AMT 1964 Impala SS Convertible Annual

[RDean58]

I managed to score another unbuilt 64 convertible and decided I wanted to build it like the one my dad had back in the late 70s. It was a dark blue, almost black with a light metallic blue interior. He traded the really pretty 68 Buick 225 (that got about 8 mpg) for it. The guy he got it from said the speedometer was broken, he was racing someone and broke it so he didn't know how fast he was going. Yeah, Yeah, we've heard that story before. Flash forward, I was an 18 year old kid who was encouraged by my dad to drive fast, so that is what I did with the convertible.

It had a 283 with 2bbl carb and a four speed. I could rev the engine up to 3500 RPM and dump the clutch and it would fall on it's face. We figured it had some high highway gearing in it. Once we got it moving it seemed like there was no stopping it. This is the ONLY car I was scared in and backed it down one time, and I've had my 86 Mercury Capri 5.0 up to 124mph one time.

We eventually burned out the clutch or killed the engine, I don't remember which, but it was a really fun car for awhile. I would always use the seat belts when I drove it, you know, to be safe. My dad told me that when he went to remove them all he did was to pull the belt out of the floor, it was so rusted. Oh yeah, the drivers rear quarter panel was basically bondo. But it looked good in the sun when it was clean. We hardly ever drove it with the top up because, back then the back "glass" was a sheet of heavy plastic that over the years would yellow. Ours was so bad you couldn't see out the back when the top was up.

So, on with the build. This is painted with Tamiya TS-53 dark mica blue (I think that is what it's called, I don't have the can next to me). I borrowed the interior from another 64 I've got going, the one for this will be Nassau blue metallic without a clear coat. Since I already had a set of the SS hubcaps painted I stole them from another one. I will find me a small block engine for this and put that in.

The kit came with boot and uptop.

Unfortunately the lighting system for this kit is broke so it will not have the operational lights on it. But I'll fix up the front lenses so they look more like headlights.

Since our convertible sat low, I put the axles in the lowered position, looks pretty good down a little from stock I think.

Here are a couple of pictures with the base interior color done.

Thanks for looking, all comments welcomed.

 

[NOBLNG]

Looking real fine!? That is almost exactly the colour I painted mine.

[RDean58]

That is a cool looking 64!

[Bills72sj]

Nice project. Thanks for sharing.

[Zippi]

The 64 is looking really sharp.  That light interior looks nice against that deep blue on the body.