Chuck Most Posted August 3, 2011 Posted August 3, 2011 (edited) This started about a year and a half ago, with a Jimmy Flintstone "Chopperhead" body, some Replicas and Miniatures '53 Buick headlamps and side trim, a Modelhaus '50 grille/bumper, and an AMT '51 Chevy. This was the starting point- the '51 Buick Chopperhead body, which as far as I can tell was meant to be a slammer. I worked on it for a few months, and ended up at this stage- That's where it sat for about a year, until I was digging through some of my unfinished projects, and thought I'd post some of them up with a poll to see who wanted to see which model done first. The Buick got nearly 90% of the vote, so here's the WIP! The body is really rough inside, and varies quite a bit in thickness. I also added drip rails and scribed in front and rear window trim, as the body as-cast has no such detail. I also reworked the shape of the door lines, and filled in the fender skirt cutouts and taillamp indentations. the AMT '51 Chevy is listed as the donor kit, but the wheelbase is a good 3/4" or so too short, so it and the floor were lengthened. I also cobbled up the underhood parts from the '51 Chevy, and reworked them to fit the Buick, I did the same to the cowl/lower windsheild frame. The Fireball eight is from Kitchen Table Resins. So far I've roughed in the engine bay and I've gotten the hood to fit over the new inner fenders and cowl, though a little bit of work is still in order. The engine was slung down as low in the chassis as possible, and the exhaust pipe is 3/32" solid core solder. I plan to weather the engine and its surroundings a bit, but the car will wear a glossy paint job.You can also see in the pic where I had add a longer piece from a second floorboard (white plastic) to compensate for the Buick's longer body. Despite the thick and rough casting, I did manage to get the hood to close over the engine and cowl,though I might need to grind out a bit more material from the underside of the hood to clear an air cleaner! ANd... that's where things stand now. I'm currently looking for a '49-'51 Buick dash. I know Modelhaus does a '49 kit, but I do not see the dash listed separately in their parts department. I built one of these a few years ago with a modified '66 Riv interior, but for this one I'd like to go with an interior a bit closer to the vintage of the body. The interior looks like it will be largely scratchbuilt on this one. Edited July 11, 2012 by Michigan Madman
Fat Rat Posted August 3, 2011 Posted August 3, 2011 (edited) I really like this build. I like those old buicks, so I can't wait to see more on this. If you don't mind me asking, what color is the interior going to be? Edited August 3, 2011 by Fat Rat
Chuck Most Posted August 3, 2011 Author Posted August 3, 2011 Interior color will probably match the exterior, I'm thinking of robbing the paint scheme off a Hot Wheels Buick (saw this one on Billy Kingsley's Fotki) I might use more blue, and have the silver under the spears, but I'm basically shooting for this color combo, so the interior will probably be silver/blue or white/blue. Just need to find some late '40's early '50's Buick-looking interior stuff!
jeffs396 Posted August 4, 2011 Posted August 4, 2011 I'm sure with your skills you can scratch a dash Chuck, can't wait to see more of this!
Chuck Most Posted August 4, 2011 Author Posted August 4, 2011 I'm sure with your skills you can scratch a dash Chuck, can't wait to see more of this! I probably could, but I just don't wanna!
Chuck Most Posted September 9, 2011 Author Posted September 9, 2011 Settling on the next piece. Go with a 1950 dash, to match the grille... Or a 1951, to match the model year JF lists the body under... The 'center stack' looks about the same on both years, but I have to say I'm leaning more toward the '51 version. I just think it looks cooler, and it might be a bit easier to scratchbuild.
Foxer Posted September 9, 2011 Posted September 9, 2011 Nice body and fantastic work you're doing! I noticed you have the Buick side trim glued on and you've convinced me to do it this way on a Merc I'm working on ... I have debating whether to glue on after Alclading it ... but the door cuts worried me. This IS the way ... BMF after.
Dr. Cranky Posted September 9, 2011 Posted September 9, 2011 Very exciting. Please keep it going . . .
Guest Posted September 9, 2011 Posted September 9, 2011 Looks really cool so far Chuck! I'm almost 100% positive that it was Ted "Chopper" Lear that mastered this body. I can't remember if he built it as a curbside or slammer though.
Chuck Most Posted September 9, 2011 Author Posted September 9, 2011 Nice body and fantastic work you're doing! I noticed you have the Buick side trim glued on and you've convinced me to do it this way on a Merc I'm working on ... I have debating whether to glue on after Alclading it ... but the door cuts worried me. This IS the way ... BMF after. Another benefit to glue then foil- no chance messing up the paint gluing the side spears on once the body is painted.
tooltas Posted September 10, 2011 Posted September 10, 2011 i would have used the small nail head in the amt 40 coupe kit.
Chuck Most Posted September 12, 2011 Author Posted September 12, 2011 i would have used the small nail head in the amt 40 coupe kit. Nah... that thing would look dinky in that engine bay!
Junkman Posted September 12, 2011 Posted September 12, 2011 I'm currently looking for a '49-'51 Buick dash. I know Modelhaus does a '49 kit, but I do not see the dash listed separately in their parts department. You can always drop Don a line and ask him whether he can do you one. He is very generous in that respect.
Chuck Most Posted September 13, 2011 Author Posted September 13, 2011 Could. Trouble is now I'm seriously considering making my own dash. Thanks for egging me on, guys!
Darin Bastedo Posted September 13, 2011 Posted September 13, 2011 Could. Trouble is now I'm seriously considering making my own dash. Thanks for egging me on, guys! There is something I've always wanted to do in a 50's custom like this one. Take the smooth dash and gauge pod from a Nash Ambassador and trans plant it in a custom car. Modelhaus has this in their Nash Ambassador kit. he might be willing to sell it seperately.
Chuck Most Posted September 19, 2011 Author Posted September 19, 2011 There is something I've always wanted to do in a 50's custom like this one. Take the smooth dash and gauge pod from a Nash Ambassador and trans plant it in a custom car. Modelhaus has this in their Nash Ambassador kit. he might be willing to sell it seperately. I've toyed with that idea as well. I do have the Modelhaus kit- so I could rob the parts or pattern my own stuff after them if need be. I'm leaning more toward the '51 dash though- the AMT '51 Chevy dash I have has about the same shape to it.
Custom Mike Posted September 20, 2011 Posted September 20, 2011 Thanks for bringing this one back Chuck, I'd never seen it before! I'd go with the '50 dash myself, but it's your build, go with what gets you going!
Chuck Most Posted July 12, 2012 Author Posted July 12, 2012 Piddling with this a little bit last night, after almost a year of inactivity. That's kind of how this whole project has worked thus far... a few days of feverish work, followed by months-long periods of Project Purgatory. I'm kind of wondering what to do about the skirts. I'd originally planned on doing totally smooth quarters, as shown, but now I'm having second thoughts. Should I go with this? Or maybe add some '50's style long skirts? Or maybe just some cut lines in the quarters to suggest skirts? The mind reels...
Guest Darkside Customs Posted July 12, 2012 Posted July 12, 2012 Where's the like button? Love this one!
Lunajammer Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Yeah, something subtle. The smooth fenders aren't so bad, just something to lighten the broad panel.
bryan_m Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 yea chuck, im going with cutting the skirt lines in, just to break up that 6 mile long quarter panel! LOL i have a couple resin bodies here (speaking of varying thickness) that are pretty much unusable....well, unless i make slammers out of them. keep it goin, its lookin cool, and like someone said, you have the skills to make it right! cheers bryan
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