55 Chevy Bel Air: Remember?

So on we go.  I remember our '55 was brown and white -- can't exactly recall the interior, so I decided to paint it in a similar mode.  Here is the first attempt -- which I then cleaned up a bit over time.  

And here is the body to go along with it. 

As I stand back and look at it (it looks better the farther I stand back, by the way), it looks as I remember it.

A view inside my past -- I remember the stick on the column and the tightness of the clutch, the taught bench seats, the dash and radio!

Sorry it's a little blurry, but you get the idea.

Getting to look like '55 -- body on now -- all nice an shiny (albeit rough)!

Gotta have the chrome !  Hood on and open.

So here we go.  Finishing it up as best as I can.

As I look back at the model, I learned so very much -- lessons learned that I will share with all of you.  But that is for another thread.  This one is about remembering!  

So I took the '55 Bel Air up to the Alzheimer's care facility where my mom lives to see if she would remember.... I walked in to her room with it carefully bagged, and pulled it out to show her.  

I said, Mom, do you remember this car, and I placed it in her hands.  She held it up, and turned it around and around.  Then she said,  "The rear windows weren't like this at all -- they had a metal bar between them..... but I always loved the color."  

Mission accomplished.  She remembered!!

Great story and welcome back to the hobby.

That is a great story! Those moments of clarity and recognition are precious. I'm glad you got to experience one with her.

Modeling is so much more special when you can present a model to someone and evoke a feeling or a personal memory.

Good for you, and it sounds like your mom really appreciated it. Nice model, and a decent paint job for a brush! I don't think I'd even try to paint a whole car with a brush!
Now get yourself an airbrush, and you'll really be cooking with gas, so to speak!

Great story.  Your mom is right....that is a great color.  Thanks for sharing your story with us.

I'd like to respond to all the wonderful relies to my post.  First of all, TD4438 thanks for your kind words.  Griffin, yes, remembrance is a true gift, and one that I think we never think we won't have.  So much of the enjoyment of my hobbies is recreating memories and building new ones.

Doog, the hand painting was indeed a chore.  I kept thinking to myself, I've got to get an airbrush.  Am researching now (on this forum and others) what people think is a good choice.  I'm pretty happy with how the model turned out even with the cheap brushes I used and the paint right out of the bottle.  I do a fair bit of art work outside of modeling, so I at least think I can paint a smooth line.  Just don't look too close.  

Macattack80, I like the color too.  It must have been close enough.  I mixed flat brown with gloss white, then sprayed the body with several coats of clear coat from a rattle can.

I'm going to post my lessons learned from this model in the next few days.  Stuff I am sure you all know but things I want to work on as I try to move to a "fine" scale modeler.  Maybe you guys can give me your suggestions.  Thanks.

very well built, sir!

Numan

 I kept thinking to myself, I've got to get an airbrush.

i'd suggest trying spray cans before stepping up to an airbrush. sure a spray can is a sledge hammer compared to the airbrush, but it'll give you good basic skills and show you what to expect. i pull out the model and spray all the parts on the tree with undercoat, then a couple of light top coats.

Thanks for the kind words on the model, Octane.   Probably will try to get into the airbrush soon -- lots of great coupons right now from Hobby Lobby.  We'll see.  Thanks for your suggestion, though.