral Bronze paint and dark saddle interior. Saddle tan felt carpet. The other one on the right is a Robert Burns 73 GA. It will be a stocker. Starlight Black/oxblood interior. Jay's Resin Rally II wheels and tires. 66 GTO chassis shortened to fit. Revell Firebird engine. My own resin tub, dash, door panels, console, column and steering wheel. Maroon craft felt carpeting. Decanted Rust Oleum matte burgundy interior paint from an airbrush and black lacquer/Tamiya clear on the body. Robert's car does not have a separate hood and you have to be VERY careful when you cut it loose on the underside or you will cut through the nose. Guess how I know.. Both cars will have sheet acetate windows and Molotow chrome. I may try BMF on the bumpers but I have never had good luck with that stuff. 1mm nail tape for stripes.

I sometimes check this thread but if people want to ask me about things, we have a private message board for those things and that way it shows up in my message box and I can respond. I can still do a Grand Prix. I am now doing interiors for Robert Burns' cars so I have not been doing bodies lately but I still have a good mold for a 74/5 Grand Am. My 73 mold is worn out and needs replacing so I have not done that yet since it is time consuming and the materials are expensive. I don't try to "get anyone's hopes up". I do the bodies for fun and because nobody else did them before Robert. It was always a hobby for me and not a formal business. I did casting on the side when I had time so sorry if folks felt otherwise. I did not want to indicate it was a primary business. Here is the 74/5GA:

That was the intention. I love Golden Olive/Saddle as a combo so I found a close substitute.

This project has been in the pile for quite some time. I think it has gone through two moves and has languished on the bench. I finally forced myself to concentrate and get it finished. A few bumps and bruises from being handled so much but if I had the time and money I would build a 1-1 duplicate of it (or a 73 or 75-probably a 73). My own resin body and interior, Revell 66 GTO chassis cut to fit. Revell Firebird engine. Fireball resin Quadrajet. My own resin firewall. Scratchbuilt headers, A/C system and washer bottle. Resin battery. Radiator and core support and front inner fenders resin copied from somewhere. I can't remember. Resin Fifteen52 17 inch wheels and parts box tires. Exhaust from a Cutlass, I think with scratch built splitters. Parts box air cleaner. Chrysler/Jeep Rescue Green paint. Stripes done with 1mm nail tape (go to your local beauty supply store). Molotow chrome and sheet plastic windows. A little rough but I like it.

Very nice-who did the wheels?

Another killer build, Tim!

Beautiful buid.

Very cool mashup and well executed!

The one on the left is my kit. The one on the right is what I think is a bad recast. Same car, obviously but if you zoom in on the interior tub it is full of bubbles and pits, same as the body. The T tops were also cut out, which mine does not have. That could have been done after it was cast. The rear bumper also has a tab on it that mine does not. Just a bad copy.

Finished the 74 LeMans. 73 is pretty much a repeat and next would be 73 Grand Am since all use the same lower door panels. Cutlass will take minor dash mods, new door panels and different seats but I think I have a system down.

And nothing I make is copyrighted or registered, so anyone can copy any of them. I copied a design, they duplicated mine. A little different. All is in the FWIW column, anyway. I just would be concerned that someone would think I would sell something that was that bad. Someone paid $138 for the privilege, so maybe I should be pleased about that (tongue firmly in cheek).

Yes, and I acknowledge that when I make them. In the US, a design patent is only good, as I understand it, for 15 years from the date it is granted. So the design patents would have expired long ago under those circumstances anyway. "A disadvantage of US design patents is the limited period of protection, only 15 years from the date of grant. Once the design patent expires, it cannot be used to enforce rights against those who would copy the design." Source: Foundationlaw.com

Yes, because they would be admitting that they had copied someone else's intellectual property. Especially since the original castings are still available from me. I understand from some threads that I have seen on the board that some out of availability resins had been re-cast by others. Doesn't make it right, but it would be somewhat different. The builder did a killer job on this. I was amazed at the detail.

I do some resin casting for fun on the side, mostly all 73-77 Collonade GM cars. I do it partly because few people (till Robert Burns) did them. I have not come on re-casters of my work that I recall till recently. I did 75 and 76 Buick Indy 500 Pace Cars because I thought they were cool and you could get decals for both. I usually scan EBAY to see what kinds of stuff people are doing and lo and behold I see a 76 Pace Car, advertised as "the only 76 Pace Car kit made". Sure enough, one of my cars. I thought initially it was just a re-sale, which is cool but in looking at the details it was a REALLY bad re-cast of what I had done. Full of bubbles, pits and rough edges. The seller said it would "need some work" but wow, was it bad. I hope nobody associates it with me. Last look it was bid up to over a hundred bucks. It'll take 25 bucks worth of putty and primer to fix that thing up but I guess somebody wants one that badly. I know that others have had similar experiences but this was my first. Probably won't be the last, either. Here is what a master builder did with one of mine:

I already have done the interior for the 73 GS. Paul Hettick used one in this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/155028118173?nma=true&si=pccVAJM3esz%2BZJOyGxJs9pBgFvQ%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Did you get the 74 LeMans?

Some of you may have seen or bought 3D printed bodies from Robert Burns (Too Many Projects). The bodies have exceptional detail and are very crisp. The only problem with them (maybe besides cost) is they are only bodies with trim. They don't have interiors , chassis or other incidentals (although I think he has made a generic chassis now). For the Collonade cars (Lemans and Cutlass, Can Am, Regal) an appropriate scale interior candidate is from the Jo-Han 1975 Cutlass. Some resin suppliers simple re-cast this with their bodies despite the fact that it is not accurate (even for the 75 Cutlass). The dash has good detail but the door panels are flat and the seats are terrible. I have done resin castings for the 73, 75 and 76 Buick Regals and so when I got my Lemans body I started on an accurate interior. I'm about 90% done at this point. The Cutlass tub and dash are a good starting point after you get rid of the front seats and console. I'm making this modular so I can do different door panels and seats depending on year and make. Some 73 GTO's, some Lemans cars and Can Am's used different upper door panels. Cutlasses used different upper and lower panels and almost all had different seat patterns. The tubs will reflect the back seat upholstery but everything else will be separate.