'59 Chevy Impala

[Scale-Master]

I've always liked this year of Impala, especially the rear end and the horizontal fins. I've had a few of the kits since they came out, time to build one.

First I tossed the wheels and tires in favor of something meatier and added brakes. The wheels are from a Ferrari 360 with some minor changes to make them fit in the wheel wells and the tires are from the parts box. The brakes are from a Nissan Skyline. I kept the same ride height, at least for the time being…
It will be a two-tone with the main color something between Lemon and Butternut Yellow. There is a lot of prep needed to clean up this body for painting, plus it had a broken roof pillar that had to be repaired.

[Kutnplastik]

I too love this year of a factory custom. Absolutely love the rear view. IMHO I am not a fan of those that decide to put the continental kit on a 59 as it wrecks the flow. I also like when the front nostrils are tastefully filled. What is the second color you are going to use?

[SteveKnox]

Did you break in to my house? My Monogram 59 has a broken pillar also! 

[Scale-Master]

The second color will be a gray.  Not a fan of the continental kit either.  It's distracting from the best part of the car. 

The side in the below photo had the broken pillar; I'm happy with the repair.

 

I decided to lower the front by about 0.060 of an inch by removing the spring bosses in the lower control arms.  Then I raised the rear by about the same amount by making new coil springs.  Not a lot of difference, but enough to see and the rocker is no longer parallel to the ground.

The tailpipes interfered with the larger rear wheels so I cut them off and made them exit in front of the wheel wells.  I also filled the mounting indentations in the frame for the tailpipe hangars.  The exhaust system was intentionally distressed.

[ChainsawMike]

hope they re release this kit soon! it's a very nice car that NEEDS to get made available for an average price again. Happy building!!

[Scale-Master]

The secondary color for the two-tone is Tamiya LP-19 Gun Metal.

[NOBLNG]

That color combo should look nice!👍

[Scale-Master]

The primary color is a mix of Testors 1112 Light Yellow and 1116 Cream enamel.   Both bottles of paint are from the last century, (80's era, maybe 70's for the Cream).

[Kutnplastik]

That color combo is awesome and unique!

[Scale-Master]

The interior is pretty basic.  I used the same Gunmetal for the top of the dash and under the rear window as I did on the body.  I swapped the factory steering wheel for one from a 1/24^th 240Z; the larger scale works pretty well here.

[Zippi]

I really like the 59 body style and the colors look Great Mark.  Looking killer so far.