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Once again, for no apparent reason, I am beginning another build, while in the middle of many others that are nearly finished. Why do we all do this to ourselves? Really, why? My two 1934 Fords are nearly finished, just waiting for the photo etched grilles that I am working on (that is another story, all together)….my Timbs Streamliner is also nearly done, also waiting for the grille, bumpers and step plates, which are part of the photo etch situation too. My 1932 Ford Wide Body is done too, once again waiting for the custom photo etched grille. Perhaps you recall, back in 2010 I did a model of John D’Agostino’s 1961 Thunderbird known as “Firestar”. Well, a few weeks ago the current owner of the car contacted me requesting that I build a model of the car for him. Of course I quickly agreed and began work on that. One good thing is he is now furnishing me with the engine shots and current pictures of the car with the few minor changes he made to it. Then after the 2 1934 Fords, one a sedan and one a roadster, both full fender cars, I got the desire to do a third, you know a “hat trick”. This is a 3 window resin (man, the resin on this one is thick) coupe. I opened the doors (very difficult with the ridiculously thick resin casting) and molded the grille onto the hood. This is going to be very cartoony, with huge rear tires, no fenders, an independent suspension, way down low up front and a big old honkin’ blown Hemi powerplant. Topped off with a candy blue paint job, white interior and computer designed and vinyl cut flame masks so I can paint some wild yellow, orange and red flames, no wait, maybe white, teal and purple flames, I don’t know yet, we’ll have to see when the time comes. And if that’s not enough, 3 weeks ago I started work on another one of the 1950’s GM concept cars. I am working on the 1956 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket….another one of those concept cars that is growing out of the Corvette chassis. It seems that most GM concept cars of that era grew out of the Corvette chassis and body panels. I think the other divisions were jealous that Chevrolet had a sharp little sports car to help establish a division identity and they all wanted a piece of that….well that is my opinion on it anyway. The Oldsmobile Golden Rocket is one of those Jet plane era influenced cars that GM designers were turning out on a daily basis, or so it seemed. I will post more on that as work on the body molds progresses. Currently, I am in the design drawing phase working out how I am going to produce the multiple body panels this vehicle will require. This is a very long term project so I expect this to be in the works for months and months, I am in no hurry with this as it is a very involved and complex body design. So in the middle of this, I got the bug to work on a car that I have been planning to build for a few years now and that is the subject of this thread. Over time I had assembled a few of the parts I would need for this and for whatever reason, the bug hit me last week to start it so I caved in and started it. I am converting the venerable old AMT 1949 Mercury coupe into a chopped Carson top style convertible. Now I know I can pickup a resin Mercury Convertible from Mr. Flintstone, and it would look great, but where is the fun in that???.....I want to do it myself. So basically, this will be a very low to the ground custom with some resin “bubble” skirts I picked up somewhere. I also picked up a Desoto “tooth” style grille somewhere (not from the Revell ’49 Merc). The body will be shaved of all chrome and the headlights will be frenched. The taillights will be the slightly diagonal, but basically vertical style custom units I am molding on to the rear; this is the biggest modification, not counting the top removal. I am leaning toward some subtle hood scopes built into the side of the hood just above where the hood meets the front fenders….I am not completely sure yet. The doors are to be opened and hinged to open inward. I am making the stretched Carson chopped top from two tops from the 1950 Ford convertible kit. The windshield will be chopped down also. Under the hood I am planning a late model Chrysler Hemi engine (I think I have one laying around somewhere that I can commandeer for this build. I have some big fat white walls in mind and a two tone paint scheme with Prowler Orange Pearl over White Pearl. A primarily white interior with Orange trim and seat faces to match and an off white padded style low Carson roof. Ok, enough talking…….here is the car, on the messy work bench with the top cut free but sitting on the car. I used a round cutting blade on my Dremel tool to make the cuts. Here is the body, sans the top and the chrome side and nose trim has been sanded off to give a cleaner, smoother look to the gorgeous curves of this body. Man, these 1949 Mercury’s are a real work of art…when you strip away the excess unnecessary frills and shinny things and stuff, the underlying metal is just perfect in the raw, so to speak, soft, round and sensual. Anyway, here the main chop is made to the windshield frame showing the lowered height. And here are the two Ford Convertible roofs that are being cut and spliced together to make one longer roof for the Mercury. The roof will get a major revision so it will look to be a padded roof, much lower and snug on the car. Next up will be the door opened and hinged.