Cars: Muscle Cars
60's & 70's Classics
1953/54/55 Corvettes - The Legend Begins Here
brekinapez
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Posted: Tuesday, December 17, 2019 - 08:37 AM UTC

Quoted Text



Of course the 'vette just keeps getting better and better looking IMHO...



I find myself feeling the opposite.
RussellE
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Posted: Wednesday, December 18, 2019 - 08:30 AM UTC
That's some really nice work on the in-line 6, D

Hard to fathom a 'vette with anything other than a V-8 TBH
Joel_W
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Posted: Wednesday, December 18, 2019 - 10:56 AM UTC
Russell,
My cousin had a '55 when he was in college, and it had the flat 6. Wasn't exactly a screaming, but just being a Vette was more then enough.

Joel
RussellE
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Posted: Thursday, December 19, 2019 - 08:17 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Russell,
My cousin had a '55 when he was in college, and it had the flat 6. Wasn't exactly a screaming, but just being a Vette was more then enough.

Joel



I know what you mean, Joel: any 'vette is a good 'vette
Joel_W
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Posted: Friday, December 20, 2019 - 09:58 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Russell,
My cousin had a '55 when he was in college, and it had the flat 6. Wasn't exactly a screaming, but just being a Vette was more then enough.

Joel



I know what you mean, Joel: any 'vette is a good 'vette



Russell

How right you are

Joel
AussieReg
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Posted: Thursday, December 26, 2019 - 12:03 PM UTC

Quoted Text

I know what you mean, Joel: any 'vette is a good 'vette



Now you're talking my language!

Small update on the '54 here, I have sanded and reprimed a couple of trouble spots, and given it a fine wet sand ready for colour. My first try of the Zero paints.

One thing I learned from building the '53 is that the headlight mounts are a poor fit, so I spent some time thismorning tinkering to get them sitting right prior to paint. They are dry-fitted here but when pushed back into place they sit well now.



Next update will bring the bling!

Cheers, D
RussellE
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Posted: Thursday, December 26, 2019 - 10:41 PM UTC
Bring on the bling!
Joel_W
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Posted: Friday, December 27, 2019 - 02:13 AM UTC
D,
The shell with the headlight frames really is looking quite good.

Can't wait to see your results with the Zero paints. I just know that you're going to love them.

Joel
AussieReg
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Posted: Wednesday, January 01, 2020 - 04:35 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Can't wait to see your results with the Zero paints. I just know that you're going to love them. Joel



Joel, you are right on the money mate, this stuff is sensational!


Dialled up the air to about 25psi, straight from the jar to the cup, one tack coat and two light (not wet) cover coats with about 5 minutes between each. It's warm here today so I will give it a couple of hours to dry and then give it a light buff with a soft cloth, but I'm loving the colour and the metallic sheen (thanks once again to Jesper for the suggestion) and can't wait to see it with a gloss coat.

Cheers, D
RussellE
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Posted: Wednesday, January 01, 2020 - 10:09 PM UTC
oh wow! That's beautiful!
Dixon66
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Posted: Thursday, January 02, 2020 - 03:07 AM UTC
Best way to improve a 'Vette, paint it a Cobra color. LOL
Joel_W
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Posted: Thursday, January 02, 2020 - 09:34 AM UTC
D,
Now that's one really impressive color coat. Gravity and Zero paints are in a league of their own.

Joel
AussieReg
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Posted: Thursday, January 02, 2020 - 10:40 AM UTC
Thanks guys, I'm always cautious when I start out with a new product, but it comes highly recommended and I watched a couple of videos on the application, and I'm really happy with the result.

The colour is a bit deeper and more metallic than the Pennant Blue on the reference set I'm using, but it might be just the lighting. When I search "Pennant Blue Corvette" the images show a range of shades.



Cheers, D
Joel_W
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Posted: Saturday, January 04, 2020 - 04:05 AM UTC
D,
The colors look almost a perfect match. Polish and wax will deepen the tint just a tad, which should make the color as close as one can get.

Joel
AussieReg
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Posted: Friday, January 10, 2020 - 01:00 PM UTC
The carved and polished Mahogany body dies for the fibreglass bodies on the '53 are simply stunning!







There is more information HERE on the Super Chevy forums.

Cheers, D
AussieReg
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#007
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Posted: Friday, January 10, 2020 - 08:21 PM UTC
Clear Gloss Saturday today!




Cheers, D
Joel_W
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Posted: Saturday, January 11, 2020 - 07:21 AM UTC
Those wooden frames for the fiberglass are beyond belief. Talk about super skilled craftsman.

As for the gloss clearcoat, can't wait to see it polished and wax. Should be a real stunner for sure.

Joel
AussieReg
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Posted: Saturday, January 11, 2020 - 11:02 PM UTC

Quoted Text

Those wooden frames for the fiberglass are beyond belief. Talk about super skilled craftsman.



Indeed, I was really amazed when I saw them. Such beautiful workmanship from an era where they got no help from computers, 3D modelling and lazers.


Quoted Text

As for the gloss clearcoat, can't wait to see it polished and wax. Should be a real stunner for sure.



I'm really happy with the body, but the bonnet (hood) will get a good sand and a repaint. The dark shadow at the firewall end wasn't so visible before the clear coat, it was a spot of dust that got sanded out and repainted prior to the clear, and I just didn't get it quite even. If I don't repaint it, it will bug me every time I look at it.

Cheers, D
Hwa-Rang
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Posted: Monday, January 13, 2020 - 06:19 PM UTC
Paintjob looks amazing D. Can't wait to try out Zero paint my self.

The wooden frames are breathtaking. the fact they no longer exists makes you want to cry. Something like that should be in an art museum.
RussellE
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Posted: Saturday, January 18, 2020 - 10:01 PM UTC

Quoted Text

The carved and polished Mahogany body dies for the fibreglass bodies on the '53 are simply stunning!


Cheers, D



When car designs were works of art!

One wonders if those wooden molds still exist somewhere in deep storage at GM?

The wonderful paint work continues here too
AussieReg
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Posted: Saturday, January 25, 2020 - 01:50 AM UTC
Main colour down on the interior of the '54, Tamiya acrylic XF-57 Buff cut with MLT.



Highlight colour is a slightly darker sandy brown, I will be using Mr Hobby H27 Tan.

Cheers, D
Joel_W
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Posted: Saturday, January 25, 2020 - 03:55 AM UTC
D,
The Buff color really looks quite good. You're getting to be our expert on interior leather and cloth for sure.

Joel
AussieReg
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Posted: Saturday, January 25, 2020 - 11:24 AM UTC

Quoted Text

D,
The Buff color really looks quite good. You're getting to be our expert on interior leather and cloth for sure.

Joel



Thanks Joel! To my eye it looks close to the reference car I'm using.



I'm not 100% sure about the trim highlight colour yet though, I might need to go a shade darker and redder. There is only a small area to do on the door inserts, foot mats and the footwell sides, as well as the dashboard, so I can mask and paint it and adjust if required.

Cheers, D
AussieReg
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Posted: Friday, February 07, 2020 - 01:32 PM UTC
A bit of progress on the '54. I found a red-brown that worked for the contrast panels, then masked and painted.


The interior tub parts were detail painted and some BMF applied to the centre trim, then the side walls were fitted to the base.



The bonnet was sanded out a bit then repainted and clear coated to get rid of the dark mark shown earlier.


Cheers, D
Joel_W
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Posted: Saturday, February 08, 2020 - 01:48 AM UTC
D,
The two tone interior really has that nostalgia 50's feel to it. And for the engine bonnet, great job on the redo as it looks perfect now.

Joel