511 nova Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Does anyone make a 56 bel air 2 door hard top besides the old monogram kit
High octane Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Don't know if Chevrolet had a Bel Air back in '56, but Revell has the '56 Del Ray kit which is pretty nice in 1/25th scale in both the stock and the California Wheels versions. I'm hopin' to start mine this year and it will be a gasser from the mid-60's.
Snake45 Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Does anyone make a 56 bel air 2 door hard top besides the old monogram kit I don't believe so.
511 nova Posted January 9, 2015 Author Posted January 9, 2015 Yea that's a post car I need one with just the chrome that divided door glass and back side glass. I think the roof line was different. That's a cool kit I may have to go with it
Snake45 Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Yea that's a post car I need one with just the chrome that divided door glass and back side glass. I think the roof line was different. That's a cool kit I may have to go with it The roof is different, as are the doors and the rear fenders. The hardtop and the sedan are almost different cars. Just a couple years ago I built the Mono HT for a guy on commission. It wasn't too bad a kit, for as old as it is. Of course it's 1/24. Only other way I can think to get a '56 HT would be to kitbash the old Revell '55 and '56 kits together. Or maybe you can see if someone has done an inexpensive diecast of a '56 HT.
MeatMan Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 I've been looking for the 1956 Bel Air and all I've found was the Revell Del Ray kit and the Monogram Bel Air Classic Cruiser edition. Like Snake45 indicated, there's a big difference between the two. The Del Ray has a large B-pillar, and the door is shorter. As for the Classic Cruiser, It's a hopped up street rod version so if you don't want their canned look you will have to kit bash both. I'm going resto-mod and basically scrapping the stock suspension etc. anyway so its no biggie for me. I was born in '56 and I'm building a Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler from that year, and believe me the choices are limited!
Tom Geiger Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 I was born in '56 and I'm building a Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler from that year, and believe me the choices are limited! There are a lot of 1956 models... just a quick list off the top of my head, I'm sure others can add more.. AMT Ford Victoria Jimmy Flintstone sedan delivery (resin kit - needs above Ford Victoria as donor) Jimmy Flintstone wagon (resin kt- needs above Ford Victoria as donor) Revell Ford Pickup Revell Ford Panel Van Monogram Thunderbird Moebius Chrysler 300B Excel / Johan Desoto 4 door sedan (promo style curbside - I'm told Moebius Chrysler chassis fits under it like it was made for it!) Excel / Johan Plymouth 4 door sedan (probably same coment as the Desoto) Excel / Johan Oldsmobile 4 door hardtop Excel / Johan Pontiac 4 door hardtop R&R Plymouth Wagon (resin) Revell Chevy Delray Revell Chevy Nomad Modelhaus Chevy sedan delivery (resin kit) Modelhaus Pontiac sedan delivery (resin kit) Modelhaus Dodge Custom Royal hardtop (resin kit) Modelhaus Dodge Custom Royal convt (resin kit) Modelhaus Lincoln Premere Hardtop (resin kit) Modelhaus 1955 Metropolitan (resin kit) '55 Met is probably same as '56 Modelhaus Cadillac Coupe Deville (resin kit) Modelhaus Mercury Montclair Convt (resin kit) Modelhaus Mercury Montclair hardtop (resin kit) Modelhaus Mercury Monteray wagon (resin kit) Gunze VW Oval window Beetle Revell Ford Fairlane convt (1/32 scale) Revell Buick Special 4 dr hardtop (1/32 scale) Revell Lincoln Mark II (1/32 scale) Revell Cadillac Eldo convertible (1/32 scale) There is also a lot of resin kits available, some promotional models made back in the day as well as a bunch of Franklin Mint and Danbury Mint cars done in 1/24 scale. R&R resin did a lot of varied kits, many derived from original 1956 promos. They are out of production but appear on eBay regularly. The above list is just the tip of the iceberg, hope this helps! I was born in Sept 1958, so I collect 1959 cars as my birthday cars since those were coming down the assembly line on the day I was born!
Snake45 Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 Don't forget that '56 Corvette can be easily converted from a '57--MPC, AMT, or Monogram.
MeatMan Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 Thanks guys, I guess I'll need to expand my list! I got the Vic and the pickup already.
Guest Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 Just do a roof swap between the '55 hardtop and the '56 Del Ray. They're both 1/25. So the swap should be pretty simple. You would have to re scribe the door lines and add the Bel Air trim to the '56. If done right, you could turn the '55 hardtop into a 210 sedan and use both. I don't know the differences in the interiors between the 210 and Bel Air. But, it shouldn't be anything too difficult to correct. I think I'll do that swap the next time I'm in the mood to do some body work. The squeaky wheels are already turning!
Snake45 Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 (edited) Just do a roof swap between the '55 hardtop and the '56 Del Ray. They're both 1/25. So the swap should be pretty simple. You would have to re scribe the door lines and add the Bel Air trim to the '56. If done right, you could turn the '55 hardtop into a 210 sedan and use both. I don't know the differences in the interiors between the 210 and Bel Air. But, it shouldn't be anything too difficult to correct. I think I'll do that swap the next time I'm in the mood to do some body work. The squeaky wheels are already turning! Not that simple. The doors and rear fenders (quarters) are different between the HT and sedan. They're basically different cars from the cowl/windshield back. (And the windshield might be different, too, I dunno.) Edited January 10, 2015 by Snake45
Craig Irwin Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 (edited) Yep Snake, the Windshield is lower on a hardtop too, same as a ragtop.. Model Car World resin makes a conversion kit, maybe some others too. Surprising that Revell never did this one. The Monogram 1/24 kit is WAY out of proportion, more of a cartoon car. Complaints about too many tri-five Chevy kits in 3, 2, 1....... Edited January 10, 2015 by Craig Irwin
Guest Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 Not that simple. The doors and rear fenders (quarters) are different between the HT and sedan. They're basically different cars from the cowl/windshield back. (And the windshield might be different, too, I dunno.) Right. The windshield, cowl, top of the doors, quarters and tulip panel would have to go along with each roof. That's how I plan on doing it anyway. It may be easier to just switch the front and rear clips. I'll figure it out when I get to it.
Snake45 Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 Right. The windshield, cowl, top of the doors, quarters and tulip panel would have to go along with each roof. That's how I plan on doing it anyway. It may be easier to just switch the front and rear clips. I'll figure it out when I get to it. That sounds like a plan--swap the front fenders between the Revell '55 and '56 bodies, then do whatever's necessary to put the '56 taillights on the '55 body. Then all you have to do is finish BUILDING the stupid old Revell '55. Which in and of itself is just WAY too much work for me at my advanced age. The upside is, with the leftover parts you should be able to build a '55 sedan. That is, if you manage to get hold of a '56 body that's actually straight and buildable. Which I haven't seen from Revell in decades.
Craig Irwin Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 Right. The windshield, cowl, top of the doors, quarters and tulip panel would have to go along with each roof. That's how I plan on doing it anyway. It may be easier to just switch the front and rear clips. I'll figure it out when I get to it. All of that and switching the side trim and interior over to BelAir trim.
Guest Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 That sounds like a plan--swap the front fenders between the Revell '55 and '56 bodies, then do whatever's necessary to put the '56 taillights on the '55 body. Then all you have to do is finish BUILDING the stupid old Revell '55. Which in and of itself is just WAY too much work for me at my advanced age. The upside is, with the leftover parts you should be able to build a '55 sedan. That is, if you manage to get hold of a '56 body that's actually straight and buildable. Which I haven't seen from Revell in decades. I believe you're thinking of the old Revell '55 and '56. I'm talking about using the newer Del Ray and hardtop that are based on the same tooling that actually came from the Monogram '55 convertible. I've compared the two and the trickiest part will be saving the trim that comes down from the quarter windows. The floor pans will also have to be switched since the sedan's is longer than the hardtop's. That's as simple as cutting the rear seats from each and switching them.
Guest Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 All of that and switching the side trim and interior over to BelAir trim. The side trim will be fairly easy. The interior in mine won't be stock anyway. So, that won't be an issue.
Snake45 Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 I believe you're thinking of the old Revell '55 and '56. I'm talking about using the newer Del Ray and hardtop that are based on the same tooling that actually came from the Monogram '55 convertible. I've compared the two and the trickiest part will be saving the trim that comes down from the quarter windows. The floor pans will also have to be switched since the sedan's is longer than the hardtop's. That's as simple as cutting the rear seats from each and switching them. Yes, I am. If you want Bel Air trim, just take it from the old '56 kit. It was all separate pieces and you could do it any way you wanted--150, 210/Del Ray, or Bel Air.
espo Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 This could be a tuff build but not impossible. If you used the '56 Revelle Del Ray as a base and the roof and body sides just below the windows from the '55 Revelle hardtop, then make your own moldings out of Plastruct using the '56 Revell Nomad for a guide on both the placement of the trim and a correct Bel Air interior I think it could be done.
StevenGuthmiller Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 Yep Snake, the Windshield is lower on a hardtop too, same as a ragtop.. Model Car World resin makes a conversion kit, maybe some others too. Surprising that Revell never did this one. The Monogram 1/24 kit is WAY out of proportion, more of a cartoon car. Complaints about too many tri-five Chevy kits in 3, 2, 1....... There are way too many tri-five Chevy kits! Didn't want to leave you hanging Craig. Steve
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now