1974 Corvette "The Magician"

[roadhawg]

Back in 1973-1974, there was a TV series called "The Magician". It starred Bill Bixby as Anthony Blake, a very wealthy David Copperfield-type magician that used magic tricks to solve crimes and help people that had been done wrong. It only lasted one season but it remains one of my favorite TV shows ever.
Tony Blake's car of choice was a brand new white 1974 Corvette (the pilot episode used a '73, the rest of the series used a '74). 
"The Magician" was responsible for both my interests in mid-70s Corvettes and amateur magic, interests I still have today. 

Several years ago I made an attempt to build a model of Tony Blake's Corvette, using the AMT '74 annual kit. I've never been a master model builder, and it definitely showed. I got the color right, but that was about it. I was never really happy with it. Recently, I got that model out and said to myself "Dude, you can do better than that!"
I tore it apart, stripped everything, and started all over. While the actual car was just a standard Corvette with the L82 350 and Automatic, one thing I really wanted to add was the Italian Grillo telephone that Tony Blake had mounted on the console, which was the great grandfather of today's modern flip-phones (car phones were not cheap in 1974). The antenna at the rear window is for the phone. 

I'm still not a master model builder, and it still shows, but I'm much happier with the way it came out this time. AMT's '74 annual with a parts box 350/Turbo 350, Tamiya white paint. While some episodes showed the car with the YJ8 aluminum wheels and whitewalls, other episodes showed the Corvette Rallys with Firestone tires which I like better, so that's what I used. There's still a few issues...the hood is kinda weird on on the left side, probably a slight warp, and yeah, the antennas could be a little thinner, but otherwise I'm much happier with it now.  The very last picture is the "before" picture.

Now....I have a few '73 kits. Maybe I should build that pilot episode car. 

Thanks for looking. 

[cobraman]

Your model looks great ! I remember the show. It wasn't half bad.

[drodg]

Great build and I remember the show.  Back in 1974 I built the Corvette kit in white based on the television show too.   Yours looks way better than mine ended up.  I think I still have it somewhere in my storage.  Thanks for the memories.

[Hard_2_Handle_454]

Looks pro built to me.

[Zippi]

Nice looking Vette.  That white looks really good.

[kelson]

Very cool,i saw the pilot years ago and wanted to build the 73' he drove,never knew it got picked up for a season.

[grodudulle77]

Very nice look !!??

[Snake45]

Very clean build, nice work! Well done and model on! 

[Classicgas]

Another beautiful build sir.

[stinkybritches]

That's a good looking Vette. 

[TransAmMike]

Very nice job Tommy?

[Chuckyg1]

Nicely done. I'm digging the interior

[Dominik]

well done!

[Jim Whalen]

NIce build of a C3 Corvette.  I like the way you have replicated a specific car - down to the telephone on the console.  Having grown up in Canada in the 70s and early 80s my first image when I think "Corvette" tends to be a C3.  The rebuild you have done has definitely taken the model to a higher standard.

[roadhawg]

Thank you, all! I do appreciate the kind words. 

[geemoney]

man! Thats CLEAN!!!!

 

[Dragonhawk1066]

Looks good!

[Bills72sj]

Well done. My BFF has a 75 Vette. I need to build it for him one of these days.

[skymnky721]

Lookin great,,I dont remember that show,,but then again much of my teenage years  are a blurr when I look back. Nice Vette

[majel]

Very clean looking, nice build!

[doorsovdoon]

Nice clean looking Corvette, I like it.

[spencer1984]

Super clean work, I really like the look of this one!

[roadhawg]

Thanks again, Y'all! 

[slusher]

Fantastic looking Corvette!

[ewetwo]

This is really nice Tommy.