1972 Chevelle SS

OK here's the deal. I am going to take part in a 24 Hour build at The Mad Modeler forum. I was going to try it last year but had to pull out at the last minute. So I am going to try it again. I don't know if I can build a decent model in 24 hours and don't know if I can stay up for 24 hours. This should answer both those questions.

I will try to post here once every hour or two so that everyone can see how it is going. This build is hosted by a club in West Virginia. They get together every year and do this. So it is several modelers sitting around lying to each other and trying to build a model. Kinda like a fishing trip I guess. I don't have that. I am the only serious modeler left in Grays Harbor County so it's just me.

I picked this AMT kit for several reasons. One it was open and I want to build all my open kits. Two it looks like it will pretty simple to build it. Not much foil work. The kit has no decal sheet so I have no SS panels for it. My goal is to build a simple muscle car that got warmed up a little along the way. I am going to paint it with a Dulpi-color paint. It drys pretty fast and will give it a real color. I have it narrowed down to 4 colors for it. Medium Charcoal, Jade Green Metallic, Medium Brown Metallic and Black Metallic. I will add spark plug wires, flock the interior and foil the trim. It will be clear coated, wet sanded and polished also.

So that is my plan and this is my kit.



That's all I got for now. The build starts at 9 AM Saturday 1/28/2012 and ends at 9 AM Sunday 1/29/2012. I will try to update this thread every hour or so throughout the build.

Hey everyone. It's 10:48 AM here. I started this at 9 AM. I cut the plastic bags open to see what I had to work with. More flash than I expected but that's modeling. The A pillar on the drivers side was broke. I used some MEK on it first then let it sit while worked on other things.

I thought ahead as much as I could and put the paint I will be using on the radiator the night before to warm up.



9 AM Start.





first load into the paint booth for primer.





Second load into the paint booth and primer done. The engine block is put together.




Be back with an update soon. All questions are comments are welcome.

OK Just a written update. It's 11:40 AM here. The body and hood are in color. The engine and interior are painted and everything else is in primer. I am going for my 2 mile walk now. That way the paint can sit without me doinking with it. So far so good.

OK I am back. It's been an hour since my last update.

Here is what we got. Snacks are here broccoli, cauliflower, celery, Cheddar cheese and crackers. Man-O-Man party at bucks. Don't forget the ice water.



So I will update you while I eat and then back to the grind.

Here is the body in color. I know it is none of the colors I talked about. None of them really looked right. Then I found this Dulpi-Color # BCC0401 Champagne Pearl. It looked way closer to what I was thinking than the other colors I was thinking about. Here it is.



Engine in color.



Interior in color.



Floor pan is done each side.





Now I am going to do the hand painting on the chassis. Then on to the engine. I want to let the engine paint set a little more before I handle it.

Thanks for looking in. I will be back if an hour or so with another update. Time is 12:56 PM

OK, it's 3:52PM so I have been at this almost 7 hours. Everything is painted. There is always that little touch up painting you have to do, but the big stuff is done. The chassis was time consuming. I painted the floor pan body color and then free handed the frame rails in Gunmetal. The fuel tank and front control arms are "Steel".



The last two time consuming things I have to do is drill the distributor and try to make this dash look decent. That I am not sure I can do.



Got out the ball of Play dough and used it to mask the engine from the bell housing and trans. Then shot them in Dull Aluminum.



So that brings us to here.



The engine paint is still a little soft to the touch. I am going to drill the distributor and mess with the dash before I do the assembly.

Since I have never done this I don't know how I am doing as far as being able to finish. AT times I feel good about it and at other times I think man you have a lot to do. Be back a little later with an update.

6:09PM and the food fairy just showed up with a Shrimp Basket.



The last 2 hours have flown by. It doesn't seem like I am getting much done. I got the dash about as good as it will get. I will use some art pencils to add some needles to the guages and call it good.



The interior is flocked (I forgot to take a picture) just black flock in a black interior. The door handles and window cranks have been highlighted with a silver paint pen. The rear end is glued together.

Right now I am in an "Iam going to make it frame of mind", This could change I will be back in a couple more hours.

Well it's the half point of the build. 9PM. This will not be a photo update. Just a small break to tell you what's going on.

The engine is ready to be put together, the interior is painted, flocked and the dash detailed. Needs to be put together.

Chassis and all components are painted and ready to be put together.

Body is painted and I have started putting foil on it. I thought if I could get it foiled then I could put a couple coats of clear on it and be doing other things while the clear drys. There isn't much foil work on this model but I am about half done with what's there. 30 minutes and the first coat of clear should be on it.

Right now I am going to take a short break my shoulders are starting to ache.

Be back in a couple hours with a photo update. Thanks for following along. All questions and comments are welcome.

Alright Then, it's 11:55 PM. The body and hood have two coats of clear on them. The interior is done. While this clear coat sits I am going to glue the engine together. Getting the body sanded and polished is my next big thing. Just have to let the body sit while I wait.

Distributor drilled and wired.



Dash ended up looking like this. I know the gagues look a little purple. I put a small drop of super glue in each one. It goes on purple dries clear.



Foiled the center Console lid.



Front and rear side maker lights are done. Foiled around the windshield, rear window and the drip rails. Also door handles.



First coat of clear coat drying.



And last but not least the interior.



12:06 AM so 8 hours and 54 minutes to go. I think I can do this.

Thanks for looking in. All comments and questions are welcome.

It's 2:54AM here. I am down to hooking up the spark plug wires and doing a final assembly. I am going to make it. Might be tomorrow some time before I get all te pictures posted but I am going to make it .

It' 5:23 AM and I am going to go to the photo booth. I have done as much damage as I can do.