Starting a project... Shelf of Chevy!

[DaveM]

I have a group of Galaxies and some other large Fords on a shelf together. I noticed a while back that I had Chevelles, Camaros, 'Vettes and a couple of Novas along with Montes and an El Camino. I am a bit short on Impalas. I have drag cars, street machines NASCAR racers and even a Low Rider. I only have a couple of factory stock big Chevies, and they have some problems, being older builds. I have finally decided to do a "Shelf of Chevy" I have almost all of the kits pulled together, and most of the tricky decisions made. I figure that I can knock out about one a Month if I really put the hours into them. (Chevy of the Month club???) My plan is to keep it pretty simple. I will build them fairly straight from the box. I will focus on paint, interiors and basic detailing. The engines will be out of the box with basic paint detailing, and maybe plug wires, but I will not be loading up on photoetch, aftermarket parts and scratchbuilding. The only exceptions will be the '62 (Photo etch to replace the decal emblems) and the '53 and '54 (Not sure how to make them stock yet)

I won't be doing the '68 and'69 as I don't have kits or resins right now. I also won't do every year of the '46 through '52 as they had some pretty similar years. (They will probably be added in in future years)

Here is the basic plan.

1948 Aerosedan, color T.B.D.

1951 Bel Air. Thistle Grey and Trophy Blue?

1953 and 1954 converted from Revell Gassers. Colors T.B.D. Probably Gypsy Red and White on the '54

1955 Bel Air (Rev) Coral and Shadow Grey

1956 Del Ray Adobe Beige and Sierra Gold

1957 Bel Air (AMT) Inca Silver

1958 Impala (Rev) Tropical Turquoise

1959 Impala Roman Red

1960 Impala White (Red interior)

1961 Impala Midnight Blue

1962 Impala Honduras Maroon

1963 impala Black (red interior)

1964 Impala (Rev) Bahama Green (Tan interior)

1965 Impala Nassau Blue

1966 Impala Regal Red

1967 Impala Grenada Gold

1970 Impala Gobi Beige

I still need to get one more '53/54 gasser kit, and I want to grab some '46-'48 kits when Galaxie releases them. If I am going to do a '52, I need to get a resin conversion... I will probably try Scale Finishes for some of the colors, and go to MCW for the rest. I have chosen the colors to be a good mix, no similar colors next to each other etc.

I will start with the easy ones, and save the gasser conversions for a bit later. If nothing else, it will get me focused on clean efficient building, making quality paint and bodywork, and basic detailing and foiling. The end result will be a nice looking group of models that will proudly occupy a shelf together and balance out my slightly Ford (and Mopar) heavy collection. Sometimes, I need a project and a goal to get back to my building. I have cleaned and prepped the '58, '62, '65 and '70 and I am working on the '64 and '57 right now. Hopefully I can shoot some primer this Weekend if the weather forecast holds true. I will decide later what to do for my '63. The AMT is pretty crude, the Revell isn't stock. I could build the Revell, and toss stock hubcaps from the AMT kit on and call it good, or I could bash the Revell with a Revell '64, or the AMT with an AMT '64. I know that one is going to be black with the red interior because I saw a full sized one at a show a few years back and it was too cool not to build.

Anybody else tackle a theme like this? Any thoughts on the best way to doll up the Revell gassers enough to make them decent stock models. Where would I find hubcaps for them? (I won't go to the Monogram '53 because it would be out of scale with the rest of the shelf.) I think this will put a lot of fun back in my building. I hope to get most of them primed, painted and cleared during the Summer. Then I will have all of next Winter to polish, foil and assemble them.

[charlie8575]

I've thought of similar projects over the years, and might actually get around to one of them.

One note on the '56 Del Ray, I don't believe that color scheme would've been available on that because none of the interiors went with it.

An interior color guide is here. http://www.classicchevy.com/chevy-interior-package-kit-delray-2-door-sedan-1956.html

I'm doing mine in India Ivory/Tropical Turquoise (mid-year replacement for Twilight Turquoise, and also the time the white/turquoise interior was dropped, but I'd be willing to bet one or two cars were done like that from the factory.) P. 606 contains all your two-tones. Look for either "210 Series" or model 1011A. http://www.danchuk.com/images/Downloads%5CCatalog%5C2015-Catalog-33%5C17-Original-Specifications.pdf

I think India Ivory/Dusk Plum or Crocus Yellow/Onyx Black with the ivory/charcoal interior would be rather striking.

Charlie Larkin

Edited April 9, 2015 by charlie8575

[tbill]

Cool idea, I like it. I have a similar plan, but it is just for impala's, some day I will get around to starting on that project.....I hope....

[gtx6970]

Ive got something similar ,,just not as extensive/ lengthy model year wise .

I have Bonnevilles 1958 thru 1960 , looking for a 1961 , Picked up a 1962 this weekend ,,,,,All convertibles

Impalas 1958 thru 1961 ,,,I have a 58 hardtop but need the convertible. and still looking for a 1961

Imperials I have them all from 1958 thru 1961 ,, ( all convertibles )

Buick I have 1959 and 1960,,,still looking for a 1961 , ( all convertibles )

Mercury I have 1960 and 1961,,,,need the 1959 ( dont think there was a 1958 kit ( all convertibles )

I am looking for the galaxies 1958 thru 1961 ,,need them all ( working on a deal to get a 58 and a 59s )

Late models I have Plymouth Road Runners 1968 thru 1971

In dealership promotionals I have most of the later models in series

Barracudas I have 1969 , 1970 and 1972,,need the 71 ( had one and like a fool sold it )

GTX's I have 1969 and 1970 both ( thats all there was for the GTX promo )

Chargers I have 1969 thru 1972 ,,need a 1968

Challengers I have 1970 and 1972 , need a 1971

Dusters I have 1971 thru 1973

Edited April 12, 2015 by gtx6970

[Petetrucker07]

Sounds like way cool project. I would like to do the same thing someday.

[Ramfins59]

My ambitious game plan is to build every make American car, for every year of the 1950's. So far I've got the following cars done, with a couple of diecasts thrown in for the cars that no kits were made of in either resin or plastic;

1950 - None built yet, but I have kits of Ford and Oldsmobile. Will be getting resin kits of Cadillac and Nash.

1951 - Chevy Fleetline built. Have resin conversion for the Ford convertible kit. Will be getting resin kit of Pontiac.

1952 - None built yet. Have resin conversion for Chevy and have a Hudson kit. Will be getting resin kit of Pontiac wagon.

1953 - Ford and Studebaker built. Have kits of Chevy and Hudson. Have diecasts of Buick and Cadillac. Need Corvette.

1954 - Resin Dodge kit built. Have kit of Chevy Sedan Delivery. Will be getting Hudson kit. Need Corvette.

1955 - Redid a Buick diecast. Built Chevy. Have diecasts of Ford, Oldsmobile and Pontiac. Have Chrysler kit. Need Corvette and T-Bird.

1956 - Built Buick (promo), Chevy Nomad, Chrysler, DeSoto (promo), Ford, Oldsmobile (promo), Plymouth (promo), Pontiac (promo). Have Chevy DelRay kit and Lincoln promo. Getting resin kits of Cadillac, Dodge and Mercury. Need

Corvette and T-Bird.

1957 - Built Chevy, Dodge (resin), Ford, Pontiac (promo), Studebaker diecast. Have Cadillac, Chrysler and T-Bird kits. Will eventually get resin kits of Buick, DeSoto, Lincoln, Mercury and Plymouth. Need Corvette.

1958 - Built Buick (resin), Cadillac, Chevy, Chevy Sedan Delivery (resin), Dodge (promo), Edsel, Ford (resin), Lincoln (resin), Mercury (resin), Oldsmobile (resin), Plymouth. Have Corvette, Imperial, Pontiac (promo).

T-Bird. Need a very hard to find DeSoto promo.

1959 - Built Buick, Chevy, Chrysler (promo), Dodge (promo), Imperial and Plymouth (promo). Have Cadillac, DeSoto, El Camino, Lincoln, Mercury, Pontiac and Rambler Wagon. Need Corvette and T-Bird.

Obviously I've still got a LOT left to build and to buy. I'll be busy for quite awhile.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Ramfins59

[DaveM]

I've thought of similar projects over the years, and might actually get around to one of them.

One note on the '56 Del Ray, I don't believe that color scheme would've been available on that because none of the interiors went with it.

An interior color guide is here. http://www.classicchevy.com/chevy-interior-package-kit-delray-2-door-sedan-1956.html

I'm doing mine in India Ivory/Tropical Turquoise (mid-year replacement for Twilight Turquoise, and also the time the white/turquoise interior was dropped, but I'd be willing to bet one or two cars were done like that from the factory.) P. 606 contains all your two-tones. Look for either "210 Series" or model 1011A. http://www.danchuk.com/images/Downloads%5CCatalog%5C2015-Catalog-33%5C17-Original-Specifications.pdf

I think India Ivory/Dusk Plum or Crocus Yellow/Onyx Black with the ivory/charcoal interior would be rather striking.

Charlie Larkin

Thanks for the heads up. I grabbed a Belair color and was going to put it on the Del Ray. I like the India Ivory Dusk Plum too. I started searching for pictures and I found a really sharp India Ivory/Matador Red car with a straight 6. I would probably build it as the v8, just to keep this simple, but the car had the black and white interior and really had "The Look"

Even the Ivory and Black 2 tone would make a nice looking model. Actually, even the solid color cars looked pretty nice, but I think I want a bit of flash and dazzle on the shelf.

Thanks for the great references too. I have been collecting photos off of the 'net, but I have to be careful, as so many cars have been "Restored" to the way the builder thought the factory should have made them. I'm glad that was brought to my attention before I ordered the paint! It also reminds me why so many people build street machine and hot rods!

Thanks again for the help, and I will stick up some pictures as the project progresses.

[Tom Geiger]

I have also been thinking about a similar project. I thought about this when I was looking at my unbuilt kits and restorable kit stash. What a great collection I would have if indeed I had nicely done models of all those years!

You could start much earlier, with the MPC '32 Chevy Roadster. Then there's the 1934 Chevy panel that became the Barnabas van. There is a Monogram 1939, and a nice diecast '41 convertible. As mentioned the 46-47-48s have been covered by Galaxie. With the sedan, sedan delivery and upcoming coupe, you could do one of each year.

Then we get into the years you are missing... here's a 1968 convertible. Set yourself up an eBay search agent. They will send you an email every day that they find something. That's how I've filled my gaps with rebuildables.

a pair of '69s.

The

The 1970 kit is current and plentiful. It's also a good parts kit for those 68-69s. I have found the '70s cheap at shows and bought them just for the purpose of restoring the above cars when the time comes. Much easier to concentrate on restoring the glue blob body and interior when you have a new and clean chassis!

I do have a 1972 and 1973, bought by way of the eBay search agent. I just don't have pix of them. The '72 was the hardest to find. This one is the 1974

1975 and 1976. The '76 has been recently released and is plentiful at swap meets and eBay. This is also the key for parts to rebuild decent 71-75 kits.

The last kit of a full size Chevy was that 1976 car. That's why the tool still exists today.

Beyond that, there are some resin kits of square Impalas, Modelhaus has a 1985 4 door sedan. Then there is the Monogram 1990s jelly bean police car and Impala SS. Those can be modified to make a couple of different years. Modelhaus also does a 1992 Caprice wagon.

[promoman]

I have 60's Ford's. Specifically Falcon's and Fairlane's

60 Ranchero

61 Ranchero

62 Falcon Futura

64 Falcon

62,64,65,66 Fairlane

69 Torino Cobra

[Bob Ellis]

I had your theme too; collect all the Chevys from 1953-1976. And I did collect them all.

Problem is I moved along to Ford. Got all of them

Then I went to Pontiac

You get the point. I am out of control. I am not sure when I will finish what I have. But it has been fun, collecting the models and meeting friends.

Good luck to your project.

[Tom Geiger]

How about Valiants....

1960 R&R Valiant wagon

SMP '61 Valiant 2 door hardtop

SMP '62 Valiant 2 door hardtop

1962 Revell Valiant 4 door sedan

63-64-65 AMT Valiants

The holy grail of Valiants... '66 Signet hardtop promo

And that's all of them... unless we need to post the Premier and Palmers...

Edited April 12, 2015 by Tom Geiger