JordanFordF1

That makes me what to build a full scale version. Awesome idea.

Those wheels and tires are perfect for your build. Nice.

The finished model was worth all of the hard work, well done.

Excellent work.

Okay we have all read, seen, heard, a hundred times about great model builds using parts out of their parts box. I've been collecting parts in my own parts box, an oversize shoe box, for over a decade and it is starting to overflow. It's time to upgrade my parts box or boxes. My question is what does everyone else use as their parts box? How elaborately do you separate parts into various other boxes, if at all? I'm getting really tied of digging through hundreds of small parts, after removing all of the big ones, hoping to find what might work for my latest build.

I finished this last spring and only now am I getting around to posting photographs. The kit came from a club member's collection who passed away. His son is a pilot for FedEx stationed in Japan so the kit is a true Japan only kit never intended for the US. The plastic is all the same but the instructions are way harder to follow when everything is in Japanese. Color call outs... forget about trying to decipher that unless you can read Japanese. I never would have bought this kit if I had seen it on a hobby shop shelf. I'm glad I picked it up from Don's collection though as it was both an enjoyable build and a nice memorial to our late club member. I only had a couple of problems with fit and the water slides decals didn't work out on a couple of gauges. As always I'm pretty happy with the results, otherwise I wouldn't be posting photos here.

A quick build just for fun. I wasn't interest in this mainly due to it being a snap kit, but once I realized how detailed the kit was, I gave it a try. I also like that it came with both self stick and water slide decals. I used the water slides over the bare plastic body before coating with gloss clear. Everything else was painted. Kit has basic V8 engine representation. I couldn't find any reference photos to Lightning McQueen's engine color but then again if they showed his engine the movie would have been R-rated. I could have done better but I didn't build it for show, I built it for fun.

I only wish I could lay down a paint job like that. Pre-painted body but the rest is all me. Surprising it has so much detail for such a tiny truck. Fun build.

All I have to do is set the body over the chassis and... uh-oh. Body fits terribly. Major surgery will be required. Admittedly not everything on the chassis was fitting well which did not help body fit either. Okay, take a deep breath, don't smash it, and as carefully as possible disassemble. I've made a few modifications so far but have yet to start reassembly.

We all see model building guides recommend debonder if you use CA glue. Why is it important? Opps. Make sure you keep some handy and close.

Started with one of those odd old Revell body half finished kits. The body was molded in yellow and half of the logos printed already with waterslide decals to finish it. (????) Decals on nose did not want to settle down no matter how much Solvaset or Micros Sol I used, at least ten tries with each. Otherwise not a bad kit. I spent way too much time adding orange plug wires only to realize you cannot see them once the engine was installed. Lesson learned. I didn't add the driver figure although I did finish him too. Decals for seat belts are on driver figure so I used spare belt decals out of an old Revell BMW kit.

Base kit was the Revell Eddie Hill Pennzoil Top Fuel. I used a set of Slixx La Victoria decals I had transforming it into my own racer. Not supposed to be an exact replica because in my little scale world I am immensely rich and good looking and this would be one of my many play toys. I will admit despite the few mistakes I am rather proud of this build.

And at which circuit will Max be driving this one at? Love it.

That's a darn good start. Engine and axles look great.

Out of the blue I decided to build my first ever big rig model. Searching my stash I knew I didn't want it to be one of the higher dollar kits so when I came across the Revell Kenworth W900 I knew it was the chosen. Big rigs are harder than I imagined. I didn't worry about seams on the chromed parts and the paint came out poorly as did several other things but I did it, I built it, and now I know. The tires were warped so I won't take the fall for how badly they came out. On to better big rigs builds. Thanks for looking.

I was just wonder about the Amazon users here, how much is that convenience worth to you? If LHSs continue to fail and there is nothing but online sales, there will be millions of US workers, voters, tax payers without jobs. Biggest problem is less income for the US government. They will change that immediately by taxing internet sales! Amazon has already vowed to do this on their own. Secondly UPS has already announced that because of the increase in Web sales and home delivery it will be raising its prices. This is all basic economics. As online sales grow so will the price of shipping, and having your precious models stolen right off your doorstep. Something else to ponder. If the LHSs fail it will stop a lot of first time model buyers from ever buying. Most modelers do not just one day turn on the internet and say hey I want to get into model building. It almost always starts at a brick and mortar store. This is already happening and the model hobby and industry is hurting for it. Oh and lest we forget if you buy from Tower Hobby, they are owned by Hobbico who is nearly bankrupt and having a hard time paying their bills. Hobbico owns Revell. Bye-bye Hobbico equals bye-bye Revell and Revell of Germany. I'll add one more thing just to toot my own horn. Recently my shop sponsored the local model clubs annual model show. I paid for advertising, I paid for the Best of Show award which was over $160, and I sold the club two cases of models to give away as door prizes at my cost. Just try to get you online model retailer to give you that kind of support.

As a hobby shop owner I'll chime in on a couple of things. The current mark up on model kits is 40%. It takes at least 40% profit margin to keep my doors open week to week and month to month. If all I sold was kits I would just break even and never be able to save for building repairs, etc. When you charge into Hobby Lobby with your 40% off coupon you are not making them anything. They are hoping you will also buy lots of glue, paint, and your wife will buy a ton of the higher margin products. Paints... you'd have to sell them a thousand bottles a week or more to make money. RC parts have a respectable margin hence why so many shops go RC only. Detail parts you can never carry what the next guy wants, your inventory would have to be humongous and remember good old Uncle Sam taxes us on that unsold inventory. Next there are the customers. I have a wonderful customer base but there are those that always try your patience. I had one customer buy a kit and then bring it back opened because it did not have the engine in it he had thought it would. Really it had the wrong engine and you expect me to take it back and lose money? Next thing you know he is bad mouthing me all over the internet for being an A-hole. Remember ninety-five percent of the attitude you receive will be dictated on your attitude when you walk in. Not one single manufacture sends out any kind of learning aids for hobby shop staffs. They don't even inform us of new products like the emails the public can sign up for. My shop has over 14,000 different products and no one can know how each and every one works. I encourage my staff to be involved in as many hobbies as possible since that is the best and easiest way to learn. Still none of us have the time to research every new product that comes through our doors so you the public must be slightly tolerant if we don't know the answer to every single question you can ask about each item. Hobby owners are a tight knit bunch. We have our own publications, private forums, and trade shows where we interact with each other and talk. We know what is going on out there. We know that you can always buy it cheaper on the internet, so don't remind us, that is insulting. I have never met a hobby shop owner yet who does this to make lots of money, we all do it because we love hobbies. Want to own your own shop? You're right in thinking that owning your own building is best. Next be prepared for the serious cash outlay. I have $300,000 in inventory and it is never enough for our customers. New products come out weekly and customers expect you to keep up with them. Oh and before you buy you'll find out just how hard it is becoming to find a distributor or manufacture willing to sell to you. Keep in mind the more you buy the better your terms so as a small shop just starting out you will never get the discounts the bigger established places get and people will constantly walk in, look around, and remind you of how much cheaper they can get it at XXXXX. But you'd better believe that after they buy it at XXXXX for $2.00 cheaper they will come back to you because a part is missing out of the kit. Oh and if you don't replace the kit then you're an A-hole all over again. I've had a few people come in, get mad for stupid reasons, and insist they are going to put me out of business. I honestly, truly, absolutely hope they would try by opening their own shop. Then they'd see just how hard this business really is. A huge thank you to all of those that support their LHS no matter where you are. You are appreciated more than you think. Have a bit of patience with us and once we get to know you the rewards are greater than anything you'll ever find online.

Is anyone doing kits of modern road racers? I'd love to build a few cars from the last couple of years of LeMans.

I too forgot Kinser drove in NASCAR... briefly. Great looking build. One missed point is nearly every racing organisation requires driveshafts to be painted white. The scuffed tires look especially good.

My understanding is Carroll Shelby built the Cobra but Ford owned the name. After some years of not producing Cobras the name was coming up for free use again and most car manufactures wanted it. Ford unwilling to let it go slapped in on a Mustang and once again they are producing Cobras and the name is safe with them. This was right in the time frame Carroll was working with Dodge and I think there might have been a Dodge Cobra concept car. Carroll did try to get the Cobra name for Chrysler.

How long before model cars arrived without any printed instruction sheets? Have you noticed more and more items arrived without any instructions? I was reading about a new remote control truck last night that only comes in kit form and it does not come with assembly instructions. You have to go online and download them. AAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! Honestly how much more would it have cost them? Well they saved money and I'll be saving my money by not buying from them. Print your instructions and included them goofballs!

Meeting this Sunday night at 6PM. We are meeting at the Godfather's Pizza in Ozark, MO. Get there about 5PM if you'd like to eat. Everyone interested in all kinds of plastic models are welcome.

Makes me want to break out a van kit and start building. I take it the interior isn't overly detailed? Great work.

That wasn't what I was expecting. Awesome. There just aren't enough 4WD model trucks out there.