impcon

I am building this kit as a gift for a friend and I thought I'd post what is happening and I will welcome any suggestions or cricism. The car will be built stock but I have decided to update the wee girl using the Revell '64 Fairlane kit that I just bought as a donor. The Fairlane and meteor were built on the same platform right from '62 though '64 so the Revell kit seems like a natural way to give the old annual some sparkle. To start off with, the Metoer that I bought is no gem and I am usually not one to go away from originality on old kits - this one has glue issues on each quarter from cruiser skirts that were on it at one time and then removed, and the S-33 scripts on each quarter panel have been sanded off. I have not built anything in years although I do have another kit on the go right now as well and I hope to have it in primer today. The little Meteor has some good points and it has some bad ones. The good points include the fact thatthe glass is good and there is no breakage on the body. It came apart well using the old deep freeze method and as for the missing grille, fender emblems, etc, - no big deal. They would have been either replaced or replated anyhow. The bad was that it was really gooped up with paint.. and for what ever reason, my Easy off oven cleaner won't take all of the paint off. The can was an old one and I suspect that it may have a shelf life so I will pick a new can up later today. Here's the car when I got it.. It had some sort of custom grile in it so there was no front bumper or grille. The body emblems are somewhat faint.. and as said, the S-33 emblems are gone. The other bad thing is the glue damage on the quarters and around the rear wheel openings. I think I can do something with it though after I get some primer on it. The rear bumper was on it but all new chrome has been oprdered from The Modelhause, so the car should look decent if I can hide the flaws. It's been awhile since I have built or paineted a model so this should be interesting. I have painted lots of real 1;1 cars in the meantime but that is different than painting a model. I figured if I posted pictures and started a thread, that it will keep me focussed on the project and accountable. I lead a pretty busy life so fitting this in will be tricky. Here's the interior as it is at the moment - not exactly stock or perfect. I'll use the Fairlane bucket seats as they are shaped like the Meteor's stock bucket seats. Now here's the car as it sits today - most of the paint came off but I'll give it another shot from a fresh can of Easy off this evening and see what I have. All of the emblems except for the S-33 rear quarter ones are intact but they are not too pronounced so I'll have to go real easy with the paint. The car will be primed with automotive laquer primer and painted with automotive urethane in Wimbledon White with a red stripe inside the side trim and a red interior, just like my friend's new one was when he bought it. He always talked of the car and said he wished that he still had it - sound familiar to any of you guys? It was his first and only new car so it was pretty special. I have done a rough test fit of the Fairlane chassis and it is really close! It'll need some minor trimming but as you can see below, it looks like it will fit right into place under and in the body.. It will allow for so much more realism and make the car more unique. Kindly excuse my dirty hands, I have been out in the shop working and just came back to the house to do this.. Here's the two chassis laid side by side.. So we are off and running. I'll post pictures as i go along and hopefully this is going to go well. It looks almost like a match made in heaven at this point.. I just want it to turn out well for Herb. Those little meteors usually do not go for affordable prices but if this works out, I may do another one for myself IF I can get a good buy on a built up.

A Vista Cruiser would indeed be a prize possesion! I had a real one - a soft, pastel yellow with the woodgrain, all tinted glass, 455, factory A/C, power windows, tilt and cruise. The 455 had a real bad knock so I bought another '72 Vista that was an insurance write off from a wrecking yard and tore it apart. I ended up selling the yellow car but I still have every piece including the factory 8 track player, power seat and power windows that I took from the parts car. I REALLY liked the yellow car and I have regretted selling it many, many times. I have too many projects though and something had to go. But yeah - I'd vote for a Vista Cruiser in a heartbeat!!

What would be a good chassis in your opinion to place under a late 50's/very early '60's GM tandem axle truck? I'd use a 348 engine but I really would appreciate some suggestions as to transmission, frame, front axle and rear ends. Any suggestions will be appreciated. I was thinking of the Ford C600 frame and chassis - I'd have to extend the frame to add the second diff but I am not sure if this would look correct. The wheels on the C 600 are the style that I will use but is the rest of the chassis comparible? I am not hung up on total authenticity but I want it to look as close to stock as possible.

Well once again - they look fantastic! Thank you for sharing.

Looked at The Parts Box website.. I like the Bedford van, the FC ( what ever that means - it's cute and it reminds me of a Vauxhall that I once owned - I have owned two of them - a 1959 Cresta sedan and a Victor that looked just like the one below except mine did not have the driving lights in the grille. I sure would like to have that one back - it was really quaint, cute and fun to drive ) and the tractor is really cool and would make an awesome load for an implement dealership deck truck. Too bad the stuff is so far away - shipping costs would deadly. *sighs* It would be neat to have a trading partner over there.. oh well...

VERY NICE!!!! The colour is eye catching and the vinyl top really does add something extra! I loke the wheels too - how did you get such a realistic look to them? I was in a local hobby shop this past Thursday and looked at this kit and almost bought it. I opted out for something else though and now I am wishing I had bought the Nova. Those Yenko stripes really do look good on those cars... SUre des look good!!!!

I really like the '81 Caprice although they are all nice builds. I have always liked that style and era of GM cars.. we put many miles on a '78 Buick Estate wagon.. Too bad somebody wouldn't do a resin kit of a greenhouse Caprice/Impala from that vintage.. I love the looks of these cars with that unique rear window,, you sure don't see a lot of them around any more..

HOLY MOLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That thing is HUGE! Imagine transporting that around to shows... One can only imagine the time and work that went into that one! It looks like he has a thing for things that reach for the sky and lift.. Impressive, to say the least! Reminds me of that old, old tv program from when I was a kid.. "Look up... look waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy up".. How much ya wanna bet that that fellow was a crane operater in his working years?

The MIB Crown Vicky is VERY nice and I really think that the 55 Chevy sedan is sweet! Then there's the 67 Plymouth - yeah, I like 'em all!!!! Obviously a lot of time and energy went into all of those models shown on this thread. Thank you for posting them.. seem that there just may be a few closet four door fans.

?????????????????????? youknow - sometimes I just don't get it..

Wow! Looks really nice!! That's a must have for any Chrysler fan! The big C bodies are wayyyyyyyyyyyyy too forgotten and under rated.. Now if only someone would do a '66 New Yorker and 300 in convertible and hardtop form....

I'm pondering at this minute buying one of his truck cabs that is on Ebay that seems to be a dream come true and I think I am going to go for it. the price is in line with most other casters and I just do not have the self confidance to try to modify another resin truck to make the truck that I want. Someone said, he is filling in some of the gaps and I for one am grateful that the resin folks are trying to please us while making a dollar or two. What it comes down to is that sometimes something that needs some work is better than nothing at all. Based on what I have read here and saw in some photos though, I am would almost be inclined to stay away from his cars. Having said that though, I will in all fairness still give Curt the benefit of the doubt and probably try one. I've been shafted more than once by sellers of resin kits so I am pretty well numb now - it don't hurt so much when I am disappointed now because anything that is better than what I expected is now a very precious and memorable experience. And really, most sellers are OK, reasonable and fair people. I also agree about the picture issue and I have mentioned in some of my posts before I believe - that many ( most? ) sellers use Ebay's pathetic and ridiculous picture hosting rather than step up to the plate and post some decent pictures. personally, I wouldn't use Ebay's picture hosting if I was selling a box full of used buttons. I really can get frustrated when I see something that interests me but the pictures are out of focus or taken from too great a distance to be able to discern any issues that the model may have such as broken windshield frames on convertibles, broken vent window frames and missing pieces. And for goodness sake, have some ambition and post more than one picture is what my feelings are! I see pictures on Ebay that I would never even dream of posting if I was selling the item and one has to wonder if the focus problem isn't sometimes deliberate. If you want to get a decent dollar for something on Ebay, then your pictures are the most important tool that you have at your disposal followed by an item description that consist of more then four words and a grunt. Seeing something like "old built model for parts or???" to me indicates a lack of ambition and interest on the part of the seller. But anyways back to Frontier Resins.. I am going to buy the truck and let it do the talking when it gets here regarding quality. If I were selling a product like resin kits and stuff, I'd certainly be taking more than one picture and most certainly use a generic chassis or two to do a mock up of what the kit would look like built. I'd bet that his sales would be much higher and so would his final selling prices. Just my opinions..

Hi Art, What you say of course makes perfect sense and I realize that the desires out there are a varied as the number of people on the planet. I understand what you say about the major manufacturers having to focus on what will sell and I agree, not everone likes sedans or wagons. To begin with, my post was aimed more at the resin industry than the large styrene kit manufacturers. I am not so niave as to think that AMT or Revell would produce any sedans or full sized wagons because I know that few people will buy them. Having said that though, I personally get tired of seeing the same old same old on the shelves with the only difference from last time being the box art. It's refereshing to see the few new releases that come out like the '62 and '66 Impalas but my eyes grow weary of GTO's, Corvettes, Mustangs and the likes. It isn't that I don't like those cars but rather it is more a case of just wanting some REAL change. And before anyone gets on me about the economy and all of the other reasons why sales of kits are slow, I understand that. Fortunately, we are blessed with the resin industry and those incredibly talented individuals who make the masters for those kits that never were and never will be produced by the big styrene companies. I say a big "THANK YOU" to them all for stepping out of the box and producing some really, really neat and unique stuff. I am not complaining - just pinein' for some sedans and wagons.. Having said thatthough, maybe some letters to the big companies would let hem know that not everyine wants a '57 Chevy or a Corvette. Just my thoughts..

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!!! I can only imagine the hours that you and your friends put into that diorama! A nice job and a lot of work. My hat is off to you all for your abilities and for seeing the project through. I too would like to see more pictures of the tow truck.. I'd love to do the same theme in a diorama but have the junk yard out back where the tow-ins are hauled in only to be abandoned by their owners who could not or would not pay the towing and storage. Every highway-side gas station has a fenced compound like that - don't they?

I'm with you on the four doors.. I like hardtops and convertibles but there is just something sort of cute and quaint about an old four door sedan or wagon. I saw a '66 Fairlane four door sedan on the road today - what a cutie! Jet black, dog dish hubcaps and really decent paint. It stood out amoung the generic looking anemic jellybean stuff that is produced today. yeah - more four doors and more station wagons - PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!

I hate to say it but I think we'll be losing a lot more suppliers as the economic situation does not seem to be improving at all. Hopefully I am wrong but when the job dries up and it is a struggle to find work, models and toys are among the first things to be set by the wayside. Like I say - I hope that I am wrong.

Maybe what we should all be doing is sending wish lists to the manufacturers to show thatthere is some interest - and suggesting to other people in the hobby to do the same things. Now I know that realistically, we don't stand much of a chance simply because most people seem drawn to hardtops and to a lesser extent, convertibles. But still, if we were precise as to years, makes and models, maybe - just maybe.. For myself, I'd love a '59 Chevy 4 door wagon and a four door sedan followed by a '67 Fairlane wagon *panting, breathing rate accelerating* I still think that a '59 Chevy ambulance would be pretty outrageous too... gotta love them fins!

Hey all! This is just a thought that I had following getting an email from someone in the resin industry. I wondered how man of you guys out there would appreciate having available and would purchase resin or styrene kits or conversions to build the forgotten and unappreciated old road warriors - the four door sedans, four door hardtops and 2 door sedans and - oh yes - the mundane, forgotten old four door wagons and utility vehicles? I am talking about the run of the mill, basic and functional daily drivers that we know and/or grew up with? I am talking about Mom's four door sedan '65 Biscayne or the family wagon from when you were a kid - for me, a four door '59 brookwood four door wagon. I personally think that it would be a good thing to have some of these available to build police cars or taxi's from. Or say an official U.S. Navy 72 Impala four door sedan or a '66 Suburban fire chief's command rig. I am challenging ANYONE who would purchase a standard, normal, average family car or commercial vehicle to list what you would like to see avaialable. the big block Chevelle Super Sports and Ford XL's and the muscle cars in general are great - but the old car hobby is about memories and nostalgia. Ford and Camaro and Dodge are making that quite evident with their barrage of "replicas" thatthey are marketing and it is working well it seems. But most of us never owned a '69 camaro or a '67 Mustang GT or a Challenger. Most of us grew up being driven around in plain, average sedans and wagons and I am pretty sure that at least some of us in the hobby have a soft spot for the plain janes. I want to state that I am not trying to steal any thunder from the other thread in the resin section - we are talking here about normal sedans, wagons, Suburbans, etc. So go ahead and list what sedans or wagons you would like to see avaialble from the people who produce the models. For me, the first choice would be a '59 Brookwood wagon with a six cylinder engine followed by a '59 four door sedan. I know that the Modelhaus has a Brookwood two door wagon - I am talking four doors here or the equivalent ... no muscle or performance cars .. just plain, normal, dull stuff but dull stuff that has soul and inspires precious memories and smiles when ever you see one on the street or in a photo.

:)I would like to say "Thank You" to George 53 - I posted that I needed a chassis and some 8 lugs for a '64 Bonneville that I am going to restore and he sent them just as he promised he would. The chassis is just fine and the lugs are MINT and still on a chrome tree - thanks George.. I appreciate you!

Just imagine that sucker in 1/12 scale???

I have honestly been wondering the same thing.. they reissue old kits but they are always hardtops excpet for a fe like the '70 style Challenger. Those are IMHO a nice kit -- I had one done up in Plum Crazy with a white interior and I loved it! I don't know about where all you guys live but there is no dount that Ford made a wise move to bring back the Mustang convertible. Those things are everywhere around here and while I can't be bothered to buy a model of a new, current car, I'd buy a couple of the Mustang kits if they were available in convertible form. I don't like new vehicles - period! I have no desire to have one but those Mustangs in the right colours sure do catch my eye.

No - I found it - I mean really.. it was there all along.. I just didn't see it.. honest... Maybe I should have used the flashlight the first time that I looked

Thanks but I already have the Brookwood - it's a 2 door version,, I'd REALLY like to see and have a couple of 4 door models. Brooklin Models has a couple of versions of a '59 four door wagon in die cast but it's the wrong scale.. they have lots of four door models so obviously there ARE people who like and want them. It would be nice if the resin people would get with the program.. I know it costs big time to create a master and take it to production but with some of the prices crowding $100.00 for a kit ( by the time you add in shipping ), it sort of suggests that there are people out there who will buy unique stuff just to have it. Just my opinion - and maybe I am wrong.. just thought I'd throw it out there.

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Must be having a senior's moment here .. maybe it's the blonde hair showing through .. but could someone please tell me how to access my message/mail box here??? I can't seem to find it.... Found it.. DUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHH! Am I gonna get sent to the corner for this??? Hope not...

I went on a buying binge and got my first batch of stuff in the mail yesterday. Some interesting stuff like a chassis and a mint set of Pontiac 8 lugs wheels from my good friend George for my '64 Bonneville hardtop ( Thank you George!!! ), a '63 Pontiac Bonneville convertible annual, a '64 Bonneville convertible annual and a couple of '59 Ford convertible annuals.. But here's my newly arrived '63 Metoer HT that I am going to restore and give to a dear friend who bought one of these when they were new. He has another one today but I'll do this to replicate the new one that he bought 'way back when. I love these gooped up paint jobs 'cause when it is all removed, there is more often than not a VERY decent and clean model under neath it all. It'll be a lot of fun bringing this little guy back to life.. I only hope that I can do it justice. Herb's health isn't doing so good so this will be a priority and I know that he will like the little car when he gets it. I need some pieces for it yet like a steering column and fender skirts and the rest is coming from The Modelhaus. I may use a '61 or 62 galaxie steering wheel as they are close to what the Fairlanes and Meteors had. I don't know wht The Modelhaus doesn't offer a steering wheel for these cars because the '62/3 fairlanes used the same wheel. I may convert this to a bench seat car as i think his didn't have buckets I am waiting on another friend to get those details out of Herb in a discreet way but I have lots to do in the meantime on it. I may post pictures of the project as it moves along. This little '64 Chevy is somewhat of a puzzle to me. I am not sure if someone used a newer release cab or what - take a look and give me your feedback. It's on a screw base chassis.. what is your opinion? This one is just going to sit on the shelf for awhile - I have three projects on the go now and I am not starting another one. The windshield pillars are messed up on the cab so I may have to do some surgery.. that should be interesting... other than that and it needing stock dog dish caps ( it appears to have '60 Ford dog dish caps on it at this time ) and a 250 six cylinder engine, it's just fine for now. I've been wanting one of these in a long wide box for a long time and I am just so hapy and grateful now that I have one! it makes me smile every time that I look at it! I know,I know - small things amuse small minds but it does make me happy! It'll be repainted in due time in Seafoam Green, the same colour as a '64 that we used to drive and still own. The American colour books show the colour as Light green but when I repainted one of these trucks in the colour that our truck is, the Canadian colour books used the name Seafoam green for the colour. That truck has a story behind it and hopefully one day, it will be refurbished and driven again. I like the red but it has to go in order to look like our trusty old "Boopsy" - our old 1:1 '64.