Does anybody know if anyone ever made these in resin?

[CorvairJim]

I have had some cars in the past that were unique in their own ways. Cars like an ex-police unmarked 1976 Buick LeSabre Custom 4-door hardtop and a 1973 Chevelle Laguna wagon that ran 13's in the 1/4. I was wondering if anyone out there would know if anything close was ever available in resin. A transkit for the LeSabre based on the AMT '76 Caprice would work just fine, for instance, and any '73-'77 GM A-body wagon would be adaptable using a modified AMT '73 NASCAR Laguna nosepiece. I can adapt a Monogram '77 Monte Carlo snap interior as the basis for the wagon's interior, and as far as I know the Jo-Han Cutlass woould work for a chassis donor. Any thoughts or input wouild be appreciated...

[charlie8575]

Jim,

The Buick had a 2-1/2inch longer wheelbase than the Chevy (121-1/2" vs. 124",) so any LeSabre kit done properly would also need to have a stretched chassis, too. The Caprice body would make a good start, as much of the shape is the same, and it could work, with a lot of effort and care in shaping the sides and front.

As to the wagon (and yes, I'd love a real Laguna wagon, too, just for the cool factor,) the Cutlass coupe has a four-inch shorter wheelbase than the sedan/wagon. You might be able to start with a Laguna race-car and Cutlass chassis and then re-shape and stretch as appropriate.

The Laguna I think would make a great subject; although a thread in the general area pointed out a lot of kits of 1970s cars are/were made, it seems that the manufacturers really missed some of the more interesting models.

Charlie Larkin

Edited August 21, 2011 by charlie8575

[CorvairJim]

Thanks for the advice, Charlie. I'll keep those things in mind, but for the moment I just don't feel like committing to such an in-depth project.

By and large, station wagons seem to have been overlooked by the kit manufacturers. There have been the usual 1955-6-7 Nomads, the 1959 and '60 Chevy wagon annuals as well as an early Chevy II wagon, the often-reissued AMT '65 Chevelle and it's Revellogram '66 counterpart, the AMT Pinto "Cruisin' Wagon", and the Jo-Han '60 Plymouth and Olds F-85. I think it might have been Hubley had a '61 Ford Country Squire at one time long ago as well. That's all I can think of offhand. Not only do I want to replicate my '73 Laguna, but I once had a '70 Chevelle Greenbrier that was slated for a full SS-look conversion before my wife talked me into selling it to her brother. I have a '61 Corvair Lakewood wagon resin kit, but the thing is going to take a ton of reworking to make it into a presentable model of the one I once had.

[Chuck Most]

Hubley also had '60 and '62 Ford wagons as well, Dennis Doty did a column on them in MCM not too long ago. I think somebody was casting those in resin a while back- not sure who or if they're still available.

[charlie8575]

Jim- where did you dig up that Lakewood? Even if it needs some massaging, I'd love one.

Charlie Larkin

[dimaxion]

Jim- where did you dig up that Lakewood? Even if it needs some massaging, I'd love one.

Charlie Larkin

Here ; benpackaz@hotmail.com . He did offer a Corvan at one time . Some work and you have it . Better than TKM . Around 5 years into Resisn Quality ...Thanx ..