Amt '57 Belair-Almost Complete!

[Fisher61]

The body, interior, chassis are all one now. Just need to finish a few under hood items and then trim it out!

Thanks for looking!

[charlie8575]

That looks great! I really like it in silver.

Charlie Larkin

[PlasticWagens]

Fantastic work and as said before, absolutely stunning interior!

[Fisher61]

This build is almost finished, I worked on the headlight buckets to get the best fit possible, I don't remember having a problem when I built this kit as a kid! The headlight lens detail is horrible[as in there totally smooth], found a better set of lenses in the parts box. Under hood details finished, back bumper and tail light housings installed. Look for it later "Under Glass". Thanks for looking!

[Greg Cullinan]

Very nice William,I am in awe at how clean you build.Thanks

[Dave Darby]

<!--quoteo(post=232864:date=Nov 24 2009, 01:58 PM:name=plumber)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(plumber @ Nov 24 2009, 01:58 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=232864"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->One thing I didn't like about the newer tool '57 is the too thick side trim and the elongated shape of the front wheel opening.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<!--coloro:#0000FF--><span style="color:#0000FF"><!--/coloro--><!--sizeo:2--><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo-->If you check 1:1 photos against that newer tool '57 Bill, you'll see that the rears are also too elongated. The wheelwells flare back too far not showing enough of the horizontal part of the quarter leading back to the bumper.<!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec--><!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->

I'm gonna have to disagree with you, Bill. Whatever minor problems the wheelwells may pose pale next to the side trim of the old tool '57, which at least 2 scale inches too high on the side of the body. Once you notice it, it stands out like the proverbial sore thumb.

Here is a real 57...

And the old tool 57. Look at how the side trim and louvers line up with the angle on the headlight bezel, and compare them to the real car. And then, at the door, instead of following the beltline like the real car does, it heads straight back. It's as if somebody tried to pick up the car by the side trim, and it slipped. Look at the door handle and lock cylinder. On top of that, you have a worn out tool with parts that don't fit, and a lumpy steering wheel. Of course it is still better than the Monogram 57, but I digress.

Now here is the new tool 57.

Looks alot closer to me. I think the worst issue it really has is the dinky tires they gave it, and it sits up a bit high for my taste. It isn't perfect, but it's a lot closer.

Anyway, not to offend, and that silver build is gorgeous, but if I wanted to make a show model, I'd be using the new tool 57, or grafting the hardtop roof and beltline to the new Revell kit, which looks fantastic. The best part of the old tool kit is all those cool optional parts that used to be in there.

[Dave Darby]

This build is almost finished, I worked on the headlight buckets to get the best fit possible, I don't remember having a problem when I built this kit as a kid! The headlight lens detail is horrible[as in there totally smooth], found a better set of lenses in the parts box. Under hood details finished, back bumper and tail light housings installed. Look for it later "Under Glass". Thanks for looking!

The reason for the headlight lense issue is that somewhere between Lesney's ownership of AMT, and Ertl's purchase, the clear tool came up missing. (I think it also did for the 25 T and the 40 Willys as well, which now has some very crude engraving on the lenses), anyway, they tooled up some new glass, but dropped the ball on the engraving (or lack thereof.) The older issues have that engraved detail. Anyway, that is a beautiful build.