30+ Yr Old AMT 37 Chevy Gasser-Finished/"Under Glass" 08/16

[mustang1989]

Thanks portman! I've been doing some re-fitting with this build because it just wasn't coming together in regards to fit. I removed a battery box on the bottom of the car and suddenly everything started lining up right again. Hope to be finishing this one up fairly quick.

[mustang1989]

Ok I'm back with a few updates on this rascal. I have done a lot to this thing even though it doesn't really look like I did a thing. The side steps have been touched up with a fresh light coat of black as have the rear bumper mounts. I put the body on and it was an act of Congress to get that to happen as all the years of heat damage have warped the crap out of this model.......but......I got it. It fits terribly and there's just only so much I can do. I installed the rear bumper, door handles and fuel cap. I've painted replacement headlight buckets that will be set aside to dry/ gas out for the next two weeks.
I did drill into the body and into the headlight buckets so I could pin them in place. I don't know about anybody else here but getting stuff like outside rearview mirrors and externally mounted headlights mounted on the body is like dancing with the devil. If you slip up and "miss" the target glue point with the part then you risk screwing up a nice paint job. I pin 'em for an exact fit so I don't have to worry about this.
I'm working just as hard on this thing to keeping it true to my original build as I am modifying my decked out kits so if this aint perfect , there's reason. I wanted at least one "restored" model depicting my skills then vs. these days.
The recent pics...

[Stikpusher]

Oh my... another Hot Rod!

[mustang1989]

LOL! Yeah I just had to restore this thing. You should go back to the first few photos to see what this contraption looked like to start with. lol

[Stikpusher]

Youre a closet gear head, aren't you? Nice save!

[Stuart]

That’s looking really good now – nice recovery.

If it was mine I think I’d leave it like that with the hood off - that looks kind of cool!

[mustang1989]

Youre a closet gear head, aren't you? Nice save!

Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Woooo hoooo!! I've worked on a car or two in my time. 20 years dang near in a dealership outta qualify me. lol

And thanks for the good word stik!

Stuart: I dunno what I'm going to do with the hood yet. I may paint up the drag version of it and keep it handy but in keeping with the originality of the build the clear one will have its place.

[mustang1989]

Got to work on the stock hood. I didn't like the side panels so I cut 'em off....





and both sides ready for washing, priming and paint....



I also started working on the headlights. The replacement kit came with tinted brown headlights. I didn't much care for that so I stole some out of that Boss 429 Mustang kit that I stole the engine out of for my F-100. I trimmed em up and applied some Future over the lenses. No pics but you'll see the results here in a week or so.

[mustang1989]

Ok. I finally got the headlamp assys completed. I got complete with the passengers side lamp and started on the drivers side. While trying to glue the lens in place I dropped it into a drop of clear parts glue and blemished the outside of it. I dropped into a small bottle of Windex and stripped off the Future and started over with it. A while later I was able to finish the drivers headlamp assy off. I also managed to paint the hood sections last night and this morning were dry enough to fit on for pics. After 30 years the original blue has faded and is noticeable here.
You know, this model will certainly never be one of my best nor will it ever be in a model show however I look on this one with the mindset of it was one of the stepping stones toward getting better as well as admiring the fact that it's survived all these years.

A couple more finishing touches to go and I'll get some glamour shots of the ol' mule. BTW I have since fixed that utterly disgusting gap between the front fender and the drivers side step as well as the 3/16" offset towards the passengers side of the body mount on the frame. Took some patience but I got it. The glamour shots will reflect this change.

[KSaarni]

This has been a really fun restoration project to follow, looking so good now!

Almost impossible to believe it's the same Chevy as shown here on the 6th of July.

- Kari