AMT 1967 Thunderbird Promo Hershey Rescue

[Falcon Ranchero]

On 2/12/2025 at 4:07 PM, LennyB said:

I might have gone too far with this.

I would have to say I would have restored the 'bird as well. Though I went even farther once with a '69 Corvette in which the body had been crushed between the frustrated fists of the original builder. That should've been a parts car, but I couldn't leave well enough alone, and I turned it into a Roadkill/Mad Max abomination just because I wanted to see if I could actually do something with it. If ever you think you've gone too far with a second hand kit, remember this Corvette - if it's better than that, then you can probably make it look real cool. The T-bird looks very promising, can't wait to see it completed 👍

[NOBLNG]

On 3/17/2025 at 6:22 PM, LennyB said:

Been messing with different wheel combinations.Set in the first pic are  17"

Second pic is 20 and 21's

 

Which looks better?

Personally I like the 17’s a bit better…but my opinion tends to change like the weather.😳 I don’t think side pipes would suit it either so you might have to do some creative exhaust work. Maybe some discrete exhaust tips in front of the rear wheels?

Edited March 24 by NOBLNG

[NOBLNG]

?

Edited March 18 by NOBLNG
Duplicate post?

[Sledsel]

Just bend a custom exhaust, who cares if it goes under the fuel tank instead of around.

I was looking at your engine install, rather than messing with the radiator support, why not remove the pan (yes, I know it is molded in) and use a dual sump pan to move the engine back? 

[LennyB]

2 hours ago, Falcon Ranchero said:

I would have to say I would have restored the 'bird as well. Though I went even farther once with a '69 Corvette in which the body had been crushed between the frustrated fists of the original builder. That should've been a parts car, but I couldn't leave well enough alone, and I turned it into a Roadkill/Mad Max abomination just because I wanted to see if I could actually do something with it. If ever you think you've gone too far with a second hand kit, remember this Corvette - if it's better than that, then you can probably make it look real cool. The T-bird looks very promising, can't wait to see it completed 👍

Nathan, bravo on the Corvette. Never say die I suppose, there is always something we can do with a kit no matter how bad it is.

[LennyB]

55 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Personally I like the 17’s a bit better…but my opinion tends to change like the weather.😳 I don’t think side pipes would suit ir either so you might have to do some creative exhaust work. Maybe some discrete exhaust tips in front of the rear wheels?

Not sure how this system pops up with those duplicate posts as you have to wait 10 seconds before posting but it happens to us all.

I like the idea of the exhaust tips Greg, thanks. I can almost picture them.  Maybe even tuck them into the rockers.

[LennyB]

14 minutes ago, Sledsel said:

Just bend a custom exhaust, who cares if it goes under the fuel tank instead of around.

I was looking at your engine install, rather than messing with the radiator support, why not remove the pan (yes, I know it is molded in) and use a dual sump pan to move the engine back? 

Andy, the radiator support is no biggie, it's actually a separate piece so moving it forward really takes no effort at all.  Although going with a dual sump and moving the engine back a touch would resolve the transmission mount issue. Thanks for the idea.

[dino246gt]

4 hours ago, LennyB said:

Oh man, now you put me back on the fence😆. Rest of the mods are really going to be vintage, '70 Boss 429 engine.

But what led me to look at other wheels is the fact that while the 17" look really good they are too wide to leave room for an exhaust. Unless I go with side pipes and I don't think that would look right. 

With that vintage in mind, I'd stick with 17s and rethink the exhaust. Should be fantastic!

 

[customline]

On 3/18/2025 at 3:03 PM, LennyB said:

Not sure how this system pops up with those duplicate posts as you have to wait 10 seconds before posting but it happens to us all.

I like the idea of the exhaust tips Greg, thanks. I can almost picture them.  Maybe even tuck them into the rockers.

The exhaust tips in front of the rear wheel idea has merit and tucking into the rocker sounds good too, if you embrace that idea and make it a real feature. You've got a mild custom now, so why not? Maybe a pair of square or rectangular tips set into a recess surrounded by a little flare. Of course the frame would need to be notched a bit but hey, it's a good possibility and the 17s could stay (I like the 17s, Len. 🥴)

[slusher]

On 2/10/2025 at 6:02 PM, LennyB said:

Thanks, got some Nightmist Blue Metallic from MCW to finisher her off.

Bill these used to be quite popular when I was growing up, saw them all the time, now it's rare. Had a friend who had a 4-dr in black. He did body work in his parents  garage. One weekend he did a color change to white, jams and all. In enamel to boot. Sadly he passed young of cancer. Always wondered if the garage paint jobs were a contributing factor.

The guy on the the other street bu the garage would be across the alley had one of these beautiful birds his was dark green with black interior. I remember him showing to me and my friend. Nice work Len keep it up!

[LennyB]

20 hours ago, slusher said:

The guy on the the other street bu the garage would be across the alley had one of these beautiful birds his was dark green with black interior. I remember him showing to me and my friend. Nice work Len keep it up!

Thanks Carl, sooner or later this bird will fly.

[LennyB]

On 3/19/2025 at 8:00 PM, customline said:

The exhaust tips in front of the rear wheel idea has merit and tucking into the rocker sounds good too, if you embrace that idea and make it a real feature. You've got a mild custom now, so why not? Maybe a pair of square or rectangular tips set into a recess surrounded by a little flare. Of course the frame would need to be notched a bit but hey, it's a good possibility and the 17s could stay (I like the 17s, Len. 🥴)

OK Jim, I think I can pound a 41 Plymouth fender into an exhaust tip.😁

[customline]

40 minutes ago, LennyB said:

OK Jim, I think I can pound a 41 Plymouth fender into an exhaust tip.😁

Gee, Len, it wasn't my idea. 😥

[LennyB]

Time to figure out this exhaust. To work up the side exit I decided to go with dual pipes out each side. Started by taking some brass tubing and soldering two short pieces together for the exit pipes.

Then with some styrene rod I fabricated the pipe leading up to the exit tip.

These are going to run down the side of the chassis then through the frame rails.

Eventually there will be two mufflers with both the inlet and outlet pipes facing forward.

Trying to poke the pipes out the side of the rocker left them right smack dab through the chrome rocker trim.

Decided to take the trim and go up and over the opening. Initially was considering going all the way around the opening but it just didn't look right. Had thought about removing the trim completely but leaving it for now.

And here is our mock-up.

 

What do you think?

 

[Kah puts]

Bitchin! 👍

[customline]

Atta boy, Lenny! Better than I imagined it. 👍 

[LennyB]

12 hours ago, Kah puts said:

Bitchin! 👍

Thanks Glen. Reaction I was hoping for after spending several hours on it.

9 hours ago, customline said:

Atta boy, Lenny! Better than I imagined it. 👍 

Not what I initially pictured Jim but it's subtle and does the job.

[customline]

40 minutes ago, LennyB said:

Thanks Glen. Reaction I was hoping for after spending several hours on it.

Not what I initially pictured Jim but it's subtle and does the job.

I saw it as a quasi-"Ceed" frame rather than a penetration. A pipe sleeve going through boxed frame rails, welded on both sides, might actually make it stronger. Then you run the exhaust through that "sleeve". In reality, that could work just fine. I think about that stuff.

[johnyrotten]

Looks awesome. I like what you did with the trim.

[LennyB]

1 hour ago, customline said:

I saw it as a quasi-"Ceed" frame rather than a penetration. A pipe sleeve going through boxed frame rails, welded on both sides, might actually make it stronger. Then you run the exhaust through that "sleeve". In reality, that could work just fine. I think about that stuff.

I do as well. Don't like to do things that wouldn't work in real life.

[LennyB]

1 hour ago, johnyrotten said:

Looks awesome. I like what you did with the trim.

Thanks John, I think the trim will stay.

[NOBLNG]

Well done Len! Routing the trim up and around the pipes makes it look like they belong there.👍😎

[LennyB]

1 hour ago, NOBLNG said:

Well done Len! Routing the trim up and around the pipes makes it look like they belong there.👍😎

Greg, whether they belong there or not that's where they are going to stay. At least until I break it down to paint.🤓

[LennyB]

For months now the T-Bird has been sitting inside the paint booth waiting for it's day to come. Yesterday was that day. So I got out the MCW paint for the project and began setting up. 

It had been so long since I had used the paint booth that I needed to vacuum it out and give it a full cleaning before any painting could commence. Cleaned and ready next I cleaned the body with some prepsol. That's when I discovered in the shine of the prepsol two small imperfections in the trunk lid that needed correcting first. So a little sanding and a touch of Tamiya filler and a little more sanding. But then I got to thinking about Jim and his door seams and wished I had used some 3-M glazing putty instead. So painting was put off for the day. 

This morning I thought of putting the body in the dehydrator for a bit to make sure everything was fully cured. Changed my mind as I had already masked off the top yesterday and the dehydrator will probably mess with the adhesive. Instead it was a sunny morning so I let mother nature do some work for a while.

Early afternoon and time was nigh for breaking out the paint gun. I had never used MCW before and didn't know what to expect. It laid down nice and smooth but coverage was a bit weak, took three coats before the color was looking dark like it should. Unfortunately by that time the bottle was hitting the bottom and it was clear I wasn't going to have enough paint. There are some areas that didn't cover completely such as below the C pillars and the hood which had some banding. Finish looks nice but it will need a couple more coats. Particularly since I had planed to BMF the rear quarter scripts and then lay some extra paint over them and then rub it back to expose the chrome. So looks like I need to order more paint. I guess the bird is a big body car and one jar doesn't cut it.

 

Anyway, this is how she looks for now.

Edited 13 hours ago by LennyB