Message Index

• See if you recognize my build that got finished this morning. It's close to the original..... *PIC*
  • Limefire *NM*
• Model Car Museum Opening, Lincoln, Nebraska... *LINK*
  • Seeing the "Big T" would be worth the trip to me! *NM*
  • That's on my bucket list. I'd love to visit there. When I finished the Goldbrick I was asked if I'd have interest in building another for the museum. I built it for a guy who's connected with the Rod and Custom community. I think I should. *NM*
  • Max and I will be there. *PIC*
    • So many people getting together to share our great hobby :) *NM*
  • Thank you sir *NM*
  • When the grand opening was first announced, I had hoped to make it... Unfortunately my health has been steadily getting worse, so I haven't been able to attend shows of any type since March. *NM*
    • I will take as many photographs as possible so you can see as much as possible :) *NM*
  • Was planning on going to the opening but scheduling has interfered. I have been to that museum a few years back. Worth the visit whenever you can. *NM*
  • Like Marty I was going to attend but sadly, my traveling days are over. *NM*
• 1969 Dodge Dart GTS revisited. I decided that I like the kit supplied mag style wheel covers better than the ones that I built it with originally. Here it is with the new wheel covers. .......... *PICS* ..........
  • They look good too, though personally I prefer the other ones. ;-) *NM*
• Well I ordered some contingency & number/letter decals from Becky at Slixx June 11th , turned up yesterday & have been driving myself crazy making up the Bantam Blast AA/FA set, not Slixx's fault but anal Andys as the East Coast Hobby Expo is next weekend & I wanted to have
• Friday Evening Randomness..... ENJOY!!!!! *PICS*
  • You are an automotive archive sommelier. The burgundy '32 is my favorite *NM*
    • Yeh, I could live with it tho' I throw some fenders & running boards under it to cover those anemic wheels & tyres.....lol. *NM*
      • They look good to me. Very era appropriate just like the A 5 window coupe hot rod 3rd pic from the top. *NM*
      • Thats funny because I replaced the big baloneys on my F100 with narrow steel wheels and caps *NM*
      • Anemic???? I think you meant traditional. *NM*
        • The 4 T's are very much overused...traditional, tats, tikis & t.ts....growing up in the 1960's hotrods had wide wheels, even 1950's rods had big n little wheels & tyres, not skinny things....6.50x16's belong on a restored stocker.....lol.....showing my age again.....lol. *NM*
          • Yes... That would be correct for the 60s... However, a traditional build such as this is correct for the early and even mid-50s. Two entirely different styles. *NM*
  • Love that little green Rambler--oh, and that Coupe DeVille, too. *NM*
  • Beware: Old Guy Grumble. I dislike seeing model cars doing wheelies without a driver! *NM*
    • E-hem...... You were saying????? *NM* *PIC*
      • Couldn’t see that guy tucked away. My thought still holds!😂 *NM*
        • Yes, it does.... A couple of years ago, at the Cedarville show, there was an incredible diorama of the General Lee jumping over a dry creek bed.... I was amazed at how the builder captured the look of motion and dust flying... However there was one glaring omission... *PIC*
  • Thanks Marty! *NM*
  • I've still got my fingers crossed that we will see that Revell Valiant V-200 kit from Atlantis sometime soon. *NM*
• Coming along... *PICS*
  • Wow! What a rig! So the Panzer must have been spoils of war? *NM*
    • Yes, the US Army grabbed captured tanks whenever they could. A lot of them got shipped to Aberdeen Proving Grounds so they could compare them against US tanks. The Germans would often set fire to their tanks or blow them up to keep them from being captured. *NM*
      • Super interesting project!
  • Hey Terry! Got just the load for ya. A D-7 dozer in 1/35 scale.
    • Neat, but I wanted that German tank--more colorful that way. *NM*
      • And I know what you mean about tiny 1/35 parts... *NM*
  • Something about this project just really appeals to me. *NM*
  • By the way, the name Dragon Wagon came not from '"draggin" equipment, but because these big engines belched fire out the exhaust pipe on occasion. Weird things you learn when you're doing research on a project... *NM*
    • Yeah. It's on my bucket list to build in 1/25 scale. *NM*
• I just saw online that this 1969 Dodge Charger was for sale on Facebook back in January 2026 with the asking price of $4500.00. .......... *PICS* ..........
  • A little optimistic maybe? *NM*
  • A real "Graveyard Car". *NM*
  • If it has the paperwork and tags, it probably sold. Got rebuilt from the VIN tag out *NM*
    • Probably see “it” at Barrett Jackson next year. *NM*
  • Ran when parked. :) *NM*
• Well, I built a 1969 Dodge Dart, but I decided against my original color choice of orange. I also installed a set of the seldom seen wheel covers for 1968-1969 Dodges. The actual color is a little darker than as seen in these pics........... *PICS* ..........
  • Sweet! *NM*
  • Super nice. Now we need a white one with a green interior! *NM*
    • Green '69 GTS interior *PIC*
  • Really nice! Love the green and the wheelcovers.
  • Looks great *NM*
  • Very sharp!!! *NM*
  • Another Mopar masterpiece! Very nice *NM*
• I am building a 1967 Galaxie for a friend who recently . . .
  • If you got an interior with it, consider the '65 Galaxie. You could use the '66 or '69 also, but the '65 has a steering front end and more parts *NM*
    • The '67 kit interior would need work to fit other chassis...
  • A lot of parts are in the current R2 '69 Galaxie *NM*
• test
• Finished this last Feb but just did details *LINK* *PIC*
  • nice truck *NM*
• Miscellaneous Mopar Madness *PICS*
  • Had to smile when I saw this. *PICS*
    • Wow! *NM*
• Is the rumor I heard true that Revell has sold off more molds? *NM*
  • I heard that recently more of the Revell molds had been delivered to Atlantis. *NM*
  • Per Peter at Atlantis.......
    • Peter relayed a similar story to me some time ago...TB *NM*
  • I wish these would turn up *NM* *PIC*
• My So Cal buddy sent a pic I'll share of a a finished build.. *PIC*
  • That lowered stance makesa HUGE difference!!!! *NM*
  • Didn't I read somewhere that the MM has a solidly mounted rear axle- I.E. no rear springs? Just wondering. *NM*
    • One of the two built may have started out that way (was set up to do wheelies) but would have been changed later *NM*
  • Love it! Where can one find the gold decals? *NM*
  • Not a fan of the 1:1. but that model is pretty cool. love the stance. *NM*
• New info to me: Out next month is the AMT All American Race Team Ford LN 8000 Transporter & 1965 Mustang Modified. COOL boxart in my opinion. I'm going to need to order 2 when available. One to build boxart style, other to save. Sorry for the small pic. *PIC*
  • The #1s are cool. *NM*
• I was given this kit 10-15 yrs ago and I knew it was missing some parts. It had the cab, interior, chassis, wheels and tires and a bunch of other stuff. I have fiddled with it over those years and decided many times I was done with it but it keeps ending up on .....
  • Outstanding weathering of the wood trailer bed, Terry. *NM*
    • Thanks. I am really pleased with it. *NM*
  • Really nice work on that old kit. Love the weathering *NM*
    • Thank you. *NM*
    • Thank you very much. *NM*
  • I love it! That’s really cool! *NM*
    • I appreciate that, thanks *NM*
  • looks done to me, great patina *NM*
    • Thanks. I'm pretty good at hiding missing parts. That's why the tarp is there. To cover the missing drive shaft. *NM*
  • That is outstanding and perfect in every way ! I wish that it was on my shelf. Extremely well done. *NM*
    • Thank you! But l wouldn't call it perfect but it did turn out very well. *NM*
      • I think that it's perfect Terry. I meant every word that I said. I see nothing wrong with it. Well done. *NM*
        • Thank you so much. I know l am very critical of my own work and l shouldn't worry about the small stuff. I do really like how it turned out. Thanks again. *NM*
• I doubt the stepside ever made it into a checkerboard box, those probably started after the conversion was done *NM*
  • Ida know, really wasn't paying that much attention to truck at the time (despite my love for same)
• For Andy and others wondering about their Rodders Journal Subs and Merch orders....I rec'd this note in my email this am...
  • I'm a big fan of TRJ, and will continue to support the best Rodding publication on the market. *NM*
    • I stopped holding my breath a long time ago. These people constantly make excuses, make weak apologies, and deliver next to nothing. Bunch of con artists. You can't believe a word they write *NM*
  • Tim, I've every issue, various books & specials but its the lack of communication thatsgiven then the poor rap, just a real shame when the product is great but the support not so. *NM*
  • Thanks for posting, Tim. *NM*
• Revell / Atlantis Question: Keeler Customs
  • The original Dragster Speed Equipment pack is also MIA, like the Hemi, having been chopped up for the Miss Deal Studebaker.... In it's place, Atlantis has been using the Roadster Equipment pack instead... Close, but not quite the same. *NM*
    • Roadster equipment for the rails - Mooneyes, Kent Fuller?
      • The roadster equipment pack is in all of the Atlantis dragster kits, the Fiat coupe, and the T-bucket. For those chassis parts (axles, steering, suspension) that's all they've got *NM*
        • Actually, the dragster front axle is heavy-handed compared to the roadster pack items *NM*
          • Agreed.... The front axles found in the Tony Nancy 22 jr double kit are a much better substitute for the parts packs pieces. *NM* *PIC*
            • Gonna have some TN leftovers! Is the same axle used in both?
              • Axles are similar in both as I recall. One car has a Kent Fuller chassis, the other a Tommy Ivo chassis which is pretty much a crib of Fuller's piece *NM*
• It's the conflict of 1970s kit manufacturer struggles, lack of a promo contract for those vs the fact that they sold very well, and have made great performance cars. It almost feels like they're one of the biggest "really wish they'd done annuals" that hasn't been kitted *NM*
  • Not to mention when they were done (Johan's curbside Cutlasses, MPC stock car Chevys, and Lindberg 1/32s), they're not the MPC 3-in-1 annuals we wish had been tooled *NM*
    • Chevelle sure seems like it was destined to be an annual when I look at the body
      • I've wondered that when I've looked at the chassis with inner wheelhouses, etc. Sure looks like it was intended to be factory stock before being destined for a NASCAR. *NM*
        • The AMT Chevelle? That NASCAR kit recycled the chassis from the '70-'72 Monte Carlo which was created as a promo/showroom stock kit *NM*
          • Haha… that explains it. It’s good to have somebody who knows the lineage of kits to explain what should be the obvious but really isn’t for most of us! Thanks! *NM*
            • The roof on the AMT body looks chopped, as though it was NASCAR only from the jump. Not sure about MPC's, as I have never had one of those *NM*
              • The MPC body looks good to my eye, but it appears that it was designed to be only a NASCAR body. If a company were going to do a stock version, IMHO they would have to start fresh. *NM*
              • Yes, it looks ever so slightly chopped to me as well. Johan set the standard so if anyone does a new stock colonnade, it better match the Johan Cutlass on the front and side window shape. *NM*
          • It would be a leap of faith at the time for AMT to cut a race only body tool for Chevelles... unless they had solid intel from distributors that the MPC product was really moving *NM*
            • Or the Bobby Allison MC kit did better than they expected. The Chevelle was just a new body, the rest carryover *NM*
    • Then there was the Revell curbside Monte lowrider, which seemed to do well and would probably be a surefire success as a reissue.
      • If only Dave Starsky had driven a Laguna..sigh...LOL *PIC*
      • I bought a few, but never really liked the way Revell executed the ‘77 Monte Carlo. Something weird about the opera window/rear wheel well body shape that bothered me. It seems as if it was destined to be diecast then changed at the last minute for plastic kit production *NM*
    • The top selling 1:1 cars were seldom done as kits. Few/no Olds Cutlasses then, no Camry/RAV4 now *NM*
      • I think that makes sense for when the target demographic was 7 - 12 year old boys. Gotta wow ‘em with subject matter. Most popular 1:1s were more mundane than exciting Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes. Today’s demographic presumably is the adult hobbyist…
      • Actually, there were quite a few Cutlasses. just not as much demand for them, so lesss volume of productions. The 442 and Hurst Olds in the '60s and some '70s and some '80s. most coupes, but even a convertible '66 442 and the Hurst Hairy Olds with engines front and back, etc *NM*
  • Yet, they wanted a Chevette and Monza promo contract. *NM*
• According to Year One, '73-7 Colonnade (Malibu, Cutty, Monte) are the biggest growing part of the portfolio
• SVRA Indy Vintage Weekend... *LINK*
  • Very cool stuff!!!! I have a St James story..... *PIC*
    • I first met Lyn at the Concours of America...
    • I met her at a fan event in (if memory serves) Daytona, back in the 1990's... Very classy and professional, making time to greet and chat with those who came to meet her....Would LOVE to have one of those Merkur XR4Ti Trans Am racer kits!!!! *NM*
      • I sold almost 400 of those Merkur kits under 5 different schemes. My resin caster has stopped doing work or I'd still be selling them. Thx *NM*
  • Such a cool variety of race cars.... Love the Ragtime Racers group!!!! *NM*
  • Do my eyes see that right? A Pontiac chasing a Ferrari!? Same or different class? *NM*
    • different classes...some of the practice sessions were open... *NM*
  • That No. 47 Factory 5 car is made less than 3 miles from me. They make do it yourself hot rod kits as well. *NM*
  • Way cool PIX, Howard. I'd never get to see this stuff were it not for your work. *NM*
    • Thank you :) *NM*
  • Great batch of pics. Love the le Monstre clone! Also reminds me that I need to get back to the Indy museum - haven’t been there since the remodel. *NM*
• Good afternoon guys, I'm starting to work on a resto of a Pocher '31 Alfa Romeo. Have any of you built any of these kits before?
• o/T: Some days TECH is not my friend.......
• And while I'm at it.... David Dale also sent pics of a VERY cool Barracuda concept that he just finished... In my humble opinion, Mother Mopar should have actually built this one!!! *PICS*
  • Thank you Marty.....more....
    • Dave, that's a really neat build! *NM*
      • Yes it is................ *NM*
  • It's actually suprising Plymouth never did one for the new car show circuit given how valid and "within the scope" it is. Great execution and realism *NM*
    • Really like the imagination of this - and it does look legit *NM*
    • Plymouth already had a similar concept car on the auto show circuit in '64. Behold the survivor Satellite II show car. *LINK* *PIC*
      • I wonder what the roof section is from. It doesn't match either the sedan or '64-'65 hardtop rooflines *NM*
        • Probably hand fabricated, has a very thin profile when viewed from the side *NM*
      • Here i the car I copied. *NM* *LINK*
  • I'm diggin that *NM*
  • Neat! *NM*
  • A tinted clear top would look good too. *NM*
• Also from Frank, a cool little Barracuda that I'd love to cruise around in, in real life.... *PICS*
  • Now that's a sweet ride Frank! I love it! Hurst baby! *NM*
  • Cool! Frank, where did you get the engine (and especially the air cleaner/carb/intake) from? *NM*
    • Thanks Marty for posting this for me. ****INSIDE**** Chip this answers your question on the engine
    • Sorry Chip not a clue about the air cleaner found it in my parts box. *NM*
  • That's super cool *NM*
  • I've told you Frank, so you know I dig this. Cool color combo. *NM*
• Here we go again.... Frank and Oliver sent me pics of a couple of interesting builds that were recently completed.... First up something a little different than the stuff that Frank usually does.... *PICS*
  • Great build, guessing anything done is subtle enough to not hit my radar, which means I'm curious! *NM*
  • Thanks Marty for posting this for me. ****INSIDE****
    • The story is as good as the model! *NM*
  • WOW!...You must be older than I thought if you were around driving in the Roadster Era.....Or perhaps you just drive in the Vintage Racers Series...Either way, that thing is awesome! *NM*
    • Well CD I turned 70 in Fed so in 1963 I would have been 7 growing up in the Bronx so I would not have known Indy but for sure running a few nostalgia events. Oliver is the wrench. *NM*
• I've got that Ertl release of the '72 GMC shortbed, I still haven't finished it. BIggest complaint I heard back then when it was reissued, was that the GMC emblems were too shallow.
  • I'd bet we'll see some photoetch stuff shortly after the first Moebius Chevy truck touches down *NM*
• And of the three "survivors", only two are left now. Four Wheeler died a year or so leter, leaving just Hot Rod and Motor Trend...both on reduced print schedules. *PIC*
  • Pete ran what was functionally a publishing Taco Bell - infinite menu options from basically same staff and resources
    • Think you have it backwards--McMullen and Argus were already part of Primedia, later Source Interlink, when it went for Petersen. *LINK*
      • Guess it depends who was telling the story, Petersen had 10X the subscribers. Regardless, as indpenendent mags, they were profitable
      • Oops. I apologize for the bad link. Instead of pasting a link to a site that chronicles the history of Primedia/K-III Holdings, I left my initial post to a report on the McMullen plane crash. *LINK*
• I knew of a fellow student who swiped our junior high's copy of the October 1976 Motor Trend! *PIC*