Mako Shark Survivor Resto/Rescue

[Snake45]

If I didn't get this first-issue MPC Mako Shark for Christmas 1966, I bought and built it not long after. It was one of my first candy paint jobs (AMT Oriental Blue over silver base), and today is either my second or third oldest surviving original paint job (after my yellow AMT Cobra, and either ahead of or behind my Monkeemobile, which I restored a couple years ago). Despite a few runs and dust spots in the paint, I considered it my “best” model for quite a while, but around 1969 it was starting to show its age, so I harvested its frame for a hot rod project that would have involved the body of an AMT TeeVee dune buggy (believe it or not). The intact, complete body/interior lived in a big box of my old finished models for over four decades, often under at least one other model, where the paint picked up both nicks and tire damage. About 2015 I dug it out with the idea of seeing what I could do with it, and here's what I had left of it:

I figured I would clean it up and build a simple slammer-type chassis for it, using wheels and tires from a common AMT '63 Corvette reissue. But I kept putting that off. Finally I got the idea a couple weeks ago to borrow the frame from another Mako Shark glue bomb I've acquired, and just paint that black and set it on that. This frame had the advantage of still having the original Mako Shark wheels and cool MPC hollow vinyl Firestone tires.

Getting this frame into usable shape turned out to be a LOT more trouble and work than I'd thought, even with no engine, no detailing, and just shooting it with Walmart Flat Black primer. Won't bore you with the hideous details but I had several hours of work in sorting out the front suspension alone, and regluing the rear solid. Suffice it to say, it gone done-ish.

If you've ever built this kit, you know how poorly the flip-up nosepiece fits. I glued it down solid which took more time and re-engineering than you might think. My beloved Silver Sharpie saw limited action in this particular campaign, only on the edges of the windshield and the thin trim strip on the roof. Model Master Clear Blue Acryl paint worked even better than I hoped to touch up the various chips, boogers, and damage in the candy blue paint. I have two other original Mako Shark glue bombs, and a mint copy of the '80s reissue “Custom Street Vette” kit, and plan to someday gather enough parts from the three of them to put together one really nice Mako Shark and then one '70s Shark-ish clone custom Vette. In the meantime, I have this one back up on wheels for the first time in nearly half a century and back on the shelf as a memento of my young modeling years.

 

And here it is with a 1/32 Aurora Mako Shark awaiting its own restoration, and an Aurora HO Thunderjet Mako Shark body. Cool, huh? As always, comments welcome.

[iBorg]

I really wish Round2 would bring this one back.

[ChrisR]

Nice save!

[MrObsessive]

Excellent! I've got a couple of these too Snake! A pristine never touched kit and a built one I took apart years ago and it's been calling my name to redo it. Both in their original boxes.

Yours turned out very nice and yes, this is one I'd like to see make its way back. It's been reissued under different names so is it possible the tooling still exists?

Dunno, but it would make more than a few modelers happy if we saw it again.

Edited December 6, 2018 by MrObsessive

[TooOld]

I also had the first issue I think in '67 and would love to have another one now .  Great save and thanks for the memories . 

[donb]

Great save Snake. Sure looks good sitting. Now to get to to work on those others .

[cobraman]

Looks good, nice work.

[espo]

Great looks restoration. 

[Snake45]

18 hours ago, iBorg said:

I really wish Round2 would bring this one back.

 

12 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

It's been reissued under different names so is it possible the tooling still exists?

Dunno, but it would make more than a few modelers happy if we saw it again.

The basic tooling almost certainly exists, but it's been altered from original. One obvious change is they eliminated the forward set of chrome vents on the hood. Those would have to be restored, and the hood restored to take them. I don't know if Round 2 has that capability. I've never bothered to check as to what all else has been altered. 

I wouldn't even mind having it back as-is, as a "Fako Shark." I wouldn't mind building a couple of them. Maybe even one on a VW frame as a dune buggy or kit car. 

[Dominik]

On ‎06‎.‎12‎.‎2018 at 4:07 AM, iBorg said:

I really wish Round2 would bring this one back.

me too.

Good looking shark. Well done, nice rescue!

[vintagercr]

Snake, the restoration turned  out well.  I have an un-built and built in my collection.   Man I wish I had everything I built as a kid.

[James2]

Great history, like'n the restorations...

I have the original kit I've been working off and on for some time, perhaps I should start a build thread for it!