Mild Custom '64 Pontiac Parisienne

[Can-Con]

I've wanted to do a mild custom '64 Pontiac for quite a while now.
Last year I obtained a '64 Grand Prix from Steve G. but it was too nice to cut up.
Last fall I was lucky enough to get a lot of 3 built G/Ps off e-bay so with my bench cleared off, it's time to start my mild custom '64 Parisienne.

I picked this one to work on because the roof had glue damage so I didn't feel too bad about cutting it off. The new roof was cut from an AMT '64 Impala. This not only gave me the roof I need but the proper cowl and wipers for a Canadian Pontiac.

The interior of the Grand Prix is the same as the one used on the Parisienne "Custom Sport" so no mods will be needed for that and I'll use the chassis and engine from the Impala kit. I'll swap out the inner fenders though as those cars should have rounded inner fenders and the AMT Impala fenders are too square.

Edited February 3, 2022 by Can-Con

[Ace-Garageguy]

Nice start...   

[bobthehobbyguy]

Looking good. Cool idea.

[chris chabre]

Always thought those were pretty cars!!! what about putting a 421 in it?

[Can-Con]

11 minutes ago, chris chabre said:

Always thought those were pretty cars!!! what about putting a 421 in it?

I would but it kind of defeats the purpose of building a Canadian Pontiac, Chris.

It should have a Chevy engine in it so It'll be getting the Impala kit's 409. 

[chris chabre]

completely forgot the Canadian cars were Chevy powered

[bisc63]

Sure you don't have a better donor kit? This is a cool project, and the ol' AMT '64 is getting long in the tooth. Both the chassis and engine are fairly simplified. Got any of the AMT '62 Impalas laying around; they are nicely done, or the Lindberg '61 (348 engine, just scratch a dipstick on the correct side and instant 409, visually) Revell's 62, 63, or 64 Impalas are also good choices, but harder to come by. Hmm, AMT '58 also has the goods, as well as Revell's '59 and '60 kits. I love the idea of what you're doing with this one, I just think it deserves better parts! Heck, I may have a spare '58 chassis/engine I'd donate if shipping to Canada is not too terrible. PM me. BEST of luck.

[Can-Con]

12 hours ago, bisc63 said:

Sure you don't have a better donor kit? This is a cool project, and the ol' AMT '64 is getting long in the tooth. Both the chassis and engine are fairly simplified. Got any of the AMT '62 Impalas laying around; they are nicely done, or the Lindberg '61 (348 engine, just scratch a dipstick on the correct side and instant 409, visually) Revell's 62, 63, or 64 Impalas are also good choices, but harder to come by. Hmm, AMT '58 also has the goods, as well as Revell's '59 and '60 kits. I love the idea of what you're doing with this one, I just think it deserves better parts! Heck, I may have a spare '58 chassis/engine I'd donate if shipping to Canada is not too terrible. PM me. BEST of luck.

Thanks for the offer Russ. I do have all of those kits you mentioned but after a couple involved , hi-detailed build, I want to do this one more "old school", as it were. Concentrating more on the overall look of the car instead of super-detailing it.

But, rest assured, when it's done, it'll still have all the detail you'd want under the hood and where ever else you cam see without picking it up. I might even do poseable front wheels on it.

That said, I will take it into consideration. I have a stray Revell '59 with no body I might look at using.  But, like I said earlier, I don't want to make this too complicated as it might draw out the build too long and I'll loose interest.

[Bills72sj]

Good to stay realistic on the detail front. I am sure many of us have abandoned perfectly doable projects thanks to mission creep.

[Can-Con]

I want custom grilles for this which look close to the stock Parisienne Custom Sport's thin bars. Similar to the Grand Prix's grilles but without the park lights.

Found the custom grilles from the AMT '72 Chevy pickups have the look I'm after and I have enough of them to easily make the front grilles.

I found this custom grille in a box of junk I bought at a show a couple years ago. I don't know what it's from but it has the right bars and is big enough to cover the space between the trunk lid and back bumper where the original Grand Prix tail lights were. Looks about like the stock Parisienne or Bonneville filler trim but has no lettering so it's perfect for my needs.

BTW, if anyone knows what that grill is from [the bottom one], please let me know.

The AMT Impala inner fenders are way too square, even after I tried rounding them off some with my Dremel so I cut the ones from the Grand Prix chassis plate and will graft them on.

And here's the body with some primer on it. Looks like I got the new roof lined up pretty good and I just need to do some final bodywork.

[chris chabre]

the phantom grille looks like a S10 grille and surround. I believe it was a monogram kit

[Can-Con]

22 minutes ago, chris chabre said:

the phantom grille looks like a S10 grille and surround. I believe it was a monogram kit

From the Monogram "Waverider" kit. I have that kit and considered using the grille from it but, no, very different part.

[chris chabre]

I was thinking the toyota hilux kits from Aoshima but that would be a straight grille, not Veed.

 

Im trying to think of the other kits with a phantom grille. only other one that would have a V'd grille is the Revell S10 lowrider IF it came with one

Edited February 8, 2022 by chris chabre

[Can-Con]

23 minutes ago, chris chabre said:

I was thinking the toyota hilux kits from Aoshima but that would be a straight grille, not Veed.

 

Im trying to think of the other kits with a phantom grille. only other one that would have a V'd grille is the Revell S10 lowrider IF it came with one

The box of parts I got it from was mostly old parts from the late '60s and early '70s so I'm thinking it's from that era. By the look of the plating and the back of it, I'd say it's probably from some old JoHan kit from back then but I really can't say for sure.

[Can-Con]

I figured out what that grille is.

It's the custom front grille from a JoHan '68 Chrysler. The rest of the custom parts are in the box it was in also. 

[chris chabre]

awesome!

[Can-Con]

Here's some pics of the progress on the body work.
I'm adding some rocker panel trim similar to what a Parisienne Sport Custom would have.

 

And a couple pics of it in BIN primer. Still needs a bit of tweaking before I start the actual paint work. It's going candy blue. Probably going to do the roof in a darker candy blue.

[slusher]

Very nice Steve, will look awesome in candy blue..

[TarheelRick]

Some excellent work on this one.  Sure wish Round 2 would reissue this one or the 63 Bonneville.

[doorsovdoon]

Nice work on the roof. I'm looking forward to seeing the end result with those custom options, I love stuff like this. 

[bisc63]

Glad to see you back on this one! This is a very attractive car, and should look great in candy blue.

[Bills72sj]

I actually saw a white 1:1 on Friday near my neighborhood. Following this build.

[deuces wild]

On 2/2/2022 at 4:32 PM, Can-Con said:

I would but it kind of defeats the purpose of building a Canadian Pontiac, Chris.

It should have a Chevy engine in it so It'll be getting the Impala kit's 409. 

Yep! That's what they looked like...

.

 

[bisc63]

These used the X-frame of the Chevy, right? Basically Pontiac skin over Chevy running gear? BTW, nice engine reference pic above posted by Guido. Thanks for that!

[deuces wild]

Thanks for that sir..... I'm sure there's more pictures out there of the Canadian 409..  I  just haven't looked... I also have a picture or 2 of a Canadian Pontiac 327 small block somewhere in my cell phone....