TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 (edited) I will confess that i finished building this model last spring, but i managed to take a few WIP pictures. And i did such a giant amout of scratch building and modifiying, i figured i would show it as a build thread here. I started with a Revell Impala SS, but i wanted to build a basic PLAIN Impala. There are a lot of differences between an Impala and an Impala SS. First of all, all of the side trim is different , and all of the uphoustry patterns are different(and a bench seat too) Edited January 1 by TheBEAUMONTGURU typo 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 (edited) I wish a had taken some pictures of my interior panels before i painted them. But here is what i did in a nutshell. I sanded off the door panes till they were smooth. then i used evergreen strips and a scribe tool to cut in all the panel lines and patterns from scratch. i used small dabs of Kyrstal clear to make uphoulstry buttons, then glued the salvaged armrests back on to the new panels. The front bench seat i resin cast a copy of from the 1962 impala kit, then sanded off all the detail and did the same thing by scribing the new lines. I made a decal seat pattern that closely resembled a plain Impala cloth pattern Edited January 1 by TheBEAUMONTGURU typo 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 (edited) This is a terrible picture of the body right after paint. You can see i sanded off all the SS side trim and built all my own trim using Evergreen strips. I was not a fan of the opening trunk, so i glued it closed. I used some leftover Dupont Centari from one of my real cars(the paint is atleast 20 years old in the can but still good) Centari is my favorite automotive paint. Single stage, no buffing, no clear, no wetsanding. You will also notice i heavily modified the firewall because the kit did not have a recessed area for the engine(an oversite at Revell i guess). The paint is a 1964 color called Desert Biege, but like i said, this is a terrible picture! Edited January 1 by TheBEAUMONTGURU added more detail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 I wanted to build this car as a real car that could have been ordered from the factory, but an oddball combination of options that would rarely be seen(especially in this day and age when all the impalas have been hotrodded and modified) 230 straight six, 3 speed standard manual column shift, Power steering, power brakes, and base dogdish hubcaps This picture show how the kit SS bucket seat pattern looked. I used a Trumpeter Nova 230 cyl engine, i resin cast a pile of them and then did 3 versions of 6cyl oil pans so the engine can be used in an X-frame, Chevelle, or nova model. I turned a hubcap profile on a metal lathe out of aluminum, then resin cast multiple copies. I did the same with a aircleaner profile. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 Here are the hubcaps. Resin cast from the original aluminum sample, then painted with spray chrome, then i made a set of decal pindots and bowties in photoshop, once applied they look like a pretty convincing 64 chevy dogdish. I used fireball wheels with added valve stems. the tires are from teh parts bin with added vinyl stick-on whitewalls(contrary to others opinons, i just love these vinyl sticky whitewalls i bought off ebay, they are a bit fussy to lay on straight, but they sure look fantastic!) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 (edited) Here is the interior almost finished. flocked carpet, satin clearcoat, decals for the speaker grill(yes this car is ordered with the factory AM radio and rear speaker option). and a padded dash. 3 speed manual tho Edited January 1 by TheBEAUMONTGURU photo add 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 the engine was its own massive project! Trumpeter nova recast, swapped oil pan for an Xframe one. Scratch built the power steering, including all teh slave cylinders underneath(note the undercarriage pic of the front suspension and steering). The power brakes were added, as well as full plumbing and detailing, it's as correct as possible to the real car. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 I replicating this as a Canadian built car, so the firewall is body color, the undercarriage is greenish vinylwash primer with body color overspray, then spackled on undercoating in the sloppiest way possible around the transmission tunnel and wheelwells, just like the guy on the assembly line would have done!! Firewall markings: "1647" Impala 2dr hardtop 6cyl model number. "RX" is on all canadian oshawa cars, "OK" in red, and the "R" for desert beige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 Here is the finished engine bay with a bunch of photoshopped decals that are correct for canadian cars along with the 230 decal, im not sure where i got the washer bottle from, but its the best version of a GM one i have seen, complete with the bracket moulded in. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 1 Author Share Posted January 1 I made all my own decals for the emblems. Impala logos, hubcap decals, and i even put the black pinstripe all the way round the side trim. Its got a Dealer decal for Chapmans in Killarney MB. I am super dissapointed with the kit taillights, i didnt catch it in time, but they stick out too far and each one is a different diameter, it was a super letdown!! I glued them on pretty permanent, but i would still like to swap them out of some better looking ones, i just dont want to start prying and cracking stuff. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maindrian Pace Posted January 1 Share Posted January 1 This is as precisely rendered and built as any '64 Impala of any manufacturer as I've ever seen. Amazing work on the fine details. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1964 Impala Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 This is an absolutely beautifully done model. I’m happy to report that there is at least one 64 Impala left with your engine and transmission combination. My great grandfather bought the car new in 1964 and didn’t even opt for a radio, so I have a delete plate as well. It’s a little slow but no one could steal it in my high school parking lot because the eye would have to be familiar with the 3 on the tree, which is unlikely. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dino246gt Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Man that's a great model Dave! So much subtle extra detail, most of it would be un-noticed if not for this thread, thank you for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dust collectors Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 This is a really cool build with great attention to detail. Thank you for sharing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickcaps55 Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 WOW ! this is a awesome awesome build I love it from the in-line 6 to the dog dish caps just perfect you did a great job on that side trim i have always wanted to do one like this just beautiful.!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBEAUMONTGURU Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 Thanks Everyone! T.Rogers, thats a great looking original impala, glad to see it retains the 6 cyl! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve H Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Beautiful build Dave. So many details, and fantastic scratch building. It is kind of funny, and very interesting, to see an Impala with a straight 6. My Dad had a 62 Impala with a 283 automatic. Always loved the 59-67 Impalas, awesome cars. Another beauty, keep em coming sir! Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastown Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Great job . Love extra effort that you have gone to. Thanks for posting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOBLNG Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 That is a gorgeous Impala Dave! Nicely done.😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
presnell Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 FANTASTIC!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
espo Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 This is a family air loom and should preserved as is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelRick Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Excellent conversion work on this Impala. I am truly amazed at all the detail work you put in this one, especially the changes to the interior. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrucha Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Very impressive build! Excellent conversion and attention to detail! I own a standard 1964 Impala white coupe with a 230 inline six, three speed on the column and red interior. It is in rough shape but I hope to have it restored soon. Your interior and engine is spot on accurate. You even got the black stripe correct for the side trim. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills72sj Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 High quality work. That interior is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moparman18064 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 Fantastic build. Awesome detailing. The only thing missing are the garage door opening scrapes😁 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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