Six97s Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Reliving my youth, this will be a quick (maybe) OOB build. A 1990 Prestige series reissue from eBay, still sealed. I'd forgotten this: confusion at AMT over whether they were doing the manual or auto version - why not do both! It has a four speed, but the interior has two pedals and the auto console. Also note the hole in the engine block for the metal axle to pass through. The aforementioned console, moulded with the seats: Decided it won't be 1965 (or 1990) all over again so I've filled the axle hole in the engine and separated the console from the seats. I'm also going to rework the gearbox so it looks something like a TH400 from the bottom... other than that, sticking with the OOB plan. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy J Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Cool stuff I'll be following along 🙂👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Me too! Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Nice, I used to love the old AMT kits , great start, I see you get free traffic cones too!!! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlambert Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Looking forward to watching this coming together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted June 17, 2021 Author Share Posted June 17, 2021 59 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said: Nice, I used to love the old AMT kits , great start, I see you get free traffic cones too!!! Chris Cones, a fifth wheel and some other "road test" equipment. 😬 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy J Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 Err not that I'm impatient.....but have you got another update ready yet 🤔 😉👍 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted June 17, 2021 Author Share Posted June 17, 2021 I'll upload some photos of the box contents tomorrow. Meanwhile, here's a page with some reference photos. https://automotionclassics.com/restoration-projects/1965-pontiac-grand-prix-completed-52015 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codger Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 My brother-in-law had from new a flame red 4 speed, 400 convert with a white top and interior which he found very popular with stewardesses. I loved it especially the aluminum center wheels seen here. Sadly they were only 14" rims on a really big car. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiny Posted June 17, 2021 Share Posted June 17, 2021 I presume this is the same kit as the 'Grand Slam'. Definitely think I'll be watching this one - not only do I expect you to produce a good end result but hopefully I can get some pointers on the way for when I get around to mine 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted June 17, 2021 Author Share Posted June 17, 2021 2 hours ago, Codger said: My brother-in-law had from new a flame red 4 speed, 400 convert with a white top and interior which he found very popular with stewardesses. I loved it especially the aluminum center wheels seen here. Sadly they were only 14" rims on a really big car. I still kick myself for not buying a '67 Firebird 400 HO I went to look at, but there was as much wrong with it as right and we'd just bought a house, so money was tight. Never did get a fun car. 😑 35 minutes ago, Spiny said: I presume this is the same kit as the 'Grand Slam'. It is. This was the original release: https://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/mkiba-build-under-c/amt-instructions/automotive-cars--pi/pontiac/1961-1970/amt-1965-pontiac-gr/ I'll try to make a good job of it, but I'm not going to get bogged down in details on this one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted June 18, 2021 Author Share Posted June 18, 2021 Kit contents. Excuse the poor photos, I only have my phone now. Seats now separated. If you've been searching for a 1/25 reel to reel tape recorder, you're in luck. The Prestige kits came with some car show paraphernalia. Polyglas tyres for the custom version, skinny whitewalls for the stock version and an odd tyre for the fifth wheel. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted June 18, 2021 Author Share Posted June 18, 2021 (edited) Back to the build, I sawed off the bottom of the gearbox and started roughing in the shape of the TH400. Close ups are unforgiving, but it's early days. 😬 The gaps will be filled in with scrap plastic and some filler. It's not going to be perfect but only the bottom will be visible and it's probably not worth expending a great deal of effort anyway, since nearly everything else is moulded into the chassis, I drilled one of the indents too deep, so that needs redoing Now this is going to be too wide to fit the chassis, so I have to rework the floor pan and reroute the exhausts further apart (where they should have been to begin with). Edited June 18, 2021 by Six97s 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted June 18, 2021 Author Share Posted June 18, 2021 Creeping up on it... still rough as the proverbial, but most of it will be hidden anyway. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted June 18, 2021 Share Posted June 18, 2021 Looking at the kit parts laid out has brought back lovely memories of the excitement of opening up one of these kits as a youngster, and seeing all those chrome bits and running black paint in the spaces between the grill slats and rubbing off the ridges to get a lovely grill, thanks for providing that. Great start on your gearbox conversion . Chris 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted June 19, 2021 Author Share Posted June 19, 2021 I threw some primer at it to see how bad it looks... needs some attention, but only the bottom will show in the end. As ever, close ups are brutal. 😖 Also had a look at the seats, to remove the ski slope from the front. Not much of this will show either, but I'll know. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted July 2, 2021 Author Share Posted July 2, 2021 Painted the engine yesterday. I found Revell 50 was a reasonable match, close enough anyway. The trans caught the light here, it's more of a dull aluminium in reality. I haven't fitted a distributor yet... not sure I can be bothered to wire it, but either way the kit distributor is hopeless, so I have to replace it. I'm not sure why the water pump pulley looks like a brown splodge here, but it doesn't look that bad in person. 🤔 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codger Posted July 2, 2021 Share Posted July 2, 2021 Will you change your name to 'Three 2GC's' now ?? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted July 2, 2021 Author Share Posted July 2, 2021 Perhaps 'Mr Rochester'. 🤔 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vesa Jussila Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 Nice project. I built this kit maybe in late 80's. Maybe I need to find some old ATM kits too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted July 29, 2021 Author Share Posted July 29, 2021 I've been distracted by the Mustang group build, but I have done a bit more on this. Update later. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted July 29, 2021 Author Share Posted July 29, 2021 Minor update. I made some armrests to replace the almost flat ones moulded into the interior tub (no photo, not much to see). Also cut out the floor and part of the exhaust to clear the transmission and made the centre part of the crossmember where the trans mounts, which was totally absent. Size comparison with other works in progress - '67 Mustang and '63 260 Cobra. 🙃 I like this colour, any suggestions for a reasonable match without having to mix something? https://barnfinds.com/sweet-survivor-1965-pontiac-grand-prix/ 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fnick Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 It is in the US but might be worth a look. http://www.scalefinishes.com/60Pontiac.html Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiny Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 Nearest I can suggest is Ford Tonic Blue, available from Halfords but don't know a) if that will be close enough, or b) what size the metal flakes will be. Got this one in the stash and your pic shows just how big this thing is - it's the only car I'll build which will make the Jag XJ220 look small I think, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlambert Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 Off topic but I'm intrigued by the 260 Cobra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now