1962 Chevrolet Impala 409 Is Completed

[mrmike]

The bright sunny day is starting to become a little cloudy and thunder can be heard in the distance.  The wind is picking up in force and the white fluffy clouds are getting dark and grey.  The ground is starting to rumble and shake, it is starting to rain really hard and the wind is blowing with hurricane force!  Lightning is hitting the ground and the thunder can be heard overhead!  Oh no!  It can't be...it just can't be!  mrmike is building...gasp...another Chevy!

Yes, I am building another Chevy!  This time, it is the Revell 1962 Chevrolet Impala 409 Special Edition kit #85-4246  I still love my Mopars and Fords, but I am in need of building something a little different this time.  Whenever I build a GM product, it turns out really nice, so I am hoping for another great build this time. 

I was originally going to paint this in red, but I already have 3 red builds nearing completion.  This build will be painted with Dupli-Color T 155 Light Blue Metallic with a matching interior.

The body in this kit is crisply molded with only two mold lines near the C-pillars to contend with.

I am going to use the steel wheels and dog dish hub caps from the kit with a larger rear tire from my parts box to give the Impala a little rake.

More to come... 

Edited March 17, 2017 by mrmike

[Badluck 13]

Ahh Mr. Mike,looks like I will following this one , I especially like the color choice....

[kelson]

Looking forward to your build.

[stavanzer]

I'll be watching as well. Great Colour Choice, I say.

[Ron Hamilton]

Your build sounds so cool!!!!

When I was a kid, there was a fellow in our neighborhood named Marshall who had a Roman Red '62 Impala SS 2 Door hardtop. 327/4speed, Red Guts and Cragar S/S wheels on Blackwall tires. I thought that was a cool car, and that is how I am going to do mine.

[Erik Smith]

I like that color too. It's really a splendid kit. Probably one of Revell's best. 

[moparfarmer]

You made a comment that when you build a GM it turns out nice..I mostly do Mopar stuff but my nicest models are 62 Chev Bel-Air and 70 Chevelle..

[mustang1989]

Looks like another good one Mike.

[mrmike]

Thank you guys!  I got this kit though the Classic Plastic Model Club raffle last year and I have be looking at it sitting in the stash since then.  The fact that it has a bench seat and a manual floor shift is appealing to me right now.  This has also got me into considering the AMT '61 Impala SS Bubbletop, but is it a Lindberg kit or an AMT kit?  It does seem interesting that whenever I build an GM product, the build comes out better than my usual offerings.  

I have no pictures yet as I have just started on the little bodywork that is required to get this build into shape.  I should have pictures later.  Thanks!  

[espo]

This is a great kit and an iconic car to build. They even made songs about it years ago. "So save your nickels and save your dimes" and have fun.

[mrmike]

As much as I am a Mopar and a Ford fan, there's something about certain Chevys that I like.  Certain Novas, Chevelles, Camaros, and Corvettes that appeal to me I want to build.  This build should be fun! 

[Misha]

This version, the R/M, has an excellant rendition of the 409W engine - perhaps the best going. The theme for the Vancouver show this March is Cars from Rock and Roll tunes, so using the 409 from this kit and the 30 Coupe along with my old Beach Boys 45 record as background, I'm hoping to get it done! 

Be following your build Mike with great intetest, especially the drive train. If building the 61 Bubble Top (yes, its a Lindberg) I would swap out the engine for the R/M version.

Cheers Misha

[slusher]

As much as I am a Mopar and a Ford fan, there's something about certain Chevys that I like.  Certain Novas, Chevelles, Camaros, and Corvettes that appeal to me I want to build.  This build should be fun! 

As much as I love Mopars and Fords I do like several Chevy cars..

[mrmike]

Thanks Misha and Carl!

Tonight, I started by looking for a set of larger rear tires for the Impala and I found a set in the parts box.

I partially assembled the engine and drilled the heads for plug wires.

Tomorrow, I'll paint the engine with Model Master Chevrolet Engine Red and the intake manifold Model Master Acryl Aluminium.

More to come...

[mrmike]

I got the 409 painted with Model Master Chevrolet Engine Red.

The intake manifold was painted with Model Master Aluminium Plate.

I painted both exhaust systems since I'm thinking of part of each and making a full exhaust system with Cherry Bomb mufflers.

More to come...

[slusher]

Very nice Mike, looking forward to more..

 

[1972coronet]

This kit has been on my radar since its release . I've seen many nice builds of it .

That blue is going to look killer ! It seems like the majority of these cars -- "1:1" or kits -- are either red or white , so that blue is really going to stand out nicely . I've been thinking of doing one in a mint green metallic ...

[mrmike]

Thanks Carl and John!  I have always thought of the early Sixties Impala looking better in blue than any other color.

I painted the wheels this morning with Dupli-Color T 155 Light Blue Metallic.

I also painted the interior with the same paint since I want a matching interior.

I added the valve covers and the intake manifold to the painted engine which is still tacky.  I also added the wheels to the tires, but I may take them apart to clearcoat the wheels.

More to come...

[mrmike]

My bodywork woes continue!  I thought I had gotten all the moldlines out, but the hot paint brought them back out again!  I sanded them down again and then it'll be back into the paintbooth again.

Curiously, this mark appeared on the roof.  Not sure if you can see it, but it's not in the exact center and there is no interior detail or sink mark to cause this, so it must be some sort of contamination that was on the roof after I washed the body.  I'll sand this out prior to repainting the body.

More to come...

[Bill J]

Looking very good so far. Always liked that Impala and the Revell kit is excellent, I wish all their kits were that good.

[espo]

Your sink mark on the roof. Is the dome light on the interior side ?  I have never had this happen myself so this is just a thought.  

[mrmike]

Thanks Bill and David!

Your sink mark on the roof. Is the dome light on the interior side ?  I have never had this happen myself so this is just a thought.  

It is not a sink mark nor is it a dome light detail from the interior, but a contamination on the top of the roof.  It seems like someone had placed a coffee cup on the roof and left a coffee ring when they removed the cup.  I'll sand it down and repaint the roof

[espo]

I made an assumption based on the photo. I just never thought of anyone putting a coffee cup on a model. It just didn't look that large in the photo. I hope your paint repair goes well.  

[mrmike]

I made an assumption based on the photo. I just never thought of anyone putting a coffee cup on a model. It just didn't look that large in the photo. I hope your paint repair goes well.  

I said that as an analogy, not that it actually happened.  Sorry Espo!  It looked like a perfectly round circle that was actually in the paint and may have been caused by some sort of comtamination that was on the roof.  I wetsanded the circle off with some 3200 sandpaper and then washed the body in prep for another coat of paint.

[mrmike]

The body has been repainted and set aside to gas out.  Now I am working on the 409 CI engine and the interior.  I'm using the chrome plated headers and I decided to try and "blue" the chrome with some Tamiya X-23 Clear Blue and X-26 Clear Orange.

The dash, steering wheel, and side panels have been foiled.

The floor has been coated with embossing powder and painted, then the seats were added.

More to come...