´68 Buick Riviera Custom - John D'Agostino's Pantheon

[Kah puts]

My hats off to you for attacking that chop, your off to good start. 

[Koellefornia Kid]

On 8/28/2022 at 9:12 PM, Modlbldr said:

Did you figure out how much chop your method resulted in or are you just going by the look of it?

A bit of both. I read in an article about the Pantheon that it was chopped 3 inches. That would be 1/8th scale inch. But it looked a bit too much so Icut a bit less off the pillars. 

[Claude Thibodeau]

Hi Oliver!

What a great project, and your top chop technique is interesting. Keep on.

Oddly, I'm starting a 66 Riv "modern custom" at my end too. Some styling  differences, however.

Keep at it, inspiring!

CT 

[Koellefornia Kid]

Puh, after some dusty hours of sanding i can say the chop is done:

Unfortunately I lost some of the window trim details so I made some new with very small diameter Evergreen rods.

I also set the ride hight of my model:

It's so easy to lower these old kits thanks to the stick-through metal axles. But the drawback is that the front axle goes right through the engine ☹️ that's why I replaced the metal axle with a styrene rod...

... filled the hole in the engine block and oil pan...

...and removed the part of the axle thing across the engine bay:

Up next will be the interior:

First I searched my parts box for a matching steering wheel...

...which came from amt's '62 Buick Electra (I think) and then I want to create a new center console with cup holders and a TV...

[crazyjim]

Cool project.  I'm going to watch this build.

[slusher]

Really nice work!

[Koellefornia Kid]

Sorry for the slow process, guys. Once again very few bench time the last days. At least I got a few more interior details done. Scratch built a custom center console with a TV under the dashboard:

and started to recreate the T'nR patterns on the dash...

...and the backlit shelf...

...the door panels are up next.

[Slotto]

Great job so far. I like how you did the roof

 

[cobraman]

Great slice and dice on that roof !

[slusher]

Nice chop Oliver, television is really cool in the dash..

[Koellefornia Kid]

Tried to replicate the tuck'n'roll on the door panels with half round Evergreen strips:

 

I'm not very happy with the look of it ? but it will stay like that.I decided to not try to do the T'nR on the seats. instead I cut patterns from thin plastic sheet wich resemble the original's  upholstery design.

For the piping I will use blue plug wires.

Further I added a column shifter to the steering wheel

and drilled some holes into the engine block for the plug wires and replaced the kit's distributor with a pre drilled one from my parts box:

[slusher]

Nice design you cut for the seats!

[Koellefornia Kid]

finally found some time to put some paint on the body...

Primer first:

Followed

by VW Reflex Silver from the can:

Covered with my home mixed teal blue:

Needs chrome now...

[Bobjernigan3]

Looks awesome! Great work! Following!!

[slusher]

Beautiful paint!

[Vintage AMT]

Just found this, some nice custom work going on, will follow along.

[Kah puts]

Ooh la la!

[Koellefornia Kid]

Done with a few parts of build. The interior has been completed:

As well as the engine:

I'm afraid that the air cleaner sits too high on the carb to get get the hood closed properly. Will have to remove some material from the underside of the air cleaner or the top of the carburator...

[Modlbldr]

Your work on this is looking fantastic! I love how this is coming along.

Later-

[speedy5963]

Nice job, build is coming along very nice

[Phildaupho]

This is one delicious custom. Excellent work. John D'Agostino had so many beautiful customs built over the years. I wonder how many have been built as model cars. Same goes for Richard Zoochi's customs.

[slusher]

outstanding custom work on your build Oliver."

[iBorg]

I'll admit I've ignored this era of Rivera for years.....I can see one getting started on my workbench.

[c. jackson]

great looking project.....the wheels turned out nicely.

[Koellefornia Kid]

On 11/18/2022 at 10:31 PM, Phildaupho said:

John D'Agostino had so many beautiful customs built over the years. I wonder how many have been built as model cars. Same goes for Richard Zoochi's customs.

I don't have a clue how many D'Agostino builds were done as models but I definitely plan to do some more in the future for I'm a great fan of his work! And same goes fo one or another Zocchi ride! I'd love to get my hands on a ´64 Pontiac Grand Prix kit or promo to build this Richard Zocchi custom in scale:

 

Unfortunately these kits are very rare and often cost a fortune...?