'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. 

[Scale-Master]

The foil has been applied to the molded in trim.  That took some time…

[slusher]

Very sharp color combo!

[Kanada Kustoms]

Foil work looking good!

[Scale-Master]

Finally got most of the chrome parts attached to the exterior.   I made a decal for the badge on the hood.

[Scale-Master]

One of the tires melted one of the pieces of side trim.  I fixed the bad spot and replated that section of it.

I'm not sure if I'll use the stock air cleaner or maybe machine some velocity stacks, but the rest of the engine is done.

[meechum68]

Oh the paint and details look great! Yellow and Gunmetal.. killer combo!

[HankinWisconsin]

That's a beautiful car right there!

[espo]

Striking color combination and clean chrome trim. As for the air cleaners, maybe three small after-market looking chrome ones?