Brudda

Thank you sir. And yes a model geek I am. Weird where life takes you. Had a stroke around 13 years ago. I was restoring gp bikes. Super gig. These guys pay soooo much more for their bike restorations. I would restore a gp bike for around $45,000. This was just paint and bodywork. I had/ have a guy who would do the mechanics. This would be around another $30,000 more if we had good parts. If we had to make them the price would go up from there. Hardest part for me was the sponsor decals. Had to go find a similar bike somewhere in the USA or Europe and make (airbrush the decal) . Great fun . We could restore a bike in a month. These guys had money comming out of their ears. I would get 50 percent up front and the rest upon delivery. They would pay for my travels if needed. Greatest job ever. Then my stroke. Thank god I saved all of the money as I was out of work for a year and the medical costs! Had another job at a ford dealership and he saved my job for me. So for my rehab, I spent time building models. Well the rest was just great luck.

More bodywork. I’m being very picky on this one. I kind of fell into big scale by luck/accident. I still am a big 1/25-24 scale fan. Actually these are my most favorite. I built a 1/10 for a friend at DeAgostini and it kind of took off from there. I’m working on a 1/8 Mercedes and now this 250. Putting away a 1/12 mfh Porsche 917/30 . Started that over a year ago but the 1/8 have to be completed. The Mercedes is kind of on a schedule for Agora. I do work for both DeAgostini and Agora. I’m kind of the skunkworks for those companies, I like to repaint them to change them up a bit. Most of the time, they do not like that, but if a kit is a little stoggie , I try to throw a new twist to it . Here is an example, a Toyota 2000 GT that I changed. Sales took off.

Well mine is the Porsche 917/30. Engine is finished , now the rear frame assembly. The model is a definite challenge. I’m putting it away for awhile to regain my sanity. Chris Smith, I need that doctors phone number.

The car sits great! The front suspension is a nightmare on these kits.

I have had the same problem on another car and a friend said to make them, out of solder. You can twist and bend them a little and it might work. Worked for my situation. Just a thought.

Fuel rails finished on the 917/30.

Hello Chris, thank you and I cannot imagine what it would be like.

The engine is 99 percent finished. Fitting the turbo tubes. Need to paint these blue. Porsche really made an amazing engine. So complex. So powerful. 1000 to 1500 horsepower

Amazing!

Thank you Randy. It’s going to take another few weeks for the right side. I have noticed I shake more than I used to , so it takes me longer to build. Thank you sir.

Left fuel rail completed. Fitting turbo pipe. Right side next. Oh joy

Yes, seems to work out pretty good. Look at the real car at laguna seca. Engine right on the ground.

Does anyone know a Keith Hartley in phoenix? Have not heard from him for years. He is very overweight so I hope he is ok. Great guy.

Cool Noel, I also love the Aston and especially the jag. The Aston is just pure class and that jag, the lines are to die for. I was not chosen to do any of those either. But one day I will get the jag. And with any luck the Aston also. I get chosen to do modifications or paint changes on the big kits. Or if there is a problem. The Muira is a problem kit. You have to model that one. For us modelers it’s not a problem but for the guy just starting out, like some these rich computer guys that cannot use their hands, it’s a problem. For some reason the ford GT was a really good kit. I just kind of lucked out with these big kits. My favorite scale is 1/25-24 then 1/12. Kind of fell into luck with the big kits. This build will be a blast for me as I have wanted this kit for a long time. I had a problem comming up with the $500. So full price is really hard to do. I’m a normal guy with a normal income , so list price for these kits are very hard buy. Without my friend Mark, I would not be able to do this. Thank you Mark for everything.

Here are a few that I display