AMT 1964 Chevy Impala SS

[ModelcarJR]

I am building this old kit to get it out of the closet. Its not a very good kit - metal axles to complement the one piece chassis, a old interior bucket with little detail on the door panels, a body that is a bit warped and has some sink marks on the front fenders and in the trunk due to the screw in posts mounted under the trunk and in the radiator supports built into the body. I painted it with Dupli-Color Dark Toreador Metallic on the exterior with a red interior.  I painted it quickly prior to the tropical storm that hit a couple weeks ago to have something to work on and now that it is dry again I may have a window to paint something else. In the meantime, I'll finish this one. The paint came out pretty well and rubbed out nicely. I'm about halfway done with the foil on the body.  I'm building box stock so this should be quick to finish. Thanks for looking! ?

 

[Zippi]

Nice looking.  Your foil work looks really smooth, especially around the wing windows.  The color looks great.

[Belairconvertable]

I love the 64s. My grandpa currently owns 2 64 impala ss's.

[Mike F.]

Looks good. Agree on your foil work. Very smooth. You should do the side trim as well.

I recently finished a Revell 62 SS, which was a pleasure to build. Very detailed. I thought about getting this kit too, but after reading your post, I think not.

[NOBLNG]

Nice work. I love that colour!?

[slusher]

Great looking color John, foil will really go with it..

[espo]

The paint work looks great. You have to remember this kit's tooling was done late in the last century so the standards are some what less than what we take for granted from todays tooling.  Still you can make a very fine looking build out of it. 

[drodg]

I agree with David above.  The kit is old technology but can be made into a nice looking kit.  I think you are on your way to building a nice kit.

[doorsovdoon]

Nice paint and foil work. I like the old '64 Impala kit. It certainly has it's age flaws, but I'm a sucker for the charm these old promo style kits have. She's looking good in that deep red with the contrasting interior.

[Bball]

23 hours ago, ModelcarJR said:

I am building this old kit to get it out of the closet. Its not a very good kit - metal axles to complement the one piece chassis, a old interior bucket with little detail on the door panels, a body that is a bit warped and has some sink marks on the front fenders and in the trunk due to the screw in posts mounted under the trunk and in the radiator supports built into the body. I painted it with Dupli-Color Dark Toreador Metallic on the exterior with a red interior.  I painted it quickly prior to the tropical storm that hit a couple weeks ago to have something to work on and now that it is dry again I may have a window to paint something else. In the meantime, I'll finish this one. The paint came out pretty well and rubbed out nicely. I'm about halfway done with the foil on the body.  I'm building box stock so this should be quick to finish. Thanks for looking! ?

 

Nice Paint!

[james220]

Actually the kit first came out in 1964 an at that time the big deal was working headlights and tail lights. The rest is mostly AMT 1964. By the reissue the working headlights and tail lights were gone. The paint on yours looks great and the foiling is super. Post when you finish, it brings back memories. 

[Bob Ellis]

On 9/21/2021 at 4:45 PM, ModelcarJR said:

I am building this old kit to get it out of the closet. Its not a very good kit - metal axles to complement the one piece chassis, a old interior bucket with little detail on the door panels, a body that is a bit warped and has some sink marks on the front fenders and in the trunk due to the screw in posts mounted under the trunk and in the radiator supports built into the body. I painted it with Dupli-Color Dark Toreador Metallic on the exterior with a red interior.  I painted it quickly prior to the tropical storm that hit a couple weeks ago to have something to work on and now that it is dry again I may have a window to paint something else. In the meantime, I'll finish this one. The paint came out pretty well and rubbed out nicely. I'm about halfway done with the foil on the body.  I'm building box stock so this should be quick to finish. Thanks for looking! ?

 

The AMT 1964 Impala kit is fine. It's technologically impaired that's all. Of course the Revell kit has more detail, but the AMT was great for 10 year old kids such as me at the time. It originally came with working headlights and tail lights in the kit. Your model will be awesome in the end I'm sure.

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, All! I appreciate the comments! 

I finished the interior and foil on the body. Paint was a bit heavy at the back left panel so the chrome pen on the Impala script is not as crisp as I would like but it will have to do. I used some decals from an extra Revell kit in the interior but the fender decals did not fit. So this one should be done shortly. Thanks for looking! ?

[slusher]

Beautiful foil work John..

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Carl! I appreciate your comment! 

I have a rolling chassis! Actually, it doesn't roll - the axles are too short to hold the wheel stems in place. I used them as locators and glued the stems to the chassis which is fine because I don't want it to roll anyway.  Of coarse, the chassis is fully detailed! ?? Thanks for looking! 

[hedotwo]

Great work!  I'm with those that grew up with these screwbottoms and have found that you can indeed make a respectable build from these, and you're headed there ?

[ModelcarJR]

Thanks, Rich! I appreciate your comment! 

On the way to finishing this one.  I added a couple of spacers or washers to the rear mounting posts to raise the rear a bit. I used the top holes front and back to lower the profile but body was too low in the rear and the tires rubbed. So its on wheels. I will have to add a top radiator hose as there isn't one in the kit but I can't let that go. I also cut down a decal into three pieces from the Revell kit for the rear badge. I think I got it straight! Thanks for looking!

 

[ModelcarJR]

Finished! I added a top radiator hose and a few more decals and its done! I know the decal on the hood should be on the chrome piece but its so irregular and thin that I just mounted it on the hood. Although it is a very basic kit, it builds into a fairly representative 1964 Chevy Impala SS! Thanks for looking! ?

 

Edited September 27, 2021 by ModelcarJR
Copy to Under Glass

[Mike F.]

Turned out Great!

I like what you did for tail lights detail. I never thought to do that for my '62. I may try to now, in-situ.