1975 NHRA Modified Production '70 Malibu 10/28 On The Wheels (Again)

[bisc63]

We learn from each other, brother. Remember; there are no dumb questions, just a few dumb people.

[Straightliner59]

I see what you are ref. to now, I pulled out my AMT body and saw what you described .....  sorry for butting in  ...... lol

Alan

No problem, here! It's always good to learn new things--even for us old dogs!grin

[Straightliner59]

I've begun to adapt the interior components to one another, and the unit to the body.

[Straightliner59]

Just a quick update with the decals I will make for this car. Looks pretty '70s, to me!

[John Pol]

Looking good wish I knew how do my own decals

[Straightliner59]

Thanks, John. I don't have anything fancy, just a Canon inkjet and some Blingasm inkjet decal paper I found on Amazon. You need both white and clear, since the ink isn't opaque. You have to print light colors on the white, and trim right to the edge. I'd never had much luck until I did the decals for my '34.

[Straightliner59]

I need to make this a tad smaller...

[El Caballo]

Wow, the whole driveline and chassis, particularly the front, is a trick setup.

[Straightliner59]

Wow, the whole driveline and chassis, particularly the front, is a trick setup.

Thanks, Ted! It's been a ton of work, but, I am happy with it, so far! After about six attempts, I finally have a pinion yoke that is small enough (the one pictured above is too big.). Going to head in and work on finishing the driveshaft, in a few.

[Straightliner59]

After a few tries, I am finally happy with this bit of weirdness! I the sixth photo down, the kit driveshaft is alongside, for size reference.

Edited October 23, 2017 by Straightliner59

[Straightliner59]

Swapped out the diff for one that's more of a Dana 60. Had never paid attention to the one in the Johan Sox and Martin, but, it's really only a Dana 60 in the rear cover. The new one is from a Monogram kit, I am pretty sure, but I'm not sure which one. Anyway, here are some shots of the new diff, with the driveshaft. I have the retainers formed for attaching the u-joint to the pinion yoke. I also got a bit farther along with the interior assembly.

[Straightliner59]

Got a bit more done! The drivetrain is assembled, complete with driveshaft loop. The interior is coming together. Seats are from a '74 Vega promo. I butchered the interior tub to extract them! I'm not sure if I'm happy  with the trans u-joint. I may be able to rotate the assembly, to hide its shortcomings, but the diff yoke is tacky glued in place, at the moment.

Edited October 28, 2017 by Straightliner59

[afx]

Great work on the drive shaft Daniel.

 

[Straightliner59]

Thanks, JC. Now I need to figure out my next bit of insanity!

[Straightliner59]

Figured I was far enough along to put everything together for a test fit, and put 'er on the wheels. No tierod, at this time, because I haven't assembled it with the teeny-tiny nuts and bolts, yet. I feel that moment is coming soon. I like the way it sits. It looks pretty badazz--like a '70s race car!

Edited October 29, 2017 by Straightliner59

[bisc63]

Perfect stance for the 70s! Got that "new Hi-Jackers airshocks" elevated tailend look!

[Straightliner59]

Sometimes, you realize that a project is pretty much actually dead. This is one of those projects. Its history is documented in this thread, but, to condense it, it began as a mating of AMT's '70 Chevelle and '7? Monte Carlo, because that kit provided the best chassis available, at that time. When I resurrected it, I was informed (thankfully!), here, that the AMT body was not all that great. The Revell snapper is, however, so I began to mate the Monte Carlo chassis to the Revell body, and interior. That turned out to be a struggle I never quite got through. Subsequently, Revell released their '68, which, obviously provides a better option in the chassis department than the old AMT item. So...to swap the chassis out for the newer, nicer Revell item (along with engine compartment details, etc.), would pretty much literally meant that I had converted an AMT '70 Chevelle into a Revell '70 Chevelle. While I appreciate the humor that lies in that, I am disinclined to finish the joke. With this, I bid "goodbye" to a 20 year project that went nowhere, in the end!

[alan barton]

Two thoughts on this.

First, if Revell HADN"T brought out a new improved model, you would still be working on it.  (Or if you lived in Australia and had to wait a year or two to find out whether it really was going to come to your local hobby shop or not!)   The new Revell in no way undervalues the amazing results you have achieved so far.  Sure, buy the new Revell, use it as a reference for your existing project and one day, build it with another project with all the bells and whistles on the 68.

Secondly, just put it back in the box, mate!  The day will come when you think,  "I may as well just get this finished!"  In real life, full sized cars, and in the model world alike, it is a trap to keep chasing moving goal posts.  Decades ago I tried to convert an old Grant King sprint car into a modern (eighties at the time) sprint car.  I was deep into the project but  when Monogram came out with their state of the art sprinters, the old GK went back in the box.  Decades later, I realised that there was an interim style of sprint car that I now have an interest in and that old Grant King is coming out for another shot. Ditto for 32 3 window coupes - I was building my own version from an AMT roadster and Vicky, then Monogram brought out a perfect 32 3W and I put the AMT back in the box.  A year or so ago a wave of nostalgia hit me and I finished the AMT conversion, warts and all, to complete my AMT "set".

Cheers

Alan

[chris chabre]

with the amount of work you have into it, Id be displaying it just as it is for now. Like Alan said, eventually youll get back to it.

[Straightliner59]

12 hours ago, alan barton said:

Two thoughts on this.

First, if Revell HADN"T brought out a new improved model, you would still be working on it.  (Or if you lived in Australia and had to wait a year or two to find out whether it really was going to come to your local hobby shop or not!)   The new Revell in no way undervalues the amazing results you have achieved so far.  Sure, buy the new Revell, use it as a reference for your existing project and one day, build it with another project with all the bells and whistles on the 68.

Secondly, just put it back in the box, mate!  The day will come when you think,  "I may as well just get this finished!"  In real life, full sized cars, and in the model world alike, it is a trap to keep chasing moving goal posts.  Decades ago I tried to convert an old Grant King sprint car into a modern (eighties at the time) sprint car.  I was deep into the project but  when Monogram came out with their state of the art sprinters, the old GK went back in the box.  Decades later, I realised that there was an interim style of sprint car that I now have an interest in and that old Grant King is coming out for another shot. Ditto for 32 3 window coupes - I was building my own version from an AMT roadster and Vicky, then Monogram brought out a perfect 32 3W and I put the AMT back in the box.  A year or so ago a wave of nostalgia hit me and I finished the AMT conversion, warts and all, to complete my AMT "set".

Cheers

Alan

It is now back in the box, in the closet. I kept everything together, because whichever way I go, there is usable stuff, there! When I took it down from the shelf above the workbench, I thought maybe it would inspire me to at least  tinker, with it. Then I started looking at the  things that still need fixing, and realized that all I wanted from the thing was the best Modified Production '70 Chevelle I could build, and there is a better way to go about it! Whew--at least I'm not sentimental about it!? That could lead to further irrational behavio(u)r!

11 hours ago, chris chabre said:

with the amount of work you have into it, Id be displaying it just as it is for now. Like Alan said, eventually youll get back to it.

That's a thought. I could put it on the wheels, and put it in the display case. Hmmm...

[Scott8950]

I'd finish it as a backyard brawler street racer. Put it in primer and leave it at that. You can build another chevelle the way you want but you have put some really nice work into that car it should be finished.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Scott8950

[Snake45]

3 hours ago, Scott8950 said:

I'd finish it as a backyard brawler street racer. Put it in primer and leave it at that. You can build another chevelle the way you want but you have put some really nice work into that car it should be finished.

Agree completely! Do it! 

[Straightliner59]

15 hours ago, Scott8950 said:

I'd finish it as a backyard brawler street racer. Put it in primer and leave it at that. You can build another chevelle the way you want but you have put some really nice work into that car it should be finished.

 

12 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Agree completely! Do it! 

If I ever find my heart back in it, I might. It ain't there, now, though. I'm not sure what I will build, once the Supermodified is done. I appreciate everyone's comments! Thanks!