1977 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

[doorsovdoon]

This is my third kit on this forum in what, a week or two? ..the fun never stops, Lol! This is a Snaptite kit by Revell, so no engine detailing to worry about. A quick look in the box, and viewing built up kits online, suggests this can be built up into a really nice looking model despite the toyish looking box art.

[Tom Geiger]

It not a bad kit!  Now if you want some real fun, open up that hood and put a full detail chassis under it!

[Monty]

My dad had a silver '77 Monte Carlo which I hope to duplicate some day using this kit, but I want to use a better chassis so I can install an engine etc.  AFAIK no one seems to have done this.  

I'll be interested to see what all you do with yours.

[doorsovdoon]

Yes, looks like a very good mould. I am thinking of opening up the hood, that part is easy enough, but as you say, chassis is an issue and I don't think I have any spare engines to put in there. I'd also have to make a firewall, inner wings, and radiator support. It's not impossible but I don't think I have the skill to go that far.

[doorsovdoon]

Looking in my parts tin, I found some incomplete engines and a gearbox. Not enough to attempt an open hood conversion, but I do have some custom parts left over from the Mercury Park Lane. I'm actually liking how the back end looks with that window frame, hmmm, I'm getting adventurous! Careful now, Lol.

[doorsovdoon]

[DoctorLarry]

1966 GTO had a 115 inch wheel base. Revell makes a very detailed chassis similar to other GM A bodies. The 1977 Monte Carlo has a 116 inch wheel base. Difference in scale is around 1 mm. Any kit small block could be adapted to this if you want some detail.

[doorsovdoon]

52 minutes ago, DoctorLarry said:

1966 GTO had a 115 inch wheel base. Revell makes a very detailed chassis similar to other GM A bodies. The 1977 Monte Carlo has a 116 inch wheel base. Difference in scale is around 1 mm. Any kit small block could be adapted to this if you want some detail.

Thanks for the info, that's very helpful. I'll be building it as is for now, being a screw bottom kit it's something I can come back to when I get a GTO.

[doorsovdoon]

Looking at some pictures of the Monte Carlo online I really like the look of whitewalls on these Rally wheels. The kit doesn't come with any but I had a set of unused whitewall decals from a 1964 Impala my son built, he did the custom version so was left with spare whitewalls:)

 

[doorsovdoon]

Any ideas to what colour to paint this? I was thinking beige with a light brown landau top, or the other way around? These cars didn't seem to be painted in very exciting colours!

[doorsovdoon]

Primer is on and some mould lines smoothed out, there were hardly noticeable anyway. It's a very clean mould. Deciding on paint now, either silver with a black top, beige with light brown top or Jade green with white top.

 

[espo]

Not trying to talk you out of painting this build in anyway, but. Sounds like you're sort of searching for something to make this stand out. I was working in a Chevrolet dealership when these were new and part of my job was to order new car inventory. Should you still be unsure of the colors you're wanting you might check Google Images if you haven't already. This can give you a visual of what different combinations look like. A style that was popular at the time was having the Landau half roof the same color as the body rather than contrasting. Another option that Chevrolet offered was a paint treatment on the sides, somewhat of a two tone. What they did was the raised portion on the side of the front fenders and the rear quarters would be painted in a contrasting color. The fronts would be colored in front of the wheel opening and follow the curved body line to about mid door area where it would make a slow loop back toward the front wheel opening. The rears were done in much the same manor starting just in front of the rear wheel opening and extending along that side body line toward the rear of the car. Since you mentioned liking the Beige color I remember ordering some with the lt. Beige body and roof and the sides were painted in a medium Gold Metallic. Many seemed to like this style as we sold a lot of them. They had other colors combinations also, but I just thought I would mention this style since you seemed unsure of how you wanted to do this model. I don't have the link to new car sales literature  , but I know others here do. This will show what the factory offered if you're trying to stay close to the OEM look. 

[doorsovdoon]

Yes, I've been scrolling through Google Images, the roof being only half covered makes it stands out. Probably why the roof was usually the same colour as the body like you mentioned. Here's a couple of pictures of what I'm thinking of going with..

 

[espo]

33 minutes ago, doorsovdoon said:

Yes, I've been scrolling through Google Images, the roof being only half covered makes it stands out. Probably why the roof was usually the same colour as the body like you mentioned. Here's a couple of pictures of what I'm thinking of going with..

 

Both good looking cars. Not that it matters at this point but these two along with the kit your building have the Landau Option. The major difference is only trim and the partial vinyl roof being the most obvious. The standard base Monto Carlo would have no vinyl roof covering unless the optional full vinyl roof was ordered. There are minor bits of chrome here and there and some interior trim that are different from the Landau model. The photo of the Beige car shows what I was trying to convey about using a single color for the exterior. Again I was just trying to offer some insight into what would have been had at the time. I look forward to seeing what all you do with your build. 

[doorsovdoon]

Yes, I appreciate your insight, it does help. As I was leaning towards beige anyway I think that's the colour I'll be going with. Based on that and the info you provided I think I'll do the roof in a shade close to the body colour. I'd like there to be a bit of a contrast between them.

[Husky1943]

Gareth, I know that you are going to make a winner, no matter what.  A good friend of mine (got a purple heart in Egypt with NATO forces) owned a '75 Monte Carlo.  Metallic gold with a brown roof.  I didn't like the color, but I always loved the lines of a Monte Carlo (and of a '75 Chevy Caprice Classic).  We used to call the backseat (of my Chevy) "motel room on wheels." 

[espo]

1 hour ago, doorsovdoon said:

Yes, I appreciate your insight, it does help. As I was leaning towards beige anyway I think that's the colour I'll be going with. Based on that and the info you provided I think I'll do the roof in a shade close to the body colour. I'd like there to be a bit of a contrast between them.

Just paint the entire  body the shade of Beige you like and any clear coat and polish. Then mask off the body and paint the Vinyl Roof portion with a semi gloss clear coat. This would give you the effect of a Vinyl Roof that has had some protectant, think Armorer All, used on it. A flat clear in a very light coat at arms length should give you a more natural look.    

[doorsovdoon]

55 minutes ago, Husky1943 said:

Gareth, I know that you are going to make a winner, no matter what.  A good friend of mine (got a purple heart in Egypt with NATO forces) owned a '75 Monte Carlo.  Metallic gold with a brown roof.  I didn't like the color, but I always loved the lines of a Monte Carlo (and of a '75 Chevy Caprice Classic).  We used to call the backseat (of my Chevy) "motel room on wheels." 

Thanks, Rob. I shall indeed try. I was very close to doing this model in gold with brown roof. Motel room on wheels is about right, most American cars before the 80's are bigger than my first flat! (apartment)

[doorsovdoon]

14 minutes ago, espo said:

Just paint the entire  body the shade of Beige you like and any clear coat and polish. Then mask off the body and paint the Vinyl Roof portion with a semi gloss clear coat. This would give you the effect of a Vinyl Roof that has had some protectant, think Armorer All, used on it. A flat clear in a very light coat at arms length should give you a more natural look.    

Thanks, Dave. I'll give it a go, I have some matte clear coat I can try. I used it on a dashboard restoration for a customer a couple of years back. 

[doorsovdoon]

On researching colours of the Monte Carlo I found that the bumper/grill filler piece is body colour, which is all one part on the model. A bit of a pain to mask up but if I don't do it it'll bug me later when I'm looking at it, Lol!

 

[TimJ]

12 minutes ago, doorsovdoon said:

Thanks, Dave. I'll give it a go, I have some matte clear coat I can try. I used it on a dashboard restoration for a customer a couple of years back. 

Morris Marina if I'm not mistaken.

[doorsovdoon]

Yep, from a mk1 1.8 SDL  They are always sun damaged, the brown ones more so than the black for some reason.

[DoctorLarry]

Two tone beige/bronze

[doorsovdoon]

That looks like the exact colour I'm using. I'm still undecided whether to do that side feature though.

[Monty]

This was the car my dad had.  Silver, black half roof, white interior, red carpet and dash.  It had incredibly soft leather seats, and a 400 cid engine that, despite the best efforts of several mechanics, would not get above 14 mpg.  

I may still make an attempt at a full-detail (chassis, engine etc) build from this kit, but I have no idea what to do about those wheel covers.  To the best of my knowledge, there's nothing even close out there.