Yeah Nah Posted October 10, 2023 Share Posted October 10, 2023 I like the way as on the model, GM actually molded the 'knock-offs' into the hubcap. Life imitating art! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted October 11, 2023 Share Posted October 11, 2023 (edited) Very nice detaing on your dash and wheel covers ! Edited October 21, 2023 by slusher Typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 On 10/10/2023 at 12:33 PM, dino246gt said: Fantastic! On 10/10/2023 at 5:08 PM, Yeah Nah said: I like the way as on the model, GM actually molded the 'knock-offs' into the hubcap. Life imitating art! On 10/11/2023 at 12:28 AM, slusher said: I nice detaing on your dash and wheel covers ! Thanks Fellas!😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 12, 2023 Author Share Posted October 12, 2023 (edited) The tires from the ‘62 Corvette are semi-hollow and just a tad narrower at the rim than the solid kit pieces. The sprue attachment points that I filed off were visible, so I tried stuffing the tire in order to expand it slightly, but that didn’t work out.🥴 I ended up filing the lips off the rims in order to narrow them slightly. I also have the interior pretty much assembled. I added a chunk of .100” styrene to the tub between the seats for something to fasten the glove box lid to. The instructions show it glued to the passengers seat.🤨 The pedals, shifter, turn signal lever, horn ring, door openers, defrost vents and washer bottle are all scratch made.🥵 I still need to modify or make rear view mirrors. The drivers is going to have to watch his knuckles on the door opener.😬 The steering column is not quite centered on the driver’s seat though, so it is what it is.🤔 TAFN. Edited October 12, 2023 by NOBLNG 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Wow! This has been fun to watch. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skip Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Greg, Just went through your build-up to where you currently are, having build the '55 years ago all I can say is WoW! This is one of the best '53 - '55 Corvettes that I have seen. I ended up building the '55 as a Gasser out of it combining the poorly engineered AMT '57 flip-front Gasser. Still there were a ton of issues with the body and interior bucket, bullet proof windshield... I like how you are setting down and solving each issue as it comes, building a real replica out of a kid market model! Keep it up. I'm watching this one going together! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted October 12, 2023 Share Posted October 12, 2023 Looking good. Multiple small upgrades go a long way towards making a kinda turkey kit into something to be proud of. The awful OOB stance of this thing has stopped me from ever buying one, but seeing how much your improvements are adding, I may have to reconsider it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afx Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 I'm late catching up with this Greg, very nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeah Nah Posted October 13, 2023 Share Posted October 13, 2023 Amazing standard of work here. Warning: don't let the ends of those battery leads touch! 😮 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Ellis Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 This kit was designed at AMT during the company's dark ages. I think the 1955 Corvette came before this 1953. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 14, 2023 Author Share Posted October 14, 2023 On 10/12/2023 at 10:56 AM, Jonathan said: Wow! This has been fun to watch. Thanks for looking!🙂 On 10/12/2023 at 1:32 PM, Skip said: Still there were a ton of issues with the body and interior bucket, bullet proof windshield... Boy…you can say that again!🥴 On 10/12/2023 at 2:07 PM, Ace-Garageguy said: Looking good. Multiple small upgrades go a long way towards making a kinda turkey kit into something to be proud of. The awful OOB stance of this thing has stopped me from ever buying one, but seeing how much your improvements are adding, I may have to reconsider it. The stance is probably one of the easier fixes.😳 On 10/12/2023 at 8:26 PM, afx said: I'm late catching up with this Greg, very nice work. Thanks!👍 18 hours ago, Yeah Nah said: Amazing standard of work here. Warning: don't let the ends of those battery leads touch! 😮 Thanks, I’ll be careful.😬 46 minutes ago, Bob Ellis said: This kit was designed at AMT during the company's dark ages. I think the 1955 Corvette came before this 1953. It’s definitely got its issues.🤨 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 14, 2023 Author Share Posted October 14, 2023 (edited) I found one major error I made. I used the door panels to locate the upper firewall and then butted the inner fender panels up against the firewall. This left a gap where the LH one meets the floor pan…so I filled the gap.🤔 I didn’t notice that this left the entire fender panel sitting too high.🤬 So I hacked it off and everything sits more level now. The frame by itself still rocks and has only two wheels on the ground. And the body rocker panels don’t both sit level by themselves. But when I put everything together and give it a little twist, it will sit with all four wheels on the ground. So I think I will give it the required twist and use some epoxy for the final assembly. I have adjusted and re-attached the offending fender well.😜 Edited October 14, 2023 by NOBLNG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 14, 2023 Author Share Posted October 14, 2023 (edited) I relocated bth of the upper rad hoses to clear the fan. I cut a strip of masking tape as a guide and filed the rocker panels slightly until they are more parallel to the body side moulding. It’s not perfect because the moulding is not parallel with the door bottom, but it is a little less noticeable now in my eye. Edited October 14, 2023 by NOBLNG 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yeah Nah Posted October 14, 2023 Share Posted October 14, 2023 Looking better and better Greg. As you said earlier, that side trim sloping is not really noticeable until someone points it out, but you've put it right nicely. Do you pre-shade the door/trunk panel lines on all your models or just the light colored ones? I'll steal your idea for my own models! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 17, 2023 Author Share Posted October 17, 2023 On 10/14/2023 at 5:45 PM, Yeah Nah said: Looking better and better Greg. As you said earlier, that side trim sloping is not really noticeable until someone points it out, but you've put it right nicely. Do you pre-shade the door/trunk panel lines on all your models or just the light colored ones? I'll steal your idea for my own models! Thanks Garry.😎 I try to do it on all, but I sometimes get ahead of myself and forget to do it.😬 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 17, 2023 Author Share Posted October 17, 2023 I scratch built a rear view mirror for it since the kit piece was ugly. I’ve been working on the body, smoothing some blemishes and I realized that the tail light mounting surfaces are too small and not even close to round. So I glued a couple of .157”x.015” styrene discs in place and added some Tamiya putty. It still needs a bit of finish sanding, but they fit a lot better now.😎 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 19, 2023 Author Share Posted October 19, 2023 (edited) I made a new side mirror since I didn’t like the kit piece.😕 My first attempt on the right, second on the left…and what it’s supposed to look like. Close enough for me.🥴 And the kit piece.😬 And I managed to get some paint on it. I used Tamiya TS-26 pure white (I know it’s not quite the same as polo white🥴) from the can. The hood scoop outline telegraphed through even though I filled the groove with styrene and sanded everything smooth.🤬 So It’s in the pond and will get a coat of Zinnser before another attempt. Then I got to work on the foil this morning, and I think it turned out OK.😎 The script and front emblem I foiled before painting. Now to fix that hood. Edited October 19, 2023 by NOBLNG 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 19, 2023 Author Share Posted October 19, 2023 (edited) When deciding where to mount the side mirror, I discovered that the front door seam contour and the windscreen profile are nowhere near correct on this AMT version. This screenshot from Jay Lenos Garage shows quite a difference.😬 However, I have no desire to correct it (not easy🥵) at this point. Also, according to this interview, Chevrolet intentionally gave it the “squatted” stance, so that it would look like it was “taking off”….Okaaay.🤔 Edited October 19, 2023 by NOBLNG 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slotto Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 Love that grin. It made me smile. Masterful job so far 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dino246gt Posted October 20, 2023 Share Posted October 20, 2023 WOW! Are we going to see it "live" this Sunday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 20, 2023 Author Share Posted October 20, 2023 On 10/19/2023 at 3:42 PM, Slotto said: Love that grin. It made me smile. Masterful job so far Thanks Steve!🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 20, 2023 Author Share Posted October 20, 2023 (edited) 8 hours ago, dino246gt said: WOW! Are we going to see it "live" this Sunday? Thanks Dennis. Ha Ha…not a chance! I have stripped my foil job off the windshield frame, and after four more attempts, I have a windshield that fits OK I hope. I’ve sprayed the frame with Revell chrome this time and when it is dry enough…I can hopefully get the glass mounted without wrecking the chrome finish.🥴 That assembly will be the absolute last thing to be installed on the model.🥵 That… and I have been trying to decide what to do about the headlight covers and stone guards.🤔 Edited October 20, 2023 by NOBLNG 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted October 24, 2023 Author Share Posted October 24, 2023 (edited) I decided that I didn’t like the chrome headlights and decided to drill them out. I came across this idea while fiddling with them. The O.D. Of the bezels is a hair more than 5/16” so I drilled a shallow 1/4” “reflector” hole in some .040” styrene, foiled it, and punched a 5/16” disc with the divet in the center. These fit perfectly into the recesses in the fenders. To my surprise, the drill left a raised point dead center which I decided looked a bit like a bulb or filament.🙂 Then I trimmed .040” off the back of the bezels and hollowed them out. They slide in snugly and hold the reflectors in with no glue required. And a couple of lens from the parts box fit inside the hollowed out bezels which I painted SG black on the inside. On to the screens🥵. I wound up ordering some #20 s/s mesh on Amazon. I tried a number of ways to cut an oblong/oval disc that wouldn’t come apart.🤬 I even tried CA gluing the intersections. It made a bit of a mess, but I figured I could clean them up after they were in place.😬 Then I had the idea to flatten the mesh between two flat plates in my big bench vise. I domed it a bit with the butt end of a paint brush and a 5/16 washer, made a tracing of the opening on some tape, fastened it to the screen and cut it out with my snips. They hold together a lot better than the un-flattened mesh, and a little tweeking with my favourite pointy tweezers and it wedges in place fairly nicely.😎 I gave them a couple spots of CA as insurance. They don’t have the proper chrome surround like the 1:1s, but I can live with this look…much better than the clear kit pieces with the molded in wires I think.🤔 Now…I just have to be careful not to touch them while assembling the remainder of the kit.🥵🥵 Edited October 24, 2023 by NOBLNG 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TransAmMike Posted October 24, 2023 Share Posted October 24, 2023 Awesome work on those headlights👌 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted October 25, 2023 Share Posted October 25, 2023 Sheesh! That’s a lot of fiddly work on those headlights, your patience certainly paid off. They look amazing! I’ve never built one of these kits, but if I do, this WIP will be my reference for sure. Very nice work happening here as always Greg. Cheers, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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