1965 Pontiac GTO Convertible

[ModelcarJR]

I bought this the other day with a 40% coupon at Michaels. Its not a very good kit, one piece chassis, metal axles, hole in the motor, poor interior engraving, etc. But I bought some MCG seat belt buckles so I thought this would be a good one to try to add seat belts. I quickly painted it yesterday (low parts count) on the last day for awhile that we will have good weather. Cold and rainy today. Thanks for looking! 

I forgot to mention there are a set of redlines and a set of white letter Goodyears in the kit so I might find a set of tires in the parts box and save these for other builds. 

Edited December 17, 2022 by ModelcarJR
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[espo]

Kit is from the much earlier times of modeling. The correct basic shapes are all there. With a detail painted chassis, filling the engine hole, and creating some front wheel spindles this will build into a very nice-looking model. 

[Joe Nunes]

One of my favorite kits from days long past. Was glad to see it back on the shelf and brought the new kit home so that I can enjoy the build again. Not a perfect kit but it satisfies my needs as the memories come back. 

Joe

[Bob Ellis]

I wish Round2 restored the sunvisors

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, David, Joe and Bob! I appreciate your comments! 

Here are four parts that can be eliminated in my opinion. They appear to be external seat hinges which I have never seen in any kit or any real car for that matter. I guess they are supposed to attach to the bottom of each seat. But they appear to be out of scale and would make the seat to wide to sit in the bucket, possibly.  I don't see these in any photos on the internet (see below).  Besides, they are just going to get in the way of the seat belts so I am leaving them off. 

 

[Can-Con]

They're not supposed to be seat hinges, they're supposed to be seat belts. Still not anything I'd use in a model car.

The interior bucket and seats were retooled when the kit was "restored" from a dirt track race car in the '80s but not very well. The original was much better.

I'll wait for the new cloned kit to come out before buying another '65 GTO.

[ModelcarJR]

Well, those parts must have even fooled the folks at Round 2, as my instructions shows them attached next to each seat at the bottom. In any event, I didn't use them. I've been working on MCG seat belts with some seat belt material this afternoon and evening and have them done. I'll finish the dash in the morning. Round 2 did include 3 different dash gauge decals in this kit. Its nice to finally get some dash decals in an AMT kit.  I noticed that I probably have the seat belt clasps on the outside instead of the inside in the back seat but they still look nice to me.  Thanks for looking! 

[Bills72sj]

Nice work! You are not planning to use the paint-scratching hood clip are you?

[rrb124@sbcglobal.net]

Fun to follow. I bought and built it waaay back and liked that it was a convertible but the headlights just didn't look like the neighbor's headlights real 65 GTO down the street. 

Edited December 18, 2022 by rrb124@sbcglobal.net
Omitted word

[Can-Con]

13 hours ago, ModelcarJR said:

Well, those parts must have even fooled the folks at Round 2, as my instructions shows them attached next to each seat at the bottom. In any event, I didn't use them. I've been working on MCG seat belts with some seat belt material this afternoon and evening and have them done. I'll finish the dash in the morning. Round 2 did include 3 different dash gauge decals in this kit. Its nice to finally get some dash decals in an AMT kit.  I noticed that I probably have the seat belt clasps on the outside instead of the inside in the back seat but they still look nice to me.  Thanks for looking! 

John, your pic illustrates the biggest problem with the new engraving on the interior bucket, the concentric rectangles on the door panels should be centered on the panel, not shoved down to the bottom front corner. The original had it correct. Hopefully, the newly cloned kit will also correct this.

 

Your seatbelts look good. It's gonna be a sharp looking car when it's done.

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Bill and Robert! I appreciate your comments! Bill, fortunately, Round 2 did not include the metal clip for the hood in the kit. I left the remnant tab on the hood but should have removed it. I'm not even sure if I'm going to use the chrome faceplate for the hood scoop. It looks a little big and clumsy. 

Robert, I am planning on drilling out the headlights. I found four clear lenses that I think will fit so now I just have to find something for a headlight bucket. I may use some velocity stacks if they will fit. Also see below. 

I covered up the holes in the engine and found some metal pins to use as spindles.  It may leak a little oil and maybe a couple of cylinders will be down but it won't be as noticeable once everything is put together. However, the chassis will remain flat black. 

My son bought me a modeling tool kit off the internet for my last birthday. It has some things I can use but most are too big or unwieldly. But this giant pin vise might come in handy. In fact, since I've taken this picture I have drilled out two headlight openings and once I drilled a small starter hole with my regular pin vise, the larger one finished the job just like drilling butter. So maybe I can improve the headlights on this one. Thanks for looking! 

 

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Steve, I appreciate your comment! 

[ModelcarJR]

Just finished the headlights.  I drilled out the plastic and since the headlight rims or bezels are deep enough, I put a flat piece of plastic on each side and painted the inside of the lights aluminum. The glue on the right side lenses is dry but the left side was just completed and the glue is still drying. That's why they look a little different. But I think these look better than the chrome plastic from before. Thanks for looking! ?

[dino246gt]

Those headlights are a huge improvement, nice work!

 

[mrmike]

Looking good John!  I like the work you are doing on the headlights.

[TarheelRick]

Very nice-looking GTO, really like the color you chose.  I have this kit, older WalMart checkerboard version, that I have been trying to build into an AWB dragster. Anyway, I believe those parts you were asking about are in fact supposed to represent the seatbelts and the retractor mechanism on the real car, but they are rather clunky looking and your belts look 100% better.  Keep on sharinf this build.

[espo]

Great work on the headlights. This had become a problem through the years as the tool for the grill was changed from time to time. As for tools to work with you may want to find a smaller pin vise as well. You will quickly find out just how handy they can be. 

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Dennis, Mike, Rick and David! I appreciate your comments!  Yes, I have two smaller pin vises that I have used now for at least 30 years. I think I am on my third set of 25 drill bits as I have broken a few over the years.  I used the smaller one for a starter hole in the center of the headlight before I used the big mama! 

This morning I didn't know if i would have enough foil but I got everything except the wheel opening edges foiled today. Finished the dash with the decal in the kit which was a little disappointing. It broke apart for some reason and I was able to piece it together.  I wasn't expecting it since it is a new wrapped kit and the decals are wrapped separately in the box. I may spray the decal sheet with some clear lacquer before I try to use other decals. 

I added a three spoke steering wheel from a 68 Dodge Charger and  got rid of the 4-spoked go-kart steering wheel in the kit (my rule is that steering wheels should have no more than 3 spokes and spoked wheels should always have 5 spokes). I had to cut off the column and also added a turn signal lever. I installed the windshield and glued the interior in place. I used a set of wheels and tires from the Revell 66 Pontiac GTO from the parts box and now can save the wheels and tires from this kit. The kit tires are a little taller so this 65 sits a little lower which looks good to me. Here are some mock-up photos. Thanks for looking! ?

[ModelcarJR]

This one is done. I'll add some decals tomorrow. I don't have an interior mirror or sun visors to add. I might have an exterior mirror but I don't know if I want to use it on this  build. My aim in building this one was to work on seat belts and drill out the headlights and replace with clear lenses and I did that. So I don't regret buying it or building it, but it is a bit ratty! Thanks for looking! ?

[slusher]

Beautiful color John  and nice touch on your headlights and seat belts my friend!  What color did you use?

[catpack68]

Nice work! I would also like to know what color you used

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Carl and Scott! I appreciate your comments! The colors are Dupli-Color Bright Aqua Metallic on the exterior and Krylon Satin ivory on the interior and Tamiya Coral Blue on the engine.

[ewetwo]

Nice build. I agree with Carl on the color. Beautiful