# Monogram Warbird



## Seventy7 (Jul 4, 2012)

I 1st had this kit as a kid when in middle school, so I guess late 80's? I remember buying at at Bradlees! Anyway this is only my 2nd kit in years, I just completed my 1st, the Revel Pete 359. 

I was hoping to find Trans-Am at the local hobby shop but haven't seen too many F-body kits. I took a chance on ebay and ended up getting the kit for about 10.00 shipped--with that though there are issues. It said unopened but while it was still shrink wrap there were many parts broken off the tree and the body had a crack in hit that I was able to fix. 

Anyway I started on it tonight and really don't have huge plans for it. Aside from trying to paint the block to match a Pontiac 400 the best I could with Testors, hitting the trans with the steel color, I will probably only paint the steering wheel and around the gauges with a silver or steel color. Other than that I'm going to keep it basic.



Not in the best shape but it was all I could find.



Progress so far...



I'm building the dragster version so I'm just keeping it open pipes and actually cut off the rest of the exhaust from the leaf springs and rear..it would be silly to have a cat and mufflers on a car like that. I do wish I had a set of 1:24th scale headers, or the kit came with them--the stock ones are small for building the drag car, still I painted them.

Also, notice the rim of the front wheel protruding? There was no way to get that from happening unless it protruded from the rear of the wheel which then had the front wheels sticking out too far. Maybe I'll tweak it later but for now I'm not beating myself up too much, having the car on the shelf is more of a nostalgia thing for me right now. I do wish they would re-issue the car with a few updates, that would be awesome!


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## Moderbuilderzero (Mar 29, 2013)

Saw Warbird, and my mind was thinking Romulans. LOL :wave:


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## Seventy7 (Jul 4, 2012)

LOL, sorry if I got you excited for nothing!

While I'm posting maybe I'll get lucky with a couple of questions: 1, are there any recommendations on how to get the chrome off so I can paint it? This kit has rear lights that are on the chrome tree. Not sure why they did that but that's the deal so obviously I want to strip it paint them red.

2. The protruding wheel thing is killing me. The only thing I can think to do after messing with it for a day is to take the wheel out of the tire, sand down or cut the inside so it doesnt push up against the inner hub and sits flush with the tire.

Thanks in advance!


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## vypurr59 (Sep 25, 2011)

Westleys Bleach White, Or Black Magic Tire White, or Purple Power. All will strip chrome.


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## scottnkat (May 11, 2006)

I will often use plain old bleach to strip chrome. It's cheap and it doesn't take very long. I've also used Purple Power and Super Clean.


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## Seventy7 (Jul 4, 2012)

Thanks for the info! So I can just let it soak in those?


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## scottnkat (May 11, 2006)

yep - just let the parts soak and the chrome comes off.


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## Seventy7 (Jul 4, 2012)

Thanks Scott!


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## -Hemi- (May 5, 2014)

WELL now, I just learned something! The intake seen on the actual model in the picture, I've got that! And to think, all the parts I have some of which, I got no idea where some of them came from (AKA what kit they belong!)

NICE car tho.......... I wonder how many of these became Smokey and the Bandit cars!!!!???? BEFORE the kit was actually offered!


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## whiskeyrat (May 7, 2012)

Pretty sweet looking so far... how on earth did the wheels get so badly off like that? Can you trim them down or sand them down to fit properly maybe?


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## -Hemi- (May 5, 2014)

They don't really look "off", I think they're merely "setting" in place for the picture, but I could be wrong!


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## Seventy7 (Jul 4, 2012)

I have tried EVERYTHING to get the wheels to sit flush onto the tire but there is just no getting around it. You either have the chrome wheel protrude or you push the tire out from the backing and have the entire assembly stick out as if there were spacers on on the front wheels.

I'm about 3 hours away from home out on business until Fri. I tried to get a good deal of this kit done before I left on Sun and I have to tell you, it was a bear. Look at the box..the body was just as warped. Because of that I'm not beating myself up too much over imperfections..if it looks like a Trans Am that can run 1/4 mile in the 9's and doesn't have glue all over it..I'm happy.

Having said all of that??...Yes I am going to dremmel the inside of the chrome "Centerline" wheel down a bit and get it to sit flush. I used super glue on the other side so that wheel is staying where it is.....looks like AMT remade this 3-1 kit in white molding. I found it on Classicplastic101's Youtube page.

Anyway..pics coming when I get home, thank you for chiming in!


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## -Hemi- (May 5, 2014)

Question, could the rim backing, be backwards? Most times, theres a "lug" that snaps onto the place the "axle" would be, and that extrudes out from the back of the rim. if that's on the INSIDE between the chrome front and the painted rear, it will make the rim seem overly "wide" and that will cause whats seen here. the rum itself being to wide for the actual tire its on.

This is an actual trick tho! When we didn't have the proper rims to fit a set of Mickey Thompson 50's or even Mickey Thompson 60's, we'd drill out the rear rim part so that the center would be open and then put the rim backing on backwards to make the rim seem "wider" to make up the difference of the tire size. Didn't always work but got it a bit closer then if it was assembled the right way, with the wrong tires LOL


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## DOM-19 (Mar 12, 2002)

*Warbird*

Your pictures are so clear what camara are you using---dom


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## Seventy7 (Jul 4, 2012)

-Hemi- said:


> Question, could the rim backing, be backwards? Most times, theres a "lug" that snaps onto the place the "axle" would be, and that extrudes out from the back of the rim. if that's on the INSIDE between the chrome front and the painted rear, it will make the rim seem overly "wide" and that will cause whats seen here. the rum itself being to wide for the actual tire its on.
> 
> This is an actual trick tho! When we didn't have the proper rims to fit a set of Mickey Thompson 50's or even Mickey Thompson 60's, we'd drill out the rear rim part so that the center would be open and then put the rim backing on backwards to make the rim seem "wider" to make up the difference of the tire size. Didn't always work but got it a bit closer then if it was assembled the right way, with the wrong tires LOL


I think you just solved my problem!!!


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## Seventy7 (Jul 4, 2012)

DOM-19 said:


> Your pictures are so clear what camara are you using---dom


Hey Dom, thanks..it's just my phone, iphone 5


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