Tom Geiger Posted May 12, 2013 Posted May 12, 2013 (edited) I dunno guys. I had this image in my mind for a very long time. When I looked at the flyer for the MidAtlantic NNL and saw the theme was 60 Years of Corvettes, I had to do it. I only pulled the kit from the basement on Wednesday and laid all the parts out on my kitchen table. This was the old MPC Streaker 1967 Corvette kit, circa 1972. I bought it in a disintegrating box for $5 years ago. I was sure it was a parts kit, but a quick inventory showed it to be all there. So I decided to see how quickly I could build... So off I went to get the rusty and dented Corvette image off my bucket list. By Wednesday evening I had all the parts cleaned up and primed. The chassis was assembled and the interior parts were painted and ready for detailing. I decided to add some character by opening up one headlight. It wasn't hard to cut out. A funny thing, in all the cars for sale on eBay, there wasn't one shot with the lights open. So I went to the parts section and found several headlight units for sale to use as reference. The lights are from my parts box, I would have preferred clear lenses, but that's all I had on short notice. I had some great front tires prepared. One white wall on steel rim, and a baldie on a rusty mag. They proved to be too tall to sit in the body, so I substituted the kit wheel / tire in at the last minute. I will do something different here. The rear received my favorite Surbanite snow tires. This build just needed those tires! A blue replacement hood was added to break up the red color. The kit included both the grill I used and one that included the front bumpers. Once I had the dent on the nose peak, I decided to forget the front bumper. Right side has a dented door. I see I lost a wheel on the back. Birds eye view. Interior was fun to build. I tore up the drivers seat and added some 'stuff' to the rear area. One slight time detour was in fixing the console. The kit had a flat one without the parking brake. Since the interior didn't have a lot of parts to begin with, I made the console piece and added a parking brake. The door panel detail is also weak so I may go back and add some photo etch door handles and such. The interior was done by Thursday night. Friday night was final assembly. And just to let 'em know that I know. A few confessions. This is the quickest model I've ever built. I credit my participation in the 24 hour build with teaching me to build quickly when necessary. This model isn't absolutely complete. The engine is still in pieces on my work bench. My intent was to build it clean, like it was just rebuilt and popped into this beauty. Then again, this car in this shape doesn't even need an engine. The chassis / interior / body aren't glued in their final configuration, just popped together for now. Friday evening I saw that I wasn't gonna make the full build in time for the show, so yea, I fudged it. Also, I want to go back and add some more details to the interior and fix a few things. So I did achieve my goal of having a car on the show table. Edited May 12, 2013 by Tom Geiger
Mike77 Posted May 12, 2013 Posted May 12, 2013 (edited) A lot of work there for sure, but rusty fiberglass??? Edited May 12, 2013 by Mike77
Foxer Posted May 12, 2013 Posted May 12, 2013 (edited) Nice job rusting that up ... don't pay attention to those hard core types above me. Not sure Prince would be proud ... Edited May 12, 2013 by Foxer
Porscheman Posted May 13, 2013 Posted May 13, 2013 Tom,Isn't that the one of a kind factory prototype of the steel Vette. Great recreation. Love it.Al
kingiguana Posted May 13, 2013 Posted May 13, 2013 Kinda reminds me of the Vette from King of the Mountain,.......except a rusty and dented vette ???? And the wheels are a little too far out of the fenders. Still a cool concept.
Gluhead Posted May 13, 2013 Posted May 13, 2013 Heheh. I like it, Tom. I get it, but I guess the license plate wasn't enough of an explanation for many.
Pat Minarick Posted May 13, 2013 Posted May 13, 2013 I always wanted to do that just to see who would notice looks great !
Danno Posted May 13, 2013 Posted May 13, 2013 Too funny. All it needs is a set of blue oval emblems and a pentastar logo on the right front fender. And maybe a Slant 6.
Mrdarkmonkey96 Posted May 13, 2013 Posted May 13, 2013 The liscense plate stopped my "but it's fiberglass it can't ru- ohhhhhh" comments right in in its tracks. This is why we build models, to do things to them that we couldn't and wouldn't do to a 1:1 car. Put aside the technicalities, and this is a darn good looking rust job. The holes and the dents make it look like something you would see in some teenagers backyard that he pulled out of a field at his grampas farm, and did what he could to make it work. I'm not sure what it is about this model but it is my favorite out of any rusted model I've seen. Alright, I'm done blabbing now!
Jantrix Posted May 13, 2013 Posted May 13, 2013 Great stuff Tom. I'm thinkin' the whole time, "There's no way Tom would...............", and then I saw the tag. And boy you did sucker in a few. Lovely work.
Danno Posted May 13, 2013 Posted May 13, 2013 Great stuff Tom. I'm thinkin' the whole time, "There's no way Tom would...............", and then I saw the tag. And boy you did sucker in a few. Lovely work. Dittos! As I looked at the first two or three pictures, I thought ... 'Wow. Tom. Really?' THEN I saw the license plate and equilibrium returned to my world. Good one, Tom.
rmvw guy Posted May 14, 2013 Posted May 14, 2013 You pulled one off Tom, I love it. I have a buddy we used to kid about putting snow tires on his Vette, he would love this. To the purest if you do anything non-stock to a Vette you are making a huge mistake. I can hear all these people in the back of my head, "No it's not right, it's just not right!" That's half the fun. You splashed mud all over these guy's perfectly ironed shirts and their white trousers. Congrats.
bryan_m Posted May 14, 2013 Posted May 14, 2013 thats not rust, fiberglass does rot if the gelcoat gets damaged.......either way i like it, its nice and beat up! the interior looks awesome! cheers bryan
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