AMT 1970 Monte Carlo project

[J.B. Customs]

Building a 1970’s era pro street 

Edited May 26, 2024 by J.B. Customs

[ksnow]

Looks like a great start.

[FoMoCo66]

Nice start and yes this is the right] place to post it.

Reminds me of the roadkill impala.

[LennyB]

I always loved this vintage Monte. Are you using the original AMT kit or the later release. Based on the color of the plastic I would think later.

[Keef]

Building one myself, I’ll be watching this build progress. 

[J.B. Customs]

Yes I believe it is the later version I picked it up at hobby lobby off the clearance shelf about 3 years ago for 7.95 I just couldn’t pass it up at that price. I have been hesitant about building a model car after seeing the cars at the model shows with all the detailing done and actually I guess that this is my third build this year I won a 1/32 59 caddy in the raffle at the IPMS Show in Indianapolis last year and I painted it and never put it together but I did and that was my first shot at foiling and this year at the IPMS show I won a snap tite kit so I guess that these kits helped build my confidence to do something different 

Edited May 16, 2024 by J.B. Customs

[J.B. Customs]

I have mini tubed the rear fender wells and widened the front chassis rails to make room for the 572 crate motor 

[David G.]

Welcome back to the hobby Jeff. This community is an excellent place to show your work. Some of the kindest, most generous people on the internet call this place home. Most of us recognize that everybody works at their own skill level and we want this community to be a place where builders can show their work, ask questions, offer tips and thereby improve their skills. No matter what level those skills are at.

That being said, excellent detail and painting on that engine. I also really like the Caddy, that's a great shade of blue. And the Police Wagon is a really cool take on that kit.

Welcome aboard Jeff!

David G.

[J.B. Customs]

3 hours ago, David G. said:

Welcome back to the hobby Jeff. This community is an excellent place to show your work. Some of the kindest, most generous people on the internet call this place home. Most of us recognize that everybody works at their own skill level and we want this community to be a place where builders can show their work, ask questions, offer tips and thereby improve their skills. No matter what level those skills are at.

That being said, excellent detail and painting on that engine. I also really like the Caddy, that's a great shade of blue. And the Police Wagon is a really cool take on that kit.

Welcome aboard Jeff!

David G.

I have been on the forum for a little over a year now and I have been just building semi trucks last year I stepped out of my comfort zone and built my first fire truck the help that I received from the other members was amazing I’m glad to be a member of the community 

[espo]

Like the look of your engine. The wiring is cleanly done and the colors and finishes on the engine, carbs, and transmission all look realistic. I remember using white VHT paint on my headers as well. They would get a strange creamy off-white color with age. 

[J.B. Customs]

Well playing with the suspension and the interior unfortunately I have been trying to replumb the headers so they can clear the A arms there’s always something ?

[slusher]

Nice engine!

[J.B. Customs]

Well I was hoping for a lighter blue I am hoping once I get all of the trim work done it will set the blue off its just a little darker then I was shooting for 

[TopherMcGinnis]

I had a '71 years ago. Awesome cars! That 572 will almost fill the engine compartment. I always thought you could put 2 small blocks in a row and still close the hood.

[LennyB]

50 years ago I built one of the originals and painted it an even darker blue (duplicolor lacquer). Then to lighten things up I put a white vinyl top on it made from an old t-shirt.  When I look at the model now the top looks ridiculous, and dirty, but I did win a contest with it.   

[David G.]

It's still a pretty shade of blue and nicely painted too.

David G.

[J.B. Customs]

6 hours ago, TopherMcGinnis said:

I had a '71 years ago. Awesome cars! That 572 will almost fill the engine compartment. I always thought you could put 2 small blocks in a row and still close the hood.

Amazingly even with the 572 there is still quite a bit of space between the radiator and engine 

[J.B. Customs]

6 hours ago, LennyB said:

50 years ago I built one of the originals and painted it an even darker blue (duplicolor lacquer). Then to lighten things up I put a white vinyl top on it made from an old t-shirt.  When I look at the model now the top looks ridiculous, and dirty, but I did win a contest with it.   

Never thought about using a t-shirt(that’s cool) I’ve seen a lot of tutorials using masking tape 

[J.B. Customs]

Well trimmed it out with everything that I am not good with bare metal foil, and the molotow chrome pen not quite perfect but I guess it will do for now it did help break up the darkness and did find a picture of a dark blue Monte 

[David G.]

BMF can be tricky Jeff, it looks like you've done pretty good with it though.

David G.

[J.B. Customs]

Well after after making some exhaust modifications using the other motor for a mock up and some minor chassis mods the new 572 sets properly. This is not going as easily as I thought it would 

[Kenmojr]

Gonna be a wild thing for sure. And that Frank Frazetta painting on the truck is a nice touch. Frank Frazetta and Barry Windsor-Smith are the reason I became a fan of Robert E Howard's Conan the Barbarian fantasy series.

[J.B. Customs]

20 minutes ago, Kenmojr said:

Gonna be a wild thing for sure. And that Frank Frazetta painting on the truck is a nice touch. Frank Frazetta and Barry Windsor-Smith are the reason I became a fan of Robert E Howard's Conan the Barbarian fantasy series.

Always been something about the image of the death dealer since I seen it on my first Molly Hatchet album in 1978 

Edited June 2, 2024 by J.B. Customs

[David G.]

That's going to be a monster!

Cool!

David G.

[mrm]

Looking really good and I actually quite like the blue. It’s a very rich color and this car wears it very well. 
   And please don’t get discouraged from some model shows. Take motivation instead of frustration from it. 
  I still remember my first few shows and chuckle about it. My very first one I will never forget. It was in 1996 in the Chicago area. I built a ‘32 roadster from the old Monogram kit. It was fenderless with some huge funny car rears and painted with Boyd’s Chazoom Teal from a spray can. I totally outdid myself with it and very proud. I entered it in some suburban hobby shop contest where it won first place. Well, little I knew about contests back then, basically at the shop I entered there was not much of a showing. So my win qualified my model to be entered in a big show that was held together with the World of Wheels 1:1 car show in the McCormick Center. I went there with my chest pumped up bringing a “winner”. Boy, was I in for a rude awakening! Hahaha.? I was pretty much ashamed of my model next to the shiny gems on the tables. It looked like it couldn’t place even in the junior category. But I looked at the other models, met some cool people and asked a lot of questions. And got really motivated. I learned about some well stocked hobby shops and aftermarket parts and this miracle, called photo etched parts. LOL. ?    

  So, when the Revell issued the ‘32 3 window kit, I immediately got one and right away purchased a photo etched set for it from MCG and went to work full of enthusiasm. I opened the driver door (glued open, no hinges), wired the engine and put on my very first photo-etched grille. Oh, it was amazing. A true champion! I mean, that’s how you win, right? With cutting things open and ising lots of aftermarket… it looked like million bucks! Until I entered it in a serious contest and heard people laughing, how some noob wasted all these parts to come up with a turd ?. I was humiliated, hurt, mad, sad…you name it. But I went all angry to look at my model next to the other hot rods on the table. And I started seeing my super sloppy superglue residue all over my grille next to the shiny clean one on the model next to it. I saw perfect even flocking next to my bumpy “carpet” with gloss shining through it. I saw where you could see the injection pin marks and even the manufacturer copyright print under the frame on my model and how none of those things were present on the other models. And I thought to myself - well, these guys have a point. I need to bring my basics up to par and hone my skills. So I turned all the negative feelings into motivational anger”. ? And little by little brought my game up. Kept asking questions and kept trying new techniques. Met some great people along the way and learned a lot more that just how to build models. 
   So, don’t give up. Don’t worry about colors being perfect and don’t be afraid to make as many mistakes as it takes to get better. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself at a show answering questions and helping someone who just started. 
   Live long, build’em all!