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Post by 41chevy on Jun 29, 2021 21:46:28 GMT -5
Duane got me thinking how after a bit over 30 years I should do something with it. That maybe it isn't that bad. I did learn that from left or right angled photos the fins do look off, trick of the pic!
Based on AMT 55 Chevy kit. The issue that shelved it was I felt the rear fins were off on the angle of the tail lights and the AMT '53 Studebaker pans used in the rear opening were misaligned. Well the temps here the past two days was well over 100 so I buried my self in the shop with the AC and tunes cranked up. So the end result on the fins was the right was 1/32 too high and the left one needed the filler between the inner fin and the trunk lid radius a bit more. Fixed the bottom of the skirts to match the rocker panels and took the putty bump out of the trunk to rear pan area. I need to fix the glue seams between the top of the skirts and the body and a few glue seam gaps on the Plastruct body side moldings. I guess I over reacted in 1987 Paul
Still sits too high!
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Post by Duane on Jun 29, 2021 23:37:05 GMT -5
thanks for your kind words Paul ! i see one more thing, that would make the front fenders slicker. get rid of the body line, from the headlights on back, it seems to distract from the new body lines that you've created. i really like, where your '55 is going. i'd like to see a front shot, perhaps i can give you some ideas for it.you probably have your own ideas though. stay on your '55 please; i'll be following your progress; your '55 looks killer !
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Post by froghawk on Jun 30, 2021 11:00:13 GMT -5
Lovin' it! Keep going!
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Post by chepp on Jun 30, 2021 11:22:37 GMT -5
41chevy, those fixes did the trick. Keep us posted.
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Post by 41chevy on Jul 1, 2021 12:44:59 GMT -5
thanks for your kind words Paul ! i see one more thing, that would make the front fenders slicker. get rid of the body line, from the headlights on back, it seems to distract from the new body lines that you've created. i really like, where your '55 is going. i'd like to see a front shot, perhaps i can give you some ideas for it.you probably have your own ideas though. stay on your '55 please; i'll be following your progress; your '55 looks killer ! The body line defines the headlight hoods / shrouding (for want of a better word). I've got a ton of work in the nose and hood. In fact the hood is so modified the only part of the hood that still has and lint to stock the the area against the cowl. Most mods are based on using a cut down 1957 Desoto bumper and a set of 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser head light assemblies. BUT when I post the nose pics I am always open to suggestions.
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Post by Dave from Pleasanton on Jul 1, 2021 13:59:16 GMT -5
A very 60's over the top custom. A superlative version of a "lead sled". Excellent work. I do think that the drop of the trunk lid doesn't go with the rest of the rear end. Extending it back so that it is more or less even with the fins would be more pleasing IMO. The drop and shelf could also work with a Continental kit in that area. My 2 cents.
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Post by 41chevy on Jul 1, 2021 22:13:46 GMT -5
Thanks Dave. The design and build is from 1956 / 1957 and was built after hours at Custom City by Bill DeCarr metal man and Bill Carr the owner.Other people involved were Bob Hirohata, of Hirohata Merc fame for the lucite fabrication, Bob Houser of the Carson Top Shop did the interior and custom rag top, 16 year old Hershel Conway, also known as Junior or Hersh sanded & preped the car and shot the base color for custom candy paint . Junior later painted the Ala Cart before he opened Juniors House of Color in 1961 , Dean Jefferies did the scallops and pin striping and lastly Sam Barris coached some of the metal work, George Barris did drawings of the modifications and allowed them to use his shop. Course Bill Carr being Georges house mate probably helped too. Paul Hosted on FotkiI saw this car in 1959 in the NYC Armory Custom and Hot Rod Show when I was 7. have all the period mags including the 1959 Custom Car Annual. Saw it in a used car lot in 1961 and couldn't see why pop would not buy it. Tried to buy it the first time the FBI seized it in 1969 from 'one eye" Wilcoxson one of the FBI's 10 most wanted (he robbed banks using a BAR and killed a cop) and the second time they seized it in the late 1970's from a shop whose owner dealt in "importing" Cocane and the third time when a shop in N.J.'s owner abandoned it in a divorce and it went to a junk yard. been obsessed with is for 62 years.
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Post by Duane on Jul 1, 2021 22:42:33 GMT -5
Paul; i understand now, and i think that i can see it in the picture also. this '55 went to a junkyard ? DAMMIT ! it would have bee n an excellent patient for a restoration; i can also understand your obsession with it !
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Post by 41chevy on Jul 2, 2021 12:47:54 GMT -5
Paul; i understand now, and i think that i can see it in the picture also. this '55 went to a junkyard ? DAMMIT ! it would have bee n an excellent patient for a restoration; i can also understand your obsession with it ! The car was restored in the mid 90's with the only changes being a 350 crate engine,O.D. automatic, PS and dual master power brakes. It was supposed to go to auction by Mecum's in 2020 but I don't know if it did with the lock down.
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Post by Duane on Jul 2, 2021 19:37:14 GMT -5
thanks Paul; i'm happy it was saved !
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Post by 41chevy on Jul 3, 2021 10:20:43 GMT -5
Used the last of my .010 plastic to redo the original mods to the nose. The last part was twice as thick and looked it. I see from my pic I need to sharpen the outer parts by the scoops.
I'm going to try to find someone who does 3D printing to remake the bumpers and if able a cleaner set of 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser head light assemblies. I have a set from Don Holthaus / Modelhaus but want something thinner and with sharper definition.
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Post by Dave from Pleasanton on Jul 3, 2021 13:04:10 GMT -5
Paul, I see what you mean about not much of the hood is stock from the 55. An incredible undertaking on your part. The fact that you can't get plastic that is remotely as thin as the work done on the car is really a steep mountain. You've got me so intrigued that I went searching to find out more. Seems the car is best known as the Aztec (for other's info). Read it's story on Kustomrama and the Mecum site has lots of photos and a nice write up. Keep at it. It certainly is a worthwhile endeavor.
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Post by lo51merc on Jul 3, 2021 16:56:11 GMT -5
I was a bit of a fan of this Chevy custom from the very late 50's. Your effort sure represents the original. I hope you can true up those beautiful fins. The rest.......keep working on it, please. Gary
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Post by 41chevy on Jul 3, 2021 21:35:43 GMT -5
I was a bit of a fan of this Chevy custom from the very late 50's. Your effort sure represents the original. I hope you can true up those beautiful fins. The rest.......keep working on it, please. Gary The fins are about 95%, a quick pass down the peak on both should about do it. I know I could do it in steel easily, plastic is harder I feel. I also think duplicating the frieze upholstery inserts is going to be harder than the body mods.
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Post by Duane on Jul 4, 2021 12:21:51 GMT -5
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