'61 Pontiac and Ford Super Stockers..........builds from the late 70s

[traditional]

Back around 1978, I was on a busuness trip to Palo Alto California and there was a large hobby shop (San Antonio Hobbies) that had accumulated a slew of original early '60s AMT,SMP, and Johan kits, and were selling them for about twice the price of the current kits.......I paid between $5 and $8 each for (two of each) '60, '61, 62 Chevies, Fords, Pontiacs , Dodges, and Plymouths. I also bought an Imperial, and Cadillac. I couldn't believe my good fortune...it was like a dream.

These two models were immediately built to relive the early '60s drag racing days....a '61Pontiac Catalina (body and chassis shortened from a Bonneville) and a '61 Ford . I added homemade headers, tow bar connections, traction masters, etc. and paint was Testors... mixed, thinned, and sprayed with an airbrush. Lettering was done with Letraset (pressure sensitive lettering) since, back then, I had an aversion to any kit decals.

I've always protected my models in display cases, so these have stayed in good condition for the last 35 years.

Of course, now-a-days, I'd add lots more detail, and better research original interior colors etc., but I enjoy keeping these just as I originally built them

[High octane]

Nice builds Cliff, real nice I sure wish I had some of my old builds.

[bbowser]

Wow, great models! Also great luck on your good fortune.

[cobraman]

Very very nice.

[Silver Foxx]

These look great , real nice work.

[slusher]

Those are great. Glad you have not changed them. lt's nice to see old builds.

[PappyD340]

EXCELLENT looking builds Cliff, very clean to be 35 yrs old!!

[1930fordpickup]

Outstanding work.

[bondo bill]

very sharp

[Burnout]

Those both look great. The window trim looks really sharp. I don't think BMF was around back then - were you using silver paint?

[W-409]

Very nice builds of excellent subjects! I really like how they look, just like 1:1 cars. I always enjoy seeing these '60s Stockers or Super Stockers being built, since I'm building a '61 Dodge Phoenix Super Stocker and '58 Chevy Sedan Delivery Jr Stocker myself.

[carbman]

nice builds. I like 60's drag cars

[Old Coyote]

Beautiful builds sir ........... outstanding work

[Davewilly]

Both are very nice You do great work.

[bogger44]

Thanks for sharing these as well Clifford, they are beautiful.

[DR JAY]

Awesome and extremely clean builds of my favourite subject. I would sell my body parts for those kits today- especially the Pontiac. The condition of your 35 year old builds is why I too keep my stuff in display cases...Thanks for showing us!

[a/gass]

Great looking builds.

[carrucha]

Really cool pair of models. They have held up very well. If you haven't mentioned when you built them I would have thought they were recent builds. I have many fond childhood memories of San Antonio Hobby Shop. My grandparents live in Palo Alto so when my parents took the family to visit my grandparents I also visited San Antonio Hobby. Too bad they closed in December of 2005.

[peekay]

Both are outstanding. Nice to see rare kits get built by someone with real talent.

[rv1963]

They both look great and held up very well over time.

[Pete L.]

Beautifully done, unbelievable dry transfer work !!!

[hemi]

Beautiful builds,both look as if they were just completed.

[Speedfreak]

Great looking builds, there's a '61-62 Catalina in my future builds list, oh ya.

[Erik Smith]

Love them both, but love the Pontiac a little more. Great work on the 8 lugs, too - nice realistic finish. Wouldn't believe they are 35 years old, but you said it, so...

Thanks for posting them.