Misha

That’s a great looking ride Racine! Congrats on a wonderful save of a unique automotive design. The colours are bang on the body and the interior work. Cheers Misha

Great article Bill, excellent descriptions & illustrations! It’s a thread that deserves to be pinned for easy access. A number of members have bumped this one to the top to prevent it being lost in the back pages. Cheers Misha

In the past I’ve used Evergreen half round strips for upholstery. On the 49 Ford the interior tub offers very faint details so I cut the door sides off and reversed them to apply the custom upholstery. The seats came out of the parts bin with added headrests. The foam idea is appealing as one could do designs such as diamond tufts, the key is finding material thin enough while stiff enough for embossing it with a pattern. Planning on giving it a try! Thanks for all the hints & ideas! Cheers Misha

My airbrushing endeavours began in the mid 70s with a Paasche VL brush powered by an inexpensive piston driven compressor with no tank. This proved to be a poor compromise as the pulsing air created all sorts of problems when attempting to lay down a consistent stream of paint. Next I moved on to a Sears compressor with a built in regulator and small holding tank. Its drawback was the noise that was akin to a diesel engine! The solution was to get a compressor that would solve the issues presented by the previous ones. I settled on the Iwata studio model which purrs quietly along in its operation, has two lines with separate regulators and water traps and a large enough holding tank. It’s been nearly twenty years of trouble free operation and it plugs into a normal household 110 circuit. While it was an investment, it has saved a lot of headaches and has proven its worth over the years. Cheers Misha

While my Holy Grail list is gradually being reduced (my latest find was the MPC Mako Shark II in mint unbuilt condition!) the most elusive kit is Monogram’s Starbird Futurista released in 1965 and 1967. While being a typically simple kit of the time, it was molded in yellow and red with Monogram's high gloss finish, a plus for me as painting bodies was a skill to be perfected yet. Being a Starbird fan, his three wheeler has been my favourite bubble top. Powered by a hopped up VW four banger and painted in white pearl is my vision for display in the cabinet! The search continues… Cheers Misha

Yup, cross ram for all the above reasons. Looks great by the way. Cheers Mishaps

Very well done 👍🏾 paint & decaling job Thomas! Congrats, Misha

Great work Marcos on a very unique version of the ‘Cuda. Back when I was a kid cruising on my bike to look for the new car deliveries at the dealers, I spotted one of the Mod tops that “blew my mind!” While the trend didn’t really catch on thankfully, it’s great to see it done on a model. Like all your work, the execution and look is right on! Cheers Misha

Sweet ride Bob! I am amazed what current tech can do and you have offered a beautiful rendering of what may be accomplished. My big step with modelling was using an air brush, that was just over forty years ago! About time to learn more about 3D printing. Thanks for the great WIP thread, Cheers Misha

Wow what a build Bob!!! I was following your WIP thread with great interest as I’m working on the same kit, though not quite as extreme. Your ingenuity and quickness of your builds is very impressive, with a great finish. It’s surprising the various versions of the Fiat 500 that are available as models. The diminutive size offers a striking contrast to the usual fare. I echo all the above replies, great work and a pleasure to view! Cheers Misha

The straps were originally to be used as 1/48 WW II aircraft seat belts off a common Edurad P/E fret if I remember Jim. Cheers Misha

Think that the AMT 63 Vette still has one. I detailed one for my MGB Sebring entry with P/E straps from a military kit. Cheers Misha

Wow, thanks for all the great detailed photos of Clark’s Lotus Andrew! One of the most significant race cars of all time. In addition the other photos are excellent, I’m sure you had a fabulous day! Cheers Misha

Gosh, you had me there, almost… I thought you may have missed April 1 this year! Thanks for keeping the tradition up, Cheers Misha

Some more tail fin shots from the opening spring 2025 Goodguys season in Arizona… Cheers Misha