1971 Pearson GTO

[Pierre Rivard]

I can't explain why but this may be my favorite NASCAR race car. I know it ran only a half dozen times and failed every time...but I love the way it looks.

The basis for this build is the MPC road car kit. It's orange (we all love painting over colored bodies right?), the A posts are squished and the rest of the kit is a blob of unusable plastic.

After my last project I wanted to do something easy but I can see this may require some work.

I plan to release updates in batches: body, chassis, interior and final

Body work for this project started with wheel opening flares. I made cuts, pulled the plastic strips outward with pliers, glued in wedges and then multiple steps of putty and sanding.

 

[Pierre Rivard]

Here is the result for the front opening. Some touch up may be required after primer but I think I'm close

The rear wheel openings were moved back 3 mm to replicate a scale 115 in wheelbase typical of era cup cars. The GM A-bodies were 112 in and all had to be stretched to comply.

I then had to flare up the rear part of the openings to counteract the body tapering off going back.

 

 

[Pierre Rivard]

I then built up the back end components starting with the sheetmetal adds to smooth out airflow around the bumper sides.

The bumper itself was very wide fo I removed about 3 mm (1/8") by making 2 cuts and removing material as required. Typical of what the teams did on the real cars,

 

[Pierre Rivard]

Next step were mods to the engine air intake plenum. I added the plenum box at the cowl and blocked off the hood ram intake which was not in use for racing the GTO

 

[Pierre Rivard]

Next I scratch built rear window straps. I hate trying to glue them on a painted body...shaky hand and all.

I tape the strips in position and drill through strip and body, then insert a guiding rod. the rod is glued only to the strip for now. I then trim the top part of the rod. When all is painted I will insert to body and glue from underside and trim excess rod before glass install.

I use Evergreen 0.02 x 0.06 (0,5 x 1.0 mm) strips and  0.02 (0.5 mm) rods

Same idea for windshield clips

 

[Pierre Rivard]

Next the various small parts. Blanks over turn signal, front air dam bracket to body (the dam will added after paint), I fabricated a rear spoiler, again with guides.

Front grille recess has been reduced by grinding the back side of the trim piece.

Headlamps: drilled out outer lamps and added blanks. Inner molded lamps will be painted to mimic a mesh inlet cover.

 

[Dave Van]

Great work....I like the odd Cup cars too.

[afx]

Great looking project Pierre.

[MarkJ]

Excellent work, Pierre. All your mods look well thought out and will give you magnificent results. I will try the fender flares on my current project. I also like the windshield and back glass retention ideas. Really looking forward to the paint portion of the build.

[Pierre Rivard]

1 hour ago, MarkJ said:

Excellent work, Pierre. All your mods look well thought out and will give you magnificent results. I will try the fender flares on my current project. I also like the windshield and back glass retention ideas. Really looking forward to the paint portion of the build.

So do I but I'm a long way off from the painting steps. Firs I need to fab some sort of chassis and test fit it to the body.

[Mattilacken]

Sweet! Looks really cool! 

[Toys4Don2]

Pretty amazing modifications so far!!  Really like the window straps and retainers. 

[DoctorLarry]

The AMT T Birds from the Bill Elliot era have a chassis that is pretty accurate for this era. It may need shortened but they have good detail and work great in these older builds.

[Pierre Rivard]

2 hours ago, DoctorLarry said:

The AMT T Birds from the Bill Elliot era have a chassis that is pretty accurate for this era. It may need shortened but they have good detail and work great in these older builds.

Thanks Larry. I did consider it but chose to go the route of a hybrid chassis consisting of a beefed up road chassis with a Galaxie front clip. Now that I'm in the thick of it I'm not yet sure how this will pan out. Time will tell...

[Shark]

I am glad you are doing this car. I started the body work but was unhappy with any chassis I tried. Was thinking of the old MPC with newer truck arms. Which car are you doing, the purple or STP car.

[DoctorLarry]

I did a similar thing with my Team Associates Grand Am. That car had a fairly stock chassis so I used that as a starting point.

[Pierre Rivard]

58 minutes ago, Shark said:

I am glad you are doing this car. I started the body work but was unhappy with any chassis I tried. Was thinking of the old MPC with newer truck arms. Which car are you doing, the purple or STP car.

I'm doing the purple one as it raced at Michigan Raceway. For the chassis I am set on doing a Galaxie front clip but still not sure about the back end.

1971 was sort of a transition year before fabricated chassis with truck arms became the norm for the GM and Ford teams.

Thinking I might do some sort of beefed up short arm setup. I don't have pics of the car's rear chassis so it's a bit of a guess.

[gks1964]

66 AMT GTO Chassis back end!!

[THarrison351]

Are you doing the 33 as pictured?

The red 17? My favorite

Or the droop nose purple 17?

Love them all. Look forward to your results!

[Pierre Rivard]

The winner is behind door #1

What's the deal with the 429 c.i on the hood of #3? Weird...

Edited February 28, 2022 by Pierre Rivard

[Pierre Rivard]

12 hours ago, gks1964 said:

66 AMT GTO Chassis back end!!

I think they drew in the 66 chassis in the 72 kit. Mismatch in wheelbase, multiple body attachment pegs, none of which match. I think I'll just fab something with an axle from the spares box. Thanks.

[MarkJ]

Yes, what is with the 429 C.I. I don't recall Pontiac having that size engine. Don't sweat the chassis too much. Just use the chassis in the box and add a few bars here and there. As long as you have something to carry the seat, cage, engine and have something to attach the tires and wheels to your good. 

[DoctorLarry]

Here's one Tim did:

[THarrison351]

12 hours ago, Pierre Rivard said:

What's the deal with the 429 c.i on the hood of #3? Weird...

 

11 hours ago, MarkJ said:

Yes, what is with the 429 C.I. I don't recall Pontiac having that size engine. Don't sweat the chassis too much. Just use the chassis in the box and add a few bars here and there. As long as you have something to carry the seat, cage, engine and have something to attach the tires and wheels to your good. 

I think it was a Ray Nichels thing. 430 was the max limit on cubes. Here's some Hemis he owned that Freddy Lorenzen drove, #3 Superbird driven by Don White. and the #99 driven by Charlie Glotzbach shows 429 too. It's just a bore and stroke. The Hemi 426 with .020 overbore. Pontiac built a "428", actual mathematical displacement of the "428" is 426.6, a fractional bore difference can make it a 429.

[james220]

Looks lovely. The fender bulges the way you have them are the way to go. Doug Wythe's beautiful 69 Charger wheel wells were done that way. I've also seen it done that way on several other builds. Once the glue is added it makes for a strong finished product. Now I'm just asking but to me it looks as if the front fenders are dropped over the front end to give the car a lower front profile. I think you can see that in pictures of both #17 cars. Does anyone else see that are am I just old and crazy. I mocked up the AMT 72 Pontiac body and drooped the front fender assembly over the wheels and it looks right. You have made a great start and made me want to get my Pontiac out and finish it.