AZZ KIKR

This is Colm Meany’s “AZZ KIKR” Corvette from the Nick Cage actioner Con Air…

This car started life as the 1:18 scale die-cast “Star Spangled Banner” Felicity Shagwell Corvette from Austin Powers (AP).

I had the AP Corvette in my collection for quite some time. For the past couple years, I’ve been lightly digging for a correct model die-cast ‘Vette for the Con Air car, knowing I’d have to do some mods. I had various die-cast ‘Vettes I was eyeing that were close, but not quite (incorrect wheels, hardtop, etc.).

I recently realized the AP ‘Vette is the exact same model, down to the wheels and side exhaust pipes. There was just one tiny physical difference – the absence of two small exhaust ports below the rear bumper on the Con Air car, missing on the AP model.

For my conversion, I began by masking all but the body “sheet metal”, and spraying with a metallic Tamiya Sky Blue. It’s a tad too dark compared to the movie car, but I’m happy with it. I hit it with a Tamiya Clear Pearl to try to tone down the blue a bit. I had to break the rear bumpers off, then super glue them back on later. For the front bumper and grill, I removed the lower front cowling (held by a screw) then popped the chromed plastic parts out, allowing me to spray the cowling separately.

Then was the interior…

I actually dismantled the AP ‘Vette I had (since I could replace it if I damaged it) in order to learn how to remove the seats, and other interior components. This is how I learned about removing the from cowling. I was able to spray the seats separately, but the visors I had to mask off, as well as the door panels. Door panels then got some brushed on grey in the center section, and silver to re-touch the door handles and window cranks. The dash should also be the same blue, but call me a failure – I just could not figure out how to do that without * something up. So I left it black.

The rear exhaust ports were just spare parts that fit the bill from the ole’ spares box. I need to fix the inboard right tail light, and add a touch of white to the center back-up lights. And the kicker – the AZZ KIKR plate. I have the actual plate from our fellow plate supplier, so used a picture of it.

Pics are a tad low in resolution (iPhone 4 – yes, 4!)

But enjoy!

 

Looking over my photos, I'm noting the model does not have the hood scoop. Funny how you miss things like this until you lay the photos next to each other...

The images of the real car were taken years after the production. Not sure if the car had the scoop in the movie (proably did), but I'll find out. There is a die-cast '67 'Vette model available that has the same hood as the real car posted above. Not sure I want to buy yet another model just to cannabilize the hood.

Also need to add a bit of trim pieces to the hood and rear deck (Chevy flags at the nose of the hood, for example).

UPDATE:

OK that didn't take much - I'm good on the hood...

 

Your model looks great. You can't go wrong with a classic corvette. Are you gonna do agent Caulson's red vette from Shield next?

 

I was going to do the Charger from Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry but found a licensed version on-line.

 

Right on!