++ 1963 Nova Wagon ++

[1972coronet]

AMT 1963 Nova 400 Wagon : After a few hiccups , I've finally finished my copy of the excellent 1963 Nova 400 Station Wagon . I'd learnt some things along the way which I'll apply to the next one I build ( front wheel mounts ; tail lamp bezel & lens ) ; and , in spite of my hyperbolic reaction to the "fiddley" mounts for the aforementioned front wheel assemblies , it's a GREAT kit .

Paint , Body : Tamiya Champagne Gold Metallic over -- {{ GaSp ! }} -- the bare plastic ( which was lightly scuffed for adhesion purposes ) . The flawless finish was treated to a few coats of Testors' Wet Look Clear , and that was it -- no wet sanding , no polishing . Brightwork was accomplished with Molotow Chrome pans , and Silver Metallic Sharpie . Tamiya Panel Wash , Black  was conservatively-applied to the respective separation lines . 

Paint , Interior  : Tamiya Dark Yellow over Tamiya light grey primer . The 'carpeting' is finished in Tamiya Flat Brown ( so-so attempt at replicating a rubber-vinyl floor mat ) ; Molotow Chrome on horn ring and window cranks . The red rotary-dial phone was painted Molotow Chrome on its backside ; its dial with Silver Sharpie , with a black centre . The 'Mascot' is interior colour with Tamiya Panel Accent , Dark Brown for shading .  

Chassis-Frame : Red Oxide Primer , followed by body colour overspray , and finally ,  Tamiya Matt Black to replicate undercoating . Engine oil pan is Testors' Chevy Engine Orange ; transmission is Gunze Burnt Iron with the oil pan finished in Testors' Flat Steel . Various washes and highlights were applied ; suspension and subframe painted Tamiya Semi-Gloss Black ; leaf springs , drive shaft , etc. , various metal colours .

Rear licence plate is from a sheet of California : 1963-1969 plates from  Best Model Car Parts . The one which I chose is a 1966-issue ( the "R" at the beginning = 1966 ) .

Here's a few so-so cell phone photos ; I'll get some interior shots when the natural lighting is favourable .

  

[michelle]

nice work 

[AMT68]

Excellent work and I have to compliment you on such a great clear finish without any wet sanding. I've only been able to produce such a finish with sanding/polishing, 

[bisc63]

Great job. The color is perfect, and the model is a very convincing replica. You attention to details has made the chassis look good as a one-piece can look, and should quiet some of those that poo-poo such a model. This looks really nice. Very well done.

[Bainford]

That looks fantastic!  Great finishes and very clean. High degree of realism. Excellent. 

[Classicgas]

Well done! 

[Oldcarfan27]

Your camera angles make it look real!

I hope you put the parking brake on so it doesn't roll over the cliff. ?

[1972coronet]

9 hours ago, michelle said:

nice work 

Thanks much ! It was a lot of fun .

7 hours ago, AMT68 said:

Excellent work and I have to compliment you on such a great clear finish without any wet sanding. I've only been able to produce such a finish with sanding/polishing, 

Thanks much ! I was pleasantly surprised at how 'in-scale' the finish turned out  ; just the right amount of gloss . I try to avoid having to colour sand and polish finishes , but sometimes it's required . 

6 hours ago, bisc63 said:

Great job. The color is perfect, and the model is a very convincing replica. You attention to details has made the chassis look good as a one-piece can look, and should quiet some of those that poo-poo such a model. This looks really nice. Very well done.

Thanks much ! I'd have to say that painting and detailing that one-piece chassis was the most fun out of everything on this kit . With careful selection of factory-type colours and finishes , plus some washes to bring-out details ( oil pan bolts , trans pan bolts , character lines , etc. ) , these one-piece underpinnings can look convincing .

5 hours ago, Bainford said:

That looks fantastic!  Great finishes and very clean. High degree of realism. Excellent. 

Thanks much ! It's such a fun kit ; Round2 did a great job with the resto-new tooling of this classic . Highly recommend it !

5 hours ago, Classicgas said:

Well done! 

Thanks much ! Such a fun kit that with a little effort will provide a convincing replica .

1 hour ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

Your camera angles make it look real!

I hope you put the parking brake on so it doesn't roll over the cliff. ?

Haha ! Definitely applied the parking brake -- don't want for that Powerglide to slip-out of 'Park' and roll-down the hill ! 

It's too bad that I didn't take the photos earlier in the day -- I couldn't get any decent interior shots due to the natural shade ( the wall is on the eastside of the apartment ; I took the photos at around 13:00 P.S.T.) .

[Venom]

Hey John... Really nice looking wagon?.. When I started to view the first pic I thought, “Oh, he’s showing us some pics of a real one first.”....  then as I continued to scroll down I realized it was a model. The way you composed that first pic is genius... only needs a bit cropped off the bottom. Love the color choice too.

Edited June 10, 2021 by Venom

[thatz4u]

Nice 63 wagon, well done.....

[afx]

Nice work.

[1972coronet]

3 hours ago, Venom said:

Hey John... Really nice looking wagon?.. When I started to view the first pic I thought, “Oh, he’s showing us some pics of a real one first.”....  then as I continued to scroll down I realized it was a model. The way you composed that first pic is genius... only needs a bit cropped off the bottom. Love the color choice too.

Thanks kindly . Perhaps I should crop them ! Thanks for the suggestion .

3 hours ago, thatz4u said:

Nice 63 wagon, well done.....

Thanks much ! I can't wait for the pending full-detail version !

2 hours ago, afx said:

Nice work.

Thanks much ! Lots of fun in this kit !

[espo]

Beautiful looking little wagon. I like your photography, like looking at a 1:1 car in the driveway. 

[1972coronet]

5 hours ago, espo said:

Beautiful looking little wagon. I like your photography, like looking at a 1:1 car in the driveway. 

Thank you ! The perspective of the car appearing as though it's a '1:1' parked in a driveway is purely coincidental --- that's the ideal location for photographing my models . 

[slusher]

Great looking wagon, John..

[kruleworld]

Nice car. also photo is awesome. 

[PappyD340]

Looks great!

[doorsovdoon]

Beautiful! It's a great little kit, isn't it. Love the colour and the outdoor shots, looks real! I too am looking forward to when they release it again with an engine. 

[ewetwo]

Looks great. Nice color choice.

 

[1972coronet]

13 hours ago, slusher said:

Great looking wagon, John..

Thanks much ! It's so rewarding to have finally completed a kit after so long .

12 hours ago, kruleworld said:

Nice car. also photo is awesome. 

Thank you ! I was surprised at how well the photos turned out -- seems like the de facto spot for photographing my kits .

9 hours ago, PappyD340 said:

Looks great!

Thank ! Had lots of fun (and a few moments of colourful language) building it .

3 hours ago, doorsovdoon said:

Beautiful! It's a great little kit, isn't it. Love the colour and the outdoor shots, looks real! I too am looking forward to when they release it again with an engine. 

Thanks much , mate ! If not for the right-front tyre appearing as though it's off-kilter ( it's not ; it's the stucco surface ) , it'd be even more realistic .

1 hour ago, ewetwo said:

Looks great. Nice color choice.

 

Thanks ! When I first heard rumblings about this kit being restored and released , I just knew that I was going to paint it a light gold metallic colour . Me mum had a '63 Chevy II two door coupe ( sedan ? Had fixed B-pillars ) which she purchased new in '63 . It was a light gold colour with beige interior... and practically zero options ( AM radio was it . It had the 4 cylinder , and what I could swear was a floor shifter by the photos . I'd read somewhere --back in the 80's-- that there were a handful of 4-speed 4 cylinder Chevy II's made ; my mum wouldn't have added the option , nor did she ever modify it in any manner ) .