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Post by don on Feb 26, 2022 21:01:32 GMT -5
Here is the next project for me , an original Revell Austin Gasser rebuilder. I mentioned to Todd that I've been looking for one and he located one is his stash ! Once it arrived I did a little work on it ; stripping these old Revell kits is as hard as building them , which is a real challenge . Lots of work to go, but its cool , I'm building again!  I started lightly sanding down the original builders errors and the kits mould lines .  The interior came off with a little difficulty, but it didnt break ! |
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Post by Count Dragula on Feb 27, 2022 8:19:50 GMT -5
Glad to help out with this oldie but goodie,Don!!! I'm doing its sister "Henry J" kit as my new "project". Finicky little kits,aren't they???
I responded on your parts request for this on the C.C.
Good luck with your restoration!!!
Todd
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Post by don on Mar 9, 2022 21:14:11 GMT -5
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Post by wobnob on Mar 12, 2022 1:58:16 GMT -5
...that older-type kit has REAL brittle plastic. I have faith in you man!
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Post by don on Mar 20, 2022 21:02:49 GMT -5
The body actually came out better than I expected , just waiting on the paint to arrive, so I started on the chassis - I thought some parts would be nearly impossible to come off, but NOTHING would budge ! Even the chrome bits that usually pop off were forever attached. Whatever glue the kid that built this back in 1970 used is some tough stuff, so I have to paint the parts on the chassis. I had to cut off the transmission and engine mounts out so I could paint the engine. Its going to take a while to get the chassis finished, but starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel !   |
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Post by Count Dragula on Mar 22, 2022 7:31:44 GMT -5
Hang in there,Don!!!
I recently finished the chassis assembly on my Henry J. It's the same chassis as the Austin. It was a finicky little buggar,that's for sure! I feel your pain,man!!!
Todd
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Post by don on Mar 22, 2022 9:48:22 GMT -5
Hang in there,Don!!! I recently finished the chassis assembly on my Henry J. It's the same chassis as the Austin. It was a finicky little buggar,that's for sure! I feel your pain,man!!! Todd Its all cool, I'm really enjoying the challenge ! Lucky we know how brittle these kits are , so you know not to force anything and take your time. The parts Austin actually came in handy too- the original dash broke it four pieces trying to cut it out and set it in straight, but the donor cars dash came right out . |
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Post by don on Apr 2, 2022 21:12:05 GMT -5
Calamity on the restoration ! Not a good week ; I broke the yellow windshield film trying to clean it off rendering it useless, and for the first time in over 20 builds , the Testors extreme lacquer brand spray paint failed me and started crazing all over the body. Nothing left to do but hit it with over cleaner and hope for the best. I dont know what happened - I used the same base paint and its sat for weeks so it was thoroughly dry before I sprayed the top coat.
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Post by Count Dragula on Apr 3, 2022 8:08:49 GMT -5
Wow,that's terrible news,Don!!! I must admit,I was about to send you a link to a cheap reissue Austin kit on EBay last night, (4-2-22). I Got caught up watching a NCAA game,and by the time I got back to EBay it had sold!!!
We seem to be having similar circumstances with your Austin and my Henry J. I have assembled several finicky sub-par fitting kits,but the Henry J is a pain,man!!! The chassis,engine and wheels are done. I haven't done any Windows in the body yet. Only front fender work. I'm also gonna put the headers on after the engine is in unlike the instructions show.
I'm going to take a break from it,and start on something a little simpler.
Good luck with your Austin!!!!Sounds like you need it!!!!
Todd
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Post by don on Apr 3, 2022 15:59:11 GMT -5
Wow,that's terrible news,Don!!! I must admit,I was about to send you a link to a cheap reissue Austin kit on EBay last night, (4-2-22). I Got caught up watching a NCAA game,and by the time I got back to EBay it had sold!!! We seem to be having similar circumstances with your Austin and my Henry J. I have assembled several finicky sub-par fitting kits,but the Henry J is a pain,man!!! The chassis,engine and wheels are done. I haven't done any Windows in the body yet. Only front fender work. I'm also gonna put the headers on after the engine is in unlike the instructions show. I'm going to take a break from it,and start on something a little simpler. Good luck with your Austin!!!!Sounds like you need it!!!! Todd Thanks, I'll need some luck with it for sure , but I'm not throwing in the towel yet ! I just cleaned it off after sitting in the oven cleaner overnight ; one door hinge came apart , but the rest has cleaned up fairly well, so its back to the ol' drawing board for this build ! I completely agree with you ,the Henry J is a pain . I'll never know what they were thinking with the two piece fenders , and the whole steering setup they used on these gassers is a nightmare. The front end on my Henry J build actually works, but it droops from the weight of the kit and it looks like it popped a huge wheelie and came down hard and bent the suspension. I'm not going to mess with it -its a finished build and I can only see it being another pain if I try to fix the droop ! |
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Post by don on Apr 14, 2022 11:17:21 GMT -5
Wow,that's terrible news,Don!!! I must admit,I was about to send you a link to a cheap reissue Austin kit on EBay last night, (4-2-22). I Got caught up watching a NCAA game,and by the time I got back to EBay it had sold!!! We seem to be having similar circumstances with your Austin and my Henry J. I have assembled several finicky sub-par fitting kits,but the Henry J is a pain,man!!! The chassis,engine and wheels are done. I haven't done any Windows in the body yet. Only front fender work. I'm also gonna put the headers on after the engine is in unlike the instructions show. I'm going to take a break from it,and start on something a little simpler. Good luck with your Austin!!!!Sounds like you need it!!!! Todd Thanks, I'll need some luck with it for sure , but I'm not throwing in the towel yet ! I just cleaned it off after sitting in the oven cleaner overnight ; one door hinge came apart , but the rest has cleaned up fairly well, so its back to the ol' drawing board for this build ! I completely agree with you ,the Henry J is a pain . I'll never know what they were thinking with the two piece fenders , and the whole steering setup they used on these gassers is a nightmare. The front end on my Henry J build actually works, but it droops from the weight of the kit and it looks like it popped a huge wheelie and came down hard and bent the suspension. I'm not going to mess with it -its a finished build and I can only see it being another pain if I try to fix the droop ! Update : The over cleaner did its job , all the wrinkled paint came off, although all the filler was removed and one hinge broke, but it could have been a lot worse . I fixed the sink holes and repaired the hinge, and repainted the base silver and then the top coat , and all went well. The good news ?? Well , I was looking for some pinstripe decals I had chosen for the body, and I couldn't find them. I searched everywhere , looking at some areas more than once, and what do I find ? A big chunk of yellow film left over from my Henry J. build ! No lie, I looked at that area three times and then it popped up, so I now have a correct windshield - Oh yeah, I found the decals too ! |
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Post by don on May 19, 2022 19:14:57 GMT -5
Some progress on the Austin ,finally ! The chassis is as finished as its going to be , so on to the rest. I repaired the hole I made in the floor taking the seat out , and got the interior bits in and straight now. I stole Todd's idea and put a set of seatbelts in  . The tricky part now is trying to refit the windows that some kid cut out back in 1969 ; he cut them very close ,so I've been going very carefully so no glue seeps into the parts that you'd see .   |
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Dennis
Eddies Classmate
Posts: 32
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Post by Dennis on Jun 14, 2023 11:42:54 GMT -5
Looking good.
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. The tricky part now is trying to refit the windows that some kid cut out back in 1969 ; he cut them very close ,so I've been going very carefully so no glue seeps into the parts that you'd see . 
