Another '57 Chevy To Add To The Mix

[Dave Darby]

Over on that OTHER board, the guys have an end of the year tradition called the Amnesty build. This is where you take a languishing unfinished project (or broken/tired older build, and finish it up before the holidays end. This is the story of one such build. It's an MPC Flip nose 57 Chevy that I built 20 years ago. I swapped out the rear wheel wells from an AMT 57 so it would have stock wheel wells, and I dropped it in the weeds. I painted it with some sort of houseold spray that was a satin finish, and cleared it for gloss. After the famous orange paint explosion (happened when I was building a box art model for AMT back in 93) and getting dropped a few times, it went in a box, and only occasionally poked its little nose out. I wanted to restore it, but just never got around to it. Here is what I started with...

Anyway, I got tired of that look, and decided what I really wanted was a Gasser! I decided to leave the paint as is, because I really like patina, and just build a new chassis for it from the 53 Ford flip nose pickup that shares the frame.

As you can see, I had to make some new spring perches to get the front end sitting as I wanted it.

Anyway, here is the finished product, in all of its still faded glory....

Under that nose you'll find an aluminum firewall, the complete engine, including headers from the AMT/MPC 57 Vette Gasser, with a vertex magneto from the old tool 57 Chevy and a homemade straight axle (aluminum tubing) and springs from the AMT 33 Willys.

It's rude, and crude, and everything mother warned you about, but at last it's back out of the box, and on the shelf. I still need to mount the Moon tank, and throw ona couple decals, but for now, it's pau.

Thanks for looking, and more photos of the build can be seen here at the link...

57 Chevy Gasser Amnesty Build

[Greg Cullinan]

Dave after I saw the first picture I thought to myself that I would just clean the paint cause it looked good The firewall and rear steelies are a nice touch and the motor fits perfect in my mind. You put her back together nicely and she deserves a spot on the shelf for sure.Thanks

[Simon]

Nice gasser! I think you were right to keep the paint, it has a nice lived-in look to it.

[David G.]

That came out nice. I think a gasser is a much more natural look for a '57 Chevy than a low rider.

Also, I really like the gas station diorama set-up. I may have to build myself one.

Edited January 9, 2010 by David G.

[Custom Hearse]

That looks perfect. It looks like an old gasser that has been sitting in storage for several years. I love it!

On the subject of the paint explosion, was it the can of paint sitting on a warm stove that you are talking about? I remember someone talking about it a few years back...

[vizio93]

Nice job on the '57 Dave. It looked perty good before and it looks really good now

[Fisher61]

Very nice old gasser! Nice touch changing the rear wheel opening back to stock also!

[553964spd]

My favorite thing is a tri five chevy.My second favorite thing is a straight axle.Its a one two punch for me.Nice job!!!!

[RodneyBad]

Well, for being pau.

It looks Great.

I think it has a Great stance and just the right look..

Makes me want to run and build one myself..

Great job..