ModelcarJR Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 I've built this kit at least a dozen times. I've also built the Revell kits, the AMT Pro Shop kit, and the Monogram kit. I probably have a couple dozen 57 Chevys. I also own a 1:1 57 Chevy Bel Air Sports Coupe so I have a fondness for this car and all the work that went into them to build them (It was a lot of work to rebuild one too!). I saw this on the shelves at HL during 40% off so a $22 kit became about $14 after tax. Couldn't pass it up! It is bare bones, only can be built stock and no extra custom parts, so I thought I would start the year quickly knocking this out. Weather is an issue day to day so I'm hoping I can get it painted before rain Friday and this weekend. I thought about not painting it since the blue plastic looks pretty nice but I've opted to paint it. Tamiya coral Blue, which looks close to Larkspur Blue, with a white top. Same color interior with black seat and door panel inserts. I ran into a problem today with paint. The bottom of the body bubbled up a bit. Maybe too heavy on paint but I did it the same way I always do. Maybe the 65 degree temp had something to do with it. Humidity was OK at about 50%. So I have sanded out the bottom of the body and I'll touch up tomorrow and hope it all turns out OK. All other parts are painted OK. The finish on the frame looks great. Its Brite Touch black primer which I really liked. I say liked because Sherwin Williams has quite producing it and they were getting $9.95 for a 10 oz can ($5 before Biden) which is comparable to Dupli-Color primer at $12 for a 12 oz can. Paint is really getting expensive. Anyway, here are some photos. Thanks for looking! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TransAmMike Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 Didn't know you actually own a "real" '57. I'm also very fond of them as in my hot rodding days a long time ago I had a BelAir 2-dr Hdtp handed down to me by my Dad. He also had another one and a Convertible. I know you will do a killer job!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippi Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 The 57 is looking pretty good. My next project was going to be a 57 Chevy but I opted for a 41 Willy's Street Rod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted January 5 Author Share Posted January 5 Thanks, Mike and Bob! I appreciate your comments! Yesterday was a good painting day! Temp about 65 degrees with 40 percent humidity. So I taped off the interior in the morning and painted the inserts. As usual, there were some bleed-throughs. So I scratched out the black paint with a toothpick and cotton swab so that it wouldn't bleed into the blue paint that I touched up with a brush. So everything looks good in the interior and I will add a light sprits of Dullcote before foil and chrome pen in the interior. I also touched up the body for the bubbles that I sanded out and then added another coat of paint to the entire body and two coats of clear. Looks good, and today as it is raining, I am rubbing out the body and starting the foil. I should have this one knocked out pretty quick, a nice little box stock to start the new year! Thanks for looking! ? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TransAmMike Posted January 5 Share Posted January 5 Looking good John!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA Whitecloud Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Fun to watch your progress John. I built a 1:16 version when I started back into the hobby I thought older eyes need bigger parts. I like how it came out. This was before I was comfortable wet sanding and polishing the body so I settled the clear coat as is. And I too like the '57 Chevy and your color choice. I look forward to your build. Ps. I've been wanting to flip that steering wheel forever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA Whitecloud Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Broken front Chevy emblem was beyond repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 (edited) Thanks, Mike! I appreciate your comments! Finished rubbing out the body and have it foiled. I left a little extra foil around the rear fender insert at the top because as I remember the decal is a bit small so I don't want any blue peeking out. I used a Galaxie marker for the gold on the V and Chevrolet lettering on the trunk and hood which worked out pretty well. Now, I have double-taped off the doghouse because I don't want any bleed-throughs here. I would brush paint it but its hard to cover the light blue which would take two coats and then it would look like a matted mess. Thanks for looking! ? Edited January 6 by ModelcarJR Copy text 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TarheelRick Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Going to be a fine looking 57. The 57 Chevy makes a great stock, street machine, SS/Jr Stock drag car, Gasser, Short track racer, and full custom, not much you can't do with this kit. All that being said I still prefer the '56 (my first car). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Very sharp looking 57 John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TransAmMike Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Continues to look really great John. You mentioned the decal for the rear side trim being small. Did you sand off the details molded on the body between the trim? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 Thanks, Calvin! Your 1/16 scale looks good. You must have posted at the same time I was posting so I didn't see it until now. Thanks, Ricky, Carl, and Mike! I appreciate your comments! Mike, there isn't any detail on the insert panel. No Bel Air script or Chevy emblem. Its on the decal on this kit in black. This is a very basic kit. I've been busy and now have everything painted, I think. The doghouse came out well, with only two little smudges on the right fender and cowl, plus some touch-up to do on the inside edges. I rubbed out the two smudges and touched up both and trimmed the edges with a brush. I also finished the trim in the interior bucket. he chrome piping on the seats may be a little big but its pretty uniform and its as small as I could get and still get it on straight. The buttons on the back seat, door handles and window cranks were done with chrome pen and I'll do the front seat buttons once the seat is glued in and the dash is in. Still have the dash to do. I dechromed the eight chassis and engine pieces and have painted them black (no photo). I wanted to try to use the tires since they fit the wheels and the wheels are built for metal axles and I don't want to re-design the kit and use different wheels and tires and try to figure out how to attach the wheels to the chassis. So I wanted to paint wide whites on the tires but brush painting won't work. So I wracked my brain (very painful) and finally came up with an idea. I used a circle template to cut a whole in an index card. Then I taped the index card to the tire from the back. I sprayed it with Tamiya white primer and it worked. I removed any stray paint with a cotton swab in some lacquer thinner and touched up any white paint with some acrylic. They look pretty good to me! Thanks for looking! ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluestringer Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 Real nice looking 57. Nice work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted January 9 Author Share Posted January 9 Thanks, James! I appreciate your comment! The interior is done, engine is done box stock, chassis is done, interior is in, wheels are on and a test fit of body to the chassis! One complication - I forgot that one side of the tailpiece for the chassis has to be body color! Since its raining I'll give it a shot in the garage. Thanks for looking! ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted January 10 Author Share Posted January 10 This one is done completely box stock. I didn't separate the hood bar from the grill, no exterior mirrors in the kit (at least there was an interior mirror) and a decal for the rear fender aluminum insert. It used to be more silver than black so that has changed over the years. Everything went together pretty well once extra flash was removed. Thanks for looking! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernurd Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 Came out great ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TransAmMike Posted January 10 Share Posted January 10 Great looking '57 John? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted January 11 Author Share Posted January 11 Thanks, LM and Mike! I appreciate your comments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Misha Posted January 12 Share Posted January 12 You’ve done a very sweet build John of this classic Chevy. I saw your earlier posts and thought your exterior colour choice was bang on. Just caught up with your work and compliment you on the interior. Now with final assembly close by I’ll keep following. Cheers Misha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duddly01 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Came out very nice. I actually picked up a copy of this kit from Hobby Lobby this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ModelcarJR Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 Thanks, Misha and Donald! I appreciate your comments! Donald, good luck with your build. Remember it is a very basic kit. It can be improved with some PE and other work but you don't have to do that to make it look good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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