1965 Pontiac Bonneville

Bill Newcomer
This just came today.

Bill Newcomer
Finally decided that this one is to be dark Aqua pearl with maybe a two tone aqua interior. Deflashed the chassis and other bits including the engine.

Bill Newcomer
Got to paint today. Chassis and engine bits in color.

Kyle DeHart
Pontiac had a great engine color. Look forward to seeing this one too

Bill Newcomer
Emblems and scripts covered with BMF. Body in primer. Emblems re-revealed via sanding and acetone.

Bill Newcomer
Front bumper had ugly seams on the sides and bad chrome. Sanded them down and dechroming whole bumper.
Body is now in paint. Decanted Testors enamel. Needs to cure. It has been a week and is still tacky.

Kyle DeHart
Love the color in this one too!

Jv
Lovely work I don't think the box art does this kit justice

Bill Newcomer
Kyle Thanks.
Jv, I agree.
Cut free and modified front bucket seats.

Dominik Weitzer
well well! you had a good run painting your Pointiacs 😉

Bill Newcomer
Dominik, Thanks. Except for some dust bits. They all turned out pretty.

Bill Newcomer
Cut all the seat bases to make them more realistic in the front by tucking them under. Patched up the gaps with styrene bits. Sanded them down and applied some spot putty for the low spots. Body and chassis paint is still curing while I perform other tasks.

Bill Newcomer
I did some research online to find that all three of the 65 consoles are a poor excuse of an automatic transmission console. They sit too low, do not have the proper amount of forward drop and do not have enough material to reach/attach to the bottom of the dash.

Besides I am going all 4-speeds which means they are all wrong to begin with. I have started to fabricate new consoles from some styrene I-beam. I am going to create the shifter porch/surround from unused Bonneville custom grille(s).
I added pics of a rough mock up of where I am headed. I just need two more custom grilles to cut up.

István Szücs
They are looking great!

Bill Newcomer
Cut the I-beam chunks for all three 65 consoles. (The 1st prototype is too short in front). The depth and width looked like some popsicle sticks could be used to create genuine wood veneer. Turns out they can. I used sandpaper taped to my bench and my palm sander to thin the sticks down to the thickness I needed.

Jv
Great idea for the wood veneer

Kyle DeHart
That's brilliant.

Jv
Just got a few models today
Kits have stickers for wood I think you just gave me a great idea

Bob Hall
He just wanted to eat the popsicle !

Jv
I think your right Bob
Me to its been hot as hell for the last few days here
I may just build the hole thing out of popsicle sticks
Bill please let us know what flavours are best for the job

Bill Newcomer
Jv, It came to me after doing research on the 1:1. they used real wood.

Kyle, Thanks.

Bob, I wish. They actually came from my wife's craft stash.

Bill Newcomer
Work continues on my 3 consoles. Bailed on using custom grille for shifter pocket. Too round and I do not have two more. Went with simply fabricating them from scratch. They have better shape and size too. Next is working on wood inlays for two of them.

Kyle DeHart
I'm loving your Pontiac projects Bill. More good stuff.

Bill Newcomer
Back at it again. Finally got some free time to shoot my first ever attempt at chrome. The front bumper turned out pretty nice. Once it cures, I will attempt to detail the grille and lenses.

Kyle DeHart
I haven't tried to spray any chrome yet myself but plan on giving it a try soon.

Bill Newcomer
Kyle, Check out Barbados Rex on Youtube. He has numerous videos and quite a number of chrome like paints. He does comparisons on their finish and has also done tests on clear coats for them. Based on what I have seen I am using Green Stuff World and Future clear coats. There is a wide variety of products and prices.

Kyle DeHart
Thank you Bill! I have watched many of his videos in the past but haven't sat down to go through the various chromes. Will do that soon. I did use his channel to purchase my first airbrush though. I've never even done that before so we'll see how it goes.

Bill Newcomer
Which airbrush did you get?

Bozzer
Yeah, I'm keen to know what you got too?

Kyle DeHart
GSI Mr. Hobby Procon Boy. .3 needle. Looking forward to trying it out.

Bill Newcomer
My favorite gun it pretty close. I have the Mr Hobby Procon Boy 0.5mm needle with the trigger and extended handle. I was naughty and let my 1st one get gummed up. When I finally cleaned it, I hurt one of the O-rings. After looking at the price of a needle, nozzle and O-ring, I was halfway to a new one so I just bought a new one instead. Well worth $100 to me.

Kyle DeHart
Everyone seems happy with their Procon Boy so hopefully I will be too. And, Well, I just didn't want to get a cheap one out of the gate. I build enough models it's worth it to me to spend the money. But I got the .3 on sale for $80. Figured it was worth that to have some decent equipment. Now just to start experimenting with it and trying to learn airbrushing.

Bozzer
It's not an exact science mate, but low pressure and the thinning, are the key. The only way you can get a feel of things, is to go for it. Try doing something on an old For Sale sign? Plastic reacts to paint, differently than paper, so practice on something that won't cost you a fortune. Then, when you're comfortable, give it a shot 👍

Kyle DeHart
I appreciate it. Not going to jump into without practice. I know the best way to learn is to do it. I have a couple of old airplanes I built before I had any idea at all what I was doing that are really bad. Thinking of using them as test bodies. Also some stuff I built as a kid found in my parents closet that I could strip send have a go at. And then if I get comfortable, some kits in my stash that aren't important to me to use as test miles as well!

Jarrett
Bozzer when things are cheap lol, okay 80 USD is not bad. I just spent like 65 USD on some different chrome stuff to try, lol. Kyle let me know how it goes because airbrushing is next for me as well. Bill just awesome man, love it

Kyle DeHart
I'm just waiting on a water separator and some thinner and then I'm going to start experimenting Jarrett! Always been rattle cans my whole life so no idea what I'm getting into. Agreed about Bill's work. Great stuff.

Jarrett
All I f your guys work is great. Looking forward to the new year and more awesome builds.

Bill Newcomer
I have not been air brushing for very long but I have learned pretty fast. I have no experience with water/alcohol acrylics so I have no opinion there. I have heard they dry really fast.

I have a ton of rattle cans that are full of paint but generally fail to spray properly because some of them a over 20 years old. When I decant them, I can spray straight as is. The control is WAY better and they lay down nice.

However my favorite thus far is good old Testors bottled enamel thinned 50/50 with Home Depot lacquer thinner. It lays down a gloss that I do not have to wet sand or polish. Since it is enamel, it does take some time to cure. No big deal to me as I have plenty of other tasks to do while it does.

Coverage: A decanted Testors 3oz rattle can will easily spray two full car bodies. You will get more coverage with less waste.

A Testors 0.5 oz bottle is able to do one car body if you are careful. Paints with transparency might need a little bit more so have a 2nd bottle handy.

My 65 Bonneville is decanted rattle can.
My 65 Grand Prix, 65 2+2 and 66 Bonneville are all bottled paint thinned.
My Race car hauler is bottled paint thinned.
My orange 68 Shelby is decanted rattle can.

Kyle DeHart
Really good info Bill!

Jarrett
I've seen people just use paints from Rustoluem and I have recently used Behr... You are probably rolling your eyes lol but I am settling into getting my small little place ready. Are Tamiya paints still king?

Kyle DeHart
I use a lot of Tamiya but if I like a color I like a color. I'll paint with anything. Lol

Bozzer
Lads, for airbrushing straight from the bottle, no mixing involved, I recommend MRP paint. However, this is only to get you into airbrushing? The real skill, (and a lot of cursing), is to go for it, and play, mix, and learn, with what you have?
Just remember, to thin with the type of thinner, that your paint uses!
You can't thin enamel, with water?
Do your homework, gentlemen 100%

Kyle DeHart
I work with paint in my every day job. And spray equipment actually, so I'm well aware of the horrors of mismatched thinners and things of that nature. I plan to experiment plenty!

Bozzer
Kyle, petrol/gasoline, has some amazing outcomes, but I insist, ONLY TO BE DONE OUTSIDE, in perfect weather conditions!
I did my 1:1 brake calipers, in that exact way, with my Badger 360 😉

Kyle DeHart
Yes. Gasoline is a surprisingly effective thinner. Have used it myself. Also 100% outside.

Jarrett
Thank you, Kyle and Bozzer. I will test those waters, air brushing around the May timeframe.

Bill Newcomer
My scratch built consoles are finished. The turned out better that could have imagined. Then again, I have about a month invested in them. When I went to put the shifters and their boots in, they no longer fit. Rather than fab and sand littler boots, I cheated. I just took small dabs of Silly Putty and pushed it into the pockets from below. After painting the surface black, I just stuck my shifters in the putty. It is soft enough that a very small dude could actually "row the gears" so to speak.

Christian W
Those center consoles are awesome! The wooden inlays are crazy.

Bozzer
Brilliant comeback, and you would never know any difference! Can't wait to see the rest of this, come together.

István Szücs
What a great idea to use real wood for the wood inlays!

Kyle DeHart
Those wooden inlays are amazing. Great looking result on the consoles!!

Jarrett
Bill, I agree with the experts. Great job on using real wood. Question, these cars were before my time, did they come with the option of all wooden center console?

Brandon H
Lovin' it so far! Great work!

Bill Newcomer
I had a very busy Summer. I have been working on my Pontiacs sporadically. Finished up detailing the wheels and tires. Hand painted to redlines and goldlines. Hand painted all 64 of the triangles on the rims with my tiniest brush. I 1st tried panel liner but it went nowhere where I wanted it. The pics do not do them justice. They turned out great.

Dominik Weitzer
great work on the rims. well done!

Christian W
Goldlines on tires? That is new for me. Redline and whitewall ok. But never recognized goldlines!

Bozzer
I admire your patience mate. In my youth, those lines wouldn't have been a problem. But now, that kind of precision, would take me days. And I know for sure, that I'd have to redo more than one, before I'd be happy! I have to seriously control my breathing, and steady my hand, while keeping a decent distance, so I can see the bloody brush!
Great work mate!

Kyle DeHart
Oh yeah. Don't see the gold lines too often. I think Coker or someone is still selling them as re-pros as I've seen them at a car show or two around here. A good look on some cars. Those time and tires all look great.

Bill Newcomer
Thanks, Dominik. I am pretty pleased how they turned out. I have a good 2-3 hours in all 16 rims.

Christian, Goldlines are pretty rare. They were offered on Corvettes in 1966. I have seen some Cadillacs in the 80's and 90's with them so I associate them with luxury cars. The plan is to try them one the 65 Bonneville and see if it looks appropriate.

Bozzer, I am not as steady handed as the results appear. These tires actually have narrow grooves in them deep enough I had to do two coats. However, since I used enamel, it will be awhile before they cure fully. Something about the vinyl in the tires drastically slows the process, Good thing I am a slow builder.

Kyle, I too see them once in awhile at shows. Something different.

Christian W
Great. I never ever noticed them. I have to do a little research (because of the Corvette 😄)

Bob Hall
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corvetteforum.com/fo..been-on-a-vette.html

Bill Newcomer
Thanks Bob. 🙂

Christian W
No way! So cool. I guess, I'll keep that in my mind when I start my 1966 Corvette. Something different and I guess a neat detail which is nearly forgotten.

Bill Newcomer
After months of on again off again work, I finally got my 1st "Big Girls" interior done. I went all out on detailing it/them.
Scratch built 10 piece the console with real wood inlays and metal shifter shaft.
Used custom mixed mica powder for carpet and 4 different methods for chrome details.
Made 2 piece arm rests and six 3 piece window cranks.
Detailed the dash with custom mixed "wood" paint and back mounted speedometer decal.
"Lucite" steering wheel made from 6 different parts including stainless steel turn signal stalk.
Clear portions of steering wheel yellow tinted from decanted Testors clear enamel.
Too bad it will get hidden in the car rarely to be seen again.
I wish my phone could take clearer pictures.

Jv
Lots of butiful work
Sure looks fantastic

Bill Newcomer
Thanks Jv

Nigel Chapman
Wow very effective. You will have to take the roof off and make it a cabrio!

István Szücs
What a brilliant interior! The wooden inserts look like the real veneer!

Kyle DeHart
Absolutely gorgeous Bill!

Bill Newcomer
Thanks, Nigel. I would consider it if they made such a kit.
Thanks, Istvan. The console actually are. The dash, I made very thinned brown paint and wicked it in like panel liner.
Thanks, Kyle.

Christian W
Fabulous work! That interior looks awesome.

Bill Newcomer
Thanks, Christian. I put more than quadruple the effort into it than I usually do on interiors just to see if I could get the results. Very time consuming which triggers my procrastinating gene. But I have plowed through it.

Bill Newcomer
I was nearing final assembly and discovered my intended choice of tires were not to my liking. With the chosen tires in mock up, they just looked too dinky in the rear wheel wells. I raided the parts box and was left disappointed. Some of my sets of white walls were wide enough but not tall enough. Others were tall enough but were just way too skinny. Yes, there are decals out in the world but they look like well... decals. Hand painting a PERFECT width and concentric white circle is WAY beyond my talents. So I got creative. I found some black wall tires the were both tall enough and wide enough. With the right wheel backs the Pontiac 8 lug wheels fit very nice as well. I chucked them up in my lathe on a 7/16" deep socket. I mounted an #11 Exacto knife blade in a tool stand and sliced two perfectly concentric circles in the side wall. I then slowly sliced out all the rubber/vinyl between them. I then used a stick pin to dab thinned white paint into the newly formed groove. It was a bit messy but once the edges were cleaned up. They looked PERFECT. Now I have some appropriately sized white walls for the rear of both Bonnevilles.

Nigel Chapman
Wow Bill you should do YouTube tutorials or run a master class!

Kyle DeHart
Ah, wonderful. Fantastic work. Way to get through that issue. Typically every time I want to use white walls they're the wrong width or height.

Brandon H
Very creative!

Jv
Yes fantastic solution and butiful result

Bill Newcomer
Thanks guys. I just wanted a solution for my dilemma. Free and neat wins the day.

Jv
And happy Xmas by the way

Christian W
How cool is that with this white wall tires!

Bozzer
I love how you used the lathe! I've actually 3D printed a mini one, for exactly things like this! That reminds me, I've created a new album, to show you crazy guys, the birth of my new cave. I'll drop a link in, below, so you can see how it comes alive.

Bill Newcomer
Merry Christmas Jv. Thanks Christian. Bozzer, I am jealous of your new space. My only advantage is mine is in the house.

Bill Newcomer
Well gents, this one got done along with her Big Girl sisters. I present to you JADE, a 1965 Pontiac Bonneville with a 356HP 421 Tri-Power and a 4-speed. She is painted in Testors Chezoom Teal Pearl blue-green metallic with a well detailed turquoise interior. Lots of skill expanding detail has been put into her including scratch built console with REAL wood inlays and 1st successful interior flocking.

Comments welcome.

Ben M
Wow, that's really beautiful. I love the paint color. The extra details and the finishing are artistry.

Bill Newcomer
Thank you, Ben. 🙂

Marcel
Looks awesome. I really like the color. The detail work including the wood is pure craftsmanship.

Bill Newcomer
Thank you, Marcel. 🙂

Bob Hall
The Supremes,! The hit big girls of the 60's from Motown ! 👍

Bill Newcomer
Thanks, Bob! Never thought of them that way.

Kyle DeHart
Beautiful. Absolutely a stunning conclusion. Love your color choice. All the extra work you did sure paid off.

István Szücs
Perfect result!

Neuling
Yes!

Spanjaard
wow, it looks fantastic, and with the workshop, truly amazing. I love the trick for the white lines.

Spanjaard
@Bozzer, you 3D printed a lathe?

Bozzer
@Spanjaard, yes. I still have to get the bearings and the rod for it to slide on, but everything else is done. You can actually use it to carve wood, when it's complete.

Nigel Chapman
Wow what a combo! Absolutely perfect

Bill Newcomer
Thank you, Kyle. That was the goal. 🙂
Thank you, Istavan and Neuling. 🙂
Spanjaard, Thank you, It was a problem and I solved it. 🙂

Spanjaard
@bozzer, you need to make a detail album about that (sorry Bill, not trying to derail the topic of this wonderful build)

Bill Newcomer
Spanjaard, that is fine. we are all friends here.

Jv
Love all 4 of these cars you built
Fantastic paint and details

Bill Newcomer
Thank you, Jv. I enjoyed building each of them.

Dominik Weitzer
b e a u t i f u l ! I love this. from your four, this is my favorite. what a beauty.

Rui S
Incredible shny model, indeed 👍

Bill Newcomer
I went to a car show with my best friend and his car guy son. I brought some models for the model show they were having as well. I won 1st place in the factory stock class. After that I came home to my awesome wife and had homemade beef stew with vegetables from our garden. It was a really good day. 🙂

Nigel Chapman
Congratulations life can't get better than that

James C
Congrats Bill 👍

Jv
Very nice sure deserves it congratulations

Landlubber Mike
Holy cow, this is absolutely amazing. Nice job!!

Bob Hall
Right on ! 🤘😎🤘

Michael Kohl
Speckless build

Bozzer
Nice job buddy! Congratulations!!! 100%

Kyle DeHart
What a great day!! Congrats Bill!!

Bill Newcomer
Thank you all for your warm greetings! 🙂

Brandon H
Well deserved, nice job Bill!

Bill Newcomer
Thank you, Brandon. 🙂

Jennifer Franklin
Congratulations Bill, very nice work!

Jarrett
Damn that is awesome paint job, wow! Great work Bill! Congratulations!!! Man do I love that Eagle medal!

Bill Newcomer
Thank you Jarrett. It is decanted Testors rattle can with Future clear coat with ZERO sanding, polishing or buffing. The award is nice. I like wall plaques better than trophys. Trophys take up shelf space that should be used for kits or models.

Christian W
This car looks so good. Congratulations!

Bill Newcomer
Thank you Christian. 🙂