DoctorLarry Posted December 10, 2017 Posted December 10, 2017 My latest two projects are Collonade Buicks: 73 Gran Sport and a 76 Century Indy pace Car. The 73 just needs final touches: grille, marker lights, locks and bumpers and it is pretty well done . The 76 is a work in progress. The Pace Car version had the formal roof with the V shaped rear window so I started with a glue bomb 75 JoHan Cutlass for the correct body scale and the roof of a 77 Revell Monte Carlo that I had chopped up for something else. Strip styrene to get the correct shape as well as grinding off the "pontoons" on the side of the Cutlass. Glued on the front end of a 77 Cutlass resin Nascar body and got out the Dremel and Squadron and Tamiya putty. Just like bodywork on a car to get the lines right.
geetee66 Posted December 10, 2017 Posted December 10, 2017 You must love the smell of bondo! Looks like a major project, but you obviously know your stuff ? Nice to see a lesser-known car being built.
DoctorLarry Posted December 10, 2017 Author Posted December 10, 2017 To paraphrase Robert DuVall in Apocalypse Now, "I love the smell of bondo in the morning."
MrObsessive Posted December 10, 2017 Posted December 10, 2017 I'm definitely following this! These were sharp cars in their day IMO, and you just don't see 'em anymore. Unfortunately, GM had indifferent build quality back in those days, and many of them succumbed to the dreaded tinworm. One project I have on my radar is the '76-'77 Olds Cutlass Supreme, doing something somewhat similar that you're doing with your Monte Carlo roof and the Johan '75 Olds Cutlass. I've got all the bits and pieces (with spare Monte bodies) to start it, but other projects will take priority. One of these days though............... Keep up the good work!
rbarlow1 Posted December 10, 2017 Posted December 10, 2017 Amazing amount of work here, look forward to following.
Can-Con Posted December 10, 2017 Posted December 10, 2017 Cool, My cousin Ron had a '76 Free Spirit Century back about '86 or '87. I drove it a couple times. Man, what I great car! The paint and decals were pretty faded but it went like snot and handles like it was on rails. I do have one pic of the car I could post but be forewarned, in the pic Ron's standing in front of the car in just cutoff jeans. IIRC, a bunch of us went to the water park that day.
DoctorLarry Posted December 26, 2017 Author Posted December 26, 2017 I love Christmas vacation. No meetings, no student problems, time to rest. Got a little more done on my pace car. I still don't think the front end is right and I have to fit things, fix all of the body lines, put on marker lights and create bumpers and spoilers. I hope to have this done shortly. I modeled the car used at Pikes Peak-it had the bulged hood and T-tops.
Modelbuilder Mark Posted January 2, 2018 Posted January 2, 2018 Major project, but looking forward to the end result.
DoctorLarry Posted January 14, 2018 Author Posted January 14, 2018 Got a snow day Friday and worked on the pace car some more. Got the lights on the driver's side and re-worked the front end. Started on the bumpers and final touches. Added the rear spoiler so now just final sanding, adding trim and finishing up details.
ismaelg Posted January 14, 2018 Posted January 14, 2018 Looking Really good! I'm a sucker for Indy Pace Cars. Love it! Thanks,
DoctorLarry Posted February 3, 2018 Author Posted February 3, 2018 Getting close to the end on this one. I still need to work on the front end and bumpers but everything else is pretty close.
NYLIBUD Posted February 3, 2018 Posted February 3, 2018 Looks great.That front bumper looks pretty big.I didn't know they stuck out like that.Kind of reminds me of my friends 75 Chevelle Laguna S3,that he's been building for the past 5 years.
DoctorLarry Posted February 4, 2018 Author Posted February 4, 2018 Bumpers are the hardest thing for me to get right and they still look funky, so more work needed. I actually owned a 76 Laguna S3 for about 10 years and replaced the front bumper. That thing took two people to lift!
66belair Posted February 11, 2018 Posted February 11, 2018 That is some awesome work. are you going to try and cast that in resin? I vaguely remember these cars when I was a kid, there weren't many of them.
DoctorLarry Posted February 11, 2018 Author Posted February 11, 2018 Mike: That is my intention. As soon as I get it tweaked, I will cast the body, hood and bumpers separately. I'm still trying to get the look of the bumpers right. I think I have them about right looking. I have re-done them three times.
El Caballo Posted February 12, 2018 Posted February 12, 2018 Have you considered more of a Pontiac Grand Am style bumper?
DoctorLarry Posted February 12, 2018 Author Posted February 12, 2018 I've done the 73 Grand Am before. I'm trying to duplicate the factory bumpers on the pace car here.
DoctorLarry Posted February 23, 2018 Author Posted February 23, 2018 A little more work. Still trying to get the bumpers right but getting closer.
DoctorLarry Posted March 8, 2018 Author Posted March 8, 2018 Trashed the last set of bumpers and made new ones.
shaunmza Posted March 8, 2018 Posted March 8, 2018 I find it fascinating how you are crafting this, thanks so much for sharing.
wmobie Posted March 8, 2018 Posted March 8, 2018 Those bumpers were an abomination then and are just as buttugly now as they were then. Great effort on you're part, wonderful work. two thumbs up. Walt O'Brien.
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