1966 Chevelle SS

[ModelcarJR]

I've started this one by doing the body prep, assembling some parts, like the engine block, and cutting apart the parts trees and bagging them by color, black, aluminum and interior color. I'm not sure about the interior color yet, but there is an exterior color, Aztec Bronze that I am going to substitute Dark Toreador Metallic. Its a little darker but close. The body was in good shape and the other parts are well engraved. 

So the box art shows redline tires and I was hoping they would be in the box but only tires are some small but somewhat wide Firestones. So I set out to find some better tires that would fit. The seven sets of tires below are: 

1.  tires in the kit, 2. similar tires with thin redlines (I don't know if I painted them or if they came that way}, Fireball tires that I painted redlines on (very tedious), 4. small. wide, very spongy, Goodyear tires, 5. larger redline and 6. Goodyear pad printed tires from the 65 GTO kit and 7.  B. F. Goodrich tires. The last three won't work with the wheelbacks in the kit. I could make the Fireball tires work but I still have two tires to paint with redlines. So I will probably go with the same size tire in the kit that already has thin redlines. I could spend a few more hours going through all the tires I have collected over the years that I have in two scrapbooking cases but most of them are useless. If anyone has any suggestions let me know. I'm waiting out the cold. Thanks for looking! ?

[TransAmMike]

As you may know John, I recently finished this model, older version but same model. I used the Fireball redlines but wanted factory stock look. 

So, the choice is yours of course depending on what type of build your doing. Good luck. 

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Mike! I appreciate your comment!  I'm going to go basically factory stock but always like to put a good set of tires and wheels on any build. 

So I am going to go with the Fireball tires on this one. I had the redlines painted but them I cleared them hoping that is would help seal the red paint. However, over time the clear starts breaking up and flaking off. So I am in the process of removing the clear and paint via toothbrush and hot water and re-painting the redlines. I've got plenty of time due to the bad weather.  I am not going clear this time.  The wheels from the kit really won't fit that well on these tires, so I found some 5 spoke chrome wheels that I like and that fit in the 65 Ford Galaxie kit. I think these are called Torque Thrust but don't hold me to it.  Those wheels along with some new wheelbacks from the parts box that came from a 41 Plymouth will work just fine and fit the small plastic axle front and back that is similar to a metal axle.  Thanks for looking and Merry Christmas to all!  

The two on the left have been re-painted after peeling off the clear. The two on the right are still to go. 

[mustang1989]

I'll definitely be watching this one JR!!

[TransAmMike]

Never can go wrong with Cragers on anything John.  The redlines look great. I also had a problem putting clear or the red on the Fireballs.

[espo]

22 hours ago, ModelcarJR said:

Thanks, Mike! I appreciate your comment!  I'm going to go basically factory stock but always like to put a good set of tires and wheels on any build. 

So I am going to go with the Fireball tires on this one. I had the redlines painted but them I cleared them hoping that is would help seal the red paint. However, over time the clear starts breaking up and flaking off. So I am in the process of removing the clear and paint via toothbrush and hot water and re-painting the redlines. I've got plenty of time due to the bad weather.  I am not going clear this time.  The wheels from the kit really won't fit that well on these tires, so I found some 5 spoke chrome wheels that I like and that fit in the 65 Ford Galaxie kit. I think these are called Torque Thrust but don't hold me to it.  Those wheels along with some new wheelbacks from the parts box that came from a 41 Plymouth will work just fine and fit the small plastic axle front and back that is similar to a metal axle.  Thanks for looking and Merry Christmas to all!  

The two on the left have been re-painted after peeling off the clear. The two on the right are still to go. 

Consider putting your tires in a cup of Super Clean AKA Purple Power. This will clean the tires with little to no effort and leaves a nice semi-gloss finish in the tire. I haven't had any long-term effects using this method. 

[Dragline]

I would paint the spokes and centers in a dark gray for a magnesium look on those wheels.

Watching...

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Joe, Mike, David and Bob!  Yeah, I'm not very good at wheel brand identification. I thought the spokes had that bulbus look like the wheels that you most often see on Mustangs but I guess not. Maybe I have a set of wheels from the 32 Ford Sedan that look more like that and would look better painted. But those are "big and littles". So I don't know. Thanks for looking and thanks for the suggestions! 

[tbill]

Here are a few different looks to consider, maybe one of them will appeal to you. Wheel/tire choice makes such a huge impact on the overall build. Hope this helps some.

 

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Tom! All of those look great! I think I'm just going to go with the redlines with Cragars.  Or maybe I'll use the wheels with the 64 Thunderbolt. My tire supply is woefully short at the moment! Thanks again. BTW, the color I have chosen is very close to the last one you have in your photos. 

I painted the body today, nice day actually but the Dupli-Color nozzle spit on me. Its hard to see in the pictures but there are a few spots on the top and on the sides. You can see the spit on the stand in the pictures below. Undeterred, I continued to paint and thought that maybe everything would blend in. And I am still hoping that overnight the spots may fade. In any event, I didn't clear it yet so I am going to rub it out in the morning with some polishing cloths and then if I need to will add another light coat of paint and then clear if everything looks OK. I am going to replace the needle in this can with another from a new can and hope that it quits spitting. Thanks for looking! ?

 

 

 

[TransAmMike]

Pretty color John, will definitely look good. 

[Bills72sj]

Spitting cans is why I have given up on them. Since I have so many, I just decant them now.

Good luck on your build.

[slusher]

John, buddy I can’t see them. Beautiful color I really hope you can fix it to your satisfaction.

[tbill]

Beautiful color , that’s really going to come alive with the chrome added. Cragers should look good on it as well.

[mustang1989]

That is going to be a great color to go with this one JR!! I'm with Bill Newcomer on decanting paint and shooting through an airbrush. For starters, it gives me alot more control and secondly, the spitting paint is no longer an issue. Coming along nicely on this. 

[catpack68]

Nice work! The redlines and cragers will look good on it? What color did you use on the body?

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, All! I appreciate your comments! 

That's the age-old question: to airbrush or not to airbrush. That is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to grab can and shoot or suffer the slings and arrows of readying the compressor, prepping the airbrush, decanting the paint, and cleaning the airbrush for 5 minutes of pure joy! But alas, poor Yorick has no paint booth nor anyplace to put a paint booth so he must move everything outdoors.  Half hour to set up, 5 minutes to paint, and half hour to take down and clean.  

So I examined the paint can and once the nozzle was removed found that there was a crack in the bottom of the plunger where the nozzle goes. So I took some super glue and sealed the crack. Once dry, I used a new nozzle from a new can that has not been used yet. Earlier, I had rubbed out the body and left some bare edges and noted that the dark spots from the spitting paint were still there. So with both the spots and the bare edges I decided to primer again. Once the primer was dry I added two coat of Dark Toreador Metallic and two coat of clear. I think it turned out pretty well.  There is some lifting in the inside hood edges but I will scrape those out and paint black along with the inner fender liners. Paint looks a little heavy in spots but I am going to use decals on the emblems anyway.  I'll rub it out in the morning and see how it looks. But the paint can if fine and even if I have to remove the paint I still have plenty to try again. Thanks for looking! 

 

[mustang1989]

What a shine!!! Good catch on the cracked nozzle JR.

[Scott8950]

Great looking chevelle 

[espo]

Paint is look'n good. I used to use a large box I picked up at the market for a spray booth and it worked pretty well.  

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Joe, Scott, and David. I appreciate your comments! 

Rubbed out the  body and still have the hood to do. Out of foil and waiting on a delivery. Drove 30 miles downtown to the only HS that I know of and they are out of foil. But I have everything painted and its gonna rain tomorrow. So I should have plenty to do. Maybe I'll work on the Thunderbolt. Thanks for looking! 

[Pierre_tec]

On 12/26/2022 at 9:38 AM, tbill said:

Here are a few different looks to consider, maybe one of them will appeal to you. Wheel/tire choice makes such a huge impact on the overall build. Hope this helps some.

 

Looks so good, totally different builds

[slusher]

Beautiful color and shine, John!

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Carl! I appreciate your comment! 

Well, while I'm waiting on foil, I found an old sheet that had some issues with adhesion. So since I won't be getting new foil for a week or so, I used it. Had to use some white glue at times, especially around the wheel openings, but I finished the body. Then, I installed the rear window trim which is a chrome piece in the kit. It looked awful (see below). So I tore it out and cut some half-round and installed it and foiled it. Its not perfect, but at least it won't stand out like a sore thumb! Thanks for looking! 

Finished foil on the body (Oops, forgot the rear quarter rocker):

 Ugly Kit piece:

Half-round cut to fit and glued in:

Finished! 

[slusher]

Real nice foil work!