Let's See Some Survivors!

[XJ6]

The only survivor beyond the 80's is this Model T I built in the late 70's

That is Really Cool ??

[Snake45]

Here's the MPC '68 GTO I built when new, in true "barn find" condition and sad disrepair. I plan to blow this one apart, give it a good cleaning, fix what's broken, do a little paint touch-up if I can get away with it, and put it back together as a memento of my youth. Eager to do this--might even get started on it today.

[Snake45]

 

Here's another original MPC '68 GTO. I didn't build this one, but bought if from Hobby Heaven in the '80s or '90 for, IIRC, $18 or $20. I originally planned to strip it and rebuild it in Verdoro Green, but the nice blue paint kind of grew on me. So I'm restoring it as a survivor (I just finished restoring the one in the post above--finished pics soon). But those wire wheels and snow tires will have to go. What do you think, maybe Cragars? (The paint isn't anywhere near a factory color, so I feel no obligation to make it factory-correct.)

[Don Sikora II]

Here's another original MPC '68 GTO. I didn't build this one, but bought if from Hobby Heaven in the '80s or '90 for, IIRC, $18 or $20. I originally planned to strip it and rebuild it in Verdoro Green, but the nice blue paint kind of grew on me. So I'm restoring it as a survivor (I just finished restoring the one in the post above--finished pics soon). But those wire wheels and snow tires will have to go. What do you think, maybe Cragars? (The paint isn't anywhere near a factory color, so I feel no obligation to make it factory-correct.)

Man, you have two blue '68 GTOs?  Cragars sound good, and they look good on almost anything.

[ChrisBcritter]

 But those wire wheels and snow tires will have to go.

Nice-looking wire wheels (even if not appropriate for a GTO). What kit are they from?

[Shardik]

 But those wire wheels and snow tires will have to go.

If you're ditching the snow tires, send 'em to me for a nostalgia build.  It seems like every car I owned from high school till I got married had those same tires on the back end.

[Snake45]

Man, you have two blue '68 GTOs?  Cragars sound good, and they look good on almost anything.

I know, right? It's like I had a twin who had about 6 months to a year's painting experience on me.

[Snake45]

Nice-looking wire wheels (even if not appropriate for a GTO). What kit are they from?

I have no idea. They're not '65 Riviera, and they're not AMT Cobra. I can't tell if they're supposed to be full wires, or wire-look wheel covers. Never seen anything like them.

[Snake45]

If you're ditching the snow tires, send 'em to me for a nostalgia build.  It seems like every car I owned from high school till I got married had those same tires on the back end.

Nah, I'll keep 'em around. I might get the urge to build a beater sometime, or might even use them on a high school hot rod of some kind.

[robertw]

While most of these are a little off topic for a model car board I recently obtained a small cache of partially built & unbuilt kits from a family member who has had to go into a care home and can no longer model. I'll enjoy building or restoring a number of these kits but I've also enjoyed researching the history of a few of the oldest kits. Some of the kits include:

-a small Wells Fargo stagecoach dating to a Revell/Adams collaboration in the early '50s

-a 1o 1 early European flintlock handgun by Pyro, another modelling company from the distant past

-a large civil war style canon, maker not yet determined)

-several open wheel race cars

-several Star Wars kits from the '80s

-some armour kits, a couple of semi kits, several Monogram brass era classic cars

 

It's not that I needed more models to build but I wasn't about to turn freebies down.

[Snake45]

Didn’t build this one; acquired it from a friend on a model airplane board who got it from a neighbor cleaning out an attic. It’s an original annual AMT ’63 Vette coupe—I know it’s original because it came with the original instruction sheet and many of the 1963 custom and extra parts. (The deal included a ’63 Riviera, same way.) I was gonna strip and completely rebuild it, just so I can have a complete collection of original annual ’63-’67 AMT Corvettes, but the fairly clean green paint is starting to grow on me. Right now I’m looking at cleaning it up and restoring it as a great period survivor.  Amazingly, I found a half-bottle of Pactra Metallic Green that dates to the early ‘90s that seems to be an exact match for the paint on the model, and it looks like I’ll be able to reconstitute enough of it for touchup work. The vinyl tires have eaten up the wheel backs, so I’m gonna look for a set of cool early ‘60s oddball mags or custom wheels (the stock ’63 wheel covers will get put to use on a factory stock build).

 

[Snake45]

Glue Bomb or Survivor? I kinda dig the Original Builder's concept on this one, so I'm going to TRY to clean it up and "restore" it more-or-less as-is, so that makes it a Survivor. At least until I change my mind and strip it back to bare styrene. Which might never happen.

This is an original JoHan Eddie Schartmann Maverick Pro Stocker, which I gather was the first issue and somewhat rare. Was surprised to find the engine is a 428 CJ, with a homemade tunnel ram manifold. I wonder what the OB used the kit 429 Shotgun motor in? Bought this last month at the local Toy Show for $25, which is about three to four times what this vendor typically sells his old builtups for--and the whole time I was getting my money out, he kept talking about how he was giving a lot of thought to keeping it for his own collection. I paid him and got it in my hands FAST, I tell you. I think on eBay it would have gone for at least $10 more, and then you'd have another ten frogs for shipping, so I considered this a real bargain. I THINK I can turn it into something cool-ly presentable--or, if you prefer, presentably cool--if I can come up with a reasonably close match for the metallic dark blue paint. And then I'll give the whole thing a coat or two of Future for shine. We'll see what happens.

[magicmustang]

Okay, Snake.

Here's one I built in the early 60's. A Fumin Fiat built from a Revell Parts Pak double kit. Even has the oozing plastic around the wheels from the tight vinyl tires melting the plastic that was common in those days. I think I had to replace the front wheels for the same reason.  

 

Edited September 13, 2017 by magicmustang

[Johnt671]

I built these in the late 70's to early 80's.

 

[Lunajammer]

I kinda dig the Original Builder's concept on this one, so I'm going to TRY to clean it up and "restore" it more-or-less as-is, so that makes it a Survivor.

I'll go along with that. This actually looks pretty authentic. It's a cool subject matter and aesthetically seems pretty true to the period. It's in decent shape and the details seem right.

[Snake45]

Okay, Snake.

Here's one I built in the early 60's. A Fumin Fiat built from a Revell Parts Pak double kit. Even has the oozing plastic around the wheels from the tight vinyl tires melting the plastic that was common in those days. I think I had to replace the front wheels for the same reason. 

That's a fine, fine survivor! Thanks for sharing it with us!

[Snake45]

I built these in the late 70's to early 80's.

 

Very nice! Thanks for sharing them!

[Johnt671]

Your welcome Snake 45. Here's another I started back then but never finished. This was the best paint job I had done from back then, but from moving around through the years the paint is scuffed up. I'm hoping that I can buff the clear coat to get it back. I'm going to start a thread with more pictures to try to find out who manufactured the kit. I have some Cobra parts and another Cobra kit put away, and I'd like to finally finish this kit.

Most of the speckles are dust.

[Johnt671]

This is my last and oldest survivor, built around 76 or early 77. It's a curbside and shows the scars of a lot of moves through the years. I built this just after my first wife left and I had some spare time. I've often thought about scrapping it for the nice wheels and tires but I haven't been able to do it. Maybe a soak in brake fluid and a repaint with he proper color read would be more in order for it.

[Snake45]

This is my last and oldest survivor, built around 76 or early 77. It's a curbside and shows the scars of a lot of moves through the years. I built this just after my first wife left and I had some spare time. I've often thought about scrapping it for the nice wheels and tires but I haven't been able to do it. Maybe a soak in brake fluid and a repaint with he proper color read would be more in order for it.

Just the kind of thing this thread is about!

[Snake45]

I'll go along with that. This actually looks pretty authentic. It's a cool subject matter and aesthetically seems pretty true to the period. It's in decent shape and the details seem right.

Last night I took it apart--fortunately it wasn't glued too tightly--and today cleaned the parts up with dish soap and a soft brush. Everything I need is here to get it back on its wheels and shelf-worthy.

The paint is in about 95% very good shape. The other 5%, though--ack! Looks like the OB had another model sitting on top of it for years or decades, and the tires started to eat into the paint and plastic. Some of those spots are still soft, and I suspect always will be. I'm going to sand the damage as locally and carefully as I can, then try to find a metallic blue as close as possible and touch up those spots with a brush. And then probably hand-brush Future over the whole thing. Oh, BTW, all the cool old vintage decals survived the Snakepit Car Wash. The glass is even in nice shape, and should respond nicely to a light polish.

[FordRodnKustom]

I built this Northeast asphalt style modified from memory, spare parts and scratching a few bits around 1979. It's the oldest of my builds that I still have.

[gtx6970]

About 5 or so years ago I bought a bunch of old drag car  built ups off Ebay. Originally I  had plans to take them all apart and redo them to my standards.

Unfortunately, during some moving around this summer I dropped the Schartman car  and it went everywhere. So while I had a little time yesterday morning I decided its sat on a box in pieces  long enough. I put the Comet back nearly the exact same way I got it. ( the thread for spark plug wiring didnt survive the crash . ) And I had my chance to rebuild the Comet to my standards after it was scattered all over the basement floor. But I just couldn't do it. I even reinstalled those ugly green headers back as originally built. I'd love to find another one to build to my tastes. But alas its eluded me so far.

Otherwise I've done nothing but give them a good cleaning and waxing then back in the case as is . Lord knows how long they've  been built but my guess is a since the kits first came out. They have knicks and scuffs in them and the  decals are far from perfect. And to be honest these pics make them look better then they actually are.

 

These 2 are probably the best of the lot. ,,,,the others need more work and will most likely get stripped and redone at some point.

Thanks for looking in

Edited October 24, 2016 by gtx6970

[gtx6970]

The Vanke 1972 Duster annual. Still has its state of the art underhood details

 

[Lunajammer]

 

 

Cool! I've got a bubble gum trading card of this car I've had since I was a kid.