Georges '59 Impala * 12/22/13 FINISHED "under glass" soon*

[Rdkingjay]

THIS...is the car that started it all for me. I've been building model cars for 38 years, but this car got me interetsed in the real thing, the 1:1's. Probably a natural progession anyway, but thats the story I'm going with. Anyway, the story is, George was the neighborhood wrench and car guy in Ormond Beach Fla. in the early 80's. I was the curious kid whom he always had time for. If he was working on a car in the back yard shop, I was there! He acquired this car from a customer for whom he had re-uphostered a chair and received a bad check as payment. In lieu of payment, he accepted this '59 impala. It was in the back yard with weeds growing thru the floors. It was originally black with a black and white interior. To say it was a mess is an understatement. He was able to get it running enough to drive it home and was surprised when the gas tank fell off and passed by him as he turned.

These pics are 30+ years old. His wife snuck them to me and I update her regularly on the process of the model. I am building this car as if it were an original white car, as evidenced by the white over spray on the floor pan. My first time doing this. I also used tires and white line decals from a '64 Chevy kit, as well as the 327, which I badged as a 283, which Georges car had. The seats have been heavily modified to look like Georges interior. More on that later. I am adding several photo-etched parts like asytrays, door handles, keys and key ring and radiator cap, so far. Thanks for looking.

BTW, If you know George, don't tell him!!!!

Edited December 22, 2013 by Rdkingjay

[slusher]

Great story and real nice work so far...

[1930fordpickup]

Nice work.

[PappyD340]

Very NICE build Jay, I'm sure George will love it!!

[cobraman]

Looks great !

[Foxer]

You got me with this one! My 2nd car was a white on red '59 Impala that I did start building long ago, but all that BMF never got finished. Maybe this will get me going again.

Yours is looking real good!

Edited October 7, 2013 by Foxer

[Rdkingjay]

Thank you for your comments so far gents. As you may have gathered, there is a lot to this story about my friend George. As I eluded too earlier and as you keen eyed types may have noticed in the 1:1 shot of the interior, Georges seats are not stock, nor are the door panels. They both have tuck and roll covers that George and his wife Jean made in their upholstery shop. Unfortunately, I had to live with the door panels stock pattern, but the seats I would not compromise on and the supplied tuck and roll decals are ok, but...NO! The following posts/photos tell the story. Basically, I cut the backs/bottoms out of the seats. Added new ones, then inserted custom made inserts that I made from sheet plastic and # 241 .060 half round strips for the tuck and roll pattern. Not perfect or exactly symetrical, but, VIOLA!! Tuck and roll. I also had to sand away the molded pattern along the top of the seats and the side chrome molding that is usually along the sides of the front seat uprights.

Edited October 7, 2013 by Rdkingjay

[Rdkingjay]

Rear seats. Thanks for looking.

[Rdkingjay]

Finished interior. The floor has been flocked and I added photo-etched keys/key ring, rear seat ash trays and door handles.

[charlie8575]

Very nice work on the interior, Jay, and always nice to see another local on the board.

As I always make the offer to anyone in Eastern/Central Mass,stop by MASSCar sometime. We meet the third Wednesday at 7:00 in Canton at Porter & Chester Institute.

Charlie Larkin

[my80malibu]

Love the story, and the car. Thanks for sharing.

[Belugawrx]

beautiful

[jeffs396]

Very nice work so far Jay!

Cool story too, keep it going

[Rdkingjay]

Got Georges car painted this past weekend. Sprayed it with Chevrolet Oxford white. I am very pleased with the spray and it only required a few spots of wet sanding to take down a few nibs and get it nice and smooth. Three step polishing system netted a great shine that doesnt show to well in the photos, but I'm happy. So tomorrow we start the trim pieces and BMF. Moving along...

[frozono]

Awesome interiors.................. love the color................

[Ramfins59]

Great looking model Jay, and nice work on the interior. I'm sure that George will love it.

[the goon]

Looks great.

Mark

[Rdkingjay]

If I ever catch Mr Murphy (murphy's law) in a dark alley, he ain't walkin' out!! So thinking I was being extra smart, I sanded out the paint from the channels where the chrome trim goes along the side of the car. It went very well, except for the passenger door. I guess if there was a weak spot in my paint job, better to find it here then when I present it to George. If it had to be anywhere this is where I'd pick. Easy fix. Easy to tape. Pretty sure I can blend it. Body shop experience may pay off here.

[Erik Smith]

Tape off the whole door and respray - no need to blend the different levels of paint.

White is soooo hard to do...your paint (prior to ole murph) was looking good!!!

[Rdkingjay]

Yep, sanded the whole section and already primed. Luckily I wrote down the exact measure of paint,catalyst and reducer.

[slusher]

Great looking model , sorry about the door...

[Joker]

Hope the door touch up works for you.

Murphy ......grrrrrrrrr.

[Skydime]

Wonderful recreation so far! Peeled paint is always a bummer but, it should be an easy fix. I am sure George is gonna flip over it.

[Rdkingjay]

All fixed. Paint matched perfectly and layed down beautifully. No wet sanding/buffing needed. Whew!!

[Rdkingjay]

So, since the door debacle has been corrected, forward progess continues. I am aiming to have this car done by 12/30, so that I can deliver it after new years. Although the body is only mocked on in these shots, as are the hood and windshield, it is ready to be finally mounted. Since George and Jean used this car to go to the beach on sundays a lot, I went to a doll house store and grabbed some goodies to acknowledge that. More on those later. Tomorrow the body will get mounted and I will finish the BMF. Going together fairly well and aside from the door, hasn't really fought me too much. Take care and thanks for looking.