'76 Buick Skyhawk ('77 Monza)

[Snake45]

For several years in the early/mid '80s, I drove a '76 Buick Skyhawk with a V6 and 5-speed. I remember it as a perky little bugger, and it actually went pretty well in the snow. Around 1985 or '86, though, it just started falling apart. I ended up selling it cheap to a guy who wanted to harvest the V6 to put in a VW van, or something.

At some point in there I evidently started building a model of it. I say “evidently” because I'd forgotten all about it, and a few months ago found it still in the original box. I don't remember when or where I bought the MPC '77 Monza—pretty sure I didn't buy it in '77 or the late '70s, but where would I have gotten one in the mid-'80s? But apparently I did, and I painted the interior of it to match my Skyhawk. I think the blue is Model Master WWII US Navy Intermediate Blue, or something of the kind.

All I did to the body was sand off all the Chevy emblems (this was in the days before I got obsessive about recribing panel lines, or even fully removing mold marks, for that matter), paint it white, clearcoat it, and put the whole mess back in the box. So when I found it, I just polished out the clearcoat, did the body chrome and black trim, and kicked the little thing through the goalposts. Done, and it only took about 35 years! (I see that the next time I have the airbrush loaded up with Black Chrome Trime I need to paint the bumpers.) Wanted to get it posted here before Daniel (Straightliner59) posts up his beautiful green '75 Monza and makes this one look like the turd that it is. As always, comments welcome.

[shoopdog]

Looks pretty darn good, I really like how you did the interior.

[mademan]

I have a 75 buick skyhawk model , its from a foreign manufacturer..... dont see many of them around.

[ChrisR]

Looks great!!

[vintagercr]

Turned out nice!

[Tom99]

Nice.

[donb]

9 hours ago, shoopdog said:

Looks pretty darn good, I really like how you did the interior.

Thinking the same., Looks good to me too.

[foxbat426]

Nice build! Great interior detail work!

[dimaxion]

Yes , I hauled these put of Lordstown , Oh .  Most excellent build . Badge engineering at it's best . When we loaded these . The Unit was Verified as correct through a location of the Unit in the Yard and last 6 of the VIN . . An Olds Staffire and a Pontiac Sunbird were made the same day . Identical last 6 digits , options ect . The only difference was the nameplate and Car Line Code in the VIN. . The Window Stickers  were mistakenly switched . Two mis - deliveries later .. oops .. Talk about the Comedy of Errors ., Well done build and thank you for the memories I appreciate you stirring up .. I still can smell the safe emissions escaping these H Bodies .   Thanx ..  

Edited December 7, 2018 by dimaxion

[stavanzer]

Beauty, Snake. I only hope that my AMT Monza turns out half as good as yours.

[mod3l Lover]

   Yeah, that looks really nice Snake!!

[MrObsessive]

Nice redo Snake! Wasn't this car the one (along with its other siblings) that you had to jack the car up to get to the spark plugs (V6)?

I wasn't that crazy about 'em when they were new, but 40+ years later they look sharp now. I'd say that they were a bit ahead of their time as they sported the 'aero' look that wouldn't catch on till the early '80's.

[Ron Hamilton]

Very nice rescue.

[peekay]

That looks great, very nice save! I'm like Bill Geary; the design appeals to me more with each passing year.

[disabled modeler]

Nice...!    

[Classicgas]

Nice. Would like to see these reissued.

[crazyjim]

Very cool build.

[bbowser]

Very cool!  And only 35 years to complete  They were pretty cool little cars when new, and with a V6 they went like stink.

[slusher]

Looks great Snake!!

[Snake45]

13 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

Nice redo Snake! Wasn't this car the one (along with its other siblings) that you had to jack the car up to get to the spark plugs (V6)?

You had to do that in the Chevy V8s, but not in this one AFAIK. At least, I never did it. I did let the engine freeze once, and it had to be towed in and the freeze plugs replaced. But once it thawed out, it continued to run fine. 

8 hours ago, Ron Hamilton said:

Very nice rescue.

 

4 hours ago, peekay said:

That looks great, very nice save! I'm like Bill Geary; the design appeals to me more with each passing year.

Thanks for the nice comments all, but it's not a redo, a save, or a rescue, except from the Shelf of Doom. I guess I'm becoming known for rescues and restorations, but this is an original build, all by me--it just took 35 years or so to make it across the Finish Line. 

[W-409]

Wow, great looking Skyhawk! We don't see many of these built so glad to see one that's done as well as this. We had a '79 Skyhawk a few years ago and it was a neat little car. Anyway, your model looks great. Especially that interior is very nicely done, but I think the exterior looks good too. Very nice and clean build.