67 Nickey Camaro conversion to 68

[Moparman18064]

I am in the process of converting the Revell 67 Nickey Camaro to a 68 RS/SS 396 L89 to replicate the Camaro my father special ordered in late 67. I purchased the Nickey, the Revell 67 Camaro SS so I could have proper hood, exhaust, manifolds, the fake intake screens from 69 SS kit for the hood, and after several hours of massaging the door panels in the Nickey kit to match the 68 deluxe interior, purchased the Monogram 69 Pace Car for the door panels and other odds and ends. 
The Pace Car door panels needed to be modified at the kick panels and rear side panels by cutting them from the Nickey kit, changing the pattern and getting rid of power window switches. I then attached them to the 69 door panels. The seats I am using are from the Nickey kit, as they were the closest to the 68 deluxe. I sanded off the old patterning, measured out new pattern lines and ground them into the seats( It worked out to .070” each space to match pattern). I still have a little more finessing, but just about there. I have drilled spots on both sides of dash for Astro vents that I will put in.

As for the body, I made .010x.020 strips to complete top of door trim, eliminating vent windows. The tail panel is terrible for taillight placement, as the openings are slanted high toward quarter panel and low toward gas cap. I filed opposite ends and filled where space was to correct as much as possible. Much more filing would have gone into trunk lid line. I am ordering a photo etch kit for 68/9 Nova to get marker light bezels. I also ordered a set of Keith Marks Sport Stripe decals in white. Hopefully they work, as they were designed for the AMT kit. I painted body in 68 Chevy Matador Red Lacquer from MCW.

I assembled and wired the engine, only to find out ignition wires were too tall for hood placement, so I am getting a distributor that will work. That is the progress to this moment

 

 

[deuces wild]

??

[Moparman18064]

Some more progress, sanded off lower chrome trim from ‘67 to match ‘68 RS chrome and painted in semi gloss black.

[Moparman18064]

More: drilled out dash ends, made vents from styrene tube, thinned out and made vent blades from flash pieces cut down. 
I ground down ‘67 seat patterns, made ‘68 seat patterns, flocked floor and painted over flocking with flat black. My hands are not as steady as they used to be, the seats will have to do, as I don’t plan on competing with it. I just picked this up again after a 30 year hiatus. I still have to order the PE sets for the car for the steering wheel, emblems, marker lights. Next step, working on making A.I.R. Injection lines for engine. I am literally making this as the second day my father owned car with only Torq Thrusts and traction bars added at that time. After warranty expired, he put in L88 cam, headers, exhaust, made his own 442 style ram air.

[kelson]

Coming along nicely so far.?

[Bainford]

Looking good. Interesting conversion project.

[slusher]

Nice interior work and beautiful paint!

[Zippi]

Coming along nicely on this build.  That Chevy Matador Red Lacquer looks killer on the body.     

[Moparman18064]

Thanks all. I am working on engine details now. The belt/ alternator/ air pump are completely on opposite side from real car. I’ve been looking through all my kits/ parts for something that is close to no avail. It looks like another fab work session. I am currently fabbing up AIR tubes to the manifolds now.

[Moparman18064]

Trial fit before final clear coats, Keith Marks decals for AMT kit installed. There is a very slight difference on nose/ fender stripe, but I can live with it.

[Moparman18064]

Finally got clear laid down, pretty nice shine for lacquer with no sanding/ polish yet. Now I am on to the engine again. The belt layout in the kit is totally wrong. I am adapting the belts, etc. from the LT1 vette, as they have proper position. I am also working on the smog tubes and dipstick. I will post when they are done.

[Musclecarbuilder]

What type of clear do you use? 

[Moparman18064]

That is Mr. Hobby GX 112 UV Cut

[Moparman18064]

I was not at all happy with the seats. I ground everything down and reconfigured with half round. After a bunch of shaping, filing, sanding, they are now passable. I now have an interior.

[Moparman18064]

Much more progress, on engine, I fabricated smog hoses, diverter, manifold tubes. I used belt/ pulley setup from LT1 Vette kit, as the Nickey setup is totally wrong for this application for L89 w/o power steering. 
 

On chassis, I revised the shocks to a staggered setup like 68. For the exhaust, I used the setup from Revell 67 Camaro SS. The resonators and muffler are BMF matte aluminum, the pipes are Model Master steel.

I tinted ANSI area of windshield with Tamiya smoke. Body is now mounted

 

[Moparman18064]

I modified tail lights to match 68 RS by doubling up .010 X .020” strip pieces to make the dividers. Lights were then painted semi gloss black/ Molotow. 
 

I mounted front and rear valences, bumpers, grille

[Moparman18064]

All parts now on except for marker lights from the Model Car Garage 68-72 Nova photo etch

[deuces wild]

Beautiful!!!!!......??

[Moparman18064]

25 minutes ago, deuces wild said:

Beautiful!!!!!......??

Thank you very much

[Moparman18064]

Added photo etch marker lights from Model Car Garage 68-72 Nova kit to properly complete conversion to a 1968 car. Now under glass.

[slusher]

Beautiful Camaro!

[Moparman18064]

5 hours ago, slusher said:

Beautiful Camaro!

Thank you, Carl.

[ewetwo]

Outstanding. Looks great.

[Moparman18064]

1 hour ago, Nicholas said:

great job! do you know  where the car ended up? it would be nice if it was still around

 

30 minutes ago, ewetwo said:

Outstanding. Looks great.

Thank you.

[Scott8950]

Beautiful camaro. The first gen camaros are by far the best looking camaros ever! Nice job on your build.