I have found that mock-ups are key and, at least from the perspective of making a hot rod out of this, it needs to ride lower. I didn't end up getting a picture of "Before" I mocked up a lower ride...but it looked like "the Eisenhower family's Chevy" and I don't want that.
So here's "after" lowering. I quickly glued up the chassis frame and front and rear ends, found some tires in the scrap box, and came up with this:
The body is channeled about 8 scale inches--which means: a lot! The 51 kit came with spindles for the front for a "lowered ride" look. I used that, and the stock ride height for the rear.
Nothing is cleaned up yet--there are still ejector pins and mold lines all over the place and other than some primer, no paint has been applied yet. I have found in modelling you always, always have to walk before you run!!!
I am thinking about frenching the headlights, and doing some sort of flame thing for paint.
Channeling means that many other parts of the car will need to be customized--interior, seats, radiator, motor mounts, and so on, because they will now ride too high. But since I am working in plastic, and nothing has to "work" as it would on a 1:1 car, this is no big deal. I already started to hack up the interior and will take more photos soon.
