AMT 1956 Thunderbird - Fiesta Red

[Duddly01]

I am starting on my next build. An older AMT 1956 Thunderbird kit I picked up from a vendor at the SoCal Open Model car show last year. Should have it ready for the show this year. Now that they have re-released the AMT 1956 Thunderbird kit I may have to get another one to make a 1955 Thunderbird if this one goes well.  

I have gotten a few supplies but will need to order more. Fiesta Red paint from Scale Finishes. I had the colonial white from MCW finishes left over from my 1957 Thunderbird build. A photo-etch detail kit and Kelsey Hayes Wire wheels with Wide White pad printed tires from AMT.

This appears to be so much better a kit then the AMT 1957 Thunderbird that I had to make so many modifications and scratch build parts to make look decent.

Started putting together the components that will get painted the same color. For the engine I dug out a nice pre-drilled 3d printed distributor and coil.

I cut open the spare so it would accept a Kelsey Hayes wheels. Modified the wheel back so they would work with the wire wheels and pad printed tires as well. Then used panel liners on the wire wheels to see how they will look.

I bagged up the parts in bags per area to avoid loosing anything.

then dug out some LEDs to created the wiring for this build.

This is an Amos Minter restoration of a Fiesta Red 1956 Thunderbird with the look I am going for.

[lordairgtar]

Very good choice on the Kelseys. Not a fan of continental kits but on this car, it's appropriate. Was never much room in those trunks.

[LennyB]

The ‘56 is a much better kit then the ‘57. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.  

Edited January 18 by LennyB
correction

[Duddly01]

2 hours ago, lordairgtar said:

Very good choice on the Kelseys. Not a fan of continental kits but on this car, it's appropriate. Was never much room in those trunks.

I do prefer the clean looks of the 55 but I like the 56 better functionally. 12v vs 6v and the continental kit was a temp fix for no room in trunk complaints. 

56 minutes ago, LennyB said:

The ‘56 is a much better kit then the ‘55. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.  

I have never seen a 1955 kit? The 57 kit is really not a good kit. Only good point is the body proportions are good. The top is garbage so I got a couple resin tops from drag city customs that are quite nice to use for 57 builds. This lot so far seems nice.

[espo]

Look forward to following your build here. The picture you are using for a reference looks just like a neighbor's car from when I was in high school. Same colors inside and out but I think his had the hub caps. 

[Duddly01]

10 hours ago, espo said:

Look forward to following your build here. The picture you are using for a reference looks just like a neighbor's car from when I was in high school. Same colors inside and out but I think his had the hub caps. 

Thank you! The Kelsey Hayes wire wheels were not available I believe until 1962 on the Thunderbird, but many restores add them to baby birds these days, including Amos Minter who is well known for Baby bird restorations. They did have wire wheel hub caps available, but they are not as nice looking of course.

[Duddly01]

Today I did get a lot of work done on the body. This is such a better kit then the 1957 AMT Thunderbird kit.

I removed all of the emblems and etched the door, side skirts, etc. the gaps weren’t bad, but I wanted them deeper to look better.

I cut out the headlight buckets and taillights for LEDs.

I cut open the trunk lid, added a trunk lip and magnets to hold closed.

I added magnets for the hood as well. I then created hinges for both the hood and trunk lid.

I tested where the battery will go. It will need to be hidden, somehow. It doesn’t make sense to look like a spare like I usually do.

I stripped the chrome from the windshield trim and grill. Then removed the wipers and grill from the surround that will be replaced with photo-etch grill and wipers.

I did get a lot done today on the body but more to do. I will be created hood and trunk lid frames even.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Looking really good.   

You also reminded me I've been wanting to get one of these myself. Thanks.  

[Duddly01]

37 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Looking really good.   

You also reminded me I've been wanting to get one of these myself. Thanks.  

You should go for it, they have recently rereleased this kit. I am pleasantly surprised how nice a kit it is, especially compared to the AMT 1957 kit, and even more so my last build. The worst kit I have ever built, Revell Porsche Speedster. I had to pretty much reconstruct and modify every part of it.

Edited January 19 by Duddly01

[slusher]

Looking great as always enjoy your finished build!

[Duddly01]

2 hours ago, slusher said:

Looking great as always enjoy your finished build!

Thank You! Long ways to go but this should go well, it is a nice kit IMHO.

[Duddly01]

A little more work done today. Created an outside rear view mirror, added framing to the hood and trunk lid. Added magnets to hold the spare tire in place so it can be moved to open the trunk.

assembled then wheels with spinners, decals and UV clear resin the the spinner decals to give them the depth.

drilled out the dash for LED lenses, created the light enclosure.

 

[slusher]

15 hours ago, slusher said:

Looking great as always enjoy your finished build!

i enjoy watching you build you models!

[250 Testa Rossa]

Cool color combination! Fiesta Red was also used as a color by Fender guitars. 

[Duddly01]

10 hours ago, slusher said:

i enjoy watching you build you models!

Thank You! Just a little more to do and into paint. Next will be the LED wiring harness.

10 hours ago, 250 Testa Rossa said:

Cool color combination! Fiesta Red was also used as a color by Fender guitars. 

Thank You! Interesting, I didn’t know that. It was a Toss up between Fiesta Red and Peacock Blue. I have decided I am going to convert one of these into a 1955 so I have a set of all three baby birds. That one is going to be 1955 Thunderbird blue.

Edited January 20 by Duddly01

[Ace-Garageguy]

Inspirational. I bought one.   

[Duddly01]

1 hour ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Inspirational. I bought one.   

You won’t regret it. It is really seeming to be a very nice kit. Moving along a lot faster than normal.

[Duddly01]

Today I white glue mocked up the chassis and interior parts to create the LED wiring harness.

fit the battery and created a cover that will look like the trunk floor. The trunk will look a little shallow, but that is the best I can do to hide it.

[Mark W]

First let me say that this is a beautiful build. The many details will make for a showpiece.

I am on a similar path, I have an original 57 left over from my youth. I stripped it and the body is perfect.

However, I agree the chassis is very Spartan.

So looking on the bay store, I found a few kits of the 56 for $30.00 or less. We are talking the American Graffiti version, right.

If I may ask, why so reluctant to use it as a doner? I am going that way myself.

Also, I picked up a VCG Resins Y-block, quite a little jewel.

You can add a resistor in line with your led to dim it down, let me know if you have any questions.

Edited January 22 by Mark W

[Duddly01]

3 hours ago, Mark W said:

First let me say that this is a beautiful build. The many details will make for a showpiece.

I am on a similar path, I have an original 57 left over from my youth. I stripped it and the body is perfect.

However, I agree the chassis is very Spartan.

So looking on the bay store, I found a few kits of the 56 for $30.00 or less. We are talking the American Graffiti version, right.

If I may ask, why so reluctant to use it as a doner? I am going that way myself.

Also, I picked up a VCG Resins Y-block, quite a little jewel.

You can add a resistor in line with your led to dim it down, let me know if you have any questions.

I may do another 57 build using the 56 chassis now that they rereleased the 56 kit and prices came down. I did have to scratch build everything else necessary for my 57 build. Only if you look at the underside does it not live up to the 56 kit. I don’t know about the older 57 kit tops, but the newer ones are way wrong. I ended up getting a nice resin version from drag city customs.

This build is not the American Graffiti version, but same kit really, just different box art.

I do use resistors for the red taillight LEDs, but not the warm white headlights. The gauge light needs to light up the entire dash area and is not directly pointed, this is as desired by me.

Edited January 22 by Duddly01

[Mark W]

My build is mostly nostalgia because I originally built the 57 in the 60s.  I also have the Drag City top and picked up an unopened 56 last night for $23.00.

As far as led’s, I do a lot also, mostly on RC’s. A trick I use might work for you dash lights. Fill the area around the led with a few coats of white glue, this really disperses the light more evenly and gets rid of that strong pin point.

A lot of mods you used on your car I will put on mine. Thanks for sharing your build!

 

[Duddly01]

4 hours ago, Mark W said:

My build is mostly nostalgia because I originally built the 57 in the 60s.  I also have the Drag City top and picked up an unopened 56 last night for $23.00.

As far as led’s, I do a lot also, mostly on RC’s. A trick I use might work for you dash lights. Fill the area around the led with a few coats of white glue, this really disperses the light more evenly and gets rid of that strong pin point.

A lot of mods you used on your car I will put on mine. Thanks for sharing your build!

 

I use printer gauge decals on white decal paper and UV clear resin with a styrene scratch built light enclosure for the gauges so it doesn’t light up anywhere else. The white glue idea is pretty cool though.  

[Duddly01]

Just a small update and about ready to go to paint if the weather would cooperate. Wildfires in SoCal currently.

I made a headliner for the top from a lesson learned on Dan D's YouTube channel that the lower rider builders use a lot to create their custom interiors. You can learn a lot from about anywhere.  

Edited January 24 by Duddly01

[Duddly01]

I did end up needing to strip the chrome from the bumpers and remove some mold lines and bad sprue placement issues. Also the openings for the exhaust were basically nonexistent.

[Duddly01]

Painting has begun. NO, it will NOT be pink.  that is just the primer before the Fiesta Red base coat I am waiting to spray after I can mask the seat and door inserts I painted Colonial White. Chromed the bumpers, rear view mirror and grill surround. Alclad Airframe aluminum on the exhaust and gas tank.