'68 GTO Resto/Rebuild (Final Pics Posted)

[Snake45]

Here's what I started with, a couple glue bomb Monogram GTOs, one '68 and one '69. The '68 was actually complete and painted a flattish gray (like the hood in this pic) when I started but I stripped the paint before this pic was taken.

Taking inventory, I decided I definitely had enough good parts for one model, possibly two if I didn't get too anal about factory correctness or underhood details. Decided to proceed with the '68 as I already had a '69 Judge under construction. (It's STILL "under construction," theoretically, and has survived three paint jobs that didn't please me so far. I'll get it right yet, I swear....)

Filled the hole in the hood with J-B Weld (one of my Very Favorite Things):

Spent quite a bit of time getting the front bumper and front valence to mate up to the body to my satisfaction. Here's an interim shot of primer at some point in the process:

When I got it where I could live with it, I primed the body in Floquil Reefer White and sprayed it bright red Krylon from Walmart. Dig my hi-tech paint stand, a quart beer bottle I've been using for more than 30 years. Cheap is good!

More to come...computer's acting up and I don't want to lose what I have here so far...back in a minute...

Edited September 14, 2014 by Snake45

[unclescott58]

The above is more "Workbench" than "Under Glass" stuff. I look forward to seeing it when it's ready for Under Glass.

Scott

[Snake45]

Oh, it's "Under Glass," I assure you. Intended to post straight through to completed photos in one post, but either Photobucket or this site just started running impossibly slowly. Not sure what's wrong but I'll be back later to wrap up the build (only one more pic, I promise) and then post the photos of the finished beast.

[Snake45]

Okay, let's see if all the 1s and 0s are ready to play nice and in timely fashion.

Anyway....

The Krylon red shined up quite nicely. I think this was one of the first models where I started doing the window trim with a silver Sharpie. Found out late in the build, when removing a spot of stray Sharpie silver with rubbing alcohol, that alcohol takes the Krylon RIGHT off. Darn near ruined the whole paint job, but luckily I was able to polish the bad spot out. Thank heavens I had the paint thick enough there to start with.

The red's a bit brighter than the factory color, and I used the American (like) mags, so I guess what we've got here is more or less a "Day Two" representation of what a nice GTO driver/street cruiser might have looked like in, say, the mid-'70s or thereabouts. Thanks for looking.

[Maxicoop]

WOW !!!! what a great save !!!!! beautifully done !!!!!!!!!!

[o-man]

awesome save!

[cswilliams1963]

Nice rehab,

[slusher]

Super nice Snake..

[mangodart]

Nice GTO !!! HAve you corrected the dashboard ??

[Snake45]

Nice GTO !!! HAve you corrected the dashboard ??

In what way? Naw, I just detail-painted whatever I had and stuck it in there.

[OldTimer50707]

Great looking build.