Projekt Por-Vet

[Snake45]

Couple years ago I acquired, in a junkyard deal, a nearly complete (missing only the windshield frame) Palmer '66 Corvette roadster. As we all know, Palmer kits of this era are bad jokes and this one is no exception. It looks like a cartoon of a Vette drawn by someone who didn't particularly like them. But I was surprised that, instead of being substantially undersized like most Palmers, it's actually pretty close on length and width, although seems to be a bit "tall" in height, which makes it look chunky. Here's the taped-together body compared to a glue bomb Revell '67 1/25 Vette I just got. 

My first instinct was just to build the wretched backbirth and put it on the shelf for my "complete" collection of 1/25 C2 models. And then somewhere I got the idea that it might make a cool kit car/dune buggy model--something built with obvious Corvette overtones but obviously not a clone (that might bring the attention of GM lawyers). I've been looking for a suitable chassis donor and yesterday at the local toy show, I scored an old MPC "Dean Jeffries Station Wagon Dune Buggy" which looks like an ideal candidate. Wheelbase is close enough to work with, and the MPC's Corvair engine fits nicely under the Palmer Vette's trunk/rear deck. 

So the current plan is to see if I can "section" about 1/8" of depth out of the Palmer body, and maybe clean up the contours of the front fender bulges a little. I'll cut a "hood" opening in the rear deck to allow access to the engine just to make the point. Looks like a good place to use up some of that sparkly "Shimmer" paint I bought a couple cans of (the metalflake red, probably, though blue's not off the table yet). And I'm tentatively calling the little hot mess a "Por-Vet." Thanks for looking, and comments and suggestions are welcome! 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Snake45

[Jantrix]

This is a very groovy idea. I will be following.

[cobraman]

That is a cool idea. I hope to see it finished.

[bobthehobbyguy]

When you get a lemon you might as well make lemonade.

One suggestion would be to remove the turn signal pods in the front. They are absolutely huge it would clean the front up a bit.

[Snake45]

19 minutes ago, bobthehobbyguy said:

When you get a lemon you might as well make lemonade.

One suggestion would be to remove the turn signal pods in the front. They are absolutely huge it would clean the front up a bit.

Good call and I couldn't agree more. Those ugly lumps gotta go! 

[spencer1984]

This is brilliant, probably the best use of one of these old Palmer kits!

[89AKurt]

Egads! ?  More power to you for making something out of this.  I pulled myself out of a slump, by building a Nitto Lamborghini Countach that was horrible, into something cool.  Pass the popcorn.... ?