'51 Lead sled: Front roll pan, grille and bumpers, paint

The Grille chosen is apparently from a '55 Chev so we are staying within the GM family. Bumpers involve Wagnerian battering rams, probably also from the GM parts department (Buick perhaps?).




Fabrication started with cutting out the grille opening to fit the '55 grille, and reshaping the nose of the hood which had an excessively pronounced peak.



Then a sheet of 0.030" styrene was glued into the back of the fenders to support the grille, using lots of 5-minute epoxy. Finally the roll pan was scratch built from a selection of square and quarter-round stock. More 5-minute epoxy and some slabs of styrene helped strengthen it all prior to a coat of primer and some shaping.



Trial fit looks good, just needing a bit more cleaning up.



Top coat is Tamiya TS-7, Racing White, which is a lovely creamy colour. The coves from the Corvette will likely be AS 19, Intermediate Blue; this is a semigloss or flat paint and may need a gloss coat to improve things.



Next step is to let the paint harden for a few days before taping it up for the coves. Stay tuned!