67 Chevelle 300 Build

[kovey10]

Thanks for all the input again. I took a break on this thing yesterday and went back at it this morning, I think it is finally taking shape of where I need it to be. I did take some off the C pillar nearest the top of the back glass, it's close but not perfect yet.

[Snake45]

Take some more out of that area. It still looks just a little too much like Chrysler product.

[kovey10]

Haha yep thats what I was thinking too. I'm in between projects so when I get tired of my other build I'll go back to this.

[w451973]

Your getting there.

[kovey10]

Yeah, slowly, but surely lol. I'll get it though.

[kovey10]

I think I'm going another direction with this build...after a little more research I found that the entire roof is different on 300s than Malibu/SS cars.

Through my research I stumbled across a few 65 300s, this is where my wheels started turning...at first I thought, "well maybe I can get a 65, cut the roof and through it on the 67." So a little while later I ended up at Michael's and they happened to have 3 65 Chevelle kits, so I bought one of those and will be building a 65 Chevelle 300 pro street sleeper. Pics to follow.

[Snake45]

Sorry to see you abandon this. The '65 hardtop roof won't work at all for your '67 sedan, and when you get into it, I think you'll find that changing a '65 hardtop roof to a '65 300 sedan roof is going to be even more difficult than doing it on the '67.

You were doing fine on the '67. I'd encourage you to drive on with it!

[kovey10]

I wouldn't say I am going to abandon the 67 build completely, just trying to figure out a game plan for the roof on it.

So far with the 65 the conversion to a 300 looks like it'll go a little smoother.

[Snake45]

So far with the 65 the conversion to a 300 looks like it'll go a little smoother.

I can't imagine that it would be. To be accurate, you'll have to scratchbuild the whole back half of the roof. It was completely different from the hardtop.

In '64-'67, Buick, Olds, and Pontiac used the same roofline on their 2DS A-bodes as their hardtops. But not Chevy. The low-line 300s had completely different roofs, for some reason. I'd have thought it would have been cheaper to use the same roof, the way the others did, but for some reason they didn't do it that way.

Or you could just put window/door frames in the hardtop and build it as a phantom body style. As a matter of fact, that would look pretty cool!

[Rob Hall]

Rather than deal w the fuss of the roof, I've bought the MCW resin kits. They have Chevelle 300 conversions for 64-67.

[kovey10]

I can't imagine that it would be. To be accurate, you'll have to scratchbuild the whole back half of the roof. It was completely different from the hardtop.

In '64-'67, Buick, Olds, and Pontiac used the same roofline on their 2DS A-bodes as their hardtops. But not Chevy. The low-line 300s had completely different roofs, for some reason. I'd have thought it would have been cheaper to use the same roof, the way the others did, but for some reason they didn't do it that way.

Or you could just put window/door frames in the hardtop and build it as a phantom body style. As a matter of fact, that would look pretty cool!

Yeah the problem with 300s is they used the same roof as 4 door cars, the roof height on 1:1s between 300s and Malibus 1/4" or so different, back or the roof/window is different, so before I cut anything I'll mess around with some more ideas and see what I come up with.

I agree though, a phantom body style would look really cool too...hmm

Rather than deal w the fuss of the roof, I've bought the MCW resin kits. They have Chevelle 300 conversions for 64-67.

I have been looking at those more and more as this conversion goes on.

[Snake45]

I never thought about the 300 2DS roof being the same as the 4-door cars but you might very well be right about that. That means they'd prolly use the same back glass as the 4-doors, too. Now it begins to make a little sense!

[Rob Hall]

Another odd detail is the Chevelle 4dr sedan didn't use the same 4dr roofline that it's A-body POB siblings did. For unknown reasons, Chevy had their own unique sedan rooflines.

[kovey10]

I never thought about the 300 2DS roof being the same as the 4-door cars but you might very well be right about that. That means they'd prolly use the same back glass as the 4-doors, too. Now it begins to make a little sense!

Yep, Chevy used the same roof as the 4 doors, but the 4 doors had shorter doors and rear quarters than the 2 door sedans.

Another odd detail is the Chevelle 4dr sedan didn't use the same 4dr roofline that it's A-body POB siblings did. For unknown reasons, Chevy had their own unique sedan rooflines.

Of course Chevy had to be difficult. I know one of the Revell 64 GTO kits you can build it as a post car or without.

[kovey10]

Getting the rear quarter windows reshaped for the sedan body. They are a little bigger than the SS windows and are more rounded than straight angles.

1:1:

Before reshaping:

After reshaping:

[Snake45]

That's looking better than I'd have thought.

I still say you should drive on with the '67. If you won't, I will. I wanna do one as a late '60s street racer, something thrown together to go fast without a great deal of effort or money put into what it looks like, if you get my drift.

[kovey10]

65s getting there. Hopefully I can get the rear window figured out and onto the posts.

I'll jump back to the 67 tonight and get it going.

[Guest]

You can do the 300 roof with the existing roof on the '67. It takes some cutting, carving, filing, sanding and some cursing to do it. But, it can be done. I'm pretty close with my '66 300 conversion. If you want to see a photo of it Paul, let me know and I'll post one up.

[MrObsessive]

One of the things I like to do when doing a reshaping of rooflines is to make a template (provided one side is correct), and then have that to mirror for the other side. This will ensure that both sides are symmetrical--------something that the big model manufacturers don't always get right!

Looking at the pic of your progress, I'd say that both the leading and trailing edge of your C pillar need to be a bit more upright (just a few degrees) when comparing it to the 1:1 photo . As Plowboy said, it will take some carving, sanding, filing, etc--------and some cursing till you get it the way you'd like.

Hope this helps!

[Snake45]

One of the things I like to do when doing a reshaping of rooflines is to make a template (provided one side is correct), and then have that to mirror for the other side. This will ensure that both sides are symmetrical--------something that the big model manufacturers don't always get right!

Looking at the pic of your progress, I'd say that both the leading and trailing edge of your C pillar need to be a bit more upright (just a few degrees) when comparing it to the 1:1 photo . As Plowboy said, it will take some carving, sanding, filing, etc--------and some cursing till you get it the way you'd like.

Hope this helps!

I don't think he can get the trailing edge more upright without major surgery. I agree the leading edge should be parallel, and there's still enough "meat" in there to work with. Get the door and window frames in there and I think it will look VERY convincing. At least that's how I'm gonna do mine.

[MrObsessive]

That's true............he'd have to add some plastic stock to the trailing edge to make it so, then there's the rear backlite and tulip panel to deal with. Not necessarily and easy conversion any way you slice it (no pun intended)! Roofline changes can be tricky depending on what you're working with.

[Guest]

Material doesn't need to be added to the trailing edge of the C pillars. It needs to be all taken off flush with the window trim. The tulip panel also has to be built up as it curves up slightly. Some things I discovered on my '66 last night is I had my vertical door and window posts too vertical and that I need to cut the wing glass loose, add the frame in front of it and re install it.

[Snake45]

I need to cut the wing glass loose, add the frame in front of it and re install it.

And when you reinstall it, cut off the front strip, just use the bottom and rear strip. The frame itself is the front edge of the vent wing.

[kovey10]

Plowboy, post up some pics if you wouldn't mind. I'd love to see how yours is going!

[Guest]

And when you reinstall it, cut off the front strip, just use the bottom and rear strip. The frame itself is the front edge of the vent wing.

It needs to be shaved down some. But, not removed. A friend on another board is now providing me with some great reference photos. He has photos of a real '66 Chevelle 300 that his uncle restored. I have to do a slight adjustment on my quarter windows yet again!