'64 GTO Mild Custom

[pharr7226]

This is the Polar Lights version of the '64 GTO. I would not buy this kit again. Although it has a lot of mounting holes and pins, many of the parts don't line up. I cut a bunch of the mounting pins off. I've been working on this build for way too long. I made some minor changes to body like shaving the handles and removing the accent ridge on the hood and the trunk. I've probably had every paint problem that I can imagine from solvent popping to ghost images. I lowered the rear raising the fenders. I didn't have the skills to get it as low as I wanted when I began the build, but I think I manage the plastic surgery a little better now. The air filters on the engine are scratch built as are the throttle linkage, fuel filter and fuel lines. I made a distributor also, but I didn't like the way it turned out so I'm making another one.

Edited March 3, 2011 by pharr7226

[pharr7226]

I removed the axle from the kit rear end and replaced it with aluminum tube. The ladder bars were molded onto the axle. I removed them and reattached them with mounting plates on the frame. I still have to fab a brackets for the ladder bars on the axle. The shocks and upper and lower mounting brackets for the shocks are scratch built. I also added a bracket for the coil. The rotor is scratch built also.

[pharr7226]

Here are a couple of shots of the body paint.

[Scalper]

cool job on the stripe.

[sjordan2]

Coming along great. Extremely nice detail work on the windshield surround and vent windows – that's something I don't often see done well. Usually too thick and burry. I wish more modelers would work on scribing the window channels on these parts.

Edited May 18, 2010 by sjordan2

[pharr7226]

cool job on the stripe.

Thanks Scalper. This was my first attempt at masking as well as my first effort with an airbrush. Thanks to the great information that I learned here and on other sites, I'm pretty pleased with the way the paint turned out.

[pharr7226]

I don't want to co-opt your thread, but I too felt the pain of building that PL GTO kit recently. For something labeled as a snap kit the fit is diabolical!

Good work soldiering through. It's shaping up nicely, no thanks to the kit itself.

Mark, I think I commented on some of the problems with this kit in your thread. I appreciate the comments, particularly from someone who knows, first hand, the issues with the kit.

[pharr7226]

Coming along great. Extremely nice detail work on the windshield surround and vent windows – that's something I don't often see done well. Usually too thick and burry. I wish more modelers would work on scribing the window channels on these parts.

Wow! I'm very impressed that you noticed that. I actually broke the windshield frame several times and had a heck of a time gluing it back and rescribing the top. I also fought with this thing puttying and sanding the bottom of the vent window frame. I got it as level as I could. Thanks for the nice observation and the compliment. I appreciate it.

[Monty]

I like what you've got going here so far. Can't wait for the next installment.

Thanks for posting the setup pics for the pinstripe. I'm going to copy those over into my "how-to" files.

I noticed you have several jars of HOK paint on your shelf. Have you figured out which reducer works best with them? Any pics of cars painted with them?

[Jeff Sauber]

This is a sharp looking project. The '64 Goat is my favorite year. I like what you're doing with all the extra detailing...

[kyledr330]

Great start! I love were you are going with this.

[pharr7226]

I like what you've got going here so far. Can't wait for the next installment.

Thanks for posting the setup pics for the pinstripe. I'm going to copy those over into my "how-to" files.

I noticed you have several jars of HOK paint on your shelf. Have you figured out which reducer works best with them? Any pics of cars painted with them?

Monty, thanks for the compliment. I'm glad that you find my build helpful. I've taken so much from this site and I'm glad to help in any way that I can. I used Aizu .7 mm tape over the red to create the separation line covered and sprayed both sides of the line with the Aizu still in place. I used the Kustom Kolors on the lower half of the GTO. It's a custom mix of black and silver. I don't remember the ratio. I just tinkered with it until I got it dark enough. I've experimented with Kustom Kolors "Reducer" and "Thinner." The Thinner seems to make the paint behave like an enamel... very glossy and slow drying. It's probably good for brushing, but I have not tried to brush anything yet. The Reducer seems to have a faster drying time and is not quite as glossy as the Thinner. I'm aware of other guys using lacquer thinner with good results also. I'll try to post some pictures of the Aizu tape and some paint samples with the Kustom Kolors later. I hope this helps. If you need any more information post it or pm me.

[pharr7226]

This is a sharp looking project. The '64 Goat is my favorite year. I like what you're doing with all the extra detailing...

Jeff,

I've spent hours drooling over your builds. I greatly appreciate the compliment. It means a lot. The '64 is my favorite year also. I wonder if it's the year of the goat on the chinese calendar.

Great start! I love were you are going with this.

Thanks Kyle.

[pharr7226]

Monty, here are the Kustom Kolor paint samples that I mentioned.

I shot Krylon Crystal Clear over all of the samples.

From left to right

Kustom Kolors "KK" candy apple red over brass metalizer.

KK candy apple red over duplicolor brilliant silver.

Custom mix of KK black and silver on the left. Duplicolor brilliant silver on the right. Duplicolor red in the center.

I'm not sure about this one and I can't read my note on the spoon in this picture.

KK platinum... It's kind of transparent.

The same as number 3 but with a darker custom mix.

I'll shoot a picture of a '55 Chevy with KK candy apple red over brass metalizer and post it later.

[pharr7226]

I made a little progress on the goat. I scratchbuilt some seats. They will look ok with clean up work. But, I think they look a little big. What do you guys think?

[Romell R]

Looks like you finally got a handle on this build Rick, nice way to show that plastic whos boss (we all know the plastic owns rick but dont tell him) keep up the excellent work buddy I cant wait to see it whipped into submission. or finished. Oh nice seat by the way.

Edited June 20, 2010 by Aftashox

[pharr7226]

Looks like you finally got a handle on this build Rick, nice way to show that plastic whos boss (we all know the plastic owns rick but dont tell him) keep up the excellent work buddy I cant wait to see it whipped into submission. or finished. Oh nice seat by the way.

The plastic definitely owns me. Thanks for the compliment.

[KENNEDYJR]

I think the seats look dead on as far as size goes. Cool project.

[cotto]

Interesting project, very cool. Lots of good ideas implemented here, please keep us posted!

[David G.]

Don't you just love when all the extra and difficult work on a project like this begins to pay off? What you've done so far is well worth the effort. I especially like the engine detail!

[pharr7226]

Thank Kennedy and Cotto. I really appreciate the comments.

[pharr7226]

Don't you just love when all the extra and difficult work on a project like this begins to pay off? What you've done so far is well worth the effort. I especially like the engine detail!

David, you comments really hit home for me. I can do a lot of stuff now that I would not have attempted when I began this build. I do feel like the work, some of it very frustrating, is paying off. I've learned a lot. I truly appreciate your kind words.

[pharr7226]

Here are the stock front and back seats.

I began the mods by cutting out the rear bench seat.

[pharr7226]

I added some sheet plastic to replace the portion of the floor that was cut out when the seat was removed.

I also added so sheet plastic to connect the floor to the package shelf. I used the stock package shelf that was cut from the bench seat. I modified the stock front seats, which are now the rear seats, by removing material from the center to reduce the width and cutting out an area at top in preparation for the scratch built headrests.

The center of the stock bench seat was removed and shaped to fit between the modified front/rear seats.

[pharr7226]

The scratch head rests were made out of aluminum wrapped around to pieces of sprue.

I still need to fill a few gaps and clean them up a bit. I started modifying the dash and the console. I'll post some pictures when I make a little progress on the dash and console. Thanks for looking. All comments, criticism and suggestions are welcome.

Edited July 25, 2010 by pharr7226