Stock height or custom for the '58 Impala?

[Hi-Po]

I am starting to build the AMT/Ertl 1/25 1958 Chevy Impala and I have a question regarding the ride height of the car.  If I build the car at the stock height setting, will the front end sit too high or do I need to use the custom height setting to get a more realistic look?  I am trying to get a factory stock look. 

Thanks for any help that you can provide,

Terry

[espo]

I think AMT was using front spindles that had three settings on this kit. The middle setting is what they are calling stock height. I would suggest doing a few mockups of the suspension and the wheel & tires combination along with the rear suspension. This should give you an idea as to how the model will sit when you put it together. As with anything we are doing here there is bound to even show other issues as well. I'll do several mockups before I ever commit to any painting as invariably there are adjustments that need to be made and if parts are already panted you can pretty well count on having to redo something along the way. 

[Can-Con]

I'm pretty sure I just did the chassis out of the box in the lowered position when I built the Limelighter, but that was 14 years ago. But this should give you a pretty good idea of how it sits in the lowered position.

[StevenGuthmiller]

2 hours ago, espo said:

I think AMT was using front spindles that had three settings on this kit. The middle setting is what they are calling stock height. I would suggest doing a few mockups of the suspension and the wheel & tires combination along with the rear suspension. This should give you an idea as to how the model will sit when you put it together. As with anything we are doing here there is bound to even show other issues as well. I'll do several mockups before I ever commit to any painting as invariably there are adjustments that need to be made and if parts are already panted you can pretty well count on having to redo something along the way. 

I agree.

Never rely on instructions and the hope that everything is going to go together and fit as imagined, because it almost never does.

The only way that you’re going to get everything to assemble and look as you want it and that’s with plenty of mock-up and test fitting throughout the project.

Resist the temptation to make painting the body or any other parts the priority.

It always amazes me how often I see complete assembly failures, to the point of the modeler throwing the model against the wall, and then exclaiming that the kit “is junk”.

Those problems can be avoided EVERY TIME if the builder would have been more careful and had just taken the time to inspect, test fit and mock-up prior to jumping in without any idea of how things are likely to go together.

 

 

 

Steve

[Hi-Po]

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments and advise.  If all goes as planned and I don't experience any paint issues down the road, hopefully, I will post some pictures of the finished build in the near future.  Thanks again.

Terry