My 62 T-Bird 1961 Christmas gift

[lo51merc]

Have you ever hit the backspace button while trying to edit a new post? This is my third try at getting this post up. Aargh!

Anyhoo, I've had this T-Bird kicking around since 1961 and a couple of months ago I figured it was time to rebuild it. Some of the parts were missing, but here's what I had left. I have the hood, the body with the Styline front and rear ends, the frame, the engine, the two tube grille with the twin headlight pods, the custom taillight buckets and the custom hubcaps.

My first order of business was to close up the drivers door that I had opened with my father's chain saw (Well not really!) I used sheet and strip to fix the opening and glued the door shut.


Changes I've made to the rear are the modified midyear Corvette bumpers and I stripped the chrome from the taillight cans and glued them in place. I also added small tapered extensions to the bottoms of the fenders behind the wheelwells.

When I opened the drivers door I cut away the interior side panels and the floor. I still had the console with the seats and rear package shelf as a unit but had to remake the rest of the interior. The steering wheel is from the AMT 65 Chevelle wagon.

Some of the changes mentioned were done after these pictures were taken. Gary

[lo51merc]

These last two pictures show most of the modifications still in progress. The final fitting and the ole putty/sand etc. have since been done and the first primer coat is on.

The upper body side molding has been sanded away leaving a sharp peak on the top of the body side and it extends around the front fenders. The lower portion of the front fenders was also extended from the original Styline part as it looked too high to me. I extended the front of the hood, and the bottom of the front pan with sheet and strip styrene and tunneled the lowered headlight/grille into its new location. The door handles have been filled and all emblems were removed.

I always welcome comments. Thanks for looking. Gary

[robert1]

That is quite a project. I will be interested in following your work.

[olskoolrodder]

[glow=red,2,300]KILLER PROJECT,Brother! ;D ;D ;D[/glow]

[virgil]

Gary, you sure have a way with customs. It is looking awesome!! Being such old plastic, is it giving you a hard time?? Like easily breaking or cracking?? Either way it is going to be a great addition to your display. Keep up the great work.

Virgil

[dogfish7]

Looking Killer Gary! Nice fab work. Wish I had my 62 Bird kit again. One of the first kits remember building back in the early 60s

[lo51merc]

Hi Virgil, I never gave the condition of the old plastic any thought. I treated it like it was just molded a few weeks ago. Gary