alan barton

Yeah, it feels positively un natural, but hey, it's just a Chevy! Will get a dashboard photo shortly. Cheers Alan

First of all, let me say that I rarely if ever build box stock, so what you see here is about as close as I get. I started this model along time ago but after getting a coat of Testor's gloss white on it I lost interest. It's been sitting in its box for close to three decades. However, as our club is doing a large American Graffiti diorama this year, it struck me that this old girl might finally come out of the dark, so to speak. I masked up the body for some Rustoleum turquoise and it came out nice so I used it on the interior as well, topped with Testor's Dullcote. I had the left over green sticker inserts from the first issue of the Monogram 59 Chevy convert kit so I whacked them on for a bit of interior detail. I did a simple Right Hand Drive conversion and posed the front wheels. The wheels are the stock package for now with Tamiya dark grey wash but I will swap them out for some American Racing five spokes when the show is over. Look, there is no denying that there are some slightly awkward proportions on this kit but my passion is for pre- war hot rods so that is not the end of the world for me. I can see that a 56 Chevy fan would be much more critical, and rightly so. But it assembled easily and required no finessing to make the parts fit. For me, it will make a perfect extra in the club diorama and it is one less box in the shelf, so its all good! Cheers Alan

My hat is off to you for identifying all the pieces necessary to build such a convincing replica. Isn't it wonderful that Revell over the last 25 years has given us such a diverse range of important hot rod model parts? Almost like the 21st century version of AMT trophy kits. A lot of people would not have noticed the full length trunk lid. And Ed's rooves are a great addition to any traditional rod. Congratulations on a beautiful model. Cheers Alan

Wow, I could use that technique. I have a huge stash of number decals but they are typically too large (1/24th NASCAR) or the wrong colour for the paint - you know the type of thing. I take it these masks are somehow computer cut? Cheers Alan

Apart from the fact that this model is so amazingly creative, did you see how accurate he was? I dream of being able to file up a bit of plastic that was darn near a perfect press fit into an opening as he did with this window glass. And what is that wonder glue that he is using that glues up anything? Thanks for posting, Bob, that was a real eye opener! Cheers Alan

The degree of difficulty of this project is beyond comprehension! It just might be the most incredible build ever seen on this forum. Sure, there are other fantastic scratchbuilds out there but all the ones I can think of were based on well documented automobiles. You built this from a bunch of screen shots! I tip my hat to you sir, this is truly amazing, proof that human beings can do anything! Cheers Alan

Yep, sorta. I will put it up here when completely finished. It is a blend of his car and the one he built for John Corno, plus a few of my own touches. But it is pure white and it does have the altered wheelbase so as soon as you look at it you know it is a Buttera car. The hood treatment was my own design whereby I have made the side panels by cutting up a 69 Nova hood to include the vents. Cheers Alan

Wow, talk about 10ilbs of potatoes in a 5 lb bag! The 38 hood sides are a very interesting touch. It will be nice if you can get the nose down a fraction, for all us old hot rodders but if not, like you say, it is all wheel drive! Cheers Alan

That's an amazing range of phone booths you've got there Kit, including at least two from Oz! That first green and black one made me produce a funny squeaking sound - my, that is a beautiful car! I'm still torn on hood design - I like what you are doing with yours but I just completed a John Buttera roadster build where I tried something completely different and it worked so well I am thinking of using it on the pickup as well. Is it wrong to have two different model As on your shelf with the same unusual hood treatment? - ahh, decisions, decisions! The Jag rear is taking shape - not perfectly prototypical but good enough for my shelf, and I got to use up surplus, incomplete parts. Hope to get paint on the frame this weekend. Cheers Alan

Lee, that s just stunning. Easily the best Anglia I have seen in many years. I have a soft spot for this model, having received a Skippers Critter for my 13th birthday and catching chicken pox on the same day - so I didn't have to go to school for the last two weeks of the year and I got heaps of time to build my model! I have to applaud you for the outstanding masking and fadeaway paint. it must be awesome to be able to look at this any time you want - what a great achievement! Cheers Alan

No worries, Chuck, and thank you to Snake also for pointing out my whoopsie. Your comment about the offensiveness of an inaccuracy is spot on - I have a passion for hot rods and while never having a problem with the often criticised Monogram 37 Tudor, I could never understand people defending the obvious (to me) awkwardness of the AMT 34 Tudor. Nor could I understand why so many people build the very distorted AMT 32 Roadster and yet pan the beautiful Monogram 32 roadster for being in 1/24th scale. The beauty of this hobby is that, we are all free to build what we like and do as much work as we like to enjoy a finished result. Using my examples above, I have built all of them, multiple times but you simply adjust your expectations and work effort accordingly. It's a rare kit that has only cons, and no pros! To the original poster, I hope you continue to enjoy the hobby and find models that meet your expectations. Some are better than others and only you can decide what will give you that enjoyment. Cheers Alan

Hmmmm, he said, thinking about how many AMT hoods he has and how big a nightmare the multipiece Revell hood is, hmmmmmmm........ Thank you for that poke, the hood is my next challenge - hoping to have the Jag rear sorted tonight. Cheers Alan

I've built a bunch of these, Jim, including this one. Stance is everything - the rear just has to be a freckle higher to give it some serious tuffness! Love your wheel detailing. Cheers Alan

Love it! Cheers Alan

Chuck, I really want to thank you for those beautiful photos of your two magnificent models. The level of detail plus your outstanding photography really has one wondering if they are scale or full-size! Beautiful work. As my second kit ever as a primary school student was an AMT 57, I have had a life long love for the kit and saw no need to look further. I have two built, a red hardtop and a white convertible after a bit of surgery, plus a Nomad conversion coming along. Your two examples here show me that I might just have to check the Revell snapper and the AMT Pro Shop next time I come across them. Thank you kindly for the enlightenment! Cheers Alan

I like it! It's got a real Zinger feel to it - modelling for fun, as it should be! The colours suit the theme perfectly. Cheers Alan

O.K. Kit, when this thread finally reaches its conclusion, you have to start a Kit Karson Tribute 34 pickup build thread! That is one nice truck! Cheers Alan

OK, a long overdue update. The first photo shows the chassis getting close to its first coat of primer. The blue stuff is original Blue Beetle plastic, the white is Evergreen repairs and modifications. I have spent quite a bit of time so far working out how to mount the Jag rear. I have a small collection of old Jag parts and intend to scratchbuild some missing items. My only concern is that as per the title of this thread, scratchbuilding most of a rear end is not really in the spirit of one of Tim's builds - his knack for kit bashing is legendary (mind you, I never did have a stash of Logghe chassis funny cars to chose from!). But I think the Jag is an important part of the era and hope this overcomplicationitis doesn't distract from the theme. The second photo is of the Revell ASA V6 engines. I only just noticed that more than just the valve covers are different. The cylinder heads and the front cover and waterpump assemblies are prototypically correct for Ford and Chevy respectively. Don't worry Tim, I will be using the Ford! The final photo for tonight is the body, showing the revised extended cab and the hard tonneau on the bed from the Monogram T bucket trailer. I'm pretty happy with the basic concept at this stage and just need to get the rear end and steering box sorted before I head for primer on everything. Cheers Alan

Wow, Dennis, this is ticking a lot of boxes for me. My second ever 1/25th scale kit, way back in 1969, was the AMT 57 Chevy. It is one of only a handful of models of mine that have, over the years, disappeared with almost no trace. I think I just customised the poor thing to death. Amazingly I never used the full custom front and rear ends and still have them to this day. I have a very rough body that someone drilled out all of the trim holes and then painted in brown hammertone - it is as bad as it sounds but perfect for exactly what you are doing here. A good mate of mine, 59Buick, has one underway and he has, like you suggested, shortened the trunk to reduce the overhang. He is committed to the long front as he has the original long hood but I don't have that part so will be shortening the front before grafting the custom front clip on. I cant believe that I looked at your earlier taillight shots and thought - would look better with radiused edges -and then next photo, there's the Evergreen rod right where it belongs! And add me to the list of people who love that modified grille bar. That is such an elegant solution. Cheers Alan

These are cool kits and I have built four so far with another two to do. You do have to pack 10 pounds of potatoes into a five pound bag but that is part of the appeal. I like where you are heading. For anyone who is interested, those rims originally came from the Tommy Ivo FED. Cheers Alan

As a big fan of El Caminos, I love your model, Oliver! Very tasteful and very nicely balanced. Cheers Alan

As I looked at the first photo of the button tufting I thought "why doesn't he just use pins?" and then saw the second photo with the button tufting on the inside as well and thought - "Man, that just might be the cleverest idea I have ever seen!" Great to see these old rods being recreated in scale. I have a few Aussie examples on the bench at the moment. Royce must have been a short guy - there can't have been much leg room in that cab, and that comes from a guy who drives a Model A roadster with a recessed firewall! I have a Model t closed cab project of my own, but lacking any spare T Tudor bodies, I am grafting a Revell 27 tub cowl to a 29 Closed Cab body. Should get the same result but there is a lot of filling required to blend the smaller cowl into the body. I like your way better! Cheers Alan

Wow, that's a kick in the guts. I was just reading through this post and loving the proportions of the model and was thinking about what I would say to Steve about it..... What a shame - clearly a very talented builder. Cheers Alan

Thanks John. The fin is now on and all blended in but the primer split on me ( a long crack down the inside of one of those tyre fairings) so I have a bit of repair to do before I finally get some paint on the thing. It is a very pretty racecar, very smooth flowing lines as you would expect from a LSR car but still, very pretty. Cheers Alan

Huh!!! I just bought that colour yesterday to paint an Edsel for our American Graffiti club project. Great to see what it looks like on a rod. I'm thinking maybe a 37 Chev coupe gasser might get a coat or two. The tub is progressing beautifully. I still cant get over how good those wheels look! Cheers Alan