Corvette Model Gallery

1957 Roadster

Silver would be added to the color options for ‘57 although Onyx Black would be the favorite. Outside of this there were no external changes from 1956. The big news were under the hood where the engine grew from 265 to 283 cu in. The option list, almost doubled and mostly with performance items including the fuel injection option. When mated to the new optional four-speed manual transmission Corvette was becoming quite a performer. Fuelie cars can be easily spotted by the Fuel Injection script on the front fender side cove. The influence of Zora who would become chief engineer in ‘57 was being seen. The buying public also approved with a production number reaching more than six thousand cars.

The model:

Bill Geary considers himself  an obsessive modeler. I think he is just plain nuts in the good sense :)  He builds not only incredible models, but he incorporates amazing working features like windows that roll up and down in the prototypically correct way, working steering, opening doors, gas caps etc. working folding tops and much more.   

  This is one of the best models I've ever seen, and we are honored to feature it here:  I'll let the pictures do the talking, but even so, not a hundred pictures make it justice:  


From a distance it just looks like a very nice '57 Corvette model


Dog dish hubcaps instead of the full wheel covers. It gives the car a serious attitude.


Nice hardtop.


Perfect stance.


Nice convertible top.


Hmmm, it looks like the air vent is a separate piece.


It's a WORKING air vent

 


Very nice interiors.


PROTOTYPICALLY CORRECT  door hinges

 


It looks like the top lip works as well, but....

 


A WORKING gas tank filler door!


With the correct gas tank in place. Of course the top lid opens.

 


Opening trunk that is fully detailed.

 


PROTOTYPICALLY correct hood support and hinges 


No words.


The underside is detailed as well.

 


Follow this sequence of 3 pictures:


Yes, it is rolling down PROTOTYPICALLY correct


Now you see it, now you don't!

Here are Bill's comments on the build:

The kit(s) I started with are actually both the Monogram and the AMT kit. The Monogram kit was used for the main body and hardtop, while the Revell kit was used for the windshield frame which had to be "stretched" somewhat to suit the 1/24 Monogram body. The hardtop was also heavily modified as the shape on the Monogram kit was not quite right. The "uptop" came from an old MPC '57 Corvette reissue and it too had to be modified to suit the larger body.
 
I scratchbuilt rear pillars on the hardtop out of brass, and then covered them with strip plastic so the surface would be even with the hardtop. The "glass" is bent acetate for the rear quarter hardtop windows, rear hardtop window, as well as the windshield.
 
The car was painted Venetian Red which is a Dupont Acrylic Enamel I had mixed at a local automotive paint shop. The people there know me, and they mixed up what would amount to a "touch up" amount for me. This came unthinned so I thinned the paint with acetone. After drying, the paint was rubbed out with a polishing kit and rubbed out with Meguiar's Car Cleaner Wax.
 
The hubcaps are from The Modelhaus........they actually are for the '57 Chevy 150 series.......a very baseline Chevy one could get in 1957. They were offered as you know on the "racing option" offered on Corvette that year. I wanted to stray from the normal wide whitewalls and try something different........I think they make the car look kinda of sinister! LOL!
 
Of course the model has all the requisite working features that I like to do........working roll up windows, opening glove box, working suspension......the whole nine yards! :)

 

If you would like to contact Bill on this model his e-mail address is: Obssesivemdlr@comcast.net

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Page updated  12/14/07