Revell 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster

[johnlambert]

This is a project that I started a year or two back but stalled because I wasn't happy with my original paint choice. I wanted to break away from the box art and also the usual Corvette reds, whites and blues that are seen everywhere.  After a lot of searching I found a green and gold combination that I quite liked and which looked like a reasonable match for Tamiya TS-52 Candy Lime Green and TS-75 Champagne Gold.

 

The TS paints went on very well and I'm delighted with the finish.

 

I tried to spray everything body colour at the same time, with the same number of coats, to try and get the best possible match.  It seems to have worked out OK.

 

The interior parts need careful masking, the remaining grey parts will be satin black.  I'm not sure if that's correct but it felt like a good colour choice to contrast the green and gold.

 

A few other parts, the chassis is just dry fitted to the underside of the floor, but it mates up beautifully.  The floor is still in primer but the colour call-out suggests that it is grey so it might stay in primer.  I've got to spray the other side of the rear wheel arches in body colour.  The body side panels need chrome adding to the strakes.  There is a lot of detail to pick out on the door cards and some large areas of satin black to spray.

 

Compared to the 1:32 car kits I've been working on recently this feels pleasingly chunky and well engineered, I hope I've got enough mojo back to see this through to completion.  The biggest struggle in my mind now is whether to build the carburettor or fuel injection engine?

[Vesa Jussila]

Nice color, not so typical. I built this same kit as a Monogram boxing, when I was teenager. No idea where this is now.

[CrazyCrank]

Hi John

 

I suggest you might have a look at This website

It's written in French and you could see in the text which body / interior / top were used for the 1958 edition:

 

COULEURS :

- gris foncé, blanc, bleu, turquoise, jaune, rouge, noir, argent

- 3422 ont été livrées d'origine en deux teintes (supplement $16) 757 rouge/blanc, 756 bleu/argent, 729 gris foncé/argent, blanc/argent, turquoise/blanc, jaune/blanc, noir/argent et argent/noir

- toutes à capote noire ou blanche au choix (+ beige pour les carrosseries blanches)

- toutes les jantes sont argentés

- les intérieurs sont gris-bleu, gris foncé ou rouge

 

I translate that below:

 

- Body color: Dark grey, Blue, Turquoise, Yellow, Red, Black, Silver

- 3422 of those 1958 roasdters have been delivered in 2 colours body: Red/White, Blue/Silver, Dark Grey/Silver, Turquoise/White, Yellow/White, Black/Silver, and Silver/Black

- All convertible tops were Black or White, at client's choice, and Beige only for White body cars

- All rims were Silver

- All interiors (upholstery etc) were Grey/Blue, Dark Grey, or Red

 

So, and I'm sorry to say this, (I think you'll understand that I just want to be constructive) : although your choice of color is nice to look at, it unfortunately doesn't correspond to reality. 🙄

 

That said, excellent painting job 👏

 

CC

 

 

[johnlambert]

Thanks @CrazyCrank it's good to have you back.  The colour was inspired by this car I didn't realise it wasn't an original '58 car although I knew it had been repainted.  

 

I will change the interior colour in light of the information you kindly provided.

[Trevor L]

Love the colour.

I'll follow this if it's ok, as I'm planning to start this kit soon and it will be my first attempt at a car.

Hopefully I'll be able pick up some tips.

[johnlambert]

Thanks @Trevor L as far as I can tell this is a nice kit so it's probably a good choice for a first car kit.  

[Six97s]

I have this one, but haven't got around to it yet.  The underside of the body wasn't painted at the factory, so the correct colour would be pale yellow - tan (bare fibreglass), but if you're not building it factory stock, anything goes. 

 

Here's a restored one for reference:

 

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.corvetteforum.com-vbulletin/800x600/4ee8_3_b88317efba386e78728db6540bb7262be57b8f97.jpg

 

 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2022 by Six97s

[johnlambert]

Thanks @Six97s that's a really useful photo, which I've bookmarked.

 

Not much to see, but it represents progress.  The back axle was glued together using the chassis as a jig.  Various parts have been de-chromed, nearly all the fuel injection parts are on the chrome sprue, the intake bits are quite fiddly so pay attention to the instructions and way that the parts go together.  The steering wheel has been de-chromed and the holes in the spokes were opened up.  I've also assembled the radiator and fan shroud.

 

The next stages are priming and painting.

[johnlambert]

I've been laid low with a cold for most of this week, but it hasn't completely halted progress.

 

The convertible top has been painted with a mix of gloss and matt white to give a sort of satin effect.  The hood and windscreen are just placed for the effect.

 

Decals have been added and the side panels glued in place.  The next step is to take some brave pills and clear-coat the body.

 

Talking of decals, there are lots to apply to the engine.

 

According to the instructions the 290 decal goes with the carburettor engine, but my research suggested that the fuel injected engine was available in 250 and 290 horsepower versions and I've found photos of real engines with "290" on the rocker cover.

 

It's nice to see a dynamo (I assume that's what it is) that doesn't just float on the drive belt, but it is a bit of a pig to get everything lined up.  I don't know if I made a mistake but the hole for the crankshaft pulley didn't line up with the spacing of the pulleys on the belt.  I haven't tried fixing this as I don' think it will show on the finished model.

 

The chassis has also been assembled.  I think there is an error in the instructions and the part numbers for the exhaust tail pipes are transposed, but it is obvious how the parts are supposed to fit.  It's a bit of a faff to fit the exhausts and springs, plus the rear dampers don't reach the chassis.  The radiator hoses are difficult to install, particularly the lower hose; good tweezers, good lighting and careful glue application are required.

[galaxyg]

Looks cool so far. Tamiya Candy Lime Green is a great colour.

[Trevor L]

Some good progress considering you've been unwell.

[Bengalensis]

Those colours are working very well together. Good work!

[TonyW]

That's a really good looking color combo. It adds a lot to the over the top styling of the car, without looking too custom. Very nice work.

 

The Corvette, in all it's different incarnations, has probably got to be one of the most modified cars ever. It wasn't unusual for a dealership to tailor make you a car right off the showroom floor. Likewise, a set of custom wheels and a paintjob were so common on the street they hardly raised an eyebrow at the time. 

[Fnick]

That car just pops! Lovely work on the engine too.

 

Not bad progress at all with a cold.

 

Nick

[johnlambert]

Well, I went to spray some clear; having carefully dusted, hoovered and damped everything down.  But disaster was waiting to strike and somehow I managed to drop the body.

 

This is the worst part.

 

There is also plenty of dust/fluff from the dust sheet.  I hope it will polish off without needing to respray the body.

 

On a more positive note, the underside of the body is glued to the chassis.  This was painted with Tamiya Deck Tan and given a coat of satin laquer to provide a bit of a sheen.

 

The floor and inner wings are just dry fitted but I'll probably glue them down.  It's very tight getting the inner wings past the engine so I think it's better to put it on now and add the rest of the interior later.  The instructions would have you assemble the interior and drop the whole thing onto the chassis.

 

Dashboard is coming together.  There is a decal to cover the big hole in the centre console but I feel like it would be better to plug the hole first.  I also think that the grey around the passenger side of the dashboard needs to come a bit lower.

 

Door cards, these are definitely quite fiddly to mask and paint.

 

I'll give the clear coat on the body a couple of days to cure before I attempt a rescue.  I hope it can be saved without a full respray.

[JeroenS]

Clumsy hands and gravity, always a tricky combination!

 

Very frustrating indeed... I can't say it hasn't happened to me, but it looks recoverable. And if not, in a couple of days you'll feel better about having to respray. 

[Vesa Jussila]

Dust is always a problem. It finds a way always.

[johnlambert]

I've not forgotten about this kit, in fact it's done now although it nearly got thrown across the room as it put up a bit of a fight at the end.

 

Getting the body and chassis united required a bit of gentle persuasion.

 

Getting the shiny bits in place.

 

The front quarter bumpers had these nasty mould parting lines.

 

The only solution was to strip the chrome and sand them down.

 

Chrome parts are a mix of what the kit supplied, BMF and Molotow chrome pen.  The door handles were a bit of a nightmare as there are no marks or location points on the body, so you just have to go by eye.

 

I will say this for Revell, you get lots of choice in the number plate decals, I decided on some classic British plates.  Fancy photos have been taken and will be uploaded soon.

[Marco F.]

And now it's a lovely looking Corvette,  Congratulations. 

And I don't know why, but for my opion your choices  of cars  have always these special "Gentleman " touch. I like it

Marco F