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Post by arcticwolf on Nov 21, 2020 18:26:49 GMT -8
Just for a change of pace, and to get my creative juices flowing. My all time favorite muscle car, any 67-70 Cougar. I'd have a real one if my Daughter hadn't complicated matters. So I'll have to settle for one of these - or 2 or 3, lol. To my knowledge, there is no 68 Cougar model kit (I may be wrong). But I did acquire two 1/25th scale MPC funny car kits, 68 Cougar bodied. This is the raw body shell: So here goes. I could just drop the body on a 70 Cougar eliminator kit, but that would be too easy. Besides, I want to build the '70. So I'll go with the Mustang, except the wheelbase is wrong - Cougars are 3" longer than Mustangs. Who knew? So a Revell GT350H kit, 1/24th scale. Now the wheelbases match almost perfectly. Plus the Revell kit is much better quality to work with. After lots of measurements and notes, some surgery with a dremel and I have a replacement inner front clip. (Note the cowling on the drag body is chopped up for the blower, so its going to be Mustang). Also careful cutting with a knife to remove the hood from the Cougar body. I tacked the hood back on to make sure everything lined up right:
I glued it together in about 4 stages just to keep checking the fit, then CA'd it securely.
The Cougar and what's left of the Mustang. I know, fellow Mustang lovers, but it's for a good cause besides I have 2 more GT350's to play with:
More to come.
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Post by arcticwolf on Nov 21, 2020 18:36:38 GMT -8
Next was to glue in the rad support, so I could cut away the Mustangs front valance and replace it with the Cougars (grill is temporary to keep check of the fit):
And this is where I'm at:
I could leave the escape hatch as is and claim the sunroof guys screwed up.........no.
Something to play with while I strip down the Matra and think about how to build it.
Cheers guys
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Post by 4wheels on Nov 21, 2020 19:29:08 GMT -8
Always fun to watch a "plastic surgeon" at work!
Brian
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Post by sam on Nov 25, 2020 1:38:06 GMT -8
This is awesome! I wish I would have thought of this. I have owned two 1968 Cougars and loved both of them.
Yes, there is a stock kit, but it is spendy and hard to find. I know, I tried.
I need to find me one of these drag kits now, and someone just gave me one of those exact Mustang bodies...
I will be eagerly looking forward to the updates.
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Post by arcticwolf on Nov 25, 2020 21:26:31 GMT -8
If you're thinking about doing this, I'd recommend using the 69 Eliminator kit, it would be a lot easier!
Anyway, the Mustang frame and interior tub:
Frame is a little too wide, and will need to be recessed at the rear for tire clearance anyway. Tub just needs the sides shaved a little, and a parcel shelf fabricated. And of course filling in the escape hatch:
So frame done and front suspension installed and.........the track's too wide and the car will sit too high, so some modifications again, basically a dropped spindle fudge, but it should work. Primed, sanded, filled and re-primed the body:
A bit of work for a "stock" build (lol).
As to what to use as motivational force, I'm leaning towards one of these:
Today we'd just drop in a rack and pinion set, coilovers, a four link rear and a Coyote motor and be done with it. But I'm trying to build like it's 1970 here, so a SOHC 427 might be nice, if I can get it to fit.
Cheers guys Paul
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Post by afx on Nov 26, 2020 4:45:53 GMT -8
Nice conversion work Paul. Not sure what SOHC you plan on using but the one in the Moebius Comet is the best I have seen in scale.
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Post by sam on Nov 26, 2020 17:26:11 GMT -8
About seven years ago I ran into an advertisement for a 1969 Mustang Mach I that was a factory 428/4sp car. Vin numbers confirmed. Somewhere along the way the 428 had been replaced with a sohc 427. Big let down I know. But for under $20k for a driver that looked pretty good in the pictures, it was a deal.
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Post by Joel_W on Nov 28, 2020 7:18:48 GMT -8
Paul, Interesting conversion for sure. So far I'd say that you're making excellent progress. Looking forward to your next update.
Joel
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Post by mustang1989 on Nov 28, 2020 16:27:53 GMT -8
Good lookin' project.
The Jo-Han SOHC aint bad either.
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Post by arcticwolf on Dec 1, 2020 7:38:36 GMT -8
I've finished the interior, modifying the Mustangs to fit the Cougar. I wanted to try for that reddish brown leather colour, in the end its just red oxide primer from any auto parts store, with a semi gloss clear over it. Pretty close I think.
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Post by arcticwolf on Dec 1, 2020 7:45:44 GMT -8
Try this again
The windshield from the Cougar kit has a big hole in it for the blower, so it's useless. My next trick is to try to fit a 1/24th Revell Mustang windshield into a 1/25th MPC Cougar. It has to go in first, then the interior to the body shell, then the chassis to the body, it's the only order that it will go together. Hmmm.
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Post by arcticwolf on Dec 1, 2020 7:47:46 GMT -8
Nice conversion work Paul. Not sure what SOHC you plan on using but the one in the Moebius Comet is the best I have seen in scale. Nice engine JC, but it would be a bit of a waste on this build, you'll only see the top of it when I'm done. Besides, I don't have one, lol.
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Post by arcticwolf on Dec 1, 2020 7:49:55 GMT -8
Good lookin' project. The Jo-Han SOHC aint bad either. Thanks. I've seen your SOHC, mine will be somewhat less impressive. I have enough bits I'm going to concoct my own, it might even work!
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Post by Joel_W on Dec 1, 2020 8:29:30 GMT -8
Paul, Looking good. The Redish Oxide interior color came out perfect.
Joel
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Post by arcticwolf on Dec 1, 2020 9:57:33 GMT -8
Thanks Joel. So some careful machining on the screen, little at a time and it more or less works - close enough anyway. the rest fit as planned, they've all been in and out often enough to make sure. I went with Champagne Gold and a pearl coat, I thought it suited the era, still a lot of detail painting to do, but I'm getting there:
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