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Post by lo51merc on Aug 3, 2010 12:07:54 GMT -5
I've been inspired by a couple of 57 Bird's being built here and there lately. I've had this kit for a long time, and have taken it out of the box once in a while too. Some time back I removed the scripts and emblems from the body, and also removed the front fender fake louvers. Early last week I really got going on it. The first thing I did was to continue the bodyside character line forward from where the fake louvers were, and wrapped it around the front wheel opening. Then I ground the underside of the hood scoop and opened it. I scrounged through my quad headlights to find a pair of a size that would work with the size of the T-Bird fender. The housings were made from 3 layers of .060 sheet styrene. The rest of the front grille opening was also made from more of the .060 sheet. Basically the rear was done in the same way. and I'll be adding a small pair of 59 Caddy type bullets to the lenses. The front and rear fenders have been tucked into the body to continue the lines of the canted head and tail lights. Comments and even criticism are welcomed. Gary
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Post by confederate on Aug 3, 2010 12:53:12 GMT -5
I like where this is going.
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Post by sdrodder on Aug 3, 2010 12:58:25 GMT -5
quiet interesting. With everyone posting thier t birds i should dig mine out and post it up
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Post by Murphy on Aug 3, 2010 12:59:41 GMT -5
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airbrushmaster
Rebel
"MAKE IT YOUR OWN, BUILD IT YOUR WAY, KUSTOMIZE IT.."
Posts: 99
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Post by airbrushmaster on Aug 3, 2010 14:38:35 GMT -5
this is amazing looking.... makes me want to build one.... i was thinking the same thing for taillights caddy bullets would set this off... what kind of wheels you going with....
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airbrushmaster
Rebel
"MAKE IT YOUR OWN, BUILD IT YOUR WAY, KUSTOMIZE IT.."
Posts: 99
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Post by airbrushmaster on Aug 3, 2010 14:39:44 GMT -5
is that front and rear bumper made by you.. that is sick... awesome craftsmanship
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Post by cooltoys1 on Aug 3, 2010 15:23:20 GMT -5
wow, very kool!
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Post by krowkustom on Aug 3, 2010 15:51:21 GMT -5
Very Very Very Kool!!!!!!!
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Post by stevegt738 on Aug 3, 2010 16:24:33 GMT -5
Oooh I like that .
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Post by ChrisV on Aug 3, 2010 16:24:34 GMT -5
WOW - You certainly caught my attention with this one!!!
I like the way that you've managed to radically customize the bird yet keep the mods quite subtle and elegant... I would never have thought of building it with a split grille, but man, it looks GREAT!
Any plans for color and wheels yet?
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Post by cycolacfan on Aug 3, 2010 16:25:24 GMT -5
Oh yeah! Loving the canted headlights - I'm building most of my kustoms this way recently
chrome reverse rims, thin whitewalls, lakes pipes and tuck'n'roll may be the way to go with this one.
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Post by lo51merc on Aug 3, 2010 17:47:07 GMT -5
OMG, where to start.......Robert R., there's no rear bumper in the picture, just the filler pieces. I fitted the custom rear piece from the AMT 56 Ford Fairlane between the taillights and flush at the bottoms of same after filing the fillers even with the trunk lid. Anything that's white on the model is sheet styrene. I thought the Caddy bullets would compliment the Lucas headlights and keep continuity from front to back. Chris V., I'm thinking a set of U. S. Royal Masters with 58 Dodge Lancer caps right now. Color, I'm not sure, but I may be leaning toward copper or something similar. Thanks for the comments so far. I appreciate each and every one! Gary
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Post by ChrisV on Aug 3, 2010 18:14:50 GMT -5
You just can't go wrong with canted quads and US Royal Masters on an early sixties-style custom...
As for the wheels themselves, have you considered Astro Supremes or Chrome reverse with tinted centers and plated spider caps?
Are you planning on using/customizing the stock roof?
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Post by paraphrenic on Aug 3, 2010 18:18:23 GMT -5
That just looks incredible Gary... I mean seriously GREAT! This is just STUNNING and so well thought out!
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Post by Bernard Kron on Aug 3, 2010 18:30:28 GMT -5
First of all, this is a very good looking car after all these modifications. This point can't be stressed too much. After all, how many times have we all seen radical customizing that only succeeds in making the car look ugly and confused? This is real customizing, true to the idiom, and yet highly sensitive to the design cues and lines of the underlying car. The grill is so original and flows beautifully into the stock nose and hood line. And of course recognition has to be given to the great styrene work! ;D Looking forward to more, more, more...
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