Olle F Posted March 10, 2008 Posted March 10, 2008 I'm thinking about building a '63 Galaxie factory lightweight, using an AMT Galaxie plus the engine and some other details from a Revell '64 Thunderbolt. The chassis in the Galaxie kit will need some serious work to look good, so my question is if there is any other kit that can be used as a donor for chassis and engine bay detail (firewall, inner fenders etc). I also need a PE emblem kit, but haven't found one yet. Any tips will be appreciated!
Bainford Posted March 10, 2008 Posted March 10, 2008 An excellent and correct chassis is found in the AMT 60 Ford Starliner kit. It also includes a great FE engine and 9" diff. The perfect doner for your project. I'm collecting bits to creat a 427 lightweight 64 Galaxie, using this same doner.
Olle F Posted March 10, 2008 Author Posted March 10, 2008 Great! I was just waiting for someone to say that I needed an obsolete $250 collectible kit, so that's very good news! Do you know where to get a PE kit too? And while I'm at it: Does anyone make a resin teardrop hood for the Galaxie?
Bainford Posted March 10, 2008 Posted March 10, 2008 Not sure about a PE set, but it sure would be nice to have. I just check Model Car Garage, and they don't have one (though they do have one for the 60 Starliner). As for the hood, I was going to attempt to graft the tear drop from the T-Bolt onto the Galaxie hood. Other sources for a tear drop are the AMT 66 Galaxie and the Model King release of the AMT AWB 66 Mustang. There are other that will come to mind immediately after posting this reply
Olle F Posted March 10, 2008 Author Posted March 10, 2008 Yeah, the first thing that came to mind was to use the T-Bolt scoop, but I'm lazy and I also want to keep the T-Bolt body intact for possible recycling in another project. I'm pretty sure that someone has made a hood for the '63, it's just a matter of finding it. I checked Model Car Garage yesterday too, and it sure seems like they don't have a PE set. I'm also hoping that you'll take the lead on the lightweight conversion and post many pictures as you go, 'cause I have still to figure out what to do right now.
bobss396 Posted March 10, 2008 Posted March 10, 2008 Drag City Casting has a tear drop hood for the '63. Bob http://www.dragcitycasting.com/
Brian_R Posted March 10, 2008 Posted March 10, 2008 I just got a hood for my lightweight project from Ed at Drag City Casting: http://www.dragcitycasting.com/ Very nice resin and fast service too! I also got a '60 wagon for another project to add to the pile! Brian
Olle F Posted March 10, 2008 Author Posted March 10, 2008 Bob and Brian, Thanks for the link! Is the casting from Drag City Casting thin enough to open up the air intakes to make the scoop look more realistic?
Brian_R Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 There's a relief molded in for the intakes so it's very thin in that area - easy to open. Brian
Chuck Kourouklis Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 An excellent and correct chassis is found in the AMT 60 Ford Starliner kit. It also includes a great FE engine and 9" diff. The perfect doner for your project. I'm collecting bits to creat a 427 lightweight 64 Galaxie, using this same doner. Yezindeed! And what's more, based on my emails with one particular company exec at the time, AMT did this on purpose; they made it a point to reissue the '63 within months of releasing the '60, with an eye very specifically towards enterprising kitbashers who'd been looking for updated undercarriages and drivetrains.
my80malibu Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 what is it exactly that you need in the PE set maybe it can be from another source ?
my80malibu Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 Check competition resin for the hood scoop part #crc-137 at www.compresins.com
Olle F Posted March 11, 2008 Author Posted March 11, 2008 There's a relief molded in for the intakes so it's very thin in that area - easy to open. Brian Great, sounds exactly like what I'm looking for! I'll try to place an order shortly, just need to take inventory and see what else I need. what is it exactly that you need in the PE set maybe it can be from another source ? I was thinking about using the emblems, but when I looked at the pictures in "Muscle Car Review" again I realized that it doesn't have any "Galaxie" or "Ford" emblems at all. This may or may not be correct but adds to the anonymous sleeper look I want, so I think that's the route I'm gonna take. The only emblems I will need are the fender eagles, which I can take from the T-Bolt. There is a PE set from Performance Detail Products, but I doubt that I'll be able to find one. Anyway, here's a somewhat crappy scan of the article in "Muscle Car Review":
Bainford Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 Yeah, the first thing that came to mind was to use the T-Bolt scoop, but I'm lazy and I also want to keep the T-Bolt body intact for possible recycling in another project. I'm pretty sure that someone has made a hood for the '63, it's just a matter of finding it. I checked Model Car Garage yesterday too, and it sure seems like they don't have a PE set. I'm also hoping that you'll take the lead on the lightweight conversion and post many pictures as you go, 'cause I have still to figure out what to do right now. :o It seems the Drag City hoods mentioned by others are the way to go. As for taking the lead on the project, unfortunately you'll probably be waiting for some time. I tend to build very slowly (though getting better), and have a couple of projects 'on deck'. If I hadn't just started a Boss 302 project, I probably could have been talked into doing the Galaxie right away. It is a project that I'm excited about. Seems as though a couple of others have lightweight projects on the go, too.
Olle F Posted March 11, 2008 Author Posted March 11, 2008 As for taking the lead on the project, unfortunately you'll probably be waiting for some time. I tend to build very slowly (though getting better), and have a couple of projects 'on deck'. Well, join the club... The only build-offs I can participate in are those where you win if you finish last.
Bainford Posted March 11, 2008 Posted March 11, 2008 Yezindeed! And what's more, based on my emails with one particular company exec at the time, AMT did this on purpose; they made it a point to reissue the '63 within months of releasing the '60, with an eye very specifically towards enterprising kitbashers who'd been looking for updated undercarriages and drivetrains. Now this is exactly why I think it is a shame that AMT fell into the hands of RC2 when they did. AMT was really switched on prior to landing in the hands of RC2. The type of thinking described above is exactly what model car enthusiasts need from a mainstream model producer, especially one that was producing kits at such a reasonable cost.
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