espo

Another one of your outstanding Ford builds. These were popular color combinations at that time. This makes one wonder how buyers today would react to such colors on todays automobiles ?

I like the very clean way in which this was assembled. It's hard not to have a small flaw somewhere on a build of this overall size. I don't see any.

Just when you think this build could not possibly get and more detailed you get a wild hair and make a fuel pump.

I can see why you would want to build a model of the Kit Bashed Mustang. I also like the overall appearance. One thing that stands out to my eye has to do with the front valance area that starts out as a Shelby type valance. In the original application this would set much closer under the grill and no bumper. The set up you have now has it sitting further way from the body and that would still look good, but when you add in the bumper it starts to really get out there. Think of it as the problem with the '56 Chevrolet kits where the front splash pan and bumper stick out like a cow catcher on an old train. In the drawing it looks like the lower valance has been drawn in much tighter to the body and in doing so the addition of the bumper doesn't standout so much. On the hood I would stay with what ever Ford styling Q's fit. The Mustang had an R model a few years ago that may be something to consider. Either way I look forward to watching your build.

I like the blue you picked for the body. The '63 Impala interior?

That's a great color, they even used it in the box art.

Great way to combine the two kits.

While I'm more of the brighter Red fan the Maroon color looks good also. I would also try to set the stance more like the red car also.

Often the wheel centers were white and the outer part of the wheel would be painted the body color.

You are correct. I went back and checked the kit I have, I know there are others but this one is at hand, and it's the AMT #38277 the Street Custom issue. This is a hatchback and it just never occurred to me that this all started out for an MPC kit. So many people with good experiences to share you can easily lose your way sometimes.

Overall the finish looks nice and smooth.

To add my two cents worth of information on the 1:1 car. I started working at the local Chevrolet dealer in early 1974. I had moved to the central coast of California and needed to replace my beloved '67 El Camino. I got a new short step box pick-up with the 454 as that was the only way I could get on at the time and I didn't care for the new El Caminos. As a bonus the dealer offered my a job as a salesman and Good Year Tire and Rubber Company had pretty well ***** me off anyway. While I liked trucks and did well selling them the car lines kind of left me cold. I also owned a '72 Nova SS that I got new with the 350 and 4 speed. The automotive manufactures were scrambling to try and figure out all the new government safety and smog standards and they were extensive to say the least. You couldn't even start a car without first fastening your seat belt. Overall not a bad idea in daily service, but now move almost a hundred cars around the lot or even do a sales presentation with that feature. Smog and fuel economy restrictions were the biggest problems. To get the smog reading you wanted they retarded the spark of where you would check to see if the emergency brake as on, and when you turned off the engine they would "diesel" or just keep chugging and spiting with a final gasp that would make you think the engine just died. All of this did nothing to help gas mileage or performance. We used to joke that if you could sell the new '74's you could sell anything. A very big change came about with the '75 models and the Catalytic converters. You would really have needed to be there to realize the dramatic difference in performance in both gas mileage and performance. In late '74 we got our first '75 models and I remember we salesman would take turns driving this basic Nova that was the first to arrive. The styling was all new and it did look nice. In California if you wanted a V8 it was a Quadra Jet 350 and this was our test guinea pig. The first group of salesmen came back after a couple of mile run up the 101, and got out and they couldn't stop raving about how well it ran. I way the resident hot rodder so a couple guys piled in with me driving. Lets just say we saw over 100 MPH and far faster than anything we had been selling. In the two days it was on the ground it got driven and beat upon repeatedly for at least 300 miles until two retired school teachers came in and bought it, I'm not kidding. Now for the kit, remember why were here ? The kit is actually a good one and it represents the way kits were done at the time. I never cared for the solid chrome head lights, but that is fixable. I hear many po po the body proportions especially the rear side window's. What you need to remember is that this is a kit of a Hatchback model Nova and that's pretty much how they were shaped in that application. The rear window and the Truck lid were all one part and lifted on a hinge in the roof above the opening. This is a large body section to be sure and it is heavy. They used struts to hold it open and the rear seat could fold down. I'd do a little research on the body style and build it . This is a great kit of a car that started the move away from "the dark ages" of the auto world.

Great looking paint and trim. Very good decal work and there're a lot of decals. I didn't really notice the rear wheel opening and decals until you mentioned it. About the only thing you could do is "square" the wheel opening to match. Great looking engine details also.

I really like the color and the paint finish. I'm going to try what you did with the interior on an upcoming build. Very impressive looking engine, nice clean chrome trim.

I like the fadeaway body addition on the green car. I don't recall ever seeing anyone else use those styling parts on a build. They both look great and it's amazing the overall difference in appearance between you two builds coming out of the same kit.

For what it's worth I'd go with the black trim as I agree Bill Geary , it just look right for all the reasons he mentioned. As for the hub caps, a lot of the '67 style hub caps were replaced as everyone at the time wanted the taller "Hats" to make their cars look newer. Like you I think the smaller caps are better looking. In '68 I ordered a new Bel Air two door with Disc Brakes and Rally wheels. I worked with a guy that had a '67 Camaro and jumped at the chance to trade hub caps. While this wasn't all that common it did happen. Have you check tire clearance with the L60 x 15 tires ? These tires were larger in diameter and width than the F60 x 15 tire both in scale and the real world. I think the biggest problem you may have will be the fronts. Remember these cars had 14 inch diameter and 6 1/2 inch wide wheels from the factory. If need be you could always put the F60 x 15's on the front. Even this would be larger than OEM. At the time it was common practice to put larger tires on the rear anyway since everyone knows a car goes faster down hill. We never toke into account how it also in effect changed the axel ratio, but you may already have 4:11 in back anyway. I'm not trying to be smart, I'm just telling you some of the thinking of the time.

That sure is a bright Green. The finish looks very smooth with good coverage. Like you I'm a big Tamiya paint user. I have also used the Model Masters OEM colors that are Lacquer paint and have always had good luck with those. Just a consideration for any other future projects.

Beautiful looking Charger. I like how you detailed the engine.

Very nice with an understated body color. These cars were decades ahead of their time.

Great loking paint and color. What I especially like is the interior and how you reproduced the pattern in the interior inserts.

Espo was my nick name in school, and it just so happened my father had the same nick name also.

Nice clean looking kustom. Where did you get the blue dots ?

The "short caps" were a '67 only design, so this gives you an idea as to where to start looking for those. There are many '67 Corvette kits that many builders might have used a different wheel on so you might put up what you need on that section of the forum, I'm sure someone will trade for what your needing.

With that I would disconnect the rear window wiper. The guy is quite an artist.

Today we are supposed to see 60 degrees but not to worry we have also been assured that we'll be below freezing tomorrow and have more of the white stuff by the end of the week, Oh joy.