W-409

I took a break of this build, but now it's back on the bench again. As previously, it's again just a project I work when others are drying, so the progress is not fast, but at least I have done something. I decided to shorten the rear end of the body a little. I think it looks better now. I am thinking of should I narrow the body a little or not.... Maybe I will just leave it how it is now. Suggestions welcomed.

In my opinion.... '62 Impala/Bel Air kits are great quality, doesn't matter if it's AMT or Revell. I think the body style counts at this point. Both have 409 Engines, only the AMT kit is Bel Air. Then AMT has those Super Stock Bel Airs too, they are great kits also with Racing parts added... '63 Impala is absolutely Revell. I have both, AMT and Revell and I can't say much good words from AMT's Impala. The body is okay, and interior can be built nice, but that's it. Engine looks very simple, Firewall is missing from the kit and chassis is promo style once piece with metal axles.... It can be built nice model, if you don't show the engine bay and chassis. Revell is great quality, it just has 327 engine, which is not the best either, but a lot better than AMT's effort on 409. Revell kit has seperate chassis components and nice interior too. Body looks good also. There are at least two different releases from the Revell kit, another one has Lowrider parts inside it, other one has ugly big wheels with flat tires in it. But it is a great kit and can be built stock, too (At least the Lowrider version can be built Stock, I don't have the California Wheels version). I'm not sure about AMT's '64 Impala, so I'll just say that Revell kits is very nice, and it can be built as a very fine looking model. I hope this helps.

Nice job on both of them! I can't pick my favorite, they are both very cool on their own ways. If these were 1:1 scale, I'd choose the White and Red one, but in this scale...I'm not sure. Great job anyway, both look excellent. Especially I like the paint jobs and those Cranky Decals fit very nicely to the Merc' body.

Okay, this is absolutely Nothing compared to other ones in here, but here are my Battery Cable Connectors, scratchbuilt from Sheet Styrene. It was hard enough to get two that looked the same... They are for my '64 Belvedere I just finished....Here's the WIP if anyone is interested: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67211 NOTE: Otherwise the engine, or anything else in that picture is NOT scratchbuilt.

And Still Two More:

Thanks Carl! Here are pictures of the Finished Model. I had no problems with the Final Assembly. The build was really fun and I would like to thank everyone for following and posting comments during this build. Thanks! I hope that this was interesting to follow, since I will start Richard Petty's Ford Torino very soon...

Thanks Aaron! It's nice to hear some people like to follow what I try to replicate in 1/25 scale. Here's one more:

This is COOL! Absolutely the best thing that could happen to Datsun 510. I really like the stance and wheel & Tire choice. Excellent job so far, More pics please. Now let's go Racin'! http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=65034

Forget what I said on the last post. The hood was suprisingly dry this morning, and it looked so good that I gave it a little polishing, and added the decals. No need for clear coat. This is the last update before Finished pics, too. Then I installed few little details, only problems I had with the Grille and Front Bumber combination. They didn't fit at all, so you can see from the pics what I did for it. In the first pics it is as it came from the factory, last pic shows what I had to do for it. I just can't explain what I did for it in English, sorry guys. But anyway, here are some pictures...

Thanks guys for the kind comments, they always keep me going and make me trying to do better and better. This will have a short break now, since I am waiting for the hood to dry so I can put decals on it and clear coat too. But when the Hood is cleared and polished, it will take a few hours to get this one finished. It should be there at some point next week.

Well I'm far behind at you guys on this, but I decided to post some of my engines, too. This 409 is for '62 Impala Stocker. 409 For '58 Chevy Sedan Delivery Pro Street. There is still a lot work with this one... Ford 427 For my Thunderbolt Drag Car. Hemi of '68 Dodge Dart SS/B. And '69 Nova F/Stocker's Chevy 350.

Then I installed the body to the chassis. It fitted really nicely, no any kinds of problems with that. The engine bay parts, Inner Fenders etc fit perfectly to the body, too. Here are a few Pics.

Okay I was going to post this Update Yesterday, but we were in Dyno with our 350 SBC Stock Eliminator Drag Race engine. It made 427hp at 6,100 RPM! Originally that '74 350 had 160hp from the factory. Anyway These are starting to be those Final updates on this build, I believe that there will be only one or two updates after this one before I post the Finished pictures here... I got the body ready to be installed to the chassis. Glasses fit nicely and so did the Rear View Mirror too. Then a bit cleaning (Fingerprints away) and I moved on to the chassis. Radiator wall and radiator were installed, I made water hoses from somekind of electric wire, which seemed to be correct size for this. Also I installed the other Battery Cable and scratchbuilt better exhaust tips, since there was no holes in kit parts. I used styrene and paper to do this, I think the result is better than with original exhaust tips.

Bill, Really cool builds!!! I really like how the Woody looks so far, perfect stance and overall look. Same thing with the Ace Garage Special, they look excellent. I also started wondering, how many projects you got going on at the same time?

Then we have Tami Brander with his '69 Camaro. He built this car few years ago, and it runs nicely. Best ET is 6,148 seconds.

So you think we have no Pro Modifieds in Finland? If you did, you're wrong. First Kristian Nyström's '57 Chevy Pro Mod. Best ET is 6,16. Car is built by Andy Robinson Race Cars. Timo Äikää's '62 Chevy Bel Air Bubbletop. This car has 899 Cid engine with NOS. Can't remember the best ET for this one, though.

Interesting build for sure, I really like what you did for the Front Wheels. Engine looks fantastic too, keep it coming. Now I will finally get a challenger for my Ramchargers '64 Dodge I built in 2009.

Nice builds of great subjects! These look just right to me, the stances are perfect and I really like the detailing on both. Nice paint and decal work, too.

That looks fantastic! Your Studebaker was really nice build, and this is just same category-Perfect! Especially the paint job is incredible, and I like all of the modifications you did. Now this would make a perfect Diorama.

Paint Job, Overall detailing (Includes for example Black Washing the grille, BMF, engine detail etc) and Overall parts fit. I think those are what I see as the most important things.

Wow that is Nice! Excellent paint and finishing, I like the engine compartment too, fantastic detailing. Those side pipes fit perfectly on this one. Maybe the Fender Skirts and Continental Kit would be items I left off if it was mine, but otherwise it's just perfect. Great Job!

This is excellent build! Like the body style a lot, it's just a pity that there's no Full Detail kit of this one available... Nice work with the engine, too. Overall fantastic build, only negative thing is that this build is not located in my Display Case.

Nice Chrysler! The AMT kit is really great quality and builds up nice. Nice paint job on it, and excellent detailing too. I really like the overall look. Only minor thing I would do different, is painting the 300 logo on the chrome trim on the side of that car. I did it for mine, and it was actually quite easy to do. Otherwise it's perfect!

Thanks and glad to hear you have enjoyed the ride. Now the situation is, that we have went through all Finnish Championchip car categories. So next I will move on to Finnish Pro Stock, Pro Mod etc teams, so called Professional Classes who drive European Championchip series. First in line there is Pro Stock, where we have only two Finnish teams. First Richard "Nixxon" Sundblom. He has been few times the second on European Championchip standings, but he has never won the championchip I guess. He drives Chevy Cobalt, best ET is somewhere about 6,6 seconds. Then other team, which has been racing Pro Stock for only two (or three, can't remember surely) years, Österberg Racing. Driver is Sampsa Palos, who is really good driver, too. Best ET is at low 6,7s. He has won a couple of races with that car.

Excellent build, and perfect subject, too! There can Never be enough X-Frame Chevrolets, especially if they are built as Drag Cars! Nice finishing, and detail on the engine bay.