Spottedlaurel Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 (edited) My entry for the latest round of Snake's "Bring Out Your Dead" topic: 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr First started nearly 30 years ago, before the internet so any references came from watching and pausing my recorded VHS copy, hence the notes: 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr I'd done a lot more on the bodywork than I remembered, not just creating the flip front and opening-up the rear arches but shaving the side trim and shortening the front trims. 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr Crude centre pillar was added, which seems to have come adrift on the other side as well as the rear pillar getting broken at some point. 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr My take on the suspension was that it wasn't much different to standard ride height, so I ditched the Gasser parts and I think parts off a Monogram '57 Chevy have been used instead. Wheels and front tyres also came from the '57, rear slicks are from a Monogram NASCAR kit. I'm not going to do much detail work underneath, I need to stand some chance of seeing it finished. Need to repair/replace the pillars, add a flare to the rear arches, cut a slot in the hood bulge, work out how to attach the flip front, do something about the firewall, tidy up the interior, find a 3-pedal set-up and manual shifter, and generally finish putting it together. It won't be an accurate replica, but hopefully it'll make for a decent display piece and it will be great to see it finished after so many years. Edited October 3, 2020 by Spottedlaurel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockford Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 Wow 30 years! That's some hiatus. Gonna be a great looking car. I remember seeing the film when I was kid and not fully understanding it all, pink slips etc... but I just remember how great the cars looked, the 55 with the howling Muncie and the super smooth GTO. I'm fairly sure the 55 went into American Graffiti as Bob Falfa's car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted October 3, 2020 Author Share Posted October 3, 2020 1 minute ago, Rockford said: Wow 30 years! That's some hiatus. Gonna be a great looking car. I remember seeing the film when I was kid and not fully understanding it all, pink slips etc... but I just remember how great the cars looked, the 55 with the howling Muncie and the super smooth GTO. I'm fairly sure the 55 went into American Graffiti as Bob Falfa's car. Thanks Stephen. I have a handful of projects that I started in the late'80s/early '90s that were maybe a touch ambitious, or stalled for whatever reason. I didn't build anything for a few years, and when I got back into it in the '00s I started afresh on some simpler kits. I know I have one or two fiddly things to contend with here, but I'll keep it fun and not get too hung up on the detail so I don't get bogged down. I recorded the film from the Alex Cox "Moviedrome" series (broadcast 1989, apparently) and he gave a really good introduction to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSheep214 Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 This definitely brought back memories. I did that kit in my teen years. I’d love to get another someday. Looking forward to seeing more. Keep’em coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake45 Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 Just my opinion, worth what you paid for it (or even less! ) but I think you should lose that fake door post and just roll with it as a hardtop. Both the bodies and roofs are completely different between the '55-'57 hardtops and 2 door sedans. Putting the post in a hardtop body gives you a look that's "neither fish nor fowl." But hey, it's not my model, and if you like the way it looks with the post, then by all means drive on and just pretend I was never here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted October 3, 2020 Share Posted October 3, 2020 5 hours ago, Rockford said: Wow 30 years! That's some hiatus. Gonna be a great looking car. I remember seeing the film when I was kid and not fully understanding it all, pink slips etc... but I just remember how great the cars looked, the 55 with the howling Muncie and the super smooth GTO. I'm fairly sure the 55 went into American Graffiti as Bob Falfa's car. In reference to the term "Pink Slips" they are talking about the Title of ownership of the vehicle. At that time the state of California issued titles that were printed on paper that was a pinkish color. They were the same size as the registration slips that were required to be in the car. I never knew anyone who won or lost a car Drag Racing, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted December 30, 2020 Author Share Posted December 30, 2020 On 10/3/2020 at 4:20 PM, Snake45 said: Just my opinion, worth what you paid for it (or even less! ) but I think you should lose that fake door post and just roll with it as a hardtop. Both the bodies and roofs are completely different between the '55-'57 hardtops and 2 door sedans. Putting the post in a hardtop body gives you a look that's "neither fish nor fowl." But hey, it's not my model, and if you like the way it looks with the post, then by all means drive on and just pretend I was never here. You're giving some good advice there Snake, but I'm going to build it true to the vision I had when I first started this thing a long, long time ago. Having not done anything with it for most of the 2-3 months I had available for this B.O.Y.D. round, I've got back into it again with the aim of finishing it by the end of this year (i.e.tomorrow!). Slot has been cut in the hood scoop and LH side roof repairs undertaken: 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr Lots of other components primed and awaiting final painting. One of the front wheel spindles needed a repair as it'd snapped off and that's in hand. It'll be neither pretty nor accurate, but after 25+ years I'll be glad to have this sitting on the shelf and looking reminiscent of the original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted December 31, 2020 Author Share Posted December 31, 2020 Managed to get quite a bit done on this yesterday. Snake has kindly given an extra day on the B.O.Y.D. deadline, but if I can I'd still like to get it finished by the end of today. 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr Butchered interior. To get rid of the back seats I initially just cut off the back half of the interior tub. Luckily I kept the remnants, as the easiest of tidying it up was to reinstate the original side panels and then fill the holes where I cut the rear seat away. I don't like them much, but for ease I will probably use the kit-supplied front seats, unless I stumble across anything better in the parts box. 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr My approach to replicating the dull primer finish of the original was to spray it with some satin black, then give it a light, not quite full coat of grey primer. I might give it a coat of flat clear, as it currently has a bit of a sheen. 1:24 Monogram 1955 Chevy kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr What I have left to assemble and 'detail'. I'm using that latter word rather loosely...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan barton Posted December 31, 2020 Share Posted December 31, 2020 It's looking good Nigel. Most people at first glance will see the Two Lane Blacktop car, the dissection might occur on the second glance! .I can truly relate to this one because, maybe nearly forty years ago, I wanted to build the American Graffiti 55, which as we all know started life as the Two Lane Blacktop car and so what did I use???? The same kit you have up top. I also lost the plot a little and added a squared off pro stock scoop so I guess we both now belong to the "neither fish nor fowl" movie car club! As my model club is doing the American Graffiti diorama this year, I am also going to build the rollover car from a very tatty Revell 56 Post and an AMT 55 Post that has lost it's post. For what it is going to become, the very rough 56 is going to work fine. That might make 3 for the afore-mentioned club. While I think Snake is right, sometimes ya just gotta soldier on! Just going off on a tangent for a moment (sorry!) but when you study the rollover scene, there are three different cars in use! Happy New Year, Spotted Laurel, hope you get it done! Cheers Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockford Posted January 1, 2021 Share Posted January 1, 2021 Nigel, what do use the Tescos Cranberry Sauce for? ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted January 1, 2021 Author Share Posted January 1, 2021 (edited) 49 minutes ago, Rockford said: Nigel, what do use the Tescos Cranberry Sauce for? ? Aha, my secret ingredient, especially at this time of year. Might also be a handy jar to hold white spirit for brush cleaning...... On 12/31/2020 at 9:16 AM, alan barton said: It's looking good Nigel. Most people at first glance will see the Two Lane Blacktop car, the dissection might occur on the second glance! .I can truly relate to this one because, maybe nearly forty years ago, I wanted to build the American Graffiti 55, which as we all know started life as the Two Lane Blacktop car and so what did I use???? The same kit you have up top. I also lost the plot a little and added a squared off pro stock scoop so I guess we both now belong to the "neither fish nor fowl" movie car club! As my model club is doing the American Graffiti diorama this year, I am also going to build the rollover car from a very tatty Revell 56 Post and an AMT 55 Post that has lost it's post. For what it is going to become, the very rough 56 is going to work fine. That might make 3 for the afore-mentioned club. While I think Snake is right, sometimes ya just gotta soldier on! Just going off on a tangent for a moment (sorry!) but when you study the rollover scene, there are three different cars in use! Happy New Year, Spotted Laurel, hope you get it done! Cheers Alan Thanks Alan, interesting to hear what you've done previously and are planning to do this year. The first glance will do, apart from showing photos online it's very unlikely that anyone with modelbuilding skills/knowledge will ever see my builds for real! In the unlikely event that did happen, this one won't be taking centre stage..... Funny thing is while I do know the '55 went onto feature in American Graffiti, I have never seen that film (I realise it maybe somewhat heretical to admit that here!). Anyway, once the final bits of paint have dried and glue has set I'm ready to assemble this thing: A thin bit of styrene sheet around the bulkhead solved several issues after seeing a 1:1 car online this morning. I can't remember if the original kit had anything here, but it covers up some of the gap at the front of the interior tub and is flexible enough for the flip front to grip onto, meaning I can avoid any complex hinging or attachment. And this is how it now sits, ready for final assembly this evening to meet Snake's deadline. If I was taking this build seriously then I'd be disappointed about the glass fitment, it seems like it's too short front-to-back and too shallow - I'd be looking to cut the front and rear screens so they sit better in each opening and replace the sides with clear sheet. If I'm sufficiently keen when I go back out to finish it off I'll add some front quarterlight frames. I thought the glass installation might be affected by my centre pillar additions and rear pillar repair, but luckily not. Feels odd to be so close to finishing it off after all this time. Edited January 1, 2021 by Spottedlaurel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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