AMT ‘63 Buick Electra 225 convertible

[jmk0303]

Working on this vintage unbuilt kit and it is very nice. Detailing up the 401 engine even though it doesn’t have the correct valve covers for ‘63. It also doesn’t have a carburetor but the large air cleaner will cover that. I put the linkage in there anyway, again will be covered by the cleaner. Made a coil and fuel filter. Soon the scratch built P/S pump will go on.

I didn’t like the way the rear trailing arms were molded solid to the frame so cut them out and made coil springs out of wire. 

[johnyrotten]

Nice work on the engine so far. 

[TopherMcGinnis]

Great start!

[jmk0303]

Making progress on this one. Scratch built P/S pump, belts and hoses on. Interior is getting there. Scratch built the arm rests, door release handles and vent window cranks. Carpeting in down. Just need to finish the dash and add the door locks.

[johnyrotten]

Looks awesome. The work with the power steering and armrest looks great. Nice job on the carpet as well. That's something I have yet to try.

[NOBLNG]

Nice work so far. The engine looks especially nice.👍

[jmk0303]

Further progress (slowly). Dash done and installed. Scratch built the shift lever and turn signal stalks, and park brake pedal. Air cleaner with homemade decals installed along with engine & auto trans dipsticks and trans cooler line done. Somehow I misplaced the fan but found one from a ‘62 kit on eBay so waiting for that to arrive so I can’t get the engine in the chassis. Finished the paint on the chassis and added the park brake cables.

[Kah puts]

Looks sweet 👍

[jmk0303]

Calling this one done. Windshield frame was broken and misshaped after 60+ years of thrashing around in the box. Had it looking right but during assembly it went back to its warped state. Scratch built antenna added. Finished in Buick Bronze Mist with brown leather interior.

[thatz4u]

Nice Buick Drop Top, well done

[jmk0303]

Calling this one done. Windshield frame was broken and misshaped after 60+ years of thrashing around in the box. Had it looking right but during assembly it went back to its warped state. Scratch built antenna added. Finished in Buick Bronze Mist with brown leather interior.

[jmk0303]

OCD kicked in on the Buick. I made the little fan guard on the radiator out of sheet aluminum, painted and added a home made caution decal. Now I am done. (I think!)

[johnyrotten]

Great looking buick. Very nice work all throughout. 

[sak]

Seeing as though it is a convertible, could you not just chop the windshield frame and replace it?  I reckon it would be the same as a Impala frame. It would be a verry easy procedure.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I like it….a lot!!

But, if I could make one suggestion for the next time that you build one of these old screw bottom, annual style kits.

Get rid of the radiator bulkhead with those horrendously ugly screw posts!

It’s a relatively easy operation to cut it out and replace it with either a piece from another kit, or it’s pretty simple to make one from scratch from a piece of sheet plastic.

You can then usually remove the screw plate, (flange) from the front bumper should you desire.

But, in any case, getting rid of those homely screw posts from the radiator bulkhead makes a HUGE improvement in the engine bay appearance.

Just as an illustration, here is a ‘62 Chrysler that I modified the radiator bulkhead on.

You can see the predominant screw posts in the “before” shot, and how it looked after some modifications.

It’s a vast improvement!

Forgive my forwardness on this subject, but those posts have just become something that I can’t unsee anymore.

I have to address them whenever they’re present on my projects.

 

 

 

Steve

 

[Supernurd]

Very cool Buick.  👍 

[pulln4dejr]

First off… kudos to you for building this kit instead of letting it sit in the box collecting dust! My son is into Bourbon and when he finds a “hard to get bottle” he has no problem opening it up and enjoying the fruits of his hunt! I too subscribe to the thought that it is made to be enjoyed not sit on a shelf. Now with all that being said your attention to detail is awesome, and your classic kit is amazing!