Donnie Allison's '74 Monte

[Belugawrx]

So, I picked one of these up last week ..

....but it's a '74.. 

I've always loved the livery on this..

Daytona

...Hawaiian Tropic... still smell it now..mmm

When I opened the box, I was a little shocked to see the clownish front end ..big square, boxy frog like headlight arrangement  and the wrong covered turn signals in the bumper...

And ..gotta say, the front end and wheel wells were WAY out...front end looked more like a Granada or a Lincoln

also the chrome bumper is made out of titanium..

so, cut about 1/16th" out of the bottom of the headlight valance, and cut off the oversized (in my opinion) screen grille off the bumper assembly

The front quarter got some more surgery,..a good 1/8" cut out of the lower edge

And then the roof top..

sanded the edge of the window opening onto the top transition, it was too square ..to my eye

Squared up the opera window with the side mains 

Can't quite figure out these destructions yet... which hole does this show...there are 4 ..?

Hogged out the front wells... this is the stance I'm going for 

More as time permits

 

 

 

Edited March 30 by Belugawrx

[Shark]

Most of us Nascar builders were excited when these kits were announced and disappointed when they came out. Takes a lot of work to get the body close to what it should have been. I gave up on mine.

Salvino JR did much better with the Chargers and Roadrunners. Same two piece chassis. 

[Belugawrx]

48 minutes ago, Shark said:

 I gave up on mine.

I think most people did..

Researching it is difficult too.. not many pics of the round light Montes out there..

[Spooker]

I think the prevailing opinion on this era Monte Carlo is that the best route to a good looking replica is to sand the vinyl off the roof of the Revell "Wheels of Fire" kit + a Monogram GM chassis.  Salvino's intentions are good but....

 

I would add that some of us got lucky years ago and bought several sets of race-prepped resin bumpers for the Revell kit, too.

[Shark]

If you can get your hands on a Revell snap tite Monte Carlo, that's the way to go. It fits on a Monogram chassis with a little modification. But they have got real pricey. Plus it's the rectangle headlight version. I am doing one now where I used a Canuck 3D round headlight conversion kit. Good luck with your project.

[Mark C.]

23 hours ago, Spooker said:

I would add that some of us got lucky years ago and bought several sets of race-prepped resin bumpers for the Revell kit, too.

I ordered mine… I dunno… 20 years ago?  Still waiting for it to arrive.  At least Mr C got my money and managed to sell a bunch more on ebay in the meantime.  🙄

…don’t mind me.  I’m just bitter about being ripped off by someone selling these bumpers many years ago, who then proceeded to berate me for asking why my order was never sent to me, even though the funds were collected.  Old wounds run deep, I suppose.

Sorry for the derail.  🙂

Edited March 30 by Mark C.
Context.

[bobss396]

I feel like I am cursed... I cannot seem to get away from those 2 piece MPC-ish chassis that are in too many kits.

By 1974, most leaf spring rears were gone in the top league. The front suspension and cage under the hood are too much like work.

[Belugawrx]

There are badly molded leafsprings in the kit, but no reference to them in the instructions...and I know they weren't used in '78...

I would appreciate any detail reference pics anyone has, or knows of for this car. Like engine colour, engine compartment crash tubing runs, 

I'm guessing the interior is all black..?

I've got the bumpers soaking in Easy-Off right now,..let you know how that goes...seems to be an undercoating of copper !?!? They are rock hard...dulled my saw blade cutting off the grill.

This won't be a quick build..lol

[Spooker]

The Salvino's chrome is REAL METAL chrome, impossible to strip and just plain unnecessary.  The copper undercoat is real metal, too, just part of the process used to plate 1:1 METAL bumpers!

[Belugawrx]

...great,...grand....

Ya there's no stripping that stuff

[Spooker]

A question for the ages....Salvino's won't answer.

[bobss396]

22 hours ago, Spooker said:

The Salvino's chrome is REAL METAL chrome, impossible to strip and just plain unnecessary.  The copper undercoat is real metal, too, just part of the process used to plate 1:1 METAL bumpers!

I saw this on their modified chrome wheels... nothing would touch it.

[Belugawrx]

Ok plan B..went in with a diamond rotary bit and hacked the chrome off the front bumper where the driving lights are, and wallered out the 2 lower slots ...then started prototyping some sheet brass and styrene covers such as seen here

and here

Needs some refinement ..but getting closer

Cheers

Edited March 31 by Belugawrx

[Belugawrx]

The dust has been flying, adding in the small fender flares on the Monte. Some .010 sheet and Tamiya putty

Also, found this '72 up for sale from Ray Evernham  https://www.mecum.com/lots/503116/1972-chevrolet-monte-carlo-nascar/

and since I can't find any interior or engine shots of the '74, I'll go with it.

A bit more sanding and it's going into sandable primer.

Later

[DoctorLarry]

A good chassis to use for this vintage is the Elliot Coors T Bird chassis. Period correct, great detail and kits or parts are cheap on the internet and it is easily modified to fit. Way better than the Salvinos leaf spring stuff or their truck arm "fix".  I used it under multiple builds.

 

[Mark C.]

I really like where you’re going with this.  I was disappointed when I first looked at my Salvino’s Monte in the box, but you have shown that with a little creative thinking, it can be made to look right.  👍🏻

[Belugawrx]

1 hour ago, DoctorLarry said:

. Way better than the Salvinos

I've modified alot of kits, this one don't scare me..besides, that would mean me hunting for another kit ...plus time,..and money.. phhfft..this kit has enough plastic in it, I'll make do thanks

[dwc43]

1 minute ago, Belugawrx said:

I've modified alot of kits, this one don't scare me..besides, that would mean me hunting for another kit ...plus time,..and money.. phhfft..this kit has enough plastic in it, I'll make do thanks

All it needs is a factory 4 link in the rear to be correct anyways. Not that hard to fab up.

[Dave Van]

On 3/29/2025 at 8:07 AM, Shark said:

Most of us Nascar builders were excited when these kits were announced and disappointed when they came out. Takes a lot of work to get the body close to what it should have been. I gave up on mine.

Salvino JR did much better with the Chargers and Roadrunners. Same two piece chassis. 

Rear suspension is still wrong for the GM cars. They need truck trailing arms set up. Salvinos added some but they were 1/32 scale!!!!!! 

[Belugawrx]

Are you yelling now ?

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it Dave

[Belugawrx]

Bunch of parts (which I may, or may not use..lol) into paint..starting to sand out the body

And what is with that seat on the left..?  The bolster is on the left hand side....  ?

Found something closer in the stash, so wiil add the proper padding..sorta kinda like this..

Later

Edited April 4 by Belugawrx
fergot sumpin

[GMasterG]

On 3/30/2025 at 9:33 PM, Spooker said:

The Salvino's chrome is REAL METAL chrome, impossible to strip and just plain unnecessary.  The copper undercoat is real metal, too, just part of the process used to plate 1:1 METAL bumpers!

It's not impossible to strip. Put it in a bath of hydrochloric acid and leave it there for anything from 3 days to a week and you will find it completely removed. This is not hearsay - I do it on every re-badged Monogram/Revell kit that Salvinos has re-boxed and in which are included these chrome parts.

[GMasterG]

On 3/31/2025 at 7:39 PM, bobss396 said:

I saw this on their modified chrome wheels... nothing would touch it.

Use a hydrochloric acid bath in the same way you would a bath of bleach for chrome parts used in other kits; it will take 3-7 days

Edited April 4 by GMasterG

[Spooker]

I guess that's good to know, but between my hobbies, everyday life and 1:1 race car, I am exposed to enough dangerous materials as it is.  I'm not going to have hydrochloric acid in my house or garage just because a hobby company can't make a product that is decently user friendly, like every model company before them.

[Belugawrx]

33 minutes ago, Spooker said:

like every model company before them.

Right ..as well, it seems cost prohibitive to Salvino's to go that uneeded extra step. 

The other thing I am finding with this kit, is that the mounting points on just about every part are not made for each other...pins too big and or holes too small...easily fixed with a little reaming or scraping...unless of course it is on a plated part...then just cut the pin right off !

Anyway...Body sanded and into Duplicolor sandable white primer...

Happy