66 Chevelle Sedan - a different approach

[Steamboat]

Next up is a model of my 1:1 Chevelle Model 300 4-door sedan, which I bought from a farmer's widow around 1978.  It was stored in a chicken coop, and not matter how much soap and air fresheners I used, it always smelled like chicken $#!7.  It had a 230 straight six with 2-speed Powerglide, and manual everything else.  Other than needing a battery once, it never let me down.  I wish I still had it.

I'm starting with the Lindberg '66 Hardtop, and using the top from the Revell '65 Chevelle Z-16.  You can see the radical difference in the '66 in the foreground.  

 

I braced up the inside of the Lindberg before performing surgery.  Even though the plastic seems fairly thick, I'm being cautious about warping or breaking the body.

 

A bit of Dymo tape helps me make a straight saw cut on the top of the '65.

 

'65 with the top removed.  Do I see a '65 convertible or a phantom hardtop in the future?  More to come...

 

[dragcarz]

I too, owned a 2 door 300, it was maroon with a black vinyl  interior, 283 Powerglide, great car, I never understood why GM did the 300. I tried years ago to do that roof, but I wasn’t happy with the results. Someone bought it at a show where I was selling stuff. I often wondered if he did anything with it. I’m gonna follow this. Great idea by the way!

[carnut]

Looking good so far, I’ve been wanting to do this too for quite awhile since watching Roadkill Garage.

I thought of doing a 67 Chevelle.

Keep this one going please.

[Matt87]

Looks good so far. I like the 4 doors to. I remember seeing a green 72 4 door Malibu for sale a few years ago. Had some rust on rockers but i would of bought it if i could of. I think that had straight 6 in it.

[Zippi]

Nice looking little project going on here. Nice clean cuts.  

[Nazz]

 Looks good Bill. I will be watching this one. Nice to see you are correcting the rear window as I am with my 64 F85 4 door.  What color?

 

Jerry

 

[Steamboat]

4 hours ago, Nazz said:

 Looks good Bill. I will be watching this one. Nice to see you are correcting the rear window as I am with my 64 F85 4 door.  What color?

 

Jerry

 

It was a sand color from the factory.  When I got it, it had spots of gray and red primer.  Later on, I painted the body red and left the top tan. I still haven't decided which way it'll go. 

[Scott8950]

Great idea on the roof swap i will be following along. 

[Steamboat]

First test of the roof section on the '66 and it was too high in the front.   I made a few pie cuts in the C-pillar to lower it. There are some other changes needed to the C-pillar so I'm not too concerned about body work on it right now.  The second fit is much better.  Now it needs to be lowered just a bit in the rear.  Should be easy enough to do by incrementally shortening the distance between the C-pillar and the trunk lid.

[deuces wild]

Hey, the likes are working again!....?

[Sledsel]

I love seeing these type of builds.  

I found this nice straight on side shot, maybe it can help ya!

[Steamboat]

43 minutes ago, Sledsel said:

I love seeing these type of builds.  

I found this nice straight on side shot, maybe it can help ya!

Awesome! Thanks 

[Steamboat]

After adding some styrene strips, filing and Tamiya putty it's starting to look like a Chevelle again. I rounded the upper corners of the back glass opening.  I also raised the windshield opening as the Lindberg windshield looked too small compared to 1:1 photos. 

[Can-Con]

Here's a few pics I took when my uncle was restoring hos '66 sedan. Might be helpful. 

If you look close you can see there's a crease around the rear window about the same width as the stainless trim and that the seam from the glass to the trunk lid starts right at the corner of the glass. 

Ni ce work so far. Already more accurate then the resin sedan I bought years ago from MCW.

Edited December 6, 2023 by Can-Con

[Steamboat]

15 hours ago, Can-Con said:

Here's a few pics I took when my uncle was restoring hos '66 sedan. Might be helpful. 

If you look close you can see there's a crease around the rear window about the same width as the stainless trim and that the seam from the glass to the trunk lid starts right at the corner of the glass. 

Ni ce work so far. Already more accurate then the resin sedan I bought years ago from MCW.

Thanks, any reference photos are a big help.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Steamboat]

After a long time on the shelf of doom, it's back on the bench. I had to make some compromises.  The a-pillar on the Lindberg kit has more rake than the 1:1, causing the roof and window openings to be smaller. I didn't notice this until it was too late to correct. Notice that the door seam between the doors now runs straight down from the front of the b-pillar, as opposed to the rear of the b-pillar on the 1:1.  I had to do this because the rear doors looked too small otherwise. The second photo shows a comparison with the 1:1.  Sorry for the sideways image.  I couldn't find a way to rotate it.  Anyways, it's time to finish it up and move on.

[NOBLNG]

Ther you go Bill.? It’s looking good.?

[dino246gt]

Excellent conversion! I love this type of model building, very cool!

 

[spkgibsonfirebird]

WOW, that's looking great, that's how everyone makes the 4 door out of these years of Chevelle's. I'll be watching the progress. 

[1972coronet]

On 11/19/2024 at 6:43 PM, Steamboat said:

The a-pillar on the Lindberg kit has more rake than the 1:1

I'm surprised that no one ( myself included ) chimed-in earlier about that issue. I'd have recommended that you start with the Revell 1966 Chevelle Wagon and/or the '66 El Camino as your base. 

Now, that's not to say that the work you've performed is bad by any stretch of the imagination ; that's some mighty fine skill you've got ! May as well turn what' you've got there into a 1960's custom - chopped top, lowered, hopped-up six / 'glide , pinstripe white walls, and chromed steelies with Spider caps ?

[1972coronet]

One of my favourite episodes of Vice Grip Garage features a '66 Chevelle 300 four door sedan 

 

 

[Steamboat]

3 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

I'm surprised that no one ( myself included ) chimed-in earlier about that issue. I'd have recommended that you start with the Revell 1966 Chevelle Wagon and/or the '66 El Camino as your base.

It'll be good enough for me as is.  I think most people will think it looks a little off but won't be able to pinpoint why.  All I set out to do was recreate my 1:1 car that I owned 45 years ago.

Lesson learned the hard way as usual.  

[Steamboat]

3 hours ago, 1972coronet said:

One of my favourite episodes of Vice Grip Garage features a '66 Chevelle 300 four door sedan 

Yes one of my favorites as well.  

[Steamboat]

I finally got some color on the body. I used acrylic craft paint thinned with Createx thinner.  It took about 5 light coats before I didn't see any more color change.  Now I'll wait a few days for it to cure before clear coating. My intention is to use Duplicolor 1k clear, but as always I'll try it first on a spoon.  As a backup plan, I can use Model Master clear enamel, but would need to airbrush it. 

 

[Steamboat]

I finally got some color on the body. I used acrylic craft paint thinned with Createx thinner.  It took about 5 light coats before I didn't see any more color change.  Now I'll wait a few days for it to cure before clear coating. My intention is to use Duplicolor 1k clear, but as always I'll try it first on a spoon.  As a backup plan, I can use Model Master clear enamel, but would need to airbrush it.