Mission Impossible - American Graffiti cop car from a wreck

[alan barton]

Just a quick update tonight.  I got white paint on the body yesterday and hope to do the black tomorrow.  Terrible weather for painting but ya gotta do what ya gotta do!  The show is next weekend so the clock's a tickin"!

Did some more smoothing and sanding on Holstein and his partner tonight.  I also built the rear end that gets yanked out.  Like most of the rest of this build, it is largely built from the scrapbox - the only unused parts in this assembly were the hubcaps.  I separated the front half of the front yoke and added a bit of aluminium tube to represent the end that goes into the transmission.  I also repaired and lengthened the springs with thin styrene plus some aluminium tube for the eyes.  

Cheers

Alan

Edited July 11, 2021 by alan barton

[alan barton]

O.K., here's a sneak peak with five days to go and it is looking like a police car!  Still got to fit windows, a bit of foil work, install mirrors, lights and siren and finish the paint on the two occupants. My favourite photo spot in the garden was hampered by the low winter sun today but I will get some better piks as the weekend draws close. Also got my 59 Edsel finished and still hoping to finish a 59 Sunliner as well. We'll see!

Cheers

Alan

[bobthehobbyguy]

Impressive work.

[alan barton]

Thanks Bob!  I am very pleased to report to everyone on the forum that I made my deadline - woohoo!.  I finished it at 8.30 pm Friday night, arriving at the show  at 6.00am Saturday so less than twelve hours to spare.  The reception to the display has been excellent so far amongst the modellers and tomorrow the NNL style show is open to the public.

I really haven't had time to take any quality pictures yet for Under Glass but to whet your appetite, here is how it looks at the show.

Cheers

Alan, 

[Dave Darby]

Looks awesome Alan. All you need now is some lighting so you can get some "night time" shots. Oh, and have the Pharoahs Merc going the other way.

[alan barton]

Thanks Dave, yep, lighting would be great and I will try to organise it after the show.  I thought exactly the same thing when I took the photos!

But we might have to agree to disagree on the direction of the Merc.  I freeze- framed the movie a hundred times or more to capture reference material for this project and in the shot looking at the police car on the far left of the Jerry's Cherries lot, the Mercury absolutely appears from the right of screen and exits on the left.

Cheers

Alan

Edited July 18, 2021 by alan barton
spelling, plus meant left when I said right!

[David G.]

Most Impressive! ? 

A great rendition of an iconic film moment.

David G

[Dave Darby]

On 7/17/2021 at 6:25 PM, alan barton said:

Thanks Dave, yep, lighting would be great and I will try to organise it after the show.  I thought exactly the same thing when I took the photos!

But we might have to agree to disagree on the direction of the Merc.  I freeze- framed the movie a hundred times or more to capture reference material for this project and in the shot looking at the police car on the far left of the Jerry's Cherries lot, the Mercury absolutely appears from the right of screen and exits on the left.

Cheers

Alan

I always knew it was right to left. But for some reason I thought it was filmed from the dealership vantage point. I just reviewed and saw that the camera was actually facing the the dealership. Odd how I never noticed that before with the numerous times I've watched the movie. 

[alan barton]

7 hours ago, Dave Darby said:

I always knew it was right to left. But for some reason I thought it was filmed from the dealership vantage point. I just reviewed and saw that the camera was actually facing the the dealership. Odd how I never noticed that before with the numerous times I've watched the movie. 

That's perfectly understandable Dave.  The camera angle switches quite a few times prior to the drive-by.  And yeah, considering the dozens of times I have watched the movie ( I'm certain it is over fifty times!)  I still find new things to see.

For example, how many people know there is a full-fendered 32 roadster in the movie?  I didn't, until I freeze framed the police car scene to be able to copy the signwriting for Jerry's Cherries. on the far right hand side of the used car lot, on the front row, there is a very traditionally styled full fendered 32 roadster.  When you consider all the internet and Facebook discussions of the cars of American Graffiti, I had never heard of this one before.

Only yesterday I read that there is a fleeting glimpse of a '70 Olds Cutlass in there!  I will have to go and look for that one! (" Where were you in 62?"  Still in the ground as iron ore, I reckon!)

Cheers

Alan