56 Bel Air Custom

[Modlbldr]

I received this from a friend as a started project. He had installed the quad headlights and side pipe shrouds. He also had made the custom taillight lenses. It had been painted but the paint needed a lot of work. I liked what he had started and decided to finish it.

I found when doing the reseach for ideas that there are not many examples of 56 Chevys with quad lights. I dug out a couple of "Little Pages" I have for some ideas. Last night I dove in!

I decided on a half top roof so out came the saw and off came the roof. The problem is that the kit is 1/24 and the half top is 1/25. No peoblem that a 3/16 inch strip wouldn't fix.

Also, for a little custom touch, I removed the top half of the body chrome.

The grille is a chrome piece that was about 2 inches long and flat. No idea where it came from. I cut it to length to fit inside the opening. Then I glued two bent strips of brass to the back of it to give it a slight curve.  I thought it looked like what a homemade custom grille would have looked like on a late 50's custom. I also modified the rear bumper with an overrider that I've had kicking around in the parts box for years.

That's where I'm at so far. Still a long ways to go.

Did I memtion that I'm trying to have this one completed by Oct 7 for a show? No pressure.....

Later-

[dino246gt]

Cool idea to save another builders custom, but to have it ready to show in less than 2 weeks!

Sounds like a TV show, LOL

Better get it ready for paint, in a period correct color, of course!

Could be a real show stopper!

[MeatMan]

Interesting old schoolish project!
I like the half top but IMHO it needs t be sectioned or cut down at the base. It looks a bit too tall.

[Can-Con]

That's gonna be cool, Tom.

The custom grille is from the AMT '62 Buick.

Your friend did a great job on those tail lights.

[Modlbldr]

50 minutes ago, MeatMan said:

Interesting old schoolish project!
I like the half top but IMHO it needs t be sectioned or cut down at the base. It looks a bit too tall.

Thanks for your input. I actually raised it a bit bexause I wanted it to sit a bit above the windsheild frame. Now I'm not so sure of that decision. I may need to remove my strip I added.

 

1 hour ago, dino246gt said:

Cool idea to save another builders custom, but to have it ready to show in less than 2 weeks!

Sounds like a TV show, LOL

Better get it ready for paint, in a period correct color, of course!

Could be a real show stopper!

Thanks! Gonna be a tight schedule but I'll take it to the show no matter what stage it's at.

13 minutes ago, Can-Con said:

That's gonna be cool, Tom.

The custom grille is from the AMT '62 Buick.

Your friend did a great job on those tail lights.

Thanks! I struggled a bit with finding a good grille. When I tried this piece I thought it had a simple but era correct look.

Later-

[larrymoo]

13 minutes ago, Modlbldr said:

Thanks for your input. I actually raised it a bit bexause I wanted it to sit a bit above the windsheild frame. Now I'm not so sure of that decision. I may need to remove my strip I added.

 

Thanks! Gonna be a tight schedule but I'll take it to the show no matter what stage it's at.

Thanks! I struggled a bit with finding a good grille. When I tried this piece I thought it had a simple but era correct look.

Later-

Do you have any idea where the taillights came from (what kit)

[Modlbldr]

3 hours ago, larrymoo said:

Do you have any idea where the taillights came from (what kit)

No. I believe they are custom made from resin.

Later-

[espo]

Like that you're going to save this Kustom. The quad headlight styling started after Detroit started putting quad headlights on cars in late '57 and mainly on the '58-year models.  The headlights here remined me of what you would find on a '59 Chevrolet. This is based on the details running between the headlight openings that look just like the '59 Chevrolet. The taillights look like the '56 Packard lights that were popular with many customizers. The grill looks like some of the generic custom parts that AMT put in a lot of the early annual 3 in 1's. The pencil lines on the hood look as if he may have been playing with the idea to "pancake" the hood. Did the half roof come out of the AMT '50 Ford Convertible kit? That kit and the '49 coupe had a bunch of custom body options. 

[carnut]

I’m really liking where you are going with this custom 56. I have a custom 56 Bel Air going right now too. Keep it going.

Edited September 26, 2023 by carnut

[Modlbldr]

5 hours ago, espo said:

Like that you're going to save this Kustom. The quad headlight styling started after Detroit started putting quad headlights on cars in late '57 and mainly on the '58-year models.  The headlights here remined me of what you would find on a '59 Chevrolet. This is based on the details running between the headlight openings that look just like the '59 Chevrolet. The taillights look like the '56 Packard lights that were popular with many customizers. The grill looks like some of the generic custom parts that AMT put in a lot of the early annual 3 in 1's. The pencil lines on the hood look as if he may have been playing with the idea to "pancake" the hood. Did the half roof come out of the AMT '50 Ford Convertible kit? That kit and the '49 coupe had a bunch of custom body options. 

Thanks!

The pencil lines on the hood were my addition when I was trying another grille. I doubt that I will be pancaking the hood now. I also thought the headlights looked like 59 Chevy. The half eoof did come from the 50 Ford kit. Lots of custom parts in it.

The mag that I have been looking at for ideas is from 59 so that is the idea I am going with. A 56 customized in 59. Still a long ways to go on this one. Thinking of trying to add some small strategically placed scoops (hood or rear fenders?) I also have a couple of antennas to add to the rear fenders.

Later-