1965 Dodge Monaco. 2/21, DONE!!

[StevenGuthmiller]

I have an MPC  65 Monaco convertible kit and the door panel design on the kit  is very different than shown above. ,,plus the kit is a bench seat car

Are you sure it's not the 880 kit?

I'm not Familiar with either the Monaco or 880 convertible kits, but MPC did do an 880 in '65 as well.

My hard top does have the bucket seats.

 

Steve

[tim boyd]

I have an MPC  65 Monaco convertible kit and the door panel design on the kit  is very different than shown above. ,,plus the kit is a bench seat car

You are correct....the Custom 880 upper door panel insert repeats the brushed vertical "aluminum" trim theme of the instrument panel in lieu of the Monaco's wicker trim, and the seat trim has a different sew style, as well as the bench seat with center fold down armrest i(f I am remembering correctly) vs. the Monaco's buckets.  The MPC Custom 880 convertible kit interior nicely matches the 1/1 scale Custom 880 wagon interior my Dad owned (to the extent possible when comparing a convertible to a wagon interior).  

My comment above about the Monaco & Custom 880 interiors was intended reflect the overall interior treatment, not specific to the door panels and seats.  Maybe I should have been more clear about that.   Cheers...TB 

[gtx6970]

Are you sure it's not the 880 kit?

 

Steve

Did some cking online, And I think its an 880, Its molded in some god awful looking gold color.

Edited December 15, 2015 by gtx6970

[StevenGuthmiller]

Did some cking online, And I think its an 880, Its molded in some god awful looking gold color.

Not unusual.

I believe all of the MPC '65 & '66 Dodges were molded in that horrendous color.

If you do have the 880, that's a real gem!

Very difficult to find, as if the Monacos weren't already hard enough to come by.

Hang on to that one!!

 

Steve

[tim boyd]

Not unusual.

I believe all of the MPC '65 & '66 Dodges were molded in that horrendous color.

If you do have the 880, that's a real gem!

Very difficult to find, as if the Monacos weren't already hard enough to come by.

Hang on to that one!!

 

Steve

All of my 1965 Monaco and Custom 880 convertible kits were molded in a metallic gold color.  The 1966 Monaco 500 Hardtop and Polara 500 convertible kits were molded in white.  They may have been molded in other colors too, but those above are the only ones I have seen personally.   Cheers...TIM  

[Roadrunner]

I really like the color you're using on this, Steve. I'm going to eventually have to buy some of those paints, I just know it. Do you use their clear coats too?

[ChrisBcritter]

MPC had to make the convertible an 880, as there were no 1/1 Dodge Monaco convertibles built. A friend of mine rectified that situation by building a beautiful phantom '66:

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2015/11/26/100-genuine-faux-riginal-1966-dodge-monaco-500/#comments-block

Note the color of the canework in the interior shot.

My '65 will most likely be pale yellow with a black top and interior; it was missing the engine and wheels so I parted an AMT Challenger for the 440 and Magnum 500s.

Edited December 16, 2015 by ChrisBcritter

[StevenGuthmiller]

All of my 1965 Monaco and Custom 880 convertible kits were molded in a metallic gold color.  The 1966 Monaco 500 Hardtop and Polara 500 convertible kits were molded in white.  They may have been molded in other colors too, but those above are the only ones I have seen personally.   Cheers...TIM  

I stand corrected.

I thought the '66 was molded in the gold too.

Regardless, they absolutely could have found a better color to mold them in.

Or my preference, white!

 

I really like the color you're using on this, Steve. I'm going to eventually have to buy some of those paints, I just know it. Do you use their clear coats too?

I love their paints Kevin!

I will never look back!

I don't use MCW clear coat mainly because I use a lot of it & don't want to have to order it through the mail. Same with primer.

I've given up on Testors clear & have been using Duplicolor in a rattle can as of late.

On this project I'm giving the Duplicolor "Paint Shop" clear a try again.

It didn't work so well for me the first time I tried it, but I'm confident it was "pilot error".

Seems to be working well this time.

The best part is, it comes pre-thinned in a quart can ready to airbrush.

That quart should last me quite a while!

 

MPC had to make the convertible an 880, as there were no 1/1 Dodge Monaco convertibles built. A friend of mine rectified that situation by building a beautiful phantom '66:

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2015/11/26/100-genuine-faux-riginal-1966-dodge-monaco-500/#comments-block

Note the color of the canework in the interior shot.

My '65 will most likely be pale yellow with a black top and interior; it was missing the engine and wheels so I parted an AMT Challenger for the 440 and Magnum 500s.

I'm using a set of Magnum wheels on mine as well, just because I'm not crazy about the look of the stock hubcaps.

In my eye the '65 Monaco was a little "stodgy" in the styling department & could use a little icing on the cake.

 

Steve

 

Here are a couple more photos.

Nothing really new except one more color coat, which I think made the color a little richer & deeper.

Plus the scripts have been done & a couple of clear coats shot.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 3, 2016 by StevenGuthmiller

[Roadrunner]

    I love their paints Kevin!

I will never look back!

I don't use MCW clear coat mainly because I use a lot of it & don't want to have to order it through the mail. Same with primer.

I've given up on Testors clear & have been using Duplicolor in a rattle can as of late.

On this project I'm giving the Duplicolor "Paint Shop" clear a try again.

It didn't work so well for me the first time I tried it, but I'm confident it was "pilot error".

Seems to be working well this time.

The best part is, it comes pre-thinned in a quart can ready to airbrush.

That quart should last me quite a while!

Steve

Thanks for that. I'm just entering the stage where I want to try airbrushing some colors, instead of using spray bombs.

[StevenGuthmiller]

Thanks for that. I'm just entering the stage where I want to try airbrushing some colors, instead of using spray bombs.

I still use spray cans for some solid colors like red, white or black. Basically anything without metallic in it.

But I won't use a spray can for metallic paints.

Most of them have metal flakes that are just too out of scale for me.

 

Steve

[Roadrunner]

I still use spray cans for some solid colors like red, white or black. Basically anything without metallic in it.

But I won't use a spray can for metallic paints.

Most of them have metal flakes that are just too out of scale for me.

 

Steve

I know a lot of guys don't like those, Steve, but I think they look really cool. My bigger issue is getting good coverage in nooks and crannies, like around the fender/hood interface on a '33 Willys. Spray cans just don't offer the subtle control that seems to be required for those type applications.

I take your input very seriously, since I've seen some of your great looking cars.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I know a lot of guys don't like those, Steve, but I think they look really cool.

I guess if you're building a lot of customs the heavier metal flakes are ok, but for the factory stock type builds that I like to do, those heavy flakes just don't cut it if you're looking for realism.

But you're correct about control.

It's much easier to get the coverage you're looking for with an airbrush & this type of paint.

It can also be much easier to destroy a paint job with an airbrush if you're not real familiar with it.

I did my share of that early on!

 

Steve

[Mr Stock]

Ill be following along on this one Steve, I have one of these kits in my stash it was a pretty good buildup which was heavily clear laqured over the gold plastic by someone over 45 years ago, the lacquer had aged to the point that it had a slight green tinge to it, imagine that mixed with the grim original gold colour !......not nice lol.

I did manage to strip the lacquer and over the past couple of years Ive been slowly ordering the necessary replacement chrome parts I need from Modelhaus.

My plan was to paint a light metallic blue with a black vinyl roof, but like you I have hit a stumbling block on the interior or should I say lack of refrence photos !, these cars must have been pretty rare.

Im also not a fan of the stock wheelcovers (Look like dustbin lids), so ill have a rethink on those, shame because the 66 trims are quite nice.

Keep up the good work Steve, looking forward top seeing your take on this one.

[Roadrunner]

I guess if you're building a lot of customs the heavier metal flakes are ok, but for the factory stock type builds that I like to do, those heavy flakes just don't cut it if you're looking for realism.

But you're correct about control.

It's much easier to get the coverage you're looking for with an airbrush & this type of paint.

It can also be much easier to destroy a paint job with an airbrush if you're not real familiar with it.

I did my share of that early on!

 

Steve

When I go completely stock (like I'll eventually do for a '32 Vicky, '37 Chevy, etc.), I certainly won't use any metallics, and by that time (another year or so) I'll probably have built up some stocks of non-metallic paints for those efforts.

Do you describe your painting process anywhere on this site? If so, I'd love to read it. For me, painting the body is the real challenge when doing car models. Most of the rest seems fairly easy, all things considered.

[gtx6970]

Steve,

Have you considered the wheels from the Polar Lights 65 Dodge ?

 

My 65 convertible kit is still  on my desk and I just stumbled onto a set of the hubcaps from a PL 1965 Coronet  parts kit ,,,so I did  some digging on the net ,,,,,,,and  I am pretty sure they were the same between body lines that year

[StevenGuthmiller]

Steve,

Have you considered the wheels from the Polar Lights 65 Dodge ?

 

My 65 convertible kit is still  on my desk and I just stumbled onto a set of the hubcaps from a PL 1965 Coronet  parts kit ,,,so I did  some digging on the net ,,,,,,,and  I am pretty sure they were the same between body lines that year

First off, I don't know where I would find a set of Polar Lights caps.

Besides, I really like the look of the Magnum wheels on this car.

The body style is not exactly "racy" looking & I think the Magnum 500s add a "muscle car" touch.

I know they're not correct for a '65 Monaco, but hey, I've never really worried too much about being too correct.

[Dann Tier]

First off, I don't know where I would find a set of Polar Lights caps.

Besides, I really like the look of the Magnum wheels on this car.

The body style is not exactly "racy" looking & I think the Magnum 500s add a "muscle car" touch.

I know they're not correct for a '65 Monaco, but hey, I've never really worried too much about being too correct.

This is ART -build it your way!!!!

[Roadrunner]

This is ART -build it your way!!!!

Agreed, and it's looking just great so far.

[disabled modeler]

Very nice Steve...I remember trying to help my dad build his years ago...always liked the shape of the taillights of those cars.

[tim boyd]

 

I believe all of the MPC '65 & '66 Dodges were molded in that horrendous color.

 

Steve

Quoted from the top view of the MPC '65 Custom 880 Convertible box art: "Important Message: You are looking at an unretouched photograph of the 1/25 scale Dodge Custom 880.  The new type of Styron plastic comes professionally finished in base Metallic Gold.  No paint is necessary...but with a translucent top coat, your model is Best-of-Show."  The MPC Monaco kit had a similar box art message.   Since MPC's 1966 annual kits omitted this "new type of Stryon plastic", we can assume the idea did not play all that well.....on the other hand...as an 11 year old modeler who had marginal results with spray paints, I liked being able to assemble the Monaco kit without having to worry about paint.   

Hmmm....TB  

 

[StevenGuthmiller]

Quoted from the top view of the MPC '65 Custom 880 Convertible box art: "Important Message: You are looking at an unretouched photograph of the 1/25 scale Dodge Custom 880.  The new type of Styron plastic comes professionally finished in base Metallic Gold.  No paint is necessary...but with a translucent top coat, your model is Best-of-Show."  The MPC Monaco kit had a similar box art message.   Since MPC's 1966 annual kits omitted this "new type of Stryon plastic", we can assume the idea did not play all that well.....on the other hand...as an 11 year old modeler who had marginal results with spray paints, I liked being able to assemble the Monaco kit without having to worry about paint.   

Hmmm....TB  

 

That's pretty funny!

Maybe it would have gone over a little better with a different color!

 

Steve

[StevenGuthmiller]

It's been a slow slog, as I had assumed it would!

Just can't seem to get as much modeling done with my increased work load @ my job.

Never feel like doing a lot when I get home at night.

The holidays really didn't help much either.

But, after a minor paint issue that was resolved with some extra polishing, I finished polishing, painted the top, & got about half of the foil done on the body.

I also got the paint on the interior.

I decided to go with a black interior on this one rather than saddle.

Just thought it would work better with the black top.

 

Steve

 

Edited February 3, 2016 by StevenGuthmiller

[Igor]

This may be a little late, but I always find this site to be a valuable source of information:

http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/static/NA/Dodge/1965_Dodge/1965_Dodge_Monaco_Brochure/dirindex.html

... also, the full-line brochure lists black and white as the only vinyl top colors:

http://www.oldcarbrochures.com/new/171110/1965%20Dodge%20Full%20Line/1965%20Dodge%20Full%20Line-22.html

Edited January 4, 2016 by Igor
Fixed links (I hope)

[DumpyDan]

Looking good

[charlie8575]

It does look good. You can see why it was the brochure picture and one of the more common color combinations.

Charlie Larkin