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Posted (edited)

Earlier this week, I paid a visit to my uncle, who is the patriarch of our family. When I was a kid, he would get a new Thunderbird every few years from 1962 through 1970. It worked out pretty good for me, as his salesman, who was also a good friend, would give him promo when he visited the dealership for service, or when he was buying a new car. He kept a few, but he also gave me a few of the promos, which of course I played with, or modified as a budding model builder. I really liked the cars he had, and I intended to have all of them in scale.

One of the models I built as an adult, was a replica of his 1965 Convertible, which was Prairie Bronze, with a black interior. I reproduced this one in scale several years ago.

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I decided to give him the car for Father's Day several months ago, so I installed an engine (it was a curbside), and gave it to him when I visited him and my aunt Tuesday of this week. He and my aunt really got a kick out of it. They are both in their 80's and don't get around like they used to.

Being the nice guy that he is, my uncle went to his man cave, and brought up four old promos from the '60's.

A 1964 Convertible

Uncle%20Hamp%20Thunderbird%20Promos%2000Uncle%20Hamp%20Thunderbird%20Promos%2000Uncle%20Hamp%20Thunderbird%20Promos%2000

A 1964 Hardtop

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A 1965 Hardtop Radio

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and a 1968 Hardtop Radio

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They all were down in the cave for over 40 years, and I truly think he forgot about them, and remembered about them when I gave him the '65. He gave me all of them, but I told him that they will be restored, and returned to him in about a year. Fortunately all of them are complete, just extremely dirty. I asked him did he want them returned as promos, or can I paint them? He told me to do my thing.

The plan is to clean, and re-do the chrome on all of them.

The '64 Convertible will be repainted Light Blue Metallic, with the Light Blue Metallic interior, as his '64 Convertible was that color combination. It will be fixed, and the trim will be done in Bare Metal.

The '64 Hardtop will be painted in his Favorite Football Team's Color Combination, Burgundy, with a Gold Interior, and Bare Metal trim. He has been a season ticket holder of the Washington Redskins for as long as I can remember, and is a rabid fan.

The '65 Hardtop Radio will be restored as it is.

The '68 Hardtop Radio will be painted and trimmed out like his '68 Landau, which was Pale Blue, with a Dark Blue Vinyl Roof, and Bare Metal foil trim.

This '66 was in pretty bad shape when I got it, but I was able to bring it back to life.

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I have a replacement '65 Convertible to put in my collection,

DSCF4052_zps210dfe5c.jpgand yes I will do it in Prairie Bronze, with a Black interior and up top, like my uncle's car.

He is the last link to my past, and I love him as if he were my Dad.

Edited by Ron Hamilton
Posted

Nice scores, Ron, and very nice of you to do that for your uncle.

My family is disappearing quickly, too. Try to spend as much time as possible with them.

Re: the radios, are you going to try and get them functional again? I would think they're pretty simple transistor units. If you can get the bodies off, they'll probably clean right up with some compressed air cans and a maybe a little TV tuner cleaner.

Charlie Larkin

Posted

Good on you Ron, very nice gesture - and a beautiful gift.

I have a 64 HT in that same green. I always preferred the 64/5 C-pillar to the lengthened 66.

Posted

Nice scores, Ron, and very nice of you to do that for your uncle.

My family is disappearing quickly, too. Try to spend as much time as possible with them.

Re: the radios, are you going to try and get them functional again? I would think they're pretty simple transistor units. If you can get the bodies off, they'll probably clean right up with some compressed air cans and a maybe a little TV tuner cleaner.

Charlie Larkin

My uncle told me that the radios are fully functional. I'll see, and I have a can of compressed air. The radio units look surprisingly clean on both of them. I have an interior tub and a chassis in my junk box for both of them, even though I would rather them be radios.

Posted

Good on you Ron, very nice gesture - and a beautiful gift.

I have a 64 HT in that same green. I always preferred the 64/5 C-pillar to the lengthened 66.

I plan to do a '66 Thunderbird 2 door hardtop out of a convertible kit. I have a junker '65 2 door hardtop where I can steal the roof from.

Posted

Very cool story. Those promos look like they came out of the deep dark vault! And it will be very cool for you to restore them in the colors to match your uncle's cars. That will bring him great pleasure, and as you know it's much better to give than receive!

Posted

Pretty cool idea.

This past spring I gave away 2 builds that very well could be my best work yet . Both went to good friends and are in good hands . I dont regret it one bit .

I have a Chrysler Turbine car radio and it works

Posted

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Last Christmas my wife's sister spoke fondly of her first car, a green 1977 Chevette that I helped her purchase way back then. So I took a promo and built it to exactly resemble her car, right down to the fuzzy seat covers. She loved it! And it sits on the built in desk in her kitchen, right out on display. It's a great feeling to give one away to the right person!

  • 3 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

hey, I was looking at some ideas of rims to put on the car i'm building and came across your 1960 Buick Invicta. Turns out your car is almost identical to the one i'm building (1962 Buick Electra). black with a red interior and convertible. But I was wondering what rims and tires you used on yours. They are exactly what i'm looking for. If you could help me out i'd appreciate it.Thanks

Edited by Anderson_15_
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

hey, I was looking at some ideas of rims to put on the car i'm building and came across your 1960 Buick Invicta. Turns out your car is almost identical to the one i'm building (1962 Buick Electra). black with a red interior and convertible. But I was wondering what rims and tires you used on yours. They are exactly what i'm looking for. If you could help me out i'd appreciate it.Thanks

The wheels that are on the 1960 Buick are Modelhaus '57 Buick Borrani wire wheels, with the center caps detailed, mounted on Satco Firestone Deluxe Champion wide whites, which are also available from The Modelhaus

2009_11241960Buickinvicta0296.jpg

Iironically, I was in the process of painting this model when I received the news of Dad's death. Finishing it was very therapeutic, and I intend to never let this one go.

Posted

hey, I was looking at some ideas of rims to put on the car i'm building and came across your 1960 Buick Invicta. Turns out your car is almost identical to the one i'm building (1962 Buick Electra). black with a red interior and convertible. But I was wondering what rims and tires you used on yours. They are exactly what i'm looking for. If you could help me out i'd appreciate it.Thanks

The wheels that are on the 1960 Buick are Modelhaus '57 Buick Borrani wire wheels, with the center caps detailed, mounted on Satco Firestone Deluxe Champion wide whites, which are also available from The Modelhaus

2009_11241960Buickinvicta0296.jpg

Iironically, I was in the process of painting this model when I received the news of Dad's death. Finishing it was very therapeutic, and I intend to never let this one go.

well you did and amazing job with it. And i just bought a 1962 Thunderbird from AMT which comes with a set of wire wheels and sombrero wheels, so I'll use those. But thanks for he info

Posted

Saturday night, I started work on my uncle's promos, and surprisingly, they all cleaned up very nice, with no scratches. I decided to do a change of plan to get them back to my uncle as soon as possible. I am going to refinish them as the promos he got. No extra chrome trim, and no repainting. I have to re-do the chrome, so I have some Spaz Stix, which I used before with good results. I have to prepare the chromed pieces, hopefully this week. I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

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