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Pontiac Grand Prix 1965


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This one came from the bay as 'missing parts'. Well the price was right but it's the Barris version, so it's ugly.

What to do? Search the spares boxes and forget historical authenticity. It's a restomod. Make it up as you go along!

It's taken a while due to life/lack of time and the cold weather getting in the way. But here we are at last...

 

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The George Barris version has a different front end so no Pontiac split grille :sad:

I found a Cadillac grille in the spares box which, with fettling, just about fits.

That meant I had to lengthen the hood (bonnet) the join is almost invisible, but the hood isn't a perfect fit.

 

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In my haste to get it finished and photgraphed this afternoon I forgot that I hadn't put a wash into the grille. Drat!

It doesn't go up into the front of the fenders here which are supposed to surround the original stacked pairs of lights.

So I've put a gob of Elmers glue in to fill the holes and I'm calling them riding lights.

 

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I've seen quite a few real restomods on TV where they strip the chrome and paint the trim body colour.

So aside from the quarterlights (I forget the American term) which the Molotow pen coloured in, it's all blue.

It's a Ford blue BTW. Hycote acrylic rattle can. Nice stuff. And I haven't added clear. This is 'scale shine'.

 

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Rear lights and bumper were missing. So it's a spares box bumper and Thunderbird tail lights.

 

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And that's yer lot. It's not perfect but I enjoyed it and it will join the others that have survived the years.

I bought quite a few car kits back in the '90's when they were very cheap, and built them when I worked in Riyadh.

I had lots of spare time back then, sigh...

The WIP is here

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235115814-amt-65-lowrider-grand-prix/

 

I still need to finish the '70 Impala. We'll see what life and the weather have to say about the speed of that!

Thanks for looking. I hope you found something to like. :laugh: Pete

 

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Oh yes!  A project after my own heart, a restomod of '60s US iron.  Love the wheels, the finish is authentic, not over-glossy as seems to be the current fashion and beautifully executed.  The custom front and rear ends are excellent, especially the T-Bird rearlight cluster, and suit the model well - this is what a spares box is for, innit?  Super job. 

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A good looking end result, especially given you started with only half a kit! It certainly gives me something to aim for when I get around to building mine. I'm surprised at how well you got the various grilles etc. to fit a completely different car to what they were designed for.

 

Is the ugly Barris version the same as the "Grand Slam" kit which the re-released a few years ago? It really bugs me that all the pictures seem to be of that monstrosity and not the real car.

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9 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

@Spiny yes, the Grand slam is the Barris version. Not sure if the proper chrome sprue is in there. Thanks for the kind words, Guys. 

If memory serves me right the Grand Slam has two chrome sprues in the box, with some of the rim types spread across both sprues. It sounds as though there are minimal differences between the two boxings.

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43 minutes ago, Spiny said:

If memory serves me right the Grand Slam has two chrome sprues in the box, with some of the rim types spread across both sprues. It sounds as though there are minimal differences between the two boxings.

 

The Grand Slam has all the stock parts from the original 1965 annual kit, but for some reason Round 2 chose to reuse that horrible '70s box art showing the custom version.  The Barris kits only have the custom parts and best avoided if you have a choice.

Edited by Six97s
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On 15/01/2023 at 14:48, Pete in Lincs said:

I hope you found something to like.

 

Yep. I think I did - all of it! Cracking work getting all those various bits to fit so nicely Pete giving a lovely end result - and I do still love thai colour!

 

Keith

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33 minutes ago, johnlambert said:

And I think Americans refer to quarterlights as vent windows.

Thanks, John. It was in my head somewhere but it's a while since I heard the term.

I'm glad you guys like this build. Many thanks.

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3 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Thanks, John. It was in my head somewhere but it's a while since I heard the term.

I'm glad you guys like this build. Many thanks.

 

Or, in GM-speak, "ventipanes" 🤨

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