'66 Beechey Nova

AMT's '66 Nova hardtop. This will represent Norm Beechey's Nova he raced in the Australian Touring Car Championship for the 1966-7-8 seasons.

It represents the car in the later part of it's Beechey years, in light blue, with mag wheels.
I replaced the hopelessly proportioned rear axle, narrowed a bench seat, while the rest is the parts bin.

I have photos of it with and without a roll cage, so I took the easy way out.

Had a scare about an hour after I painted it. It was in the drying in the sun when the Butcher bird chick came by for a feed and decided to land on it.

No damage, the paint had cured just enough.

The side-draught carb set up is impressive.

Ron234 wrote:The side-draught carb set up is impressive.

Thanks Ron. If I didn't have 'em in the parts bin, I would'nt have bothered.

For those who are interested, some history of the 1:1 here:https://www.shannons.com.au/club/news/racing-garage/norm-beecheys-1966-chevy-ii-nova/

....an interesting read - and I like that David Bowden (who now owns the car) has the philosophy that ‘life with cars keeps you happy’

Ron234 wrote:....an interesting read - and I like that David Bowden (who now owns the car) has the philosophy that ‘life with cars keeps you happy’

Ron, it's a great article- and site. I got some great reference photos from it.

Great stuff, don't know how I missed it.

Nice paint and the carbs are fantastic, are they resin?

Shay, leftovers from a Revell Corvette kit.

Nice job all round Chris.

Guess the carbs would probably be 45 Webbers/Dellortos?

Skid wrote:Nice job all round Chris.

Guess the carbs would probably be 45 Webbers/Dellortos?

Webers Al.

From the Revell repop of the Accurate Miniatures Corvette Grand Sport which as Al will tell you is not an easy build?

dublin boy wrote:From the Revell repop of the Accurate Miniatures Corvette Grand Sport which as Al will tell you is not an easy build?

Don't think so, as I've built that one, and used the Webers on on it. I think it must be from a common sprue between the Corvette GS and another Revell kit.

Still grubbing around with the roll cage. From the way Beechey was leaning when cornering, l've assumed he only had a lap belt, so I' ve gone that way.  Body is mostly foiled, fitting the glazing today.[url=https://servimg.com/view/18151281/1478]

Why on earth would they keep the back seat in situ Chris?

I had to google Butcher birds, looks a bit like a Magpie that we have over here.

Under the rules of the era, full interior had to be retained, though you could remove the floor coverings.

At least you could bring the kids for an ice cream afterwards! lol

dublin boy wrote:At least you could bring the kids for an ice cream afterwards! lol

On it's wheels. Decals next. I did do a roll cage, only took two attempts.

[url=https://servimg.com/view/18151281/1480]

Very nice.

Looks great.

This one is back on the shelf of doom. I'll look at it in 2024*

* conditions apply. By 2024, I mean sometime between 2024 and my demise.

I'm giving you a virtual kick in the arse Chris! you need to finish that one, it looks gorgeous.