Corvette Whiffery (now in model form!)

[puddingwrestler]

Well, it's happening at last!
A Monogra 1953 Corvette has nobly sacrificed itself at the altar of my insanity and is being customized into a Cadvette - a 1953 Corvette with 1953 Cadillac styling touches.
So far I've reshaped the front wheel arches with blanking plates, and I'm working on the rear wheel arches and skirts. I've also added a sort of running board trim thingee. I'll be adding more trim pieces when the wheel arch work is done.
Chassis, Engine and Interior are remaining basically stock. I've built the engine and chassis, although the chassis is not yet painted as I forgot to bring black spray with me (visiting the parents at present due to holidays). Interior is being painted with Citadel Red Gore, Scab Red and Blood Red. Exterior will be black or charcoal metallic.

And here are the pics I almost forgot!

[cthulhu77]

very cool !  love the wheel wells. 

[puddingwrestler]

The interior, chassis and other underbody stuff is basically all ready now. The body should be ready to paint later today. I'm going with very dark blue instead of black as A) I have the  rattlecan already and B) It'll look that bit more exotic, while still being a deep, rich cadillac colour.

[arkon]

is this the caddy version?

[puddingwrestler]

This is the caddy. But it is NOT the same as the photochopped caddy I posted earlier. I'm not changing the lights for a start.
Paint is on, I'll porbably get the BMF on tonight and scratch build the new grille insert. Polishing will occur tommorow, adn pics will come after that.

[puddingwrestler]

First look at the painted Cadvette body. Colour is Duplicolour dark blue touch-up spray. It's been polished and waxed using my three stage system and an old t-shirt. I still need to make the grille and do final assembly.

[noxioux]

You forgot the fins.  Must. . . . Have. . . . Fins!!!

[sequoiaranger]

>You forgot the fins.  Must. . . . Have. . . . Fins!!!<

I would agree, even if the fins are the little "bumps" like the early-50's Caddies had.



But hey, it's yer feckin' model, and I like it anyway.

[puddingwrestler]

Trust me, fins on the back of a corvette body look all wrong. The corvette never really had fins (there were very small twin fins atop each light, but the are barely noticable from a distance. I tried adding fins to the photoshop version, and they looked ridiculous. Although Cadillac pioneered the fin in '49, they did nto get totally obsessed with them until later. Their corvette-ish concept car doesn't have anything dramatic like that, they seem to have realised that fins actually spoil the flowing smooth lines required by sports cars. When you think about it, very few sports cars ever had real fins. The notable exception is the Daimler SP250 Dart, and the less said about that the better.
I should also point out that in a sense, the Corvette already HAS fins. Those lights stick up high above the boot line, and fins do not always go up. The 59 Chevies, 60 Fords etc. have horizontal fins.

[PR19_Kit]

The notable exception is the Daimler SP250 Dart, and the less said about that the better.

I can tell you've never driven a Dart then....... 

Goes like stink, weighs nothing and handles really well for something of its age, and sounds TREMENDOUS on any throttle setting too.

The original Sunbeam Alpine Mks 1 and 2 had fins, they chopped them down for the later marks, and for the Tigers. Now THERE'S a sports car, Sunbeam Tiger Mk 1, cracking car!

[Captain Canada]

Nice...that's a very neat little project you have there !

[Joe C-P]

Why does this make me think "Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse"?

[puddingwrestler]

The notable exception is the Daimler SP250 Dart, and the less said about that the better.

I can tell you've never driven a Dart then....... 

Goes like stink, weighs nothing and handles really well for something of its age, and sounds TREMENDOUS on any throttle setting too.

The original Sunbeam Alpine Mks 1 and 2 had fins, they chopped them down for the later marks, and for the Tigers. Now THERE'S a sports car, Sunbeam Tiger Mk 1, cracking car!

Of course I've never driven one, I wasn;t born until the mid 80s and I live in Australia. I was speaking aesthetically from a design stand point. I am fully aware that the Daimler drove well, it was used as a police pursuit vehicle after all.

[puddingwrestler]

And now, the moment you have been waiting for with baited breath (I always bait mine with mealy worms, but I hear cheese can work just as well), the unvieling of the completed Cadvette.
So allow me to take you through it, in the words of a sales brochure!

Every sweeping line speaks volumes of prestige, class, and limitless power!

The graceful semi-boat tail rear conceals a spacious and tastefully carpeted boot.

Slip into the interior and you slip into a world of understated, fully carpeted and leather trimmed comfort and exclusivity. Push button, signal seeking radio is fitted as standard, as are a full array of sporting instruments (you have to pay extra if you want the Bassoon and Tuba, thier to big for the glove box)

Silky smooth and effortless power is provided by inline six cylinder engine with triple carburettors for effortless acceleration and distinguished cruising.

Twin exhausts provide a sensuous symphony in the key of go!

Each baroque grille is a hand made masterpiece, providing a sublte air of elegance and predatory power!


...I was born to late. 1950s advertising copy is something I do disgustingly and disturbingly well really...

Anyway, the important stuff:
I've left the streamlined head light covers off. I always thought they made the corvette look to bulbous in te nose, leaving them off gives more the look of a european sports car. I also skipped out on a lot of the stock bumper stuff. OKay, so it's not very safe, but it does make the car look smoother and cleaner. The grille was made from half round plastic strip and plasticard. I spray painted it with some chrome auto spray paint, and it worked pretty well. I just picked it up today and fancied trying it. Didn't really fancy BMFing the grille...
The tail lights and indicator lenses have been painted all over with appropriate tamiya clear colours.
And I've gotten rather annoyed with Monogram's chrome sprue designers. Honestly, attaching the rear bumper to the sprue by the centre of the outerside? Chrome needs to be designed to hide the bits where you have to cut through the coating to remove it from the sprues.

Anyways, Cadvette is now ready to join my other cars in the cabinet. Except I've run out of room in there. I'll have to redesign the cabinet I guess...

[PR19_Kit]

Now THAT is most excellent work Mr Puddingwrestler! Vrey nice indeed.  

'....symphony in the key of go....'? Magic stuff.