1994 Ford Mustang GT Convertible 1/25 Monogram (GT coupe/Cobra vert kitbash)

[polybius]

This project started nearly two years ago, but it has roots dating back to 1995.  That year I'd bought a slightly used year-old '94 GT coupe 5sp, and not long after another guy in town showed up with a nearly identical one only his was a convertible.  We had some fun stoplight showdowns, but I quickly tired of white-knuckled driving every time it rained.  There's a reason traction control was invented.  About two years ago when this build project started, I'd just learned that the guy who had the convertible all those years earlier had recently passed away.  It was enough motivation to get the build(s) started.  The plan was to build them both simultaneously, but the 'vert took the checkered flag in fitting tribute.

I wasn't a fan of AMT's '94-97 Mustang kits.  The other consideration was how to come up with a GT with a convertible body.  AMT and Monogram offered the GT in coupe bodies only, and Monogram/Revell only offered the convertible in SVT Cobra trim.  For a correct GT bodied convertible, I settled on swapping the front and rear clips from the Monogram GT coupe to the Monogram Cobra Pace Car body.  The Cobra scripts were also removed, and I made some molds of the GT fender scripts from the GT coupe donor body.  The GT coupe donor also provided the correct GT convertible drivetrain and the correct 5.0L HO engine.  The GT coupe wheels were correct for the convertible as well.  Both AMT and Monogram/Revell offered only the 17" tri-spoke optional wheels, and despite box art on the AMT kits showing the standard 16" 5-spoke pony wheels, they were never in the actual kits.  

After slicing and dicing the GT front/rear along with the same procedure on the Cobra 'vert body, the swap went smoothly and everything lined up nicely.  The trunk decklid was a bit tricky since the 'vert has an extra trim piece where the base of the rear window is on the coupe.  This wasn't an issue for the 'vert versions, but if you'd want to make a Cobra coupe using the GT coupe body, the rear clip from the Cobra 'vert might need some fiddling to match up with the coupe's rear window.  After the body was primed with some black Stynylrez, the color coats of DupliColor lacquer were applied.  I typically wait weeks or months between primer, color, and clear coats.  In this case, almost a year passed after the body was clear coated before final assembly started. 

Then, the catastrophe happened.  With the body and trim finished, windshield installed, and ready for the interior and chassis to be mated, a small speaker fell off a shelf and directly onto the body as it sat on the bench.  The windshield and frame flew in different directions and upon realizing what had just occurred I fully experienced the five stages of grief.  

So, here we are.  I picked up the pieces and put them in the box with the rest of the build, and didn't look at it for six months.  A few days ago I decided it needed to either be repaired and built, or it had to be scrapped.  Rebuilding it would have required stripping it down and starting again.  The more I examined the broken and snapped parts, the more it became apparent that they'd broken apart quite cleanly.  With some fiddling and careful gluing and structural reinforcement, the windshield frame and windshield were reattached and it was 'good enough' to be worthwhile finishing it.  The saving grace, perhaps, was that the paint and clear coats were fully cured when the crash happened, and none of it chipped off.  In the next few months I'll finish up the GT coupe version that matches the one I owned.  In the meantime, I'm glad this 'vert is finally off the bench and on the display shelf.  

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by polybius

[Spottedlaurel]

Great work on the slicing and dicing, would never know from looking at the completed photos. And well done for persevering after the speaker incident!

[michelle]

nice work 

[Erock]

19 hours ago, polybius said:

This project started nearly two years ago, but it has roots dating back to 1995.  That year I'd bought a slightly used year-old '94 GT coupe 5sp, and not long after another guy in town showed up with a nearly identical one only his was a convertible.  We had some fun stoplight showdowns, but I quickly tired of white-knuckled driving every time it rained.  There's a reason traction control was invented.  About two years ago when this build project started, I'd just learned that the guy who had the convertible all those years earlier had recently passed away.  It was enough motivation to get the build(s) started.  The plan was to build them both simultaneously, but the 'vert took the checkered flag in fitting tribute.

I wasn't a fan of AMT's '94-97 Mustang kits.  The other consideration was how to come up with a GT with a convertible body.  AMT and Monogram offered the GT in coupe bodies only, and Monogram/Revell only offered the convertible in SVT Cobra trim.  For a correct GT bodied convertible, I settled on swapping the front and rear clips from the Monogram GT coupe to the Monogram Cobra Pace Car body.  The Cobra scripts were also removed, and I made some molds of the GT fender scripts from the GT coupe donor body.  The GT coupe donor also provided the correct GT convertible drivetrain and the correct 5.0L HO engine.  The GT coupe wheels were correct for the convertible as well.  Both AMT and Monogram/Revell offered only the 17" tri-spoke optional wheels, and despite box art on the AMT kits showing the standard 16" 5-spoke pony wheels, they were never in the actual kits.  

After slicing and dicing the GT front/rear along with the same procedure on the Cobra 'vert body, the swap went smoothly and everything lined up nicely.  The trunk decklid was a bit tricky since the 'vert has an extra trim piece where the base of the rear window is on the coupe.  This wasn't an issue for the 'vert versions, but if you'd want to make a Cobra coupe using the GT coupe body, the rear clip from the Cobra 'vert might need some fiddling to match up with the coupe's rear window.  After the body was primed with some black Stynylrez, the color coats of DupliColor lacquer were applied.  I typically wait weeks or months between primer, color, and clear coats.  In this case, almost a year passed after the body was clear coated before final assembly started. 

Then, the catastrophe happened.  With the body and trim finished, windshield installed, and ready for the interior and chassis to be mated, a small speaker fell off a shelf and directly onto the body as it sat on the bench.  The windshield and frame flew in different directions and upon realizing what had just occurred I fully experienced the five stages of grief.  

So, here we are.  I picked up the pieces and put them in the box with the rest of the build, and didn't look at it for six months.  A few days ago I decided it needed to either be repaired and built, or it had to be scrapped.  Rebuilding it would have required stripping it down and starting again.  The more I examined the broken and snapped parts, the more it became apparent that they'd broken apart quite cleanly.  With some fiddling and careful gluing and structural reinforcement, the windshield frame and windshield were reattached and it was 'good enough' to be worthwhile finishing it.  The saving grace, perhaps, was that the paint and clear coats were fully cured when the crash happened, and none of it chipped off.  In the next few months I'll finish up the GT coupe version that matches the one I owned.  In the meantime, I'm glad this 'vert is finally off the bench and on the display shelf.  

 

I feel like the top and boot need to be black like the rest of the interior. Otherwise it looks great

[vamach1]

Great job on seeing the project through after the setback from the falling speaker.  Look forward t seeing the Coupe join the convertible.

[Dennis Lacy]

Excellent conversion and very cleanly built! Next to white and black I think Lazer Red was the other most popular GT color in ‘94/95. 

Now make a Cobra coupe!

[av405]

Great save, beautiful finish!

 

[Bill Mc]

very nice!  Takes me back to when these were new on the street.

[ChrisR]

Looks great!

[kelson]

Excellent work on the conversions!,i have the same plan one day to do the same thing.

[KWT]

Very nicely done

[polybius]

Thanks everyone!  I appreciate all the great comments and feedback!

It was enough motivation to spend the last few days buttoning up its GT coupe counterpart.  

I have some ideas in mind for a Cobra coupe project and maybe a Saleen as well.  The Pennsylvania State Police confiscated a red '94 Cobra coupe back in the later 90s and decorated it with some decals and lightbar to use for community events and such.  A friend who was a trooper at the time had it for a few days, and I might or might not have gone for a ride around the block.  The Saleen coupe conversion will be a bit trickier because of the side skirts and different wing options, but it's certainly doable. 

In the meantime these two will be happy hanging out together on the shelf.  Thanks again!

 

[slusher]

Great looking Mustang!