Monogram 1956 Chevy Bel Air hardtop

[alan barton]

First of all, let me say that I rarely if ever build box stock, so what you see here is about as close as I get.  I started this model along time ago but after getting a coat of Testor's gloss white on it I lost interest. It's been sitting in its box for close to three decades.

However, as our club is doing a large American Graffiti diorama this year, it struck me that this old girl might finally come out of the dark, so to speak.  I masked up the body for some Rustoleum turquoise and it came out nice so I used it on the interior as well, topped with Testor's Dullcote.  I had the left over green sticker inserts from the first issue of the Monogram 59 Chevy convert kit so I whacked them on for a bit of interior detail.  I did a simple Right Hand Drive conversion and posed the front wheels. The wheels are the stock package for now with Tamiya dark grey wash but I will swap them out for some American Racing five spokes when the show is over.

Look, there is no denying that there are some slightly awkward proportions on this kit but my passion is for pre- war hot rods so that is not the end of the world for me.  I can see that a 56 Chevy fan would be much more critical, and rightly so. But it assembled easily and required no finessing to make the parts fit.  For me, it will make a perfect extra in the club diorama and it is one less box in the shelf, so its all good!

Cheers

Alan

[Tom Geiger]

Looks great! A super color combo!

I didn’t know you could even utter the phrase “Box Stock”!

You redeemed that with the RHD conversion.  Dashboard photo?

[alan barton]

Yeah, it feels positively un natural, but hey, it's just a Chevy!

Will get a dashboard photo shortly.

Cheers

Alan

[papajohn97]

Nice job on a less than perfect old kit. Your two-tone color choice stirs memories for me. My first car was a ‘56 210 two-door post sedan in close to these exact colors, the first of several “wished I’d kept that one” cars from my youth, purchased for just a few hundred $ back when they weren’t considered “classics”....Thanks for posting and bringing back some memories!

[TransAmMike]

Looks great Alan?, I remember I had an uncle who had a 1:1 exactly like it.

[ewetwo]

Really nice.

 

[Classicgas]

Nice. 

[Deuces ll]

??

[Sledsel]

Ya did a great job on it!!

The most glaring screw up (not by you) is the same thing Revell did with the 57 Ford's The front is too bulky. The grill is too tall on this kit and makes the bumper too low and gives it that Mack truck looking front end. The bottom of the bumper should be about even with the bottom of the doors not the rockers. I have this kit in my stash but have not done anything since I have not figured out how to correct this yet.

The Ford is the same way, but the header above the grill is too thick below the headlights.  

[Snake45]

Doesn't look bad at all! And would look even better if you can get the headlights straightened out, which should be easily do-able. Well done and drive on! 

[alan barton]

Thanks guys!  It's no show - winner, that's for sure, but after doing a bunch of very complicated projects over the last 18 months it was nice to literally slap one together.  For me, the most glaring problem showed up by the photos is the Bare Metal foil along the side trim - I guess my eyes are getting worse than I thought because it looks like I tore the trim of the l.h. door with my teeth!

When I get home tonight, Snake, i will have another look at those lights.  I thought I got them straight (crooked headlights are a pet hate of mine) but the reflections on the photo suggest otherwise.  An easy fix for sure.

 

Cheers

Alan

[PappyD340]

Real nice 56!

[slusher]

Sweet 56..