WIP - Revell 1970 Trans Am

[Eric Cole]

It's been a while since I've done a work in progess thread so I thought I would start one with this build. This is the recently re-released Revell 1970 Trans Am. It's a nice kit but it's from the good ole' days when kits were much more simplified than some of todays kits and it's evident buy looking at the parts and the detail. Yet, I still feel that with some research and a little work this can turn out to be a nice kit to build. I plan to do the white version with blue stripes and blue interior.

Here are the basic parts. I've already cleaned up the mold lines, sink marks (there were very few), etc... Reshaped the uper line of the side windows (Thanks Bob!)and have most of the parts ready for primer and paint.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/100_0779.jpg

Here are the worst parts in the kit... In my opinion. The single piece molded rear suspension and exhaust and the single piece front suspension... YUCK!! Oh well, some careful painting will help a lot.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/100_0780.jpg

Another part that needs some work. The Headlights and grill are one piece in the kit. When you insert this part into the front end of the car the headlights prevent the grill from pushing up into the openings all the way. Use a razor saw and remove the headlights from the grill making it three seperate pieces and then all three parts will fit the way the should. This will also allow you to strip the chrome from the grill portion without messing up the headlight buckets. I stripped the chrome from the grill portion because the grill surface has to be painted black, the sides have to be painted silver and only the outer most lip is suppose to be chrome. I'll do that with thin strips of bare metal foil.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/100_0782.jpg

Front end fit... after some sanding and test fitting. Pretty good now.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/100_0781.jpg

Pretty nice detail on the wheels and front grill, once you strip the chrome. The only thing that should be chrome on this version of T/A wheels is the center cap and lug nuts.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/100_0777.jpg

The Decals. Notice the missing "Trans AM" decals...:mad:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/100_0784.jpg

A close up of the decals. They will need some work to make them look right. The real cars stripes are a metallic blue and the decals, although stippled with various shades of blue, are not metallic or the right color of blue. Since you have to paint the hood scoop/intake to match the decals I figure I might as well "fix" the decals with the same paint that I'll use for the scoop. This way, they will both be metallic and they'll both be the same color and closer to the right color. Notice the faint white stipples between the blue/black fade... Something else I have to figure out how to cover up and still leave the fade.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/100_0790.jpg

Thanks for looking...:)

[The Prez]

:cool: Nice start Eric.Are you going to paint a factory color combo?:D

[Zoom Zoom]

This one's gonna be another knockout :cool:

You're making me want to build mine, but I've got too many other projects in the way :( :D

[Eric Cole]

:cool: Nice start Eric.Are you going to paint a factory color combo?:D

Thanks guys..

My plan is to paint it white with the metallic blue stripes and metallic blue interior. Looking through my paint stash I have a blue that I think will work great for the stripe and interior but what I'm not sure about is the white. Is it supposed to be a bright white or slight off white? Does anyone no for sure?

I also want to build a second one with the blue car / white stripe combo, black interior.

The more I look at the suspension/exhaust pieces the more I dis-like them. :mad:
I suppose it could be disected and cleaned up... but I'm too lazy :D

[Zoom Zoom]

Thanks guys..

My plan is to paint it white with the metallic blue stripes and metallic blue interior. Looking through my paint stash I have a blue that I think will work great for the stripe and interior but what I'm not sure about is the white. Is it supposed to be a bright white or slight off white? Does anyone no for sure?

I also want to build a second one with the blue car / white stripe combo, black interior.

The more I look at the suspension/exhaust pieces the more I dis-like them. :mad:
I suppose it could be disected and cleaned up... but I'm too lazy :D

Hopefully Crispy will chime in; he'll know what shade of white. I think it's probably in-between Tamiya pure white and racing white, it's definitely closer to pure white IIRC.

If you want better suspension details get an AMT '70 Camaro; it should have a much more updated suspension and details.

Or just quitcherbitchen :eek: :D

[crispy]

I'm so happy this kit was re-issued! It seems everyone is building one, or at least attempting too.

Eric, the 70 Trans Am came in Polar White, and Bob would be correct that Tamiya Pure White would be the best overall color, unless you were to air-brush some MCW paint on it.

They later changed the color to Cameo White, which in all reality was the same color.

Here are a few pics of my 1972 Trans Am:
http://images18.fotki.com/v329/photos/9/95430/3858665/72a-vi.jpg
http://images18.fotki.com/v339/photos/9/95430/3858665/72TAblue-vi.jpg

I plan on building the blue one with my newest released kit using the Fred Cady decals and some honeycomb wheels I've seen listed on ebay.

Please keep us updated on your progress!
Chris

[Eric Cole]

Cool, I actually have Polar White in my paint stash. It's what I used on my Shelby GT-350R because Wimbeldon White seemed too yellow in 1/24th scale.

Awesome '72 T/A by the way, beautiful car!!

Bob, What fun is modeling if we can't bitch about it? :confused: :D

[Eric Cole]

Didn't work on it much today other than a little more prep work and getting ready for paint.

I did manage to get the wheels and tires done. Kit wheels with the chrome stripped and repainted with Krylon Dull Aluminum, one light coat of Tamiya clear then brush painted the black between the spokes with Acryl Aircraft Interior black. A touch of clear red for the center cap and outlined with Testors Chrome Silver.

The tires are the kit tires, sanded the tread, applied some left over Firestone decals from a Fujimi GT40 and then dull coated with Testors Dull Coat.

All in all they are much better than the chrome look but not perfect. I see where I still need to do a little touch up here and there.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/Revell%201970%20Trans%20Am/100_0793.jpg

[crispy]

The wheels look fantastic!
Chris

[Eric Cole]

Interior is pretty much finished. Painted the floor with Plasti-Kote Odd's & End's Harbour Blue with a flat clear overcoat. The seats, dash and door panels, etc are painted with Testors Lacquer Nassau Blue Metallic without any clear since the paints dries to kind of a semi-gloss. The dash is detailed with silver and semi-gloss black. I replaced the kit's automatic shifter, added a turn-signal stalk to the steering column and made window cranks for the door panels since there are none molded in place. Added guage decals from some left over decals.

The decals are the wrong color but better than no decals at all. Reference pictures for this car are somewhat confusing to me. I see some dashes with silver guage bezels and white guage faces and some with black bezels and black faces. I imagine one of the two may be custom but without more research I'm not sure so I went with what I thought looked best in scale.

Here's a couple pics...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/Revell%201970%20Trans%20Am/100_0798.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/Revell%201970%20Trans%20Am/100_0796.jpg

[Zoom Zoom]

Looking great :cool:

[Paul G.]

The Black with black bezels would be correct. Looks great so far!

[Matt Wadlinger]

Fantastic looking interior.

I'm working on the same kit now. From the research I've done, the Firebird and Formula 400 Firebird came with woodgrain dash and black bezels. The Trans Am came with brushed aluminum dash and black bezels. You did it right. A quick look at the 1970 Firebirds and Trans Ams on EBAY can confirm this.

[Eric Cole]

Thanks guys, here's another update.

The chassis / suspension and engine are pretty much done. The kit lacks a lot of detail on the chassis so a little paint helps a lot. The engine will not get much extra detail other than the spark plug wires I've already added.

The engine is painted with Testors Lacquer Silver Blue (close enough to Pontiac engine blue for me), the intake manifold and transmission are painted with Tamiya AS-12 Bare Metal Silver. The engine / transmission are molded in two halves lengthwise and have to be glued together. These halves include the oil pan so you get a nasty seam line the full length. It requires some careful filing and sanding to get rid of the seam and I sanded off the drain plug during the process. I added a new drain plug with a piece of styrene hex-rod and painted it black.

Here's a few more pic's...

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/Revell%201970%20Trans%20Am/100_0799.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/Revell%201970%20Trans%20Am/100_0800.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/Revell%201970%20Trans%20Am/100_0802.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y197/justdande/Completed%20Model%20Cars/Revell%201970%20Trans%20Am/100_0803.jpg

[BRE350Z]

You just keep moving the bar higher and higher. Anybody want to buy my models??????

[Zoom Zoom]

Looks like you've been productive today :D

This model just keeps getting better and better. Looking forward to seeing those decals too :cool:

[crowe-t]

Eric, Did you finish this Trans Am? I'd like to see some pictures.

[BRE350Z]

I don't, I would probably start shredding my models - just kidding. Rumor has it he finished a killer Mercedes DTM car as well. Show me the pictures!!!!

[Eric Cole]

Eric, Did you finish this Trans Am? I'd like to see some pictures.

Thanks, the completed pics are here:
http://www.opentrackaction.com/acmeforum/showthread.php?t=632

I should have the DTM pics up this weekend.

I'm going to finish painting a motorcycle helmet now... it's only taken me two years so far.:eek: .... :biglaugh:

[crowe-t]

I just checked out the pictures and it came out real nice, beautiful job! :)