1956 Thunderbird

[John Howling Mouse]

So, the lovely wife (aka "Ms. Hitler" TM ) asked me to show her how to build a car model.  She's working on a '66 Nova.  Funny how many skills you can apply from military modeling on a civilian auto. Here is my progress so far on my Monogram 1956 T-Bird:











Oh yeah, did I mention that Ms. Hitler is building her model across the workbench from me while wearing black thigh-high boots and her latest from Victoria's Secret?  Yeah, I know: I'm having trouble concentrating, too!

[Alvis 3.14159]

That's odd, that's what I wear when building car models too!


Alvis Pi

[John Howling Mouse]

That's odd, that's what I wear when building car models too!

Alvis Pi

That IS odd.   

[Scooterman]

Oh yeah, did I mention that Ms. Hitler is building her model across the workbench from me while wearing black thigh-high boots and her latest from Victoria's Secret?  Yeah, I know: I'm having trouble concentrating, too!

WE DEMAND PICS!!!
Or at least I do.........

[Alvis 3.14159]

Okay, I guess I could post the pics...

Oh, not me. My bad!

Alvis Pi

[scooter]

Oh yeah, did I mention that Ms. Hitler is building her model across the workbench from me while wearing black thigh-high boots and her latest from Victoria's Secret?  Yeah, I know: I'm having trouble concentrating, too!

WE DEMAND PICS!!!
Or at least I do.........

Ditto...

And preferably not of Radish... ::shudder::

[puddingwrestler]

Is this the one which has all the strange optional exgtra parts left over from the Trophy Series kit? I had a mid '90s re-issue which had none of the custom part apart from the ridiculously long fast-back roof (which was teamed with other parts in the Trophy Series kit to make something which looked llike a cross between an E-Type front end and roof and a concussed fish)

[John Howling Mouse]

Is this the one which has all the strange optional exgtra parts left over from the Trophy Series kit? I had a mid '90s re-issue which had none of the custom part apart from the ridiculously long fast-back roof (which was teamed with other parts in the Trophy Series kit to make something which looked llike a cross between an E-Type front end and roof and a concussed fish)

Nope, this is pretty much a run of the mill Monogram classic '56 T-bird.

[jcf]

... a concussed fish)

Indeed.



http://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/instruction_sheetsh/instruction_sheets/amt-3/amt-57-t-bird-troph/?view=roll

[Devilfish]

... a concussed fish)

Indeed.



http://public.fotki.com/drasticplasticsmcc/instruction_sheetsh/instruction_sheets/amt-3/amt-57-t-bird-troph/?view=roll

Except that's AMT....not Monogram, lol  (and a '57  )

I did the Monogram one back in 82, when you could get it with a metal body.......The poor old chassis could hardly take the weight!!

Oh and just a point....I think you'll find the dashboard is metal and painted the same gloss colour as the bodywork.  Just about all of Detroits finest were in this era.

[rickshaw]

What ever it is, it is a stunningly ugly car.   

[sequoiaranger]

rickshaw-->What ever it is, it is a stunningly ugly car.<

The AMT model box doesn't do it justice AT ALL. The '56 T-bird was a BEAUTIFUL car--undoubtedly some of the VERY BEST of Detroit steel. However, all is in the eye of the beholder. By 1958 the T-bird WAS an ugly car as Ford tried to "improve" it with size, excess chrome, and clunky styling. Too bad. Even the "retro" modern rendition (now out of production) of the T-bird PALED in comparison to the *classic* mid-50's series.

A common theme for me, but WHY is "customizing" an auto model considered good form and creative, but "customizing" (read whiffing) a military airplane is NOT?? Luckily, "whiffed" models have been GAINING acceptance among the regular modeling crowd.

Anyway, regardless of the model or the "costume" worn when making one, good on ya for getting the Significant Other on board our hobby!

[PR19_Kit]

A common theme for me, but WHY is "customizing" an auto model considered good form and creative, but "customizing" (read whiffing) a military airplane is NOT?? Luckily, "whiffed" models have been GAINING acceptance among the regular modeling crowd.

Possibly because customising cars is a real world activity too, loads of guys in the US, UK and Europe (and in Oz too I supect) do exactly that?

Whereas almost NO-ONE customises RW aircraft, apart perhaps from the pylon racers. For sure they don't do it with big modern jets!

[PR19_Kit]

While on the subject of T'birds, I like the '59s best, even though they're big brutes.

A buddy of mine in Minneapolis let me help out refurbishing his, and I re-built the whole engine over a month or two, and he let me drive it post the re-build! The things that impressed me most were the seat that swivelled outward and the steering wheel that moved up and away from you when you opened the door!

Oh yes, and the fact that the driver's seat had more chrome on the BACK of it than my car had in total!  

[jcf]

Except that's AMT....not Monogram, lol  (and a '57  )

No kidding. I know it's not the model JHM is working on, however it is the creature that PW brought up, thus the quote from his post.