mustang1989 Posted July 23, 2021 Share Posted July 23, 2021 39 minutes ago, Six97s said: Need a break from filling and sanding, so on to the '67. Mostly OOB, but I'm dropping in a big block, donated by an AMT '67 Mercury Cyclone. I toyed with making it a GTA, but that would mean reworking the console and making/modifying the stripes, so to keep it simple, I used the toploader four speed. Here's the new engine with the small block from the kit. The kit engine seems to patterned off a 1964/65 small black - it has the fuel filter on the bottom of fuel pump and a T10 four speed instead of a top loader, neither of which is correct for 1967. 🤔 That still doesn't explain why they omitted the oil filter... I don't get that either. Somebody needs to be smacked for that one!!! For some it's not that big of a deal but it's an obvious detail that doesn't need to be missing IMO. I mean.....I'll work around it by making up for details elsewhere on the engine but what tha heck?? Ya know?!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted July 23, 2021 Author Share Posted July 23, 2021 I'm building a Cobra for the Less Than a Tenner GB. The engine in that one has a small conical protuberance for an oil filter, so I replaced it with some sprue. That was the least of the problems with that engine - at least this one is the right size. Moving on, I'm not using the kit's rear axle, because it's too small and seems to be an approximation of an 8". I'm using the 9" from the Revell Boss 302 - only downside is it's an open one-piece moulding... I might fill the open space before I fit it. Test fit after removing the engine mounts, which were in the wrong positions anyway. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted July 24, 2021 Author Share Posted July 24, 2021 (edited) The Comet exhaust manifolds are should be the same as used on the Mustang, but for some reason the outlets were pointing in the wrong directions... The Comet kit also has nice 'Power by Ford' valve covers. Might treat those to Molotow chrome. I gave them a tweak, but forgot the 'after' photo. Mocked up, the small block exhaust isn't far off, so only small extensions required. It's a tight fit. Edited July 25, 2021 by Six97s 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted July 26, 2021 Author Share Posted July 26, 2021 (edited) Back to the '69. I took the Boss 429 from an old Johan Torino and stripped it. The toploader came from the spare 428 engine in the Boss 302 kit. The single plane intake will be replaced with a dual plane manifold, which I'll have to make. The Boss 302 hood is longer than the old Mach 1 part, but it's the same length as the one in the old AMT annual, so it's the one I'll use. I marked out the underside for the hole (20mm diameter), using the Monogram Boss 429 for reference. More work needed, because the engine sits too far forward. I already removed the over-thick cover plate from the bellhousing and thinned the mounting face of the gearbox, but it's still a couple of mm out. Looking at reference photos of the real thing, the bellhousing mounting face is almost flush with the left cylinder bank, so removing this extraneous material should get it closer. I'll know better when I've made the new intake and have the carb position sorted. I also removed the fuel tank and trimmed the rear of the chassis, so it all fits together now. The bodywork is far from done. I still have to finish the wheelarches and replace the flare on the front. Edited July 26, 2021 by Six97s 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 (edited) Made a start on the intake last night. Roughed in - needs some bolt detail and blending in to look less like an assemblage of parts... Close enough, I can fudge it from here. Edited July 27, 2021 by Six97s Temperamental space bar 😠 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang1989 Posted July 27, 2021 Share Posted July 27, 2021 (edited) Lookin' good so far Six! Those old Jo-Han 429's / 427 SOHC engines really were all that. There's a company that's cast the Jo-Han Super Stocker 429 in resin. Lemme see...... Yeah....these guys. Edited July 27, 2021 by mustang1989 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 Thanks. Yeah, he's offered a lot of stuff I would have bought over the years, but no website, no Paypal... no sale. I get that he has more than enough business and he's happy working that way, so good for him, but I'm not jumping through hoops to place an order. I have a Johan Maverick and a Mustang FC, so if I need any more I can always cast some copies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang1989 Posted July 28, 2021 Share Posted July 28, 2021 20 hours ago, Six97s said: Thanks. Yeah, he's offered a lot of stuff I would have bought over the years, but no website, no Paypal... no sale. I get that he has more than enough business and he's happy working that way, so good for him, but I'm not jumping through hoops to place an order. I have a Johan Maverick and a Mustang FC, so if I need any more I can always cast some copies. I got lucky and got this one off of ebay. Yeah ....I hear ya. No paypal....NO SALE!! Those Jo-Han Mavericks are going for a puuuuuurdeee penny these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 3, 2021 Author Share Posted August 3, 2021 Some painting done on the '67. PSA: do not by Simoniz acrylic primer - it adheres about as well as that Stynylrez rubbish. 🤬 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 4, 2021 Author Share Posted August 4, 2021 (edited) More progress. I really should have made some solid engine mounts and finished the exhaust hookups first. Rear shocks yet to be fitted. I used Molotow chrome on the 390 valve covers. Edited August 4, 2021 by Six97s 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted August 4, 2021 Share Posted August 4, 2021 The gear linkage on that 390 looks really good. That blue looks spot on. What is it? Not really model related, but there's a '390 connection... I had a 390 FE in a '63 Galaxie 500XL. Blew it to bits chasing a Hot Rod Model T after a party. It got swapped for a Lincoln 460 motor and fuel bills took on a whole new meaning. Happy days... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 4, 2021 Author Share Posted August 4, 2021 Thanks. The linkage came with it, so I can't take any credit, but it does look better than the moulded-in Revell box on the other one. The blue is Humbrol 14 🙃 I think it's a bit dark, but it was expedient. I wouldn't mind a '63 Galaxie... a friend in the US has one, blue on blue. My uncle had a '72 pickup with a 390 - that blew up too and got replaced with a 428. 😬 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 5, 2021 Author Share Posted August 5, 2021 (edited) More fiddling with this thing... I've ordered some 5/16" brass tube, which will serve as the headlight rings. OD is a little small but the ID is about spot on to accommodate a 7" headlamp. I'm still using a rough disc as a dummy for mocking up, but if I fix the brass tubing in place I'll have a solid reference to finish the fender mods. Something else I learned today: the '65, '66 and '68 Shelby Mustangs had 7" headlamps. The '67 Shelby had 5 3/4" headlamps like the '69 Mustang. I think the AMT '67 Mustang GT shares its clear sprue with the Shelby. If so, one of them is wrong... Edited August 5, 2021 by Six97s 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang1989 Posted August 6, 2021 Share Posted August 6, 2021 (edited) On 8/4/2021 at 2:02 PM, TonyW said: The gear linkage on that 390 looks really good. That blue looks spot on. What is it? Not really model related, but there's a '390 connection... I had a 390 FE in a '63 Galaxie 500XL. Blew it to bits chasing a Hot Rod Model T after a party. It got swapped for a Lincoln 460 motor and fuel bills took on a whole new meaning. Happy days... I'll bet the competition took on whole new beating with that 460 though. Those things are brutes when they're built right. I almost.....I mean came damn near putting one of those in my 89 Fox body and it's entirely doable too. With some 1" K-frame to body spacers that 460 will fit right under a stock hood. No one would ever know. Guaranteed to ruin somebody else's party. Edited August 6, 2021 by mustang1989 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 11, 2021 Author Share Posted August 11, 2021 This probably looks like it's getting worse, but I think it's coming together. I marked some guidelines for rescribing the front end of the fenders. The peak on top was also filed down so it doesn't extend as far forward. The new AMT '67 was used as the reference for all this. After some reshaping of the hood, I realised the only way to fix it is to replace the front completely. It has to curve down to match the fenders and then blend into the grille surround, which wasn't possible without cutting it up. Also, the scoop openings were the wrong shape and too shallow, and the leading edge of the hood didn't extend into them, so I can correct all that too. 🤨 ] 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 11, 2021 Author Share Posted August 11, 2021 I'm going to throw in another one. I gave in and ordered a '66 GT350H from Amazon, but I'll be building it as a '65 GT350. I salvaged most of the '65-specific parts from the one I built in the '80s, so the only things I'm missing are the louvre inserts for the quarter windows, the Monte Carlo bar and the traction bars. I think (hope) the louvres are still in the '66 kit? I can make the other parts if need be. I didn't strip the spare wheel cover, because I think that looks OK as it is. I'm not sure what happened with the side exit exhausts, but I can restore those easily enough. I'll delete the radio this time - must have missed that. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiny Posted August 11, 2021 Share Posted August 11, 2021 3 hours ago, Six97s said: I'm going to throw in another one. I gave in and ordered a '66 GT350H from Amazon, but I'll be building it as a '65 GT350. I salvaged most of the '65-specific parts from the one I built in the '80s, so the only things I'm missing are the louvre inserts for the quarter windows, the Monte Carlo bar and the traction bars. I think (hope) the louvres are still in the '66 kit? I can make the other parts if need be. They are. Very involved work going on here - I definitely wouldn't have the skills or inclination to go to all that effort but it's starting to shape up well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 12, 2021 Author Share Posted August 12, 2021 I replaced the front part of the hood, so now the scoops have some depth instead of appearing as narrow slits. I'll clean it up and spray some primer on it later, but I want to get the grille surround and bumper mounting roughed in first. The bumper will end up spaced out a bit from the grille. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted August 12, 2021 Share Posted August 12, 2021 That's a serious amount of modification going on there. Out of the carnage, a Mustang emerges though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 12, 2021 Author Share Posted August 12, 2021 (edited) Carnage is the word. I start out trying to do clean work, but invariably end up hacking and relying on filler. The '66 kit turned up this afternoon. The Plymouth GTX was in a box and arrived intact, but the Mustang was only in a poly bag, with no protection at all. The box was crushed and I feared the worst... The body had taken a hit and the rear window surround was creased. If it wasn't for this rubbery Chinese plastic, it probably would have cracked. The whole roof was a bit lopsided too and another time I'd have returned it, but I decided to try and save it. Now, I don't remember this huge gap in the front end. I suspect that's a result of the tooling mods for the GT350R version, but whatever, that needs filling. I don't remember the fit of the front and rear valances being so poor either... maybe the moulds are showing their age. This was going to be a quick OOB build, but the front end seems a bit blocky... the lower fenders and valance need some rounding off. 🤔 On the upside, the louvres, Monte Carlo bar and the traction bars are all there, so the only problem remaining is the decals. Edited August 12, 2021 by Six97s 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 13, 2021 Author Share Posted August 13, 2021 I made the mistake of looking for reference photos - https://classiccars.com/listings/view/685543/1965-shelby-gt350-for-sale-in-scotts-valley-california-95066 The first thing that struck me was the front overhang drops down too far and too straight... it ought to finish roughly in line with the bottom of the door and curve under to match the valance. I've already filed some of that away here, but it needs more work. It still looked off, so I dug out my 1965 AMT promo body. Compared with that, the Revellogram one looks like it's been punched in the face. The valance is still too thick and too square, the lower grille surround is too thick and blunted, and the eyebrows over the headlights don't flow into the hood as they should. I really don't want to get into another massive reconstruction job, but I will see if I can relieve some of the clunkiness. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted August 14, 2021 Share Posted August 14, 2021 Mind-blowing stuff, but great to watch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 14, 2021 Author Share Posted August 14, 2021 11 hours ago, CliffB said: Mind-blowing stuff, but great to watch You see why I have difficulty finishing things. I've spent the last hour on the front end of the '65, attempting to reshape and redefine the grille surround. It's too thick and too flat, compounded by the grille insert's trim being about 4x too thick. The ancient AMT body looks miles better; the only major flaw on that is the top of the A pillar isn't curved where it transistions into the roofline, it's a sharp angle. Still, it would probably have been easier to rebuild that as a Shelby instead... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six97s Posted August 16, 2021 Author Share Posted August 16, 2021 (edited) More on the '65. The original Monogram issue had tiny Michelin TRX tyres, which are all kinds of wrong. This one comes with generic Polyglas/Wide Oval low profile tyres, which are an improvement, but still wrong. The '65 Shelby had 7.75-15 tyres with an 80% aspect ratio, so I took a set of tyres from a Chevy pickup kit. The tread is narrower, the sidewalls are taller and they fill the wheelarches better. Kit tyres on the left, pickup tyres on the right. I came to the conclusion that the only way I could fix the front end was to cut off all of the valance so I could get at the grille and headlamp surrounds. The sculpted edges on the hood need to come in a bit to meet the corners of the grille, the front lip should be vee shaped in plan, and slightly upbowed from the front. Still needs work, but less than the '68. I lowered the front about 1" in scale to mimic the "Shelby drop". Also dearched the rear springs a bit. Edited August 16, 2021 by Six97s 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustang1989 Posted August 25, 2021 Share Posted August 25, 2021 Lotsa surgery going on with these builds man. Progress on all is looking good. Love the drop on that 65. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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