Beatnik Bandit - sixty years in the making

[Phildaupho]

It only took me 60 years to get around to building a model of the Beatnik Bandit. I venture to say there probably were not that many completed back in the day as the kit could be a challenge for a kid to build. There are some fiddley parts and getting the 5-piece decal applied to each fender is not exactly easy.

I did not build my Bandit completely box-stock. I separated the floor pan from the fenders so the later could be molded to the body. A more realistic gauge was installed in the “dash”. The gold Bare-Metal-Foil was applied the circumference of the interior which is not correct but was the best solution I could come up with. I also added the transmission control lever which is not indicated in the instruction. A combination of kit and self-printed decals were used and I wrapped the decals over the perturbance above the headlights similar to the real Bandit. The paint is Tamiya Pearl White.

[PatW]

Absolutely SUPERB!

[happy grumpy]

Really beautiful. It was worth the wait.

[Classicgas]

Wow. 

[Zippi]

Good looking car Phil.  The paint and decals look great.  Quality looking build.  

[cobraman]

Very nice work !

[gseeds]

Looks beautiful, one of the best built beatnik bandit I’ve seen , nice job !!

[Phildaupho]

4 hours ago, PatW said:

Absolutely SUPERB!

 

3 hours ago, happy grumpy said:

Really beautiful. It was worth the wait.

 

2 hours ago, Classicgas said:

Wow. 

 

2 hours ago, Zippi said:

Good looking car Phil.  The paint and decals look great.  Quality looking build.  

 

1 hour ago, cobraman said:

Very nice work !

 

59 minutes ago, gseeds said:

Looks beautiful, one of the best built beatnik bandit I’ve seen , nice job !!

Thanks everyone. It was fun project. Big Daddy Roth was definitely one of a kind and built so many far out vehicles. I found the chassis on the Bandit very interesting being a shortened fifties Oldsmobile with hydraulics steering similar to that used on boats.

[Hard_2_Handle_454]

Saw the real one 12yrs ago. Looks good.

[ChrisR]

Looks great!!

[Dominik]

well done! Great one!

[Phildaupho]

12 hours ago, Hard_2_Handle_454 said:

Saw the real one 12yrs ago. Looks good.

Thanks Eric - That looks like a tribute Bandit I remember seeing in the car mags. Very cool.

3 hours ago, ChrisR said:

Looks great!!

Thanks Chris

2 hours ago, Dominik said:

well done! Great one!

Thanks Dominik

[slusher]

Beautifully done..

[TooOld]

Everything about this kit can be real bear to do but you pulled it off , congrats on a beautiful Beatnik Bandit !

[crazyjim]

Outstanding build.

[Phildaupho]

13 hours ago, slusher said:

Beautifully done..

 

1 hour ago, TooOld said:

Everything about this kit can be real bear to do but you pulled it off , congrats on a beautiful Beatnik Bandit !

 

1 hour ago, crazyjim said:

Outstanding build.

Thanks guys - The first Rod & Custom magazine I bought as I kid was the May 1962 edition which featured an interview with Big Daddy Roth and George Barris who were maybe the two most influential figures in both the 1/1 and model car worlds. Although they and their cars were poles apart, there were interesting similarities with the cars - the pearl white paint and interiors, wild scallops, chrome wheels, shaped fenders  and wide whites and chromed racing style engines.

[lucky 130]

I built both of those kits back in the 60's, I don't remember them looking that good. I could be wrong, but I don't think so. Just about the best I've seen great work. Thanks for sharing.

[Steve H]

9 hours ago, Phildaupho said:

 

 

Thanks guys - The first Rod & Custom magazine I bought as I kid was the May 1962 edition which featured an interview with Big Daddy Roth and George Barris who were maybe the two most influential figures in both the 1/1 and model car worlds. Although they and their cars were poles apart, there were interesting similarities with the cars - the pearl white paint and interiors, wild scallops, chrome wheels, shaped fenders  and wide whites and chromed racing style engines.

Hi Phil! Those two look absolutely perfect side by side. Both beautiful builds sir, as always. 

[Phildaupho]

On 11/11/2021 at 8:36 AM, lucky 130 said:

I built both of those kits back in the 60's, I don't remember them looking that good. I could be wrong, but I don't think so. Just about the best I've seen great work. Thanks for sharing.

 

On 11/11/2021 at 5:12 PM, Steve H said:

Hi Phil! Those two look absolutely perfect side by side. Both beautiful builds sir, as always. 

Thanks guys - Glad you like the combo. I like seeing two or more models pictured together that have something in common.

[Phirewriter]

Excellent job on a very fiddley kit! The Ala Kart looks great too, nice pair. The orange bubble top custom/rod posted above is Fritz Schenck's Roswell Rod, I believe some years ago someone offered a resin kit of it.

[RAMBENNA]

sweet builds, love them both, they look great

[David G.]

Wow! That's the best  built-up example of that kit that I've seen. Maybe the only built-up example.

David G.

[Phildaupho]

20 hours ago, Phirewriter said:

Excellent job on a very fiddley kit! The Ala Kart looks great too, nice pair. The orange bubble top custom/rod posted above is Fritz Schenck's Roswell Rod, I believe some years ago someone offered a resin kit of it.

 

11 hours ago, RAMBENNA said:

sweet builds, love them both, they look great

 

5 hours ago, David G. said:

Wow! That's the best  built-up example of that kit that I've seen. Maybe the only built-up example.

David G.

Thanks Guys - I am really pleased with how the Beatnik Bandit turned out and how well it has been received here. Dave - your observation -  "Each kit I build is really only practice for the next one!"  is so true. I am currently working on another Revell kit originally released in the 1960s which is also fiddly but has details and features not found in today's kits.

[Claude Thibodeau]

Hi Phil! 

This is a difficult kit, and all this time ultimately paid of!  Bravo!

CT 

[Phildaupho]

On 11/14/2021 at 5:57 PM, Claude Thibodeau said:

Hi Phil! 

This is a difficult kit, and all this time ultimately paid of!  Bravo!

CT 

Thanks Claude. It has sure made appreciate modern kits but I was also impressed with what they could back in the day beyond metal axles and screwed on undertrays.