Christine - Round 2's AMT kit by Popeye the Sailor

[popeye the sailor]

for sure........they make many colors of primer........more that they did back in the day     ....and yes......colored plastics do make it hard.  I should have used a primer,  but didn't want the paint to become too thick and lose some of the detail.  since I was painting red,  I didn't feel I needed to.........so much for hindsight   

 

I haven't seen Happy Days for a number of years either...........I just finally got a complete collection of the three Stooges.........luv those guys!  nyuck....nyuck!

[Canute]

Little Rascals for me.

 

Red is very tough to get good coverage, as is yellow. They are translucent, so primers are important. I have a number of refrigerator cars to paint and they are yellow. Luckily the base plastic is an ivory tending to yellow, so I think I may skip priming, but I may test it anyway.

 

I had good luck spraying yellow over medium gray.

[popeye the sailor]

Spanky and the gang......yup....watched them too!  then it was the wonderful world of Disney........Davey Crocket,  Daniel Boone,  Scarecrow of Romney Marsh....loved all those mini series   let's not forget Zoro! 

 

yea.......the colored plastic thing was a effort to appeal to a larger crowd.......those who didn't like,  or were not able to paint their models.  the trouble is.........once you were done trimming and sanding all the weird stuff off the parts,  they were a disheveled mess.  painting was always the logical solution  

 

I did make a little progress........and even in the process of correcting a pho-par with the kit.  when I got back to it.......I decided to just go ahead and freehand the bottom windshield frame....I didn't do too badly with the back window........

there are tabs for the windows.......it almost seems like they snap into place.  I used the window maker anyway.  

as can be seen,  I removed the date stamp on the underside of the trunk deck.  I was not going to see it showing through the body........the use of thinner will not remove it quickly.......sandpaper worked better    the model shown on the box does not use the side windows........I'm debating whether to do the same.  after the windows are in place,  the body can be added to the chassis.  the next step presents a problem.   in some cars,  a spacer had to be used on the radiator fan,  to locate it close enough to do it's job....keeping the radiator cool.  

seen in the picture above,  the fan is situated right over that piece of cross frame.........that is where the radiator is located.    the fan,  the belts,  and everything associated with it,  came off without too much of a fuss.  I like to paint some of the parts individually.......what can be assembled that is to be the same color,  is done as an assembly.  I don't usually scrape the paint off,  which can be a problem,  or part of a solution.  contrary to some beliefs, there is some adhesion that occurs.......considering that the finished model sits on the shelf afterwards,  that's good enough for me.  should something fall off,  it usually breaks off cleanly and can be cemented back on without much issue.  this helped me out here.......the fan assembly came off without a hitch.   I initially wanted to just remove the fan,  but the whole thing came off.........fine with me if it causes no damage   

the fan came off with a twist........I'll clean off the pulley,  shorted the spacer,  and glue the fan back on.  no problem...........Bob's your Uncle!    so.........while this was drying,  I decided to add some of the bling on the body.  

   one thing I've already done,  is detail the grilles.  there are two sections,  and what I did was dab some flat black in the grooves,  wiping the excess on the surface off with a cloth.  I don't do it too often,  so I can't wait to see how it will look.

I hope to have more done today  

 

[popeye the sailor]

so  the repair is done.......it was a success!  I did cut back on the crank pulley pin,  because it hit the lower frame when I went to put it back on.

the fan now falls short of the cross frame and the radiator and upper hose is also installed.   now come the big alert for anyone who wants to buy this model    for this model,  I was a good boy........I followed the instructions to the letter.  usually,  I will skip over steps that look as though problems may arise.  the rear view mirror was cemented on the dash and allowed to dry..........I also decided not to use the side glass,  for better interior visibility.  for all that the instructions say.........they are out of their cotton pick'in minds!  this body was the worst I have ever done.   the Hydro boost was in the way of the inner fender wells........that became dislodged.........the fear of breaking something was ever so present!

I slid the chassis forward to line up the windshield / glass....as well as the two pins for the inner fender well panels.  there is a plate in the center of the frame that stops the front of the body from going any more {that I will look at further},  it stops the pins from fully inserting into their holes.

these two tabs in the rear of the chassis must fit into these slots........the body must be pulled out to allow this to happen.  lucky I didn't break anything else!

outside of checking out the front........the body is on.   I didn't even glue it.......it will never come off....it is firmly in place!  more soon

[popeye the sailor]

now that the initial trauma is over,  the finish line isn't far away.  I think the biggest change they can do to this model,  would be the engine compartment.  the inner fender wells could be separate parts,  added after the fire wall is added.  it's nuts with how much the body must be contorted to get in on.  to get the tabs at the rear in place, the rear fascia is not connected to the sides {rear quarters},  so the fascia can be pulled outward to fit the chassis and allow the tabs to fall into place.  so now.........it's bling time   

    the front grilles and lower splash pan is now in place....still needs the bumper,  but no place to add the license plate.

there's more to the engine compartment too..........there really isn't much space under the hood.  the rear is almost done.  bumper's on.......license plate,  and tail lights.

there is a hole....likely for a trailer hitch,  but there is nothing supplied for it.  the car is finished,  outside of a few small touch ups......end result soon   gotta take Gibbs out..........

[lmagna]

Nice work Denis

 

I think I would have installed the rear side windows as my mental picture just seems like that is how it should be. A friend of mine had exactly the same car that was a hand-me-down family car from his dad in high school. The stripe on the side and I think the roof were white though if I remember right. We were all jealous because it attracted almost all of the girls in school and drive-in movies were plentiful back then! 

 

[Egilman]

1 hour ago, lmagna said:

We were all jealous because it attracted almost all of the girls in school and drive-in movies were plentiful back then!

Yep, cause it had a big huge windshield to watch the movie thru if that is what you wanted to do, and a cavernous back seat in case you didn't....

[lmagna]

Pretty cavernous front seat as well. No buckets or center console. "What movie?"

[Canute]

How about the 4 guys in the trunk, along with a case or two? And I'm not talking the bodies Uncle Vinnie mighta put there with a bag or two of ceement. 😄

[lmagna]

Didn't do the beer part but the bodies in the trunk happened a few times. Now days if you put me in the trunk I would have to listen to the movie from there.

[popeye the sailor]

  reminds me of the Cheech & Chong skit "Cheech & Chong at the drive in"  of course,  you gotta remember to let them out once you get through the gate     I would think it's a pretty spacious trunk,  but this kit doesn't even have hinges for the hood........let alone sport a trunk that opens.

 

if there's one thing about models,  they have a habit of making one thing of what should have been done,  after the model is finished      I decided to leave the side windows out......but I do wish I had thought of putting in the rear side portions......the glass could have been split into two sections very easily.  I mentioned earlier that Christine had a white roof..........it slipped my mine painting the body.   I'm debating if I could pull off doing the roof,  but the silver trim might get damaged if I do........then there's the thought of the red ghosting through.  it's a thought.......

 

Christine is finished..........here are some pictures I promised.........

I like the grilles........wonder why I don't do this more often........

in the second picture,  you might notice the gap where the hood meets the grille........this is an additional problem with the kit.  the radiator is too tall.......it juts just above the radiator bulkhead......the radiator cap raises it a bit more.  the radiator locates on top of that cross frame........anyone who wants to build this model should cut the bottom off the radiator.......roughly 1/32nd or so,  just enough to drop it down below the bulkhead line.

there is not a lot of room in the engine area.........

it does make me wonder if the original AMT kit assembles like this.  it is a kit worthy of some experimentation.  thanks for look'in in........always fun shar'in the ride with friends  

[mtaylor]

Looks good, Denis.  Very well done.   I vaguely remember hearing or reading back in the day that many kits with engine compartments wouldn't let the hood close as most builders (kids we were) left the hood open to show the engine and the detailing like spark plug wires, fuel lines, etc.   Yeah... I went down that rabbit hole myself.

[lmagna]

I was just referring to my buddy's car in high school. It really had nothing to do about your build, in face his Fury was blue and white not red, but your build still reminded me of his.

You have done a very nice job of building not only an iconic car but using a classic kit as well. No need to change or add anything.

[GrandpaPhil]

Well done!

[popeye the sailor]

thanks gents    looking at images on line,  I've seen this model in many colors........some look really nice.  I've even seen where folks did theirs in one of the many stages during the movie.........the burnt 'crispy' Christine looks interesting.  pictures of junk yard.......smashed up cars can be seen too........some even did this to their models to replicate what that group of guys did in the garage {wrinkled fenders and such}.  some had the white roof.......some didn't...........some even did a two tone version,  which I think would be hard on this car seeing that the chrome along the sides doesn't go the entire length of the car.  the two tone line would stick out like a sore thumb.

 

AMT also put out a series of 1:16 scale models,  in which I currently have two of them........the 1957 Chevy Bel Air convertible,  and the 1957 Ford Thunderbird hardtop/convertible.  I've done a little tinkering with them {not to the point of actually building them},  and it gave me an a closer inspection of the kits themselves.  they have their share of missed opportunities in the detail department,  which is a bit sad,  but the 57 has one flaw that I can't ignore.  that would be the fact that the metal axle passes right through the oil pan.......it is shaped to allow it.   being in the engine mode,  I built both engines for these models,  and I filled the oil pan in on the Bel Air.  I suspect that the 55 Chevy Nomad and the 55 Chevy Bel Air kits are the same way too.  the Thunderbird is not {I'm happy to say}.  there are videos on you tube as well.  I have an idea to remedy the issue.......I'll flesh it out when I get to build it  

 

as I mentioned in the beginning of the log,  the history of AMT is an interesting one.  in 1983,  ERTL bought AMT and was renamed AMT/ERTL.  the company continued to release the original AMT line up,  as well as some that were introduced by ERTL,  which was making a name for their farm and construction toys and models.  I was doing some surfing the other day,  looking for the Christine kit molded in white.  I found that there were quite a few out there....and I probably could have pulled the trigger on one of them,  but I was still enamored with the pro modified.  of course,  finding one complete and at a more down to earth cost,  is a bit harder to come by.  giving up for the time being,  I settled back working on the pro mod.  the admiral was curious with what I was doing.....I told her what I found.........and that sparked her to do a search on her own.  she misunderstood me though,  because she later showed me a kit of the 58 Belvedere,  produced by AMT/ERTL.  I was unaware that these kits existed........I never saw them in my searches.  she sent the link to my computer,  telling me I could get it    now..........any conniving husband could have blamed misinformation and ordered another Pro mod .........but I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth,  so I went to order the one she picked out.  

reading the description,  I saw that it was an open kit,  and the completeness wasn't guaranteed.  I looked around and found one that was said to be a complete kit,  and it was a few bucks cheaper    while I was buying the kit,  another one caught my eye.........and for around $20.00!

WTH!  did I go through a worm hole and end up back in the 50's?  hideous........isn't she?!?!?!   I did mention experiments......didn't I?  ....and what is it with red?  from what I saw,  both kits are molded in white....the 300 is sort of a cream color {I think}.  both kits seem to share the same molds as well {type-wise,  I mean to say}.  I'm working on a game plan for these two...........more on them when I get there  

thanks for look'in in.......it's not a bad kit,  but it does have some nail biter moments.  there are some mold lines that show up on the body,  but they clean up fairly well.   after all.......these are older molds   

[mtaylor]

Ah... metal axles.  I have less than fond memories of those kits.  I do remember a buddy of mine back then who would toss the metal long axles and modify the kit with custom made stub axles and suspension to get around the problems.   A bit on the flimsy side as I remember as they would break just looking at them.

[popeye the sailor]

that's what I plan to do with the 57..........I think I will source some nails with the same axle diameter.  the head will do well for the cap........and cut them long enough to fit the hole in the rim.   I was at first thinking plastic,  but the thought of breakage would be more possible.   the major bad {sad} points with these 1:16 scale kits,  is that so much of the detail is molded........like the starter,  door handles,  windshield wipers........etc.....etc......etc.  there are so many older 1:25 scale kits that have all these detail points....and more.  today's kits are so much more detailed....I know I shouldn't be surprised.  I guess it's because that back in the day,  I wasn't so detail minded as I am now.  to revisit some of the kits I built as a youngster,  really makes me think about what I 'settled for' back then,  and the possibilities seen in these kits as they come before me.  I was at the point of chopping and modifying kits,  scratch building stuff when I stopped modeling for that stretch of time.........and when I picked it back up again,  I was a bit surprised that I remembered some of it.  when I purchased my Second Cutty Sark {Revell 1:96 kit},  it was my start up............and what led me to wooden ship kits.   scratch building came back to me when I built the Nordkap........that model was so much fun!   ------>I'll be right back<------

 

people!  I just came in from picking up two large pieces of cardboard out of the middle of the street...........folks just driving over them,  not slowing down or anything!  most of the time now,  our garbage pick ups are automated.......there are no guys on the truck anymore.  one would think that by now,  everyone would know this,  and not leave loose things out at their pick up sites......but no!  I took 'em and cut them up to fit in my recycling container ***what a novel idea***.....glad I'm the only one who thought of it!

[king derelict]

You are making a beautiful model from a very basic kit. It looks lovely

Alan

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Alan........this is a new production of an older kit.   it's all in the molds    Round 2 acquired quite a few of the old AMT molds,  and they are slowly bringing them back into production.  I'll know more when I examine the kit that is currently in transit,  which I should see tomorrow if the notification is true.   I will know more then    thanks for look'in in....appreciate it!