john66

Just started this tonight. I have some of the engine done.---John

It's done. I have a couple spots to fix, I hope. I had to fix the alternator. It broke off and I had to try to squeeze it in after assembly. I used super glue and I think that got on my finger. I have a tiny smear on the right door and left upper fender near the hood. Can this be buffed out with rubbing compound? Also the fit was funky. The right side of the body snapped in good but the left side didn't want to go over the frame like the right. Also the wheels are wobbley. I put the axles all the way in the wheel but they didn't seem far enough. Oh well live and learn.---John

It's really going fast. Engine needs a few more parts. Should be done in a few days.---John

NICE! I still want to do a flip nose conversion from a plastic kit.....some day,---John

All done, Kurt's 2018 Bristol winner.---John

Thanks, I see what you are saying. The Tow Lane Blacktop was an early 70s car, the Grafitti car was earlier before the 454 was around. Some progress, it is moving fast. I have the basic engine block primed and detail painted the door handles- window cranks and steering wheel.--John

Next up is the Revell 1/25 metal body '55 Chevy from American Grafitti. I am building it as the movie car even though Revell didn't go all the way with accuracy. They goofed up with the front suspension, exhaust, flip nose among other things. I may do a "politically correct" '55 with the flip nose but want to use a plastic kit. I have no interest in dragging out my grinder with a cut off wheel to hack up the front end. Had nuff of that when I retired from welding a few years back.I will probably detail paint the engine and a few other areas but I really just want to get this on the shelf.---John

The decals are done. Installing the glass is next then it's done.---John

It was George Lucas riding on the side of the car.---John

Thanks, the decals are going on very nicely. I've used very little solvaset. The only problem area was the rear quarter panels where the HAAS CNC decal needed to fit the contour around the wheel well and where the decal bends over the body near the rear window.---John

My favorite hot rod, 1/25 Revell metal body '32 Deuce Coupe from American Grafitti. I also have the '55 Chevy 1/25 metal body coming later this week.---John

I tried the nose on the body. From what I see the best way to paint this is glue the belly pan to the nose. Then paint the nose and body at the same time but not connected with tape or glue. If the fit is off a bit it shouldn't be noticed as the nose has that rubber seal all around it anyways.I also tried it with the chassis in the body and the belly pan goes over the frame so you can't glue the nose to the body first, it won't fit right. I will prime the nose and body white then paint both yellow at the same time but not connected as shown in the last picture.---John

Here's where I am at as of now. I pulled the front wheels off and opened up the axle holes then pushed them in as far as they would go. The body is gloss coated and ready to decal tomorrow. Then I can dull coat the body, add the glass and it should be finished.---John

More construction.---John

Almost ready to decal. This kit almost falls together. Beautifully engineered EXCEPT for the wheels. I fought the wheels and thought I was going to snap them off trying to get them in all the way. The worse i have ever dealt with. They don't set inside the body far enough. Anyways after fighting them and yanking the front wheels off I got them as good as I could, still not happy. I am about ready to decal it then add the glass and it is done.---John

I have the interior and engine glued to the chassis.---John

I just sprayed the chassis and firewall yellow. I also painted the gas tank flat aluminum.---John

I am about 1/2 done with this. I have the interior done and the engine done. I am currently priming the chassis flat white getting it ready for the yellow. I see the instructions show putting the body on the frame-chassis unit then adding the nose. Is there any construction reason why the nose can't be added to the body before adding it to the chassis-frame unit? I want to paint the nose-body as one unit to get a good uniform paint job. Here's a few pictures of where I am at.---John

Thanks, very interesting stories and information. Is channeling dropping the body to be lower than the side frame channels? That would mean you wouldn't see the frame because the body would be dropped over it? I understand channel as I was an iron worker for many years.---John

Thanks, the top chop I saw here on You Tube. A place called The 40 Watt Garage. They explain it pretty good.---John https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=A2KIbMfEPdZcmKYAnDdXNy

How much head room would there have been if they did section the body and chop the roof? It seems "Milner" was already crouching as he drove with just the roof chopped.---John

Thanks, this is a ways off. I am still gathering information. I still have a '69 Dodge Charger Daytona which is about 1/3 done, a 2017 Kurt Bush Monster Energy Fusion Nascar about 3/4 done, a '70 Plymouth Superbird with just the engine done, a '69 Dodge Daytona NASCAR kit unstarted and a Mark Martin Folgers Thunderbird still in the box unstarted. I am not sure when to do the coupe or what "kit" to use.---John

Thanks for the information. I did build the 1/25 Revell 5 window coupe as a "looks similar too" yellow Deuce coupe about 4 years ago. I was never totally happy with it. I didn't know how much to chop out of the door posts and windshield at the time so I left it stock. I did however learn how to make the bobbed rear fenders from the kits and made motorcycle fenders from plastic card stock. Now to put it all together with what i am learning now. I am very weak on frames and suspension, something I never really paid attention to.---John

Yes that Deuce coupe, the American Grafitti coupe of John Milner fame. I have decided one way or another to build one. I will either seek out the old Revell metal body kit or use the 1/25 Revell 5 window coupe kit and chop the top of the roof to lower the stance. What has evaded me is the engine. I have heard it was a 283 but others say it is a 327. Also what color was the engine block, from all the images I have seen I can't really tell, it looks black or very dark gray? I would think a Chevy of that size and year would be an orange or reddish orange color. Any advice would be appreciated.---John

I am new here but been around modelling since I was 10 years old back in '63. My father got me interested in models way back. I started out doing anything and everything from monsters, to 3 in 1 cars, Lindberg, Hawk, Revell, Monogram whatever caught my eye. I have done a lot of aircraft and military models but am leaning more towards my first love which was hot rods, stock cars, dragsters and muscle cars. I am currently looking at doing the '32 Deuce Coupe from American Grafitti and also the old Monogram Superbird with it's rare burnt orange "one of a kind" paint job. I have plenty of time now that I am retired from the "rat race". John