1959 Chevy Impala hardtop

[70 STING]

Recently completed and photographed this Revell/Monogram kit. I struggled pretty hard with the paint and finish on this one, however, in the end it makes a decent 10-footer.

Body colour is Tamiya LP-1 Black with Alclad Chrome trim. Interior is darkened Tamiya LP-21 Italian Red.

The wheels are from a LHS parts bin - also painted Alclad Chrome. The tires are from Fireball Modelworks.



Notes:

Basic grinding/sanding of the rims, wheel backs and axel/spindles to fit the over-sized wheels. Also had to thin the outer bead on the rims to fit more flush with the tires.

Sanded 2mm off the front tires to reduce their diameter. Because I removed so much rubber, I painted a tread pattern on the wheels by airbrushing flat black through a strip of screen. Should probably have used a finer grid.

Thinned the fenders as the plastic is quite thick.

Added valve stems to the rims.

I'm not getting a bright chrome finish with Alclad - it looks more like black chrome. I did use their black base, which is quite glossy. Going to need more practice here.



Last weekend before the kids are back to school. 8^)

[moparman18064]

Beautiful! classy and clean

[406 Silverado]

Good LORD man!!! Your builds are off the charts, that is true but your photography of it is off tha dang charts!! WOW!!! That …..is a thing of beauty bud.

[TJ]

I really like that black chrome. Bling but not over the top. The black with the red is cool too.

[keavdog]

My my my.... that is an outstanding looking build. Hell I'd drive that around all day. Interior looks fantastic and the black finish looks great. And I really like your chrome - looks way more scale than BMF. Stellar buddy! Oh and the stance makes this thing look just wicked.

[bakster]

Very very nice work. Nicely photographed too! 

[tcoat]

Complete perfection. I am also really impressed with the chrome as it really sets off the mild custom look of the car.

[kyledehart5]

Love, love, love this. It’s a great kit too. The dark chrome is awesome and a perfect look with the black paint. And I l pe the interior. Well done.

[project510]

Yea I love that chrome work. Combined with the black, the car looks sinister. Great job!

[handiabled]

The color, chrome and stance make this look mean as can be! I really like the work you did on the interior!

[Leon]

That is a real beauty! Love everything about it.

[70 STING]

Aug 31, 2024 16:59:15 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Good LORD man!!! Your builds are off the charts, that is true but your photography of it is off tha dang charts!! WOW!!! That …..is a thing of beauty bud.

Geez, Joe. I'm blushing hard.

'Photography'... making a silk purse from a sow's ear.  8^)

[70 STING]

Aug 31, 2024 17:46:42 GMT -5 TJ said:

I really like that black chrome. Bling but not over the top. The black with the red is cool too.

Thanks Dood.  It's not the first time I've gone to the well with this colour combo. And probably won't be the last.  :^D

[brandonk]

I gotta say that those wheels and tires in style and size really make that build. That is one really good looking Impala. Top notch work and it looks sinister. Batman approved!!

[greg]

Awesome!

I'd love to know how you did the detail work on the seats, they are eye-popping.

[70 STING]

Aug 31, 2024 18:11:21 GMT -5 keavdog said:

My my my.... that is an outstanding looking build. Hell I'd drive that around all day. Interior looks fantastic and the black finish looks great. And I really like your chrome - looks way more scale than BMF. Stellar buddy! Oh and the stance makes this thing look just wicked.

Very kind. I'm not a fan of skinny tires on cars.  The issue with Fireball's tires are that they looked a little bloated.  They work fine for the rear but not the front.  I also wanted to use them on a Corvette build but encountered the same problem.

I think BMF requires some kind of wizardry or voodoo to achieve good results. 

[70 STING]

Aug 31, 2024 20:18:03 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Complete perfection. I am also really impressed with the chrome as it really sets off the mild custom look of the car.

Thanks man. I guess this can be attributed to my own ineptitude in using the product properly. 

[70 STING]

Aug 31, 2024 23:08:45 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Love, love, love this. It’s a great kit too. The dark chrome is awesome and a perfect look with the black paint. And I l pe the interior. Well done.

Thanks Kyle.  I picked the kit up at the Group25 car show for $35.00 Cdn.  They seller said they were getting pretty hard to find. 

[70 STING]

Aug 31, 2024 23:27:06 GMT -5 project510 said:

Yea I love that chrome work. Combined with the black, the car looks sinister. Great job!

Thanks bud, that's exactly the look I was going for.  

[70 STING]

Sept 1, 2024 1:55:37 GMT -5 handiabled said:

The color, chrome and stance make this look mean as can be! I really like the work you did on the interior!

Thanks man. It was worth putting a little extra effort into this interior as there's so much open space to see inside.

[70 STING]

Sept 1, 2024 10:49:10 GMT -5 brandonk said:

I gotta say that those wheels and tires in style and size really make that build. That is one really good looking Impala. Top notch work and it looks sinister. Batman approved!!

Thanks Brandon.  I saw a cool photo of a '59 on the net with huge back wheels - which was the inspiration for the build.   

[70 STING]

Sept 1, 2024 10:58:14 GMT -5 greg said:

Awesome!

I'd love to know how you did the detail work on the seats, they are eye-popping.

I wish I could take credit for some masterful technique, but they are stickers included in the kit. There was a green set as well. I just sealed them with a coat of semi gloss clear.

[greg]

Sept 1, 2024 12:16:07 GMT -5 70 STING said:

Sept 1, 2024 10:58:14 GMT -5 greg said:

Awesome!

I'd love to know how you did the detail work on the seats, they are eye-popping.

I wish I could take credit for some masterful technique, but they are stickers included in the kit. There was a green set as well. I just sealed them with a coat of semi gloss clear.

Thanks for the info! No matter how they got there, the seats still look awesome and not one bit less so knowing they are stickers. Makes me feel better, actually.

[70 STING]

Sept 1, 2024 13:25:52 GMT -5 greg said:

Sept 1, 2024 12:16:07 GMT -5 70 STING said:

I wish I could take credit for some masterful technique, but they are stickers included in the kit. There was a green set as well. I just sealed them with a coat of semi gloss clear.

Thanks for the info! No matter how they got there, the seats still look awesome and not one bit less so knowing they are stickers. Makes me feel better, actually.

[tcoat]

Sept 1, 2024 11:38:13 GMT -5 70 STING said:

Aug 31, 2024 20:18:03 GMT -5 tcoat said:

Complete perfection. I am also really impressed with the chrome as it really sets off the mild custom look of the car.

Thanks man. I guess this can be attributed to my own ineptitude in using the product properly. 

Happy little accident. 

[Steve Zuleski]

Wow, beauties, and no white-walls, excellent!

[kyledehart5]

Sept 1, 2024 11:47:32 GMT -5 70 STING said:

Aug 31, 2024 23:08:45 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Love, love, love this. It’s a great kit too. The dark chrome is awesome and a perfect look with the black paint. And I l pe the interior. Well done.

Thanks Kyle.  I picked the kit up at the Group25 car show for $35.00 Cdn.  They seller said they were getting pretty hard to find. 

Definitely time for Revell to consider a repop on this one. I picked mine up for 25 US at an “antique mall”. Love the seat stickers, the molding and just generally how it builds up.

[70 STING]

Sept 2, 2024 1:02:37 GMT -5 kyledehart5 said:

Sept 1, 2024 11:47:32 GMT -5 70 STING said:

Thanks Kyle.  I picked the kit up at the Group25 car show for $35.00 Cdn.  They seller said they were getting pretty hard to find. 

Definitely time for Revell to consider a repop on this one. I picked mine up for 25 US at an “antique mall”. Love the seat stickers, the molding and just generally how it builds up.

Yes, the separate mouldings certainly reduce the amount of masking. The most challenging part was masking the edges of the fins.m