# Oldsmobile ragtop



## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

You may have seen my post in SnS looking for a gold no-stripes Dash 442. I want to model this, which my brother got last week:










By all accounts, though, Dash never made the gold one with no stripes, so I settled for what Andrew at slotsnstuff had., which was gold/red. (Thanks Andrew! It got here REAL quick...)

I guess you all know what a Dash 442 looks like by now, so I won't post a Before pic. (That also has something to do with the fact that I forgot to shoot a before pic.  ) This is what it looked like after I took the Sawzall to the roof and did a little initial filing:










After that, it took very little diddling with a leftover JL Mustang interior and boot to get to this point:



















The bottom of the interior had to be thinned a little to clear the gear plate and clamp, and now it's still close enough that I can't really go down at all with the screwposts, but I guess that's the way it is with convertibles:



















Now I have to work out some kind of filler panel to go above the trunklid and get the paint on it to match as close as possible, which very well may involve some kind of camouflage to draw attention away from it. But other than that, it's a pretty straightforward easy top chop.

I think the driver figure has to be like the one I did for the green Caddy, in cruise mode with his arm hanging over the passenger seat. Also thinking of painting a goatee on him to make him look that much more like my brother... :thumbsup:

--rick


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## Lype Motorsport (Mar 14, 2004)

*Sweet!*

* Hi Rick
Thats amazing how good that looks! :thumbsup: Maybe for the filler you could use a piece of the deleted roof, at least the paint would match 


Larry*


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Oh, now I am diggin' where this* is going! :thumbsup:


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I like the "use what you got" idea, but to simplify things, a weird jack 55 chebby interior is nearly a perfect fit. You might have to narrow it a bit, but it's nearly spot on from front glass edge to the bottom of the back window. I'm not sure if Jack still sells them, but as I recall, they weren't pricey, and it's always convenient to have a few in stock...

She's looking good topless however you do it..  :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## XracerHO (Feb 6, 2008)

Nice conversion to an Oldsmobile Ratop. :thumbsup: ..RL


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## WesJY (Mar 4, 2004)

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Wes


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

slotcarman12078 said:


> I like the "use what you got" idea, but to simplify things, a weird jack 55 chebby interior is nearly a perfect fit. You might have to narrow it a bit, but it's nearly spot on from front glass edge to the bottom of the back window. I'm not sure if Jack still sells them, but as I recall, they weren't pricey, and it's always convenient to have a few in stock...
> 
> She's looking good topless however you do it..  :thumbsup::thumbsup:


Now I gotta go look and see if I still have a WJ interior around. I used one in a JL '59 Impala and it worked great. Have you actually put one of these in a Dash Olds like this? I was worried about the seats and everything seeming to be too far back because the back window goes so low... but now that you suggested it, I'll go take a look and see how it measures out...

--rick


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I didn't put one in, but I gave it a quick looking over. Having the dash already fixed will make the job way easier, the length is pretty much right there. Where it will sit naturally, the back of the front seat will be right at the door seam. Should be just about right...


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

WOW. Just sat the Olds next to the '59, and that interior kit appears to be DEAD ON. Jeez, I hope he still makes them...

--rick


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## Joe65SkylarkGS (Feb 15, 2010)

Nice Rick. I was lookin for a solid gold at the show but no dice. Kinda glad now seeing you allready started one!!!

Looks great so far. :wave:


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

Rick,

Cool Beans that your Brother got that 1/1 Car and like what you have come up with so far out of your Dash 442 mock up!

Bz


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Rick, It has been some days.
How about an update, hey! :thumbsup:


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Update: interior kit ordered from WJ, should be here sometime this week. w00h00!

--rick


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## Super Coupe (Feb 16, 2010)

Hey Rick. The ragtop project is looking good so far!!!. :thumbsup: You still have time to get it ready cause it is still a little nippy here in the northeast.
>Tom<


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

got those interior kits this week, and as usual, WJ's stuff is topnotch. SCM, that was a brilliant idea, I didn't realize they measured out significantly bigger than a Mustang interior. looking pretty good, I think:










the blue monkeysnot on the windshield is obviously temporary, it's keeping the windshield located for the time being. i had to thin the interior plate a good bit in a few strategic places (gearplate rails, gearplate clamp, armature pinion) to get it to work. and WJ's convertible boot was just too wide for this body--i modified (narrowed) the rear seat and used one off a Mustang. i can't wait to get it painted up and glued in, but that sounds like a project for another day... gotta be up early for a kid's ballgame tomorrow. and the driver figure is gonna be key on this one: i want to paint it up like my brother, with a receding hairline and a goatee. :tongue:

--rick


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Looking Good so far, rick :thumbsup:


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Yeah yeah yeah!
oh, now I LIKE this! :thumbsup:


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

looks real good from here


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

She's shaping up nicely Rick!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Good move grabbin a WJ interior...*

That's gonna work great. This would even make a great pace car. I could see another one in white with decals and all. :thumbsup:


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

rick,

Yo dat is interior-ific now!!

Bob...even the hubcaps look like a match...zilla


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

Olds kool. 

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## racer8nut (Mar 25, 2010)

That olds is awesome. The picture reminded me of the 69 Olds Cutlass I had as a kid. I miss that car. I did not have the knowledge or means to restore it...so I had to let it go. I like the version you are doing. I have a few Dash Olds..hmmmm. I wish I could find a 69 version of the olds.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Update, finally...

WJ's interior is PERFECT for this car. Primed it, sprayed it white, masked the seats and sprayed the rugs black. Painted up WJ's driver figure with a goatee and sunglasses like my brother. Separated and repositioned the arm from the figure to make it look like he's got it across the back of the passenger seat. (Hey, that's how you gotta cruise when yer cruisin', right?)





































I know it's not quite right in a bunch of ways, from the fact that's it's not a '69 to the hood stripes... but it's close enough for him to get a kick out of it. Here's a couple of reference photos:










I'm thinking of getting a set of RRRs with gray painted centers to look more like these.

And this is the look I was shooting for with the driver figure:










Hm. Now I need an MEV '65 Impala blem so I can paint it to match MY 1:1...

--rick


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## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

Wow Rick, that Olds Ragtop really turned out SWEET ! And I think the driver figure is a cool tribute to your Brother too :thumbsup:


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

WOW, that is a great rendition. bet yer brother is happy having that!


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## Super Coupe (Feb 16, 2010)

Awesome job on the ragtop redo!!!:thumbsup: Great idea with the arm surgery also. Looks like a show stopper.
>Tom<


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

Now that's what I call personalized!! Great job on the gold Olds! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Nailed IT!:thumbsup:

What a sweet looking raggy!
Your brother is a lucky guy.
All my brother did for me was give me a wet-willey!

As far as the red stripes go, the 2 cars really SHOULD match. 
Just do the sneak over to his place with your roll of painters tape, a 4 inch
roller and a can of Red Devil paint! At 2 in the morning
Rick, its all in the sneak!


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

Cool car --rick!!! Great idea joez!!! RM


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Awesome!!! You nailed both!!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## win43 (Aug 28, 2006)

SWEET now where are my 442 bodies ???


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## plymouth71 (Dec 14, 2009)

Lol Love it. Things like this are always the best gifts because they are so personal.


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## kiwidave (Jul 20, 2009)

Great looking cool project!! The interior detailing is really sharp!


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*Joez idea...hahahahahaahha...they make wash off paint*

rick,

Again you have stopped the slot car custom world with another one of your Super Cool & Very Neat projects!!

This time you did it for your brother...yo Bro! Love It!! :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Bob...an only child...zilla


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

Heh heh. Thanks for the comments, all. Fixing the 1:1 up to match with washable paint would be an awesome prank, but he lives 3 states away. As it is, I think I'm gonna tell him he has to come visit and run some laps to claim this thing. I posted pics of it on his Facebook page, and he was tickled. His wife pointed out that to be really accurate, I would need to put two child seats in the back. Thinking about it...

--rick


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## XracerHO (Feb 6, 2008)

Great finish to the Ragtop! :thumbsup: ..RL


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Hahahahaha Rick! Forgot to shoot the before pic?....I resemble that remark far too often.

Just for the permanent record; you ARE the undisputed King of convertible conversions. Great vision as always!


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Bill Hall said:


> Hahahahaha Rick! Forgot to shoot the before pic?....I resemble that remark far too often.
> 
> Just for the permanent record; you ARE the undisputed King of convertible conversions. Great vision as always!


I have to go along with you on that, Bill.
Rick's Raggies always look like they belong that way.:thumbsup:


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

awww, shucks. you guys are too kind. 

actually, once school lets out, i hope to have a little more time to devote to slots... i was thinking of branching out this summer, trying some new things. i can think of at least 3 common bodies that seriously need an El Camino/Ranchero treatment. :devil: 

hmmmm... now that i think about it, there are at least 3 MORE that could also work...

sounds like an idea for a new thread!

--rick


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