Wizdon Corvette Impala

As I'm finishing up the 40, and will have stuff drying, I abandoned the "folding a fitted sheet' plan. Been there tried that. So I turned to a project that I have avoided for a couple of years or so. When Don Wiseman visited me here in Fla., he dropped off some of his resin cast things for me to play with. This Impala Corvette seems to promise a challenge. Not in my general genre, but my stash is low and I'll give it a shot !!

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Doing some cleaning. some pinholes will have to be filled. The first major task is getting the right side A pillar in better alignment!

So what direction are you going with this one Clay?

Sam wrote:So what direction are you going with this one Clay?

Fresh out of skulls, Sam.
Probably make it as the prototype. Don had shown some photos way back. I have been unable to find them and haven't yet figured out what year the Corvette body was based on.
Maybe Don will show up with some info.

Does this help geezerman?

Perfect, Skid !!!
That is the beast.

Anticipate my main problem will be obtaining the front and rear glass.
 I'm assuming it is from some year of an Impala.
Thanks for the reference foto !

Clay, I am glad to see this one finally hit the bench. I think the concept car was shown in 1958. I could be wrong but that's stuck in my head.

Clay.... this is what Don has to say about it e;lsewhere:

For possible donors, the '57 Corvette kit has the headlights and door handles, while the '58 Impalla has the interior and rear window. If you use the Corvette frame, it will need to be stretched about 3/4". There is no source for the windshield. I replaced the curved pillars with straighter ones to make an easier windshield. Then again, it can be built with any parts that you choose.

That's a great subject Clay. I hope you can round up the suitable parts for it.

Front windshield is odd, but the foto of the real car looks better.  I hope you'll be able to duplicate a show car I never knew of.  It would be a fine addition to the collection, and you'd have one of a handful of finished ones around!

Hi guys. I'm still around, just having trouble posting pixs. I've had a long spell of builders block. Clay I will be back in St. Petes 11/12-11/26. Will be judging the Plant City BBQ on the 21st. Maybe you can make it this year.

Car was in the 1956 Motorama. Can't wait to see you work your magic.

Working on the lack of glass problems, I turned to the lack of head lights.  By carefully enlarging the openings, a practice I've used before, I think I can fit a pair of Ford dog dish hubcaps. A standard paper punch will give me the right size acetate circle for the lens .

I like your ingenuity Clay.

Did Don cast a grill for it?

Good idea on the headlights.

That's a neat idea Clay.

Zbuckster wrote:Good idea on the headlights.

Ditto from me.

Very cool solution, Keep at it!

Windshield will be tuff.  Maybe some other '50s GM car would fit.  What ever you can do to "get 'er done" will be appreciated.  It's extremely rare as a model, so very special.

Rounded up a pair of 'driving/fog' lights. they're a bit larger than I like, but they'll be molded in and won't look so large.

That is definitely going to be a one of a kind Clay. I'm really looking forward to seeing the finished project.

Nice, Clay, The driving lights look right in the photos.

Added driving lights and open grille area make it look a bit like a Ferrari of the era.  Wire wheels, if you're going that route, will be a challenge.  The old Aurora kits of the mid '60s had ones close.  Aston Martin, Ferrari, Jaguar all used similar ones.  Wash of black paint on them helped bring them into realism.  Good luck!

Driving lights pretty close to molded in. Don had included a clear (resin?) Corvette grill, but it was very fragile and didn't stand up to cleaning the flash. I found a grill in the salvage that I liked, but it had been shortened on the right side. I cut a 'tooth' off the right and added it on the left to balance it out. Not great, but I like how it looks in there. Working on solving glass problem still.

Loving the front of the car. How about clear pastry container from the grocery store. That's also a great excuse to buy a Pineapple Upside Down cake and eat it so you can use the container.

Replacing the curved A pillars with straight makes making a front window much easier.