Kit choices

[Speedfreak]

I've been working on AMT 'Super Boss' funny car kits for a while now (lol ) and I need to work on a kit that is actually buildable with good prep work. Insights into the choices I've made here are very welcome. I have all of these kits, but , have never built any of them. My first consideration is the kit pictured:

AMT '66 Chevy Nova Pro Street kit.

The other kits being considered are:

2) Lindberg Color Me Gone

3) Revell '66 Penske Racing Corvette

4) Revell 'Hot Rod' Russ Davis Ford Thunderbolt

Thanks!

Edited May 24, 2015 by Speedfreak

[jeffbrad]

Never done the Penske kit but have built the other 3 and all are good kits. No problems with any of them

[slusher]

66 Nova pictured is a very good kit Gene...

[Krazy Rick]

If your looking for a fast project, go with the Nova, or the Color Me Gone kit.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Krazy Rick

[Speedfreak]

Thanks you guys, I think I'll go with the Nova then. Hey Carl, what's up!

[gtx6970]

I've built several of the Lindberg 1964 dodges and several of the thunderbolts.

All with zero complajnts.

All I've ever used the prostreet nova for was parts.

[Speedfreak]

Bill, I'm already prepping the Nova block/tranny pieces so it looks like that's it. Maybe the Lindberg Dodge (black with red interior) next and then the Thunderbolt. Thanks for the input.

[Speedfreak]

I've been working on the '66 Nova Pro-Street kit for a couple of weeks now, not quite what I was hoping for as far as being problem free 'cause it sure ain't that! This kit will either make a modeler out of you, or , you'll quit the hobby. I guess you could also settle for a glue bomb, that sits eternally in the box. I'm not caving! 

[Snake45]

Never built the "prostreet" version of the Nova but I did build the stocker and had only two minor problems with it: The hood wouldn't close over the air cleaner, and it took me a while to figure out which way was "up" on the hood chrome trim. Otherwise, a very pleasant, easy build, and quite accurate looking, too, IMHO.

Edited July 25, 2015 by Snake45

[Speedfreak]

" Pleasant, easy build " does not describe the Prostreet kit. If I were a masochist maybe.  

[DaveM]

The best tips I can give from memory on the pro streeter , and the stock version are these.

Build the platform interior, and make sure everything is flush when you assemble it.  Any high spots, gaps, wobbles or paint ridges, and it won't fit properly between the body and chassis.  Scrape the paint off of the bottom edge of the side pieces and the part that they mount into.  You don't have room for paint buildup in the finished model.  Glue plastic to plastic only.

The fenderwells, firewall, radiator and it's supports all need to be flush and flat.  Again, no layers of paint on the mating surfaces, and no gaps.  Sand it to fit flat, or you won't get it all shoved under the body.

The chassis can be a really tight fit vertically on these cars.  (And also on the 1966 Fairlanes and 1967 Comet kits.)  If you don't have the Glass, firewalls, fenderwells, radiator panels, interior, engine and other parts straight and flush, the chassis will not fit all the way into the body.  The first Nova I built had the chassis sticking out just under the rocker panels.  The other side to this is if you do shove the chassis far enough into the model, the side panels of the interior can stick up above the door sills!  Again, the cure is to make sure the interior is assembled straight and flush.

 

The details are very nice on these kits, but this was AMTs first kit of this type.  It was groundbreaking when it came out, and it changed the way kits were manufactured.  Some of the kits that came out later were slightly more user friendly.  AMT made later kits with slightly better fit and more "wiggle room" to align things.  Go slowly, and make sure the interior and all of the panels under the hood are true, flush and tight.  Then final assembly will go fairly smoothly.  It's not the easiest kit to build, but it will go together very nicely with a bit of patience and planning.  The look of the finished kit is worth all of the hassle.

[Speedfreak]

Wow, I missed this post, sorry Dave and thanks for the extensive info. I have since started on another kit. I got the interior together and started to put the front seats (drivers side) in place , AND , it would not fit all the way to the floor because the 'bottom' of the seat was to wide to go between the door panels and the trans tunnel. that's when I had to put it down for a while. Now with this info maybe i can successfully finish this model, thanks!