1980 Caprice body and kit

[Heartattaq]

Does anyone know if their is a caprice body resin or otherwise made from the 1980 series? I have looked around but cant find anything

[Casey]

I've seen an Ertl die-cast model of Richard Petty's car, but not sure if anthing has been made in resin as far as NASCAR bodies are concerned.

[Agent G]

Modelhaus has a resin 4dr, great copcar conversion. Expensive but the quality is worth it.

G

[Rob Hall]

Modelhaus has a resin 4dr, great copcar conversion. Expensive but the quality is worth it.

G

The Modelhaus '81-85 Impala 4dr is very nice. I have it and a resin '81-85 Impala 2dr from an unknown caster I got off of eBay, it's a bit rough but workable...

[Heartattaq]

so the 81-85 monte carlo is essentially the same as the 1980 season caprice then?

[dh85ss]

NO, THE MONTE AND CAPRICE IS AS DIFFERENT AS NIGHT AND DAY!

[bbowser]

Caprice was the full-sized Chevy while the Monte was a mid-size, built on the Chevelle platform. I wasn't aware they ever raced Caprices that late, they were boats. I had a '77 2 door, the first of the "down-sized" Chevies !

[ChrisPflug]

The downsized '77 up big cars were actually about the same size on the outside as the 73-77 "mid size"

[bbowser]

And today they seem huge in comparison. Times have changed

[Heartattaq]

the reason im asking is that from info I gathered Rusty Wallace ran his first winston cup race in a caprice for penskie. THis one I believe.

But that just doesnt seem like a caprice front end as the marker lights dont wrap around and the signal light areas (albeit hard to see, look like they are on the lower area of the bumper. I have no knowledge of this era of but to me this looks like a monte carlo, with the side marker light are being hidden by the DueHard contingency sticker

If anyone could offer some insite into what make this is he actually drove and what kits are available to tackle it, this would be a giant jump in the right direction for me thanks

Edited March 3, 2012 by Heartattaq

[Heartattaq]

You can see what I mean about the caprice marker lights wrapping around from the headlight in this pic.

[Heartattaq]

Well I think I answered my own question. from all the research I have been trying to do, I have found enough wesbites to believe he drove a Monte Carlo in 1980.

but the cars he did race in 1980 had differant front ends /cry

Edited March 3, 2012 by Heartattaq

[Danno]

The cars you have depicted are all different years and models. The first one looks like a Bonneville-ish front end (split grille). The second one looks like a later (than '80) Caprice front end. The third one is an earlier ('72 to '77-ish) Monte Carlo.

But, don't forget that NASCAR bodies ... even back then ... take liberties with the actual production styling.

Now having said all that, there was a resin '80 Caprice NASCAR body produced ... by Chimneyville (their Number 1801). It looks very much like a model year between your first two pictures, as it has the parking lights/signals in the bumper and the front fenders extend fully forward without the wrap-around parking/signal/marker lights displayed in the second picture.

= Answer man, Jim!

[MyBradKeselowski]

The car Rusty is driving in this photo is an Impala, if you pay real close attention the area under the headlights is where the parking/turn signal lights would be on a stock Impala, on Rusty's they have been removed and replaced with sheetmetal, as the Impala did not have the wrap around side marker lights.

As in this bottom photo this is a Caprice, Impala's as the above don't have the wrap around side marker lights...

Edited March 6, 2012 by MyJoeyLogano20

[Casey]

As in this bottom photo this is a Caprice, Impala's as the above car is don't have the wrap around side marker lights...

...with the double bend rear window clearly visible.

I think the Modelhaus' 4-door resin conversion is pretty much your best starting point for a 2-door NASCAR body, unless you've seen the Ertl die-cast body up close and personal and can say it's better. I'd have to dig out the Impala special issue of SAE to refesh my memory, but there was mention of just what The Modelhaus' master was based on, and I'm not ready to say it was the Ertl die cast.

[Terry Jessee]

Modelhaus has a resin 4dr, great copcar conversion. Expensive but the quality is worth it.

G

Here's the '81 Impala.

Terry

[nascarfan]

If memory serves me, Rusty's first race in winston cup he finished 2nd, to Dale Earnhardt, Atlanta not sure though. I would love to build that Wallace car, it was 1982 I think.

[shawnh24n43]

Southern Motorsports Hobbies lists an 80 Caprice and an 80 Malibu in the SMH resins line.

[Heartattaq]

If memory serves me, Rusty's first race in winston cup he finished 2nd, to Dale Earnhardt, Atlanta not sure though. I would love to build that Wallace car, it was 1982 I think.

1980 at Atlanta

http://www.mikesdecals.com/product_info.php?products_id=1278

[Steve Rocketwheels Buckner]

...I have the ERTL 2 door caprice Petty kit. It looks good all the way around excpet the roof is a little goofy high in the windshield area. It could use a slanted roof chop to make it look a little more normal, excpet that it is diecast and I aint going there ! It would be a good starting point if you can find one. I may make mine available , later, once I find all the stuff for it !

I think the resin was cast off of it and improved, but its been years since I layed hands on one.

[outragis]

I had one i sold on ebay last month for $75.00, I started the auction at $1.00!

[Casey]

Just saw another one there last night.