Oldcarfan27

This Impala looks so elegant in red! Reminds me of a potential restoration project my dad and I looked at some 20 years ago. It was a 60 convertible, red on red just like yours. We wanted to buy it to restore it back to stock. They wanted something like $3800 and we were so excited to buy it - until we went to see it.... No floors, seats, hood or grille. Trim was trashed, the car was found abandoned in a field and it looked like it should jave stayed there! What a mess. Yours is what we were dreaming it was going to look like afterwards. Alas, we didn't have that much money or talent to save that one. And yet the seller wouldn't go down on the price! Amazing.

Oh yeah, and it's better detailed too.

I agree, Round 2 should have it, so it should be an easy repop.

Hmm, no dents in the bed. Guess he didn't carry much. Looks great, thanks for the pics. Now I can start mine.

Anytime. Thing I've found is that most modelers enjoy sharing their knowledge and tips to other builders to help them be better at it. If I have shortcuts and advice to give someone who can use it, I'm more than happy to share my experiences to make it easier for them to be a better builder.

You can use the complete chassis from the AMT GMC stepside pickup, its already a shortbed so you don't have to cut it down.

I've been contemplating doing this same conversion, seeing yours makes me want to do it too! Can you add more pictures please? Side view, engine, bed and chassis. You've inspired me.

Keep in mind the thickness of the masking tape. Paint builds up at the tape line, so in scale it becomes a huge line that you now have to try to blend in. Unless you can do it at the hood seam, it generally doesn't work. I have heard of modelers using Bare Metal foil as a mask with good results. Just use strips at the area you want to mask off and use masking tape to protect the rest. I have used aluminum foil to cover the rest of the car and tape it at the paint area. It's quick, cheap and doesn't damage paint as tape sometimes can.

Try taking pictures outside in natural daylight, but NOT in the bright midday sun, which will cast harsh shadows. And try to use reflective lighting in the dark areas. See if that gives you more accurate color reproduction. Your car looks more orange than red because incandescent lights give off a yellow hue. Florescent lights give off blue tint. You can also use the photo edit tool on your phone to "cancel out" the unwanted tint. Go to edit, then hue and slide the bar to choose a tint that reverses the yellow and adds a cooler hue to your red. Or changes the color altogether. Like this.... If you trim away the background and paste it exactly on top of the original picture, it'll look like you actually painted the car a different color. Try it, it's fun!

If I might ask, what kit is this? Is it the old Monogram? It looks great! I've wanted to build a nice 427 Cobra, but I've read so many bad reviews about so many Cobra kits that I've been reluctant to buy any of them. Is this kit accurate enough out of the box or does it require a lot of corrections to make it right? I'm not a Cobra expert, so I don't know what is different between the small and big block Cobras. I just like the overstuffed look of the 427s!

Honestly, what Jantrix said would probably save you the most frustration in the long run. Since you're only dealing with white paint and not a bunch of other details yet, it's best to bail out now, rather than dig deeper trying to fix what little is left. With a fresh start I would suggest using white primer as a base, that way if you polish too thin it won't be as hard to touch up. Experienced painters say to use a base primer that is close to your color coat so you wont have to use as much color to cover it and you'll get a more even finish. Also use clear coat on top of the color for added depth and to protect the color from final polishing. This is especially true for metallic paints which can't be polished without a clearcoat on top. Polishing without clear will expose the metal particles and make the paint look splotchy and dull. Also, next time use masking tape to protect edges and sharp details from being cut through with the polishing sheets. That's also what the pros do on real cars, and if they know that they could cut through the paint, then how would we amateurs think we WON'T. Best wishes and don't give up, you'll get it. Remember, with so many methods to strip paint from plastic - you can always start over. Just try to get the paint right before adding chrome trim or decals so you won't ruin them if you do have to start over.

This shot just gave me an idea - the "Sprint Baron" backing it in! Using the Monogram sprint car kit with this. Picture it with the staggered wheels and wrapped in a roll cage with sponsors billboards on top. Any takers? I don't have either kit or I'd try it myself.

Looks like something Ed "Big Daddy" Roth would do today. Very creative.

I'm liking this shot. Car has a reclined, leaned back stance to it. Like it's saying "I'm cool and I know it" This car would be a drive-in hit! I think quad headlights would give it an early 60s vibe. Put down low just above the springs on either side of the radiator shell, they would emphasize the wide track of the axle perfectly.

I checked out the thread, great details, very inspiring. When you do get going on it again, please post the progress. I have a suggestion for the decal fiasco, why not paint that fender as a replacement. The truck's almost 30 years old, it's bound to have had some "misjudgments" in it's time. And then press on with the build!

Still looks good! Thanks for sharing.

I like the optional "popped top". Any interior?

You shoulda showed us the messy side, that looks pretty clean to me.

I've acquired a few, simply because they were in the boxes of parts that I really DID want. I got two of their 65 Corvette coupes this way, while they are restorable, I just have no desire to waste my effort to do so. They're so bad I can't even use them for parts. ? I did also get a 61 Cadillac this way - and its not too bad. That one I may restore because I'll never get one in my regular scale - 1/25. I also got a 67 Galaxie from the thrift store decades ago. Like people said, the box art hooked me, but the contents - Meh ?. It's missing the roof, but looking at other built ups, it probably isn't much of a loss. Again I may reassess it as a possible restoration/conversion candidate. Not gonna find Galaxies growing on trees anymore, Right?

...And they're probably still available for that same price today! ? lol.

I'd have to give the nod to the 55. Even though the 57 is more popular, the 55 has a purer, cleaner design. Without all the styling gimmicks came to define the end of the 50s. It was also the first Chevy V8, and it was when they sold their 50 millionth car.

Not needed, anyway. We know what it is even without the body. It was THAT unique! Great job.

Anyone think Chip Foose would still be in business if he was building stuff like this?

No, for aerodynamics. ?

You were able to make THAT with it? Great job, it doesn't need the body, that would just hide all that hard work! Why did you sell it? Someone got a deal!