1957 Chevy Two-Ten

[Brett Barrow]

When Revell recently followed-up their very nice 57 Chevy 150 Utility Sedan (aka the "Black Widow") with an equally well-done Bel Air 2-door sedan, I instantly knew I had to snag one and build it as a middle-trim level 210!

Luckily Revell made it very easy for me because they failed to add the Bel Air's extra trim around the c-pillar and drip rail, they basically just took the roof right off the 150's body. They also missed the beltline molding under the windows, I'm not sure if I'll be able to add this with my meager skills, I'll probably just fake it with cut strips of foil in the end. So all I really needed to do to the body to turn it into a 210 is remove the finned aluminum panel from the Bel Air's iconic quarter panel. I wish I had remembered to take a before pic, but here's the after -

Here's the body with most of the tools I used to scrape and sand away the raised detail - The bulk of the work was done by scraping with the curved Xacto and scalpel blades. I could target an individual line and the curve of the blade prevented me from touching the trim that would remain.

I've also started to deepen the door and panel lines, they are very shallow in some places, especially for a new-tool kit. The trunk is especially bad. No way this line would hold up to paint and primer!

The biggest changes will take place in the interior (if I decide to build it with a stock interior). Revell totally nailed the unique pattern of the Bel Air sedan, but I'll need to change it to the 210's different layout.

Here's the kit's door panel, which is totally correct for the Bel Air 2-door sedan.

And this is what I need to convert it to -

The seats are very close out of the box, the only problem is that the seat back insert comes all the way down to the horizontal seam on the 210. Again, the kit part is accurate for what it's supposed to represent. I think I'll just leave the seats as they are, this panel is the same color as the rest of the upper seat back in the 210, and shouldn't be too noticeable(they're a contrasting color in the Bel Air). The vertical ribbing is very finely molded and there's no way I'd be able to match that if I extended it to the seam.

Now comes the REALLY HARD PART!

Deciding whether to build it as -

#1 - a sinister Black Fuelie -

#2 - a gasser similar to this one -

or #3 - a 60's "Junior Stock" racer (these decals are available by Decals by Lucas)

options 2 and 3 would save some interior work as I could just use plain 150 interior panels and call it a stripped down racing interior, but that Black Fuelie just looks sooooo coooool!! I'll have to see how my bodywork looks under some primer, as that black paint won't do me any favors!

Edited September 17, 2010 by Brett Barrow

[camaroman]

Watching this one... I just turned my Pop's (grandfather) Two-Ten over to my oldest son about a year ago!!! Harbor and Larkspar Blue.

That for the pics.

[charlie8575]

Two-tone copper and beige would also look nice. Add in a six, and instant economy car.

Charlie Larkin

[Brett Barrow]

Watching this one... I just turned my Pop's (grandfather) Two-Ten over to my oldest son about a year ago!!! Harbor and Larkspar Blue.

That for the pics.

Love the two-tone 210's (The roof and "fin panel" are the accent color for those that don't know out there). Can you still get to it? I'm having a hard time understanding the beltline trim in 3 dimensions. I might need some pictures from some funky angles to better understand it.

Two-tone copper and beige would also look nice. Add in a six, and instant economy car.

Charlie Larkin

This one will be something hotter, but I guarantee this won't be the last 210 I do. I'd like to do a 4-door one day, the 210 4-door was the most popular '57 Chevy.

[camaroman]

Brett, My son lives close I can take pictures. Are you referring to the trim under the windows? If so I can shoot some photos of my Dad '55 210. The trim is the same in that location. PM if you need me to take photos. glenn