1973 Chevelle Race Car

[Technics]

Purpose built race cars are one of my favourite things to look at. Slightly lower, slightly wider stance, deleted features, added features..

Building this kit with my main and only focus is the first impression of the exterior that has a nice stance.

Neither a non functioning junkyard find nor a showroom car. Something inbetween. I am not an expert on the genre of racing or the car subject just having fun with model making.

The kit is significantly old, instructions are vague, some parts are warped but useable. Most Importantly the body is super nicely done and to scale. Moderate to low price entry for something a bit obscure of a subject beside say a Fastback Mustang, 67 Camaro etc.

I immediately stripped off the horrible ( to me ) manufacturer chrome plating with oven cleaner. All gone in minutes forgot to take a before photo, gotta love the stuff.

Some inspiration follows below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Technics]

I swiftly assembled the majority of the project in 2-3 evenings guessing a number of steps. Somehow the vehicle sits upright and nicely although during the assembly I didn’t see how anything will sit in place it’s absolutely not a Tamiya. You can see some traces where the some of the chrome was.

I will clean up the body where necessary and get it into primer. I think it looks fantastic. A truly huge object that screamed down the tarmac. 

I will likely cut out the plastic driver side net and make one slung over hanging out down the side of the door from an appropriate looking textile material. 

 

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:03 AM by Technics

[Technics]

I began testing paints and believe I will be going with the selection below. With a majority being the metal paint I will try to modulate. The purple and golds are my runner up. The fun begins!

 

 

Adding and subtracting. I’m stippling on the metal paint, airbrushing it then matting it down with sandpaper.  Matte clear completely removes the intriguing realistic metal feel so that’s not an option. Maybe satin would be ok.

I’m really happy with the session. 
I believe I will aim to lighten everything up a bit so it’s more dusty than extreme high contrast. Easier said then done I don’t really know how yet but it’s rewarding playing around on scraps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Technics]

On my test piece I continued working the surface, it was lighted up and got more chalky with pigments. I then adjusted the perimeter by “subtracting” with the metal paint again. I’m more then content with the result. I think it looks believable.

 

 

 

Before the perimeter was adjusted and under more complimentary lighting.

 

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 05:08 AM by Technics

[dwc43]

Those MPC kits have great bodies, but the chassis are all universal. Only the engines are different. I remember watching the real version of that car on the track. 

[Volzfan59]

I’m enjoying what you’re doing. A Chevelle sure made for a great looking race car. 

[Technics]

Thanks guys! I absolutely love the purity in the shapes and proportions of the vehicles in the era. I misted on two full coats of black mr surfacer, then a mostly even / slightly uneven coat of metal paint. Still in awe what comes out of the airbrush rather “easily” I will begin working the upward facing surfaces once it’s had ample time to dry and kick back the reflection as I see fit, it’s all trial and error, alot of error. Fun at the bench.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 06:03 PM by Technics

[bobss396]

22 hours ago, dwc43 said:

Those MPC kits have great bodies, but the chassis are all universal. Only the engines are different. I remember watching the real version of that car on the track. 

I have gripes with those chassis. The front ends are on the fiddly side and I don't like the front cage under the hood.

The BBC is wholly inaccurate and using all kit parts, there is not much room for header/chassis fit. The headers have to be tucked in tight to the engine. 

I did one wired with spark plug boots, I should have omitted the boots.

I have 2 going now... both are BACK IN THE BOX!! specials.

[dwc43]

1 hour ago, bobss396 said:

I have gripes with those chassis. The front ends are on the fiddly side and I don't like the front cage under the hood.

The BBC is wholly inaccurate and using all kit parts, there is not much room for header/chassis fit. The headers have to be tucked in tight to the engine. 

I did one wired with spark plug boots, I should have omitted the boots.

I have 2 going now... both are BACK IN THE BOX!! specials.

Anything from the 80's on back, it's better to buy a separate factory stock streetcar kit and use the stock chassis under them. Mid late 70's is where they started to build more race ready front clips for these cars and then at some point in the late 70's to early 80's they all switched to that '67 truck are suspension they used for some many years. I have pics of a Petty Charger one of the last ones they ran, which would be a 74 body with updates for '75, '76, and '77. It has a squarer tube front frame rail with a tubular K frame for header and oil pan clearance. That's about the time dry sumps were coming into use as well. Still had leaf springs on that car since that was how they came stock.

[bobss396]

22 hours ago, dwc43 said:

Anything from the 80's on back, it's better to buy a separate factory stock streetcar kit and use the stock chassis under them. Mid late 70's is where they started to build more race ready front clips for these cars and then at some point in the late 70's to early 80's they all switched to that '67 truck are suspension they used for some many years. I have pics of a Petty Charger one of the last ones they ran, which would be a 74 body with updates for '75, '76, and '77. It has a squarer tube front frame rail with a tubular K frame for header and oil pan clearance. That's about the time dry sumps were coming into use as well. Still had leaf springs on that car since that was how they came stock.

My brother builds his stock cars using stock kit chassis under them. This is how we built the real ones.

I have to start doing that myself. Possibly with a truck arm rear under it. I have lots of donor parts/kits.

[dwc43]

2 hours ago, bobss396 said:

My brother builds his stock cars using stock kit chassis under them. This is how we built the real ones.

I have to start doing that myself. Possibly with a truck arm rear under it. I have lots of donor parts/kits.

That's how we built the real ones too. The 70 Road Runner was the last drag car we ran. Full steel body 440, 727, 8 3/4 with 4.30 gears. That bad picture is a Plymouth Road Runner dirt track car. The other is a late model dirt car we ran. But that one is all tube frame, and all hand built, all race stuff period. Nothing like going sideways at a buck 20 with the LF about 8 inches off the ground. lol 

[Volzfan59]

4 hours ago, bobss396 said:

My brother builds his stock cars using stock kit chassis under them. This is how we built the real ones.

Me too, that’s how we built every race car I’ve owned. When the tracks I raced at started allowing tube cars, stubbed cars and offset chassis’s in the limited late models, hobby stocks and even street stockers it was time for me to bow out.

[Carmak]

There are two versions of that kit you are building. You have the first version which is a 72 Chevelle. The second version was changed into a 70 Chevelle to more accurately represent the actual car.

The second version body was then used in the Super Stocker series before being "restored" back into a mostly stock Chevelle that was just recently re-issued as the SSlasher.

The pics below are the second version box lid (the red ribbon in the lower right corner is different) and the 70 Chevelle body in that kit.

[Volzfan59]

Thanks for the history lesson @Carmak! I didn’t know any of that. Love learning little tidbits about the evolution of model kits. The more ya know 

[bobss396]

19 hours ago, Volzfan59 said:

Me too, that’s how we built every race car I’ve owned. When the tracks I raced at started allowing tube cars, stubbed cars and offset chassis’s in the limited late models, hobby stocks and even street stockers it was time for me to bow out.

Escalation is tough when you're a broke racer. Especially if purses don't correspond to the effort to build a competitive car. 

I ran a class called "chargers" which is a street stock anywhere else. No weight jackers, no aftermarket a-arms, etc. 

[Rattlecan Dan]

What you've done so far looks great! Keep up the good work.