Marc @ MPC Motorsports Posted May 6, 2007 Posted May 6, 2007 I just received the very first of the new MPC 1970-73 Firebird taillights that I mastered for Reliable Resin. I have one already foiled and installed on the car. Compare it to the one on a real '73 Trans Am courtesy of Chris Batson. This one is back on the front burner to get completed by the Heartland Nationals in June. I started this one almost THREE YEARS AGO!!! It started out as a built up MPC annual that converted to a Trans Am with Modelhaus fender vents and a Reliable Resin hood and shaker scoop. You can see progress pics in my Fotki if you click on the link in my sig. Enjoy!!!
crispy Posted May 6, 2007 Posted May 6, 2007 Marc--That looks great! How are you going to do the reverse lights? Just paint them or decals? Anyway, I look forward to your completion on this. By far my most favorite car and years, 70-73 were just so cool. Chris
Marc @ MPC Motorsports Posted May 6, 2007 Author Posted May 6, 2007 Marc--That looks great! How are you going to do the reverse lights? Just paint them or decals? Anyway, I look forward to your completion on this. By far my most favorite car and years, 70-73 were just so cool. Chris Decals if I were going to do them. I'm leaving them off of this build. Sorta custom if you will.
Gray Smith Posted May 9, 2007 Posted May 9, 2007 Marc, The new lights looks great, I'm glad to see this one come back from the back burner. Gray
mikelo Posted May 11, 2007 Posted May 11, 2007 Ditto. I would love to see this car finished. I really like your work and love your subjects.
Marc @ MPC Motorsports Posted May 16, 2007 Author Posted May 16, 2007 Still using the same Aoshima 19" rims, just thinking about a little less "bling". Shot one with some Tamiya TS-29 Semigloss black for something different and modern. Seems most of the eurotuners these days are doing the black wheel look. And no, I did not deface a rare aftermarket chrome rim. I made resin copies.
crispy Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 Marc, this Trans Am rocks! I love the black centers. It just sets the red off! I'm loving this build, loving it! Chris
LVZ2881 Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 I'm thinking Marc saw the dse mini-tub article in the new car craft....... :wink: lookin great marc, i'm likin the black centers too...
Marc @ MPC Motorsports Posted May 16, 2007 Author Posted May 16, 2007 I'm thinking Marc saw the dse mini-tub article in the new car craft....... :wink: I was thinking that Car Craft saw my build and contacted DSE to do the T/A minitub article :wink: :!:
LVZ2881 Posted May 16, 2007 Posted May 16, 2007 I was thinking that Car Craft saw my build and contacted DSE to do the T/A minitub article :wink: :!: regardless of which was first, the car in the article was awesome looking with a 335 rear tire, and your build is just as cool, if not cooler because we could actually have one....
Tonioseven Posted May 30, 2007 Posted May 30, 2007 It's great to see this one back to the front of your workbench! 8)
Marc @ MPC Motorsports Posted June 11, 2007 Author Posted June 11, 2007 Making progress on the Trans Am this week. Here's a couple of pics of the powerplant. It is a Canadian Super Duty, aka aluminum Big Block Chevy with Big Chief heads. It's been painted with Testors Pontiac Engine Blue. Pontiac valve covers, intake and headers are painted with Alclad Chrome. Notice the EFI setup and giant throttle body fabbed from a resin Dominator carb. HEI distributor is scratchbuilt. Transmission is a resin cast 6 speed manual. Here's the front end with Modelhaus chrome grille, MV Lens headlights, Reliable Resin clear amber turn signals, and Detail Master honeycomb pattern PE grille material. Added the same honeycomb grille material to the functional T/A fender vents too. Enjoy the pics with more to come as I near completion on this long term project.
crispy Posted June 11, 2007 Posted June 11, 2007 That is S-W-E-E-T! Marc, I can't wait to see the finished ensemble! Chris
JAFFA Posted June 11, 2007 Posted June 11, 2007 This is looking real sweeeeeet!!! But, however, im not so sure the front fender sidevents were honeycoomb netted, as the grille (wich wasnt netted either, but honeycoombed none the less). But mine was a -75 so im no expert...
Zoom Zoom Posted June 11, 2007 Posted June 11, 2007 This is looking real sweeeeeet!!! But, however, im not so sure the front fender sidevents were honeycoomb netted, as the grille (wich wasnt netted either, but honeycoombed none the less). But mine was a -75 so im no expert... Agreed, the model is sweeeeet!!! I don't think it matters if the side grilles were honeycomb or not from the factory, this is a pro-touring inspired model w/a modern influence (wheels/tires at least) and it's not really a matter of factory accuracy, it's a matter of fact that it looks perfect on this model and that's how it could have/should have been from the factory.
JAFFA Posted June 13, 2007 Posted June 13, 2007 Agreed, the model is sweeeeet!!! I don't think it matters if the side grilles were honeycomb or not from the factory, this is a pro-touring inspired model w/a modern influence (wheels/tires at least) and it's not really a matter of factory accuracy, it's a matter of fact that it looks perfect on this model and that's how it could have/should have been from the factory. Ah!, well it does look great!!
Marc @ MPC Motorsports Posted June 19, 2007 Author Posted June 19, 2007 Things are progressing nicely on the Trans Am. I made and installed .010 clear PVC "glass" Sunday evening. I spent the better part of two hours on this job. The compound curves of the F-Body glass were a real challenge and definitely the most difficult that I have done to date. You can also see the functional front fender air extractors in this pic. Tonight, I spent some time on the final details of the cockpit. I made some pedals with wire and Model Car Garage photoetch race car pedals. The shifter is a ball headed straight pin. I finished the scratchbuilt "tilt" steering column too. Here's a shot from the front of the bucket that shows the old school Recaro seats with real mesh in the headrests. I still need to install the head unit for the sound system before I can call this component finished. Enjoy!!!
mikelo Posted June 19, 2007 Posted June 19, 2007 Lookin great so far. I like how you carried the carpet from the tunnel up between the rear seats. Dash looks great. I do have a question on that. Do you grind down the back side of the dash so the gauges are not sitting 6" back from the front? Thanks for the progress shots.
Reliable Resin Posted June 19, 2007 Posted June 19, 2007 Marc Now that's a Statement Piece !!!!! I trust you'll do well @ the St Louis event this wkd Don
Olle F Posted June 19, 2007 Posted June 19, 2007 For some reason, I have managed to totally miss this thread. That is a great build, can't wait to see the finished product! Two thumbs up! 8)
Marc @ MPC Motorsports Posted June 20, 2007 Author Posted June 20, 2007 The Trans Am is up on all fours for the first time with the new rims. These are resin copies of the Aoshima rims that have been on this build since Day One. The centers are painted with Tamiya TS Matt Black and the rims with Spaz Stix Mirror Chrome over Tamiya TS Gloss Black spray. The brakes are resin cast Brembos that I painstakingly drilled by hand with a pin vise. Euro tuner shops are doing lots of builds with black rims and I think it really adds a muscular look to my Trans Am. The matt black also provides a striking contrast against the searing bright red finish of the body. Enjoy!!!
Enzoenvy1 Posted June 20, 2007 Posted June 20, 2007 Really a nice job. I am a huge fan of modern wheels/suspension on classics and this looks the part. Because of this I want to go out and snag a 69 camaro and throw some rims like this on it. Beautiful job.
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