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• For those who are interested, my 1973 Buick Century was painted 1973 GM code 42. Buick called it Jade Green. My camera didn't pick up the true color very well. Here is a pic that shows the true, actual color. .......... *PIC* .....
  • Such an overlooked classic. If the bumpers were tucked and a bit more streamlined this would be a killer bodystyle. Those wheelwells could swallow 12' wide wheels. Sleek as could be and lots of engine space. Mmmmm..... *NM*
    • Ooops. 12" wide wheels. Not 12'. LOL *NM*
      • Definitely would be a prime example of steamroller tires! :D *NM*
    • Agreed. The Century and Cutlass wore that body style particularly well. Imagine if they had come out in 72, before the bumper mandates. *NM*
      • I believe they were supposed to have debuted in '72, but were delayed in part by a strike. What became the '73 Grand Am was supposedly going to be the '72 GTO *NM*
        • Correct - the UAW strikes paralyzed GM and threw several product programs up in the air
      • I suspect the 5mph bumpers were part of the design regardless. But you’re right, the body lines on the ‘73 A-bodies were dramatic and tighter-fitting, sculpted bumpers would have improved the look immensely. *NM*
        • I’ve seen some pics online with the front bumper shock absorbers pulled in and they look a lot better. *NM*
      • Back in the day, Popular Science mag ran photos of forward year test vehicles out on the road. A few of those were of Colonnade cars, and yes, they showed 1972-level far less prominent front bumpers. Looked good. The Chevelle was the one that lost the plot (more than ...
        • Used to see all sorts of interesting cars in Dearborn around this time - one was a soft-nose (!) '72 Torino 4-door
        • Growing up in Oztralia in the 1960's, Popular Mechanics copies in the school library was where we got all our latest info re what each US car brand was doing, if we were sneaky we'd remove those pages from the PM & take them home, add them to Car Craft,Hot Rod & SS&DI mags. *NM*
          • I knew of a fellow student who swiped our junior high's copy of the October 1976 Motor Trend! *PIC*
        • I find it interesting that the colonnade era cars often generate so much discussion on model message boards, yet seem to have generated very little attention from the kit makers. Maybe it’s time for a real styrene kit (not a semi-accurate or incomplete 3D print version)? *NM*
          • According to Year One, '73-7 Colonnade (Malibu, Cutty, Monte) are the biggest growing part of the portfolio
          • It's the conflict of 1970s kit manufacturer struggles, lack of a promo contract for those vs the fact that they sold very well, and have made great performance cars. It almost feels like they're one of the biggest "really wish they'd done annuals" that hasn't been kitted *NM*
            • Not to mention when they were done (Johan's curbside Cutlasses, MPC stock car Chevys, and Lindberg 1/32s), they're not the MPC 3-in-1 annuals we wish had been tooled *NM*
              • Chevelle sure seems like it was destined to be an annual when I look at the body
                • I've wondered that when I've looked at the chassis with inner wheelhouses, etc. Sure looks like it was intended to be factory stock before being destined for a NASCAR. *NM*
                  • The AMT Chevelle? That NASCAR kit recycled the chassis from the '70-'72 Monte Carlo which was created as a promo/showroom stock kit *NM*
                    • Haha… that explains it. It’s good to have somebody who knows the lineage of kits to explain what should be the obvious but really isn’t for most of us! Thanks! *NM*
                      • The roof on the AMT body looks chopped, as though it was NASCAR only from the jump. Not sure about MPC's, as I have never had one of those *NM*
                        • The MPC body looks good to my eye, but it appears that it was designed to be only a NASCAR body. If a company were going to do a stock version, IMHO they would have to start fresh. *NM*
                        • Yes, it looks ever so slightly chopped to me as well. Johan set the standard so if anyone does a new stock colonnade, it better match the Johan Cutlass on the front and side window shape. *NM*
                    • It would be a leap of faith at the time for AMT to cut a race only body tool for Chevelles... unless they had solid intel from distributors that the MPC product was really moving *NM*
                      • Or the Bobby Allison MC kit did better than they expected. The Chevelle was just a new body, the rest carryover *NM*
              • Then there was the Revell curbside Monte lowrider, which seemed to do well and would probably be a surefire success as a reissue.
                • If only Dave Starsky had driven a Laguna..sigh...LOL *PIC*
                • I bought a few, but never really liked the way Revell executed the ‘77 Monte Carlo. Something weird about the opera window/rear wheel well body shape that bothered me. It seems as if it was destined to be diecast then changed at the last minute for plastic kit production *NM*
              • The top selling 1:1 cars were seldom done as kits. Few/no Olds Cutlasses then, no Camry/RAV4 now *NM*
                • I think that makes sense for when the target demographic was 7 - 12 year old boys. Gotta wow ‘em with subject matter. Most popular 1:1s were more mundane than exciting Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes. Today’s demographic presumably is the adult hobbyist…
                • Actually, there were quite a few Cutlasses. just not as much demand for them, so lesss volume of productions. The 442 and Hurst Olds in the '60s and some '70s and some '80s. most coupes, but even a convertible '66 442 and the Hurst Hairy Olds with engines front and back, etc *NM*
            • Yet, they wanted a Chevette and Monza promo contract. *NM*
  • Scott, I would love to see how your models would look if photographed outside in natural light.
  • Re: For those who are interested, my 1973 Buick Century was painted 1973 GM code 42. Buick called it Jade Green. My camera didn't pick up the true color very well. Here is a pic that shows the true, actual color. .......... .....