Phildaupho

Thanks guys. I have done some more work on the interior - The no back seat and cargo area from the ’83 was grafted to the ’87 interior - The separate arm rests from the ’83 have been attached to the inner door panels - I was initially very pleased when I discovered that a roll cage was supplied in the ’87 kit but it required extensive modifications to more closely resemble that used in the Challenge cars and to fit the ’83 roof and windshield. - The racing style driver’s seat came from the ’83 kit but the engraved racing harness was ground off so after market harnesses can be added

For my my last model car project of 2020 I chose to build a close replica of a 1987 Camaro that participated in the Canadian Player’s GM Challenge Series which ran for seven years from 1986 to 1992 with large fields of fabulous looking big cars that sounded wonderful. I picked an ’87 because a number of years ago I did a 1/18 scale diecast conversion for one of my favourite local race car drivers in the mid-sixties who came out of retirement to race a Camaro in the Challenge Series twenty years later so I already had the decal artwork that just needs to be scaled down. I also had an AMT ’87 Camaro in my stash albeit a T-top. - An AMT ’83 Camaro was cut up for its solid roof and no back seat rear interior section. Also, from the ’83 will be the rear window with simulated defrost lines’, side rear-view mirrors and headlights. Interestingly the ’83 headlights are clear while the ’87 are chrome pieces. The ’83 also supplied its taillights as the ‘87’s went missing. - The ’87 kit has solid wheel backs and the wheels were not open between the spokes which I opened, used ’83 inner wheel rims and adapted ’83 disc brakes to mounting hubs - The suspension on the Challenge cars was not lowered but I did lower the model about a scale 2 ½ inches by cutting the rear coils and lowering the spindles up front. Stock models usually look better lowered. I wonder if it is because models do not have the scale weight or compressible suspension or tires to settle lower. The front wheels can be posed. - The exhaust system was modified for side exit aluminum tube straight pipes which in reality could be opened up for racing or capped off for the street - Driveshaft converted to aluminum tubing - Cut away forward part of engine compartment between the headlight housings to allow better expose of the air cleaner

Thanks everyone for your comments - I am really blown away by how many of those comments related to Firebird kits. I am not sure what the sales ratio for Firebirds versus Camaros was over the years but in the Players GM Challenge Series the ratio was 75% Camaros vs 25% Firebirds. Now that I am well into my 87 Camaro project, I am planning to do a On The Workbench post in the near future.

Thanks guys, I appreciate your feedback. I thought this was going to a quick and simple project but the more I learn about the Players Challenge cars the more involved it is getting. I assume that because it was an essentially showroom stock series and at the end of the year the cars were converted back for pure street use and sold to the general public; that the cars would have been equipped with torque tubes although I have read that aluminum drive shafts were installed. The '87 Camaro kit I am using does not have a torque tube but the '83 does.

Very nice 85 you have. Because I decided to build an 87 Camaro I grafted the roof from from the AMT 83 onto the AMT 87. I am also using other preferred parts from the ‘83. I had a friend looking for a ‘90 Firebird but could not find a reference. Recommended he try an 89 which looked pretty close to me.

My current project started off with the aim to build a car representative of a car that would have raced in the Canadian Players GM Challenge Series that ran from 1986 to 1992 for Camaros and Firebirds. I am most interested in Camaros which made up 75% of the cars that competed. I bought all the appropriate kits I could find at swap meets and have done some research online for others kits that were issued over the years. These are the ones I bought 1- AMT 1/25 Kelly Challenge IMSA Camaro with racing parts and separate back seat. Has disc brakes and differential torque arm. Interior has separate arm rests 2- AMT 1/25 ’83 Camaro Z-28 with all the same parts as the IMSA Camaro although no reference is made to the racing parts in the directions 3- Revell 1/25 ASA Camaro is a pure tube frame race car 4- AMT 1/25 ’87 Camaro IROC-Z T-top is a 2 in 1 including a roll cage and tuned port injection engine as well as two other engine configurations – Webers or twin turbo. It appears that the ’87 kit was a completely new tool and not related to the ’83 kit in any way. It does not have torque arm and has simple wheel backs with no brake detail. Once I got into building this kit I think the ’83 was the better third generation Camaro kit. 5- Monogram 1/24 ’85 Camaro Z-28 may be based on a snap kit but is still a pretty nice rendition of a third generation Camaro 6- Revell 1/24 ’91 Firebird which I bought to possibly supply a tuned port injection engine and slightly better chassis for the 1/24 ’85 Camaro I am really curious to read your opinions. You do not see many third generation GM Pony Cars posted on the forum.

Coolvair !!

This is how you can fix it and end up with a pretty close FIA version using body parts from the AMT 289. This was based on an Academy issue.

The Revell Deuce kits are for the most part very good and I am very happy the have them but they do have a few challenges. I always find it challenging to get a perfect fit of the rear fenders to the body. With the Sedan kit [which I hope will be reissued] getting the interior to fit just right can also be tricky. I look forward to your next Deuce build.

An absolutely amazing collection of Cobra builds - each uniquely distinctive and all very well done. My grand total of Cobra builds is a minuscule 3, all 289's. Looking forward to your Grandsport collection.

WOW - I did not know what I was going to see when I opened the post. This is so unusual but also exceptionally well done. I am glad I had a look.

There is a lot about your Deuce that I really like - the chop, the stance, the wheels, the colour and the unique front fuel tank' I hope you do not mind me commenting that I think you need to lower the grill shell a few mms to flatten the angle of the hood. The result would be an extremely good looking Deuce.

Extremely well built. Any body would look good over your chassis and interior but the Edsel makes it especially interesting. Like Bruce commented - I sure like the skid plate.

I did not know either but I am certainly very impressed with this build. It looks fabulous.

This is so much more than I expected when I opened the post. Absolutely awesome T.

Great looking Volvo.

Superb replica of a great looking historic racing car

Beautiful model of a fantastic looking racing car. Very well done.

Excellent build, decaling and photography. I bet Batman would love this car as a daily driver !!??

Classic. Great two-tone selection. Your yellow and white is pretty nice too.

Another very well built hot rod from your workbench

Great looking delivery

Very well done Cobra. Looks tremendous. I especially appreciate that you installed inner fender liners which are sorely lacking in an otherwise great kit.

Thanks Larry - I found this photo on-line of an early modified very Topolino looking rally car. Notice the wire wheels.

Thanks David - I modified a 1/24 32 Roadster to mount on a Rev/Mon 427 chassis. More photos at Deuce Cobra