gami8630

There's nothing special about the setup. I just attach it to the roll cage by sticking thin strips of double-sided tape to the top and bottom of the window net. Since it's easy to attach and remove, I've been using this method all the time lately.

I'm always happy to receive your replies.

Thank you all for your replies. I worked hard to build it while looking at many images online.

Thank you for your reply. I worked hard to build it while looking at many images online.

Thank you so much for your kind words.

It's a very beautiful finish !

I built the Wrangler Jeans-colored Chevrolet Monte Carlo Aero Coupe that Dale Earnhardt drove during the 1986/87 season. While Dale Earnhardt's Chevrolet body color is typically represented by black and silver, symbolizing one of his nicknames, “the Man in Black,” I prefer the blue and yellow body color from his earlier days when Wrangler Jeans sponsored him. That's why I built this model in that color scheme. The base kit is the 1986 season Monte Carlo from Junior Johnson Racing, released by Salvinos Jr. Models in 2020. The decals are Power Slide's #142 “85-87 WRANGLER JEANS MONTE CARLO”. The following is an overview of this build: ●Body Rear end of front wheel arch and air dam area reshaped, vent hose outlet pipe added to left rear body panel, hood pin position modified, 3D-printed radiator grille installed, left headlight cover modified, Installation of a homemade rear spoiler made from plastic sheet, embedding 3D-printed rivet parts into the front air dam and rear spoiler ●Chassis Replaced part of the roll cage with a bar featuring safety pads, added and extended the front hoop, added an oil cooler mounting bracket ●Engine & Drivetrain Converted the rear section of the exhaust pipe to dual outlets, replaced with 3mm diameter plastic tubing, added spark plug wires, Added a differential cooler drive pulley to the differential ● Suspension: Changed from twin shock to single shock specification ● Cockpit Replaced bucket seat with a modified, wider AMT GEN4 NASCAR kit part, added a 3D-printed ignition box, reshaped the kit's window net after detaching it ● Body Painting Body was sprayed with Tamiya Super Surfacer (Gray) and Fine Surfacer (White), then coated with TS-16 Yellow and TS-93 Pure Blue. Finished with a TS-13 Clear coat before applying decals. While the cockpit and engine compartment are not exact replicas of the vehicle Dale Earnhardt actually drove, I believe I've reasonably recreated those of a NASCAR race car from that era. Therefore, I consider the build of this kit complete at this point. 2025/09/17 The image has been replaced.

Thank you all for the replies!

Thank you very much. Your reply is very encouraging.

I am delighted that you praised my build with KFC's famous catchphrase!

Thank you for your reply and suggestion. It's not that extreme, but I adjusted the front wheel position and lowered the front nose a little.

Unfortunately, I have never been to the United States to watch a NASCAR race, but I would like to go at least once. I am interested in superspeedways such as Daytona and Talladega, the traditional Darlington, and Bristol, the world's fastest half-track.

Thank you both very much for your replies. Junior Johnson is one of the legendary figures in NASCAR history, so I had been thinking about making a kit of the car he drove for a long time. In 1973, the movie “The Last American Hero” was released in Japan, and I saw it at the time. Until then, big races like the Daytona 500 were occasionally broadcast on Japanese television, but after seeing this movie, I was able to feel the depth of NASCAR.

Thank you for always replying.

Thank you both very much for your replies. Many people in Japan enjoy building racing car kits, but unfortunately, I think only a very small number of people focus on Nascar kits. For some reason, I have loved stock car racing since I was a child, so I enjoy building Nascar kits regardless of their age. With the spread of the Internet, it has become easier to purchase kits and decals from overseas and obtain a wealth of information, making it easier to build Nascar kits than in the past.

Thank you very much for your reply.

This model is based on Junior Johnson's Chevrolet Impala, which achieved 9 pole positions, 7 wins, and 14 top 10 finishes in the 33 races of the 1963 Grand National Series. The engine installed in this Impala was the highly powerful 427 Chevrolet Mark II V8, which became known as the “Mystery Motor.” The base kit is the 1996 reissue of AMT/ERTL's “1963 Chevrolet Impala SS,” a 3-in-1 kit featuring “STOCK/CUSTOM/ADVANCED CUSTOM” configurations. While the engine is reproduced, the parts required to convert it to NASCAR specifications are not included, so various modifications will be necessary this time. Therefore, in addition to the base kit, I have also prepared AMT's “Chevrolet Bel Air SS Northwind A/S Racing Version,” “'66 Chevy Modified Stocker,” and “'64 Ford Galaxie Modified Stocker.” The decals are from Mike's Decals, specifically PPP's “JR. JOHNSON/RAY FOX 1963 Impala.” The following is an overview of this project: ● Body modifications: The emblem, molding, and wipers molded into the body were removed, and a race-spec fuel port and fuel overflow pipe were added. In addition, the triple tail lights were removed and replaced with 4mm diameter stainless steel spacers. The radiator and front firewall are reused parts from the “BEL AIR SS.” ● Front grille and front/rear bumpers: An aluminum sheet was applied to the license plate mounting area, and headlight covers were installed. ● Engine: The base kit engine is a 409CID engine, so the engine from the “66 CHEVY MODIFIED STOCKER,” which resembles the Mystery Motor in appearance, was reused. Plug wires were added, but no other minor modifications were made. ● Tires and Wheels: The tires are POLAR RIGHTS Mercury Cyclone tires, and the wheels are PPP HM-9 Holman Moody 9-inch wheels. ● Cockpit Equipment: The cockpit has been replaced with a race-spec tab from the “'64 FORD GALAXIE,” and the dashboard instrument panel has been modified to a race-spec version with additional gauges. The bucket seats use parts from a Ford Torino Cobra that I found in a junk parts box. with custom-made side supports added using plastic rods. The roll cage was custom-made using Evergreen rods. In summary, while no elaborate modifications were made, the atmosphere of Johnson's Chevrolet Impala was sufficiently recreated, so the build was completed as is.

Thank you very much. Bobby Allison's red and gold paint scheme is very impressive, so I am very satisfied with my creation.

Thank you for your reply. I would really like to improve the accuracy a little more, but I always end up compromising.

Due to an operational error, I posted the same reply twice, so please ignore this reply.

Due to an operational error, I posted the same reply twice, so please ignore this reply.

Thank you for your high evaluation. Thank you for your reply. I will continue to strive to improve my craftsmanship.

MarkJ, I have never posted WIP in progress on this forum. Instead, when I publish completed kits, I write in some detail about the work I did.

Thank you for your reply. All of your builds are always very helpful.

Great build. Your WIP was a great reference for me when I was building my Monte Carlo.