69 Firebird, redesigned.

[Oldcarfan27]

It all started a few months ago with a statement Snake45 made regarding how bad the MPC/AMT 69 Firebird kit is:

That was the motivation I needed to attempt a project I had been planning for a long time. 

Edited April 3, 2020 by Oldcarfan27

[Oldcarfan27]

Blue parts are Revell 69 Camaro, light grey parts are 69 Firebird, white is scrap plastic. 

 

First off, I cut off the nose portion from both kits. I lined them up along the fender eyebrows. Funny thing was, the driver side fender on the FB was 1/16" too tall and I had to section out that much from the top to blend it into the Camaro fender. However, the passenger side fender lined up almost perfectly. 

 

I cut away the lower part of the Camaro fender, just under the eyebrow to graft in the vented parts from the 'Bird. 

I filled in the Camaro vents with putty, being careful not to damage the details.

To save the rocker trim, I cut off the trim from both cars first to swap over when the fenders were finished.

[Oldcarfan27]

Next was to correct the lumpy transition between the nose and the passenger side fender. This was simply done by backing the area with scrap plastic and filling with putty. 

[Oldcarfan27]

I replaced the cowl vent area and the 400 hood from the FB, which took some doing.

The Camaro cowl is slightly wider, so I added strips of plastic to each side and blended in the plastic - before gluing to the body.

 

Firewall area was filled with plastic  (including a filler crescent piece under the cowl vent. I blended in the plastic before I installed the cowl vent panel in place.

I prepare the inaccessible areas prior to adding final parts.

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by Oldcarfan27

[Oldcarfan27]

Because I am replicating a 400 Firebird, I wanted to keep all of the Firebird emblems, including the 400 on the trunk. 

To do that, I cut out the trunk from the FB kit to install on the Camaro. Firebird trunk turns out to be about 1/8" too long, so I simply cut off that amount from the tulip end of the trunk to make it fit.

I also do the same with the taillight panel,  but I found out the Firebird panel is too small. Too fix that, I had to section the top of the quarter panels to pinch in the fenders slightly. Then I filled in the areas at the ends of the fenders with plastic and beveled them to match the prototype. 

Following that, I sanded the tail panel to fit.

 

I also had to add plastic to the lower gravel pan to fill in the voids and to put it in the proper position.

[Snake45]

Oh this is so Very Most Most Way Excellent Hella Cool I just about can't STAND it! 

I'm proud to have been the "inspiration" for this. I wish the pics had come through your "email of death" the other day--sorry about blowing you up about that. 

If this works out, I'm betting we'll see several follow in your footsteps. Including maybe ME! 

Drive on, and keep us posted. 

[Oldcarfan27]

I reduced the tunneled effect on the headlights by cutting off the lower turn signals and pushing the headlights forward. I will leave the turn signals in the proper position by adding some plastic where I cut off the lights.

The grille is going to be recontoured to minimize the blunt look that it currently has and slim down the bulky chrome frame around it. More to come.

 

Please comment. 

 

[Oldcarfan27]

9 minutes ago, Snake45 said:

If this works out, I'm betting we'll see several follow in your footsteps. Including maybe ME! 

I wouldn't worry about that, I'm sure as soon as I finish this project - Revell will announce they're releasing it! ?

[Snake45]

3 minutes ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

I wouldn't worry about that, I'm sure as soon as I finish this project - Revell will announce they're releasing it! ?

Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Happens every time. 

Meanwhile, just to get a '69 Bird of SOME kind on the shelf, I Snake-kicked THIS backbirth through the goal posts. 

 

[Oldcarfan27]

One thing that has always bothered me about an otherwise perfect Camaro body, is that Revell squared off the roof contours too much.

However, it is an easy fix by rounding the corners carefully with a sanding stick.

[Snake45]

24 minutes ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

One thing that has always bothered me about an otherwise perfect Camaro body, is that Revell squared off the roof contours too much.

However, it is an easy fix by rounding the corners carefully with a sanding stick.

The only thing that bothered me is that the rear corner of the drip railing is just a leeeeeeeetle too squared-off/angular, instead of a hair more rounded. 

I've never bothered to fix it, but prolly will on my next one. All it would take is a dab of filler (or Superglue Gel) on the underside, and then rounding off the top edge. 

[Rbray47]

I like where this is going. 

[espo]

I'm going to follow this. I have a couple of both these kits so this is valuable information.  

[Monty]

This response might come off as snarky, but I assure you that is not my intent.  It's just a building issue I can't get past.  After seeing what you've accomplished body-wise with some meticulous craftsmanship, I'm just curious why you would settle for those mediocre chromed headlights?

IMHO using them would only serve to detract from the realism you've created with all that amazing styrene surgery.  

IIRC Steve Millbury (?) and others have posted ways to drill out the housings and install kit lenses for a much more authentic appearance.  Just a thought...

OTOH, it's always nice to see someone take up a challenge, as you did, and knock it out of the park.  Can't wait to see how this comes out.    

[Scott8950]

ABSOLUTELY IMPRESSIVE!!! This firebird will be beautiful when its done. Great job

[bisc63]

Great work, very well considered and executed. Loving this very informative thread! What shade of red will you be painting this beauty??

[Snake45]

35 minutes ago, Monty said:

This response might come off as snarky, but I assure you that is not my intent.  It's just a building issue I can't get past.  After seeing what you've accomplished body-wise with some meticulous craftsmanship, I'm just curious why you would settle for those mediocre chromed headlights?

IMHO using them would only serve to detract from the realism you've created with all that amazing styrene surgery.  

IIRC Steve Millbury (?) and others have posted ways to drill out the housings and install kit lenses for a much more authentic appearance.  Just a thought...

Hey, he ain't done yet! Give him a chance! 

[Monty]

1 minute ago, Snake45 said:

Hey, he ain't done yet! Give him a chance! 

Happily!  I'm secretly hoping he'll eventually do a tutorial on how to do that kind of bodywork.  Think of all the kits that could be improved with those abilities.  

[Can-Con]

Super work.

Yes, Snake's post had me thinking about this project too. , , and you caught the problem with the front bumper too.

I do agree about the headlights but I'd scrap the kit parts completely and make new bezels and all ,, but like Snake says, you ain't done yet. 

I also can't wait to watch this come together.

[Can-Con]

Just thinking here ,, couldn't you use the photoetch scripts on the GCG '68 Firebird sheet? The scripts look the same to me and there'd be some other stuff you could use on it.

[Snake45]

9 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

Super work.

Yes, Snake's post had me thinking about this project too. 

Good to know! 

Believe me, if I liked '69 Firebirds, I'd have done it myself by now, or at least tried it. But if I like how this one turns out, I might do one myself, just to say I did. 

I have another 1G Firebird project in mind, though, that's MUCH more interesting to me, and will involve the oddball AMT '68. Stay tuned......

[AmericanMuscleFan]

Great job Patrick! That's really my favorite kind of work... improving by scratch building what was supposed to be done correctly right at the beginning by the manufacturer!  Well done sir!

[Oldcarfan27]

4 hours ago, Monty said:

This response might come off as snarky, but I assure you that is not my intent.  It's just a building issue I can't get past.  After seeing what you've accomplished body-wise with some meticulous craftsmanship, I'm just curious why you would settle for those mediocre chromed headlights?

I may have to replace the lenses, but as of yet, I can't figure out how to redo those tiny bezels to make them more accurate. 

Any ideas, anyone?

[Oldcarfan27]

3 hours ago, bisc63 said:

Great work, very well considered and executed. Loving this very informative thread! What shade of red will you be painting this beauty??

Probably not red - too common 

I'm trying to decide which color to use from this chart.

I'm liking subdued, like these...

It seemed like many were painted these colors when I was growing up, so that's what I remember. 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Oldcarfan27

[Oldcarfan27]

3 hours ago, Snake45 said:

Hey, he ain't done yet! Give him a chance! 

Thanks Snake for cheering me on!!