I now have two copies of AMT's excellent 1951 Chevy Belair, which I bought because the kit includes a venerable stovebolt 6 which can be built up with a Fisher 12-port cross-flow head, Hilborn injection and a lovely 6-branch exhaust header. The attached, seen in Ticonderoga, NY, in about 2010, shows what is possible with just the basic engine.
I like V8s as much as the next guy, but there comes a point where you've built enough Mopar hemis, Ford 427 cammers and small block Chevys to last a lifetime. Arguably I've reached that point.
I also have two resin bodies designed to fit this kit, namely a chopped, sectioned and channeled unit from Jimmy Flintstone, and a station wagon from Best Model Car Parts (which I will call BMCP from here on).
The Jimmy Flintstone body is typical: relatively poor quality, a molded-in hood, and no parts beyond the body. The $20 price tag shows clearly that you get what you pay for. It would be a shame to waste a decent AMT kit on this, when tinted glass and a chassis made of a slab of balsa would be more than adequate.
The BMCP kit, however, has lots of interior bits, decals for the gauges, and a removable hood. The resin is thinner and the body seems to fit the chassis from the AMT kit well, although for some reason the hoods are not interchangeable. So the plan is going to be a moderately hot-rodded wagon, with the hotter engine, lowered suspension and period-correct steel wheels to be decided. Wide white walls may be involved. The second '51 stays on the shelf for now.
First will be to build up the engine and chassis. Stay tuned!
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