1974 Hurst/Olds Pace Car

Bill Newcomer
I have my promo, I have my decals and now I have a chassis made from GTO and Chevelle parts.

Tom ...
Following. Definitely above my pay grade

Jv
Interesting how afew of you gus mix and match
Love to sit and watch
Always makes for an interesting build
For now I will just watch and learn
And try to get my one kit put together
Thanks for all the hints

Bill Newcomer
Made some progress this week. I carefully cut the hood free from the promo body. Got some reference pics and fabricated the hood insert from 5 pieces of Evergreen C-channel. It took a lot of very precise filing but it came out as well as I could hope. Fortunately the hood is almost 1/8" thick in the middle which save me the challenge of making side pieces.

Bill Newcomer
Spent the afternoon opening all 4 grilles and added in some fabricated turn signals from amber sprue pieces.

Bill Newcomer
Been making slow progress. Got some front end reference pics. Added trim pieces to bumper openings. Fabbed some lower grille inserts from some donated 71 Charger grilles. A lot of time and finesse was required.

Jv
I do recognise I few parts from my glitter chevelle
Yes a complicated build like this will always take time
I'm just doing straight builds
And that takes time
But this is much more interesting
Look forward to your next post

Bill Newcomer
Jv Thanks. The grille bumper parts were painted to day. I have to let them cure for a bit. The next mod I am working on is the larger B pillars.

Jv
Its all very interesting to me
Lots of inspiration here on scalemates

Bill Newcomer
Finally got all the following mods done to the body:

Fabricated body color inserts for under the tail lights. The chrome ones integrated into the rear bumper were removed.
Clearanced the front valence to account for the front turn signals in the bumper.
Added a cowl/windshield wiper panel as Promos do not come with them.
Filled sink holes here and there.
Replaced C-pillar with wider ones for the faux landau bar.
Added evergreen strips to reproduce the chrome trim over the roof.
Deepened the panel lines for the doors and the trunk.

Got the body in primer to find the hidden flaws.
Hoping to shoot some white tomorrow.

István Szücs
Real interesting project.

Kyle DeHart
Looks good so far. I like the unique nature of this car.

Bill Newcomer
Thank you Istvan and Kyle. 🙂

Bill Newcomer
Masked and painted the landau bar. Looks much better than just a decal would. Next step BMF.

Bill Newcomer
BMF done. My new sheet is apparently some of the marginal quality stuff. The foil is fine but the adhesive is not always adequate enough. It make trimming more of a challenge. However, it is still way better than NO BMF. Recleared the decal sheets today. They will be next.

Dominik Weitzer
very interesting work. well done so far!

Bill Newcomer
Thank you Dominik. 🙂

Bill Newcomer
I started on the decals last night. The hood got done and all the underlying layers of decals on the body. For how long and skinny the side stripes are, they behaved quite well. The only exception was running over the door and trunk locks. That took a bit of poking and prodding. Some the decals are a two step process whereas the base gold decal is laid and then the black outline decal is laid over that. To prevent messing up the gold, I and going to seal them (and the touchy BMF) down with Future/Pledge before laying the black portions.

Christian W
Good idea and process! I like this whit and gold color scheme a lot. Your detailwork is great. Looking forward.

Bill Newcomer
I performed a miracle twice in one hour. Many of you know how tricky it is to lay a long skinny decal stripe without tears or wrinkles AND get it placed perfectly. Imagine having to lay a second long skinny stripe decal precisely over the top of the 1st one. Then do it twice! With the miracle of Dawn dish soap, I had the time to fiddle with them to get near perfection. I am also very glad I topcoated the decal sheet with Testors Decal Bonder. It made them tough enough to take the abuse.

Kyle DeHart
Fantastic job on those decals!

István Szücs
Looking real good!

Christian W
Well done. Vey well! It looks so good.

Tom ...
Whoa Nelly! That's some job, Bill! Aced it and then some.

Bill Newcomer
Thank you gentlemen. 🙂

Dominik Weitzer
looks very good!

Bill Newcomer
Thank you Dominik. 🙂. I painted the underside semigloss black in preparation for assembly.

Bill Newcomer
Started on the chassis and got the windows and interior installed.

Kyle DeHart
Looking excellent

Bill Newcomer
Thank you Kyle. 🙂

István Szücs
Still looking perfect!

Jv
Looking great
I see your airbrush has been doing wonderful
I just got some second hand gear compressor and airbrush
Not sure if its a good idea to get things like that second hand so I have still put my projects on hold for a bit longer

Bill Newcomer
István, Thanks, 🙂

Jv, Thanks, 2nd hand shouldn't be too bad. Just as long as the air compressor runs and the air brush has been cared for.

Jv
Yes Bill I don't think the airbrush was cared for but compressor runs just need a new regulator
But all good
It was still a good deal
I got lots of paints and a few other things I'm happy to have
Looking forward to get back into it whed some better tools
In the neer future
Happy to see your great results with all your new tools
Looking great

Bill Newcomer
Been away from the bench due to a busy summer. Got some time to turn some new aluminum hoops for my Olds Rally wheels and low profile tires.

Jv
Looking fantastic Bill

Bill Newcomer
Thanks Jv 🙂

Bill Newcomer
Back on this again in order to help clear my bench of projects. Time to tackle adding a 455 Rocket.
I got a donated 69 Olds engine awhile back for this project. I cleaned up all the pieces and was sorting out what goes where.
The 70 Monte Carlo firewall gives me the A/C box but the Monte's A/C compressor is on the drivers side. It needs to be on the passenger side.
I learned on another forum that the 68 El Camino has the A/C compressor on the passenger side.
I raided the last El Camino kit I have for the required components. A new hole in the Olds water pump fits the BBC front engine dress very nicely.
While inventorying and surveying everything, I noticed I do not have any valve covers. Bummer.
I do not want to steal them from my 66 or 67 442 kits as they are needed for them.
I have a started 69 Olds 442 kit but it too needs to keep its valve covers and they are already installed on the built motor.
I built a 69 Hurst/Olds quite awhile ago and I am using the directions from it to build this engine.
The instructions show optional valve covers which were used on my build. Scrounging through my engine parts box, I found the stock valve covers loose in the bottom. YAY!
Now I can continue without having to beg, borrow or steal a pair. 😀

Jv
I thought you finished this

Kyle DeHart
It's always such a nice feeling when you find parts in the parts box that you actually need. 😂 Glad you found them!

Bill Newcomer
Jv Nope, stalled at engine scrounging and wheel installation.

Kyle, The parts box rewards me yet again! I found a genuine Olds intake. It got dechromed and installed this evening.

Kyle DeHart
Ah. Fantastic. Hitting the parts box jackpot!!

Bill Newcomer
Did some research on the engine color. 455s of this vintage are supposed to be a medium metallic aqua. I found a Model Master jar for $10 on ebay. Too steep for what I want to do. Instead, I took the only 3 jars of Acrylic paint I have (aqua, blue and some gloppy aluminum) and kept mixing them drop by drop until I got really close. It could maybe use a drop or two of white but at least I am in the ball park. I shall try and keep some progress on this one in spite of all the distraction my Pontiac builds are giving me.

Dominik Weitzer
interesting, that the engine all is black. on the other side eeasy to paint 😉
The rims looking awesome!

Bill Newcomer
Actually the valve covers, intake, heads and block are metallic turquoise. It is just buried by so many hoses and accoutrements than you can just barely see the front of the passenger side valve cover peeking some color.

Kyle DeHart
Circa 1974 smog accessories always add so much color. Lol!

Bill Newcomer
Since I am about to assemble the engines for my Pontiacs, I figured I would try to get my Rocket 455 put together as well. I detail painted everything so assembly begins. I will try to accompany as many its as I can to simulate a smog era engine compartment.

Kyle DeHart
I have not forgotten about this project! Glad to see you getting the rocket built up!

Bill Newcomer
Got the engine installed. Part way through routing the A/C lines. Photo etch battery clamps are a EXTREMELY TINY. I am not sure I will ever put myself through that again!

Kyle DeHart
Man that looks awesome.

Bill Newcomer
Trying to simulate the factory air cleaner decal which is red letters on a silver background. I cannot print silver so I am experimenting with clear decals over BMF. We shall see if it works.

Christian W
My guess: that will work.

Bill Newcomer
My 74 Hurst/Olds engine bay is finally done.
While not 100% accurate, I threw as much at it as I could.
Be advised I had to start with a Johan promo which has no opening hood and engine bay.
A lot of kit bashing and parts box raiding took place to make this happen.

Cowl is from a 62 Catalina with cowl vents printed on paper.
The engine bay is from a 67 Chevelle Pro Street kit.
The firewall, with A/C box, is from a 70 Monte Carlo.
The radiator and A/C parts are from a 68 El Camino.
The engine block and transmission are from a 69 Olds 442.
The dechromed intake and valve covers are from the parts box.
The Olds engine blue was custom mixed from blue, black and silver acrylics.
The air cleaner came from a 72 Grand Prix annual.
The snorkel flex tube came from some Mustang kit.
The chrome heat riser tube came from the 72 Grand Prix spoof exhaust.
The fan belt and pulley assembly came from the 68 El Camino.

The Parts box contributed the following:
Master cylinder and booster
Washer bottle
Battery with photo-etch battery clamps (I'll never do that again!)
Emissions evaporative canister
Tubing from semi truck kit air lines.
Home made decals for Caution Fan and "Oldsmobile Rocket 455"
(Clear decal laid over BMF)
Scratch built distributor and ignition wires.

This task was definitely a challenge motivated by seeing what fellow modelers have shared in their builds.
Comments welcome.

Kyle DeHart
Really great stuff Bill. Fantastic work on getting this to where it is now.

István Szücs
What an accurate engine bay!

Bill Newcomer
Thank you Kyle and Istvan.

Bill Newcomer
It took almost a year but it is finally done. My vision pretty much came to fruition. Lots of kitbashing and some new skills learned along the way. Comments welcome.

Dominik Weitzer
looks really really great! well done, Bill.

Kyle DeHart
Really beautiful result Bill. Enjoyed following along with this build

Bill Newcomer
Thank you Dominik and Kyle. It turned out pretty well.

István Szücs
Great result, lovely car.

Jv
Remember when you started this one
Its been a very interesting build
Congratulations on a butiful model

Bill Newcomer
Thank you Istvan and Jv. 🙂

Tom ...
Astonishing work, Bill!! Not sure if I'm more impressed with the perfection of the car or the fact that there isn't a peck of dust anywhere!

Christian W
Great and at least great pictures.

Bill Newcomer
Tom, Thank you. I did not even dust it before the pics. (I forget stuff like that).
Christian, Thanks. I learned the key to good pics is LOTS of light from a number of directions. (Though, I probably need to diffuse it more)