VRM

Hey Kevin - they look great!! Can you please save 2 sets for me at the NNL? Anything else interesting fresh from the 3D printer? See ya buddy! Steve

Ummm...which one and for which car? Fury had a couple of others. Barracuda used the Sport and Wire.

Another great show - thanks to all involved! Greg Nichols took Best in Show with his outstanding Backdraft, and there were a number of other fantastic models that showed. A full list of winners is here (master awards pending as of March 18): http://www.masscar.com/2014-masscar-model-exhibition.html Some folks have posted photos, no links yet. Steve D. (Wearing MassCar hat instead of VRM for this post)

I'm working on it, but researching and generating all this sort of stuff takes a loooong time! Plus...I'm slow and easily distracted by other projects... I already have the Autolite battery decals on my Cobra Daytona sheets. The ones currently in progress are: 70 Cuda-Challenger. Includes underhood stuff, strobe and RT stripes, emblems, interior 66 Shelby and Mustang. Includes Shelby stripes, Hertz, emblems, underhood stuff, instrument faces. 69 Shelby and Mustang. Includes stripes, emblems, underhood, and interior details for the Revell kits. 70-72 Duster-Demon. All stripes, emblems, underhood and interior details. The Mod Top artwork is done and should release soon. The 70 Cuda and 69 Shelby sheets are wrapping up. Typically, I fill extra space on sheets with additional detail items that can be used on multiple models. Steve

Stupid glue is awesome for resin. I would suggest that you use resin scraps for any bracing rather than plastic - it will be a stronger bond than plastic to resin. I usually save things like the flashing in windows, any runners or trees - those make great braces for any thinly cast or delicate parts. Steve

Does anybody have a set of Modelhaus W-260 Johan 1964 Dodge steel wheels? I'm wondering if they fit Modelhaus tire T260. The outer diameter would be about 14.3 mm or .564 inches. Any kits with steel wheels that size? The '68 Charger (and Scenes Unlimited) steelies are a scale 15 inches - I'm looking for scale 14". The T-250 rubber from Modelhaus scales to a F70-14 if I did the math correctly. Thanks all. Steve D.

Dug out a '67 GTX kit the other day and did some body prep work on it and had an idea. I'm planning on making it GG1 dark green metallic, but did some mandatory furniture shopping and saw some accessories in the store that were a similar shade of green with a bright copper, soooo..... Dark green metallic '67 GTX, steelies, redlines, and copper (like a brand new penny) interior and copper sport stripes. Horribly cool, or just plain horrible? This would have been a waiver car - no way MOPAR would ever let something like that out without a fight. Just curious... Steve D.

I like to paint bodies. I dont finish a lot of models, but I do have a lot of painted and polished bodies done. I also sell some paint at the NNL East every year. Its just part of my hobby.

I thought that the Revell-Monogram kit was a much better starting point. There are certainly a few good parts from the Fujimi kit, but most of it was a disaster IIRC. JMHO. Steve

I buy lacquer also - I have about 400 or so pints I think, and a stockpile of thinner, flattening agent, and bottles. I mix a lot of my own paint, but still also use MCW. I also buy the 12oz spray cans for certain car interiors. It ends up being cheaper to buy all of that than the hobby shop paint.

The kit comes with a decor option interior, but does not supply the decor option tail panel. Keith Marks has the tail panel to use with the interior. Missing Link has the correct interior to use without the tail panel. It is not well documented, but I am pretty sure it came out mid year. Dont know if this was already addressed, but the AMT kit also does not have the correct chrome top for the hemi. Revell has them in their '67 GTX/Charger kits I think. Steve

Those wonderful people at Missing Link also have an interior set for the non-Decor option. It includes bench seat and door panels and is very well done.The door panels and seats are good for Belvedere and RR. The same seats and doors can be used for those cars in '69 also. It may have been a mid '68 change as the pattern is not shown at Hamtramck, but I have seen them on '68s, and some of the upholstery companies list them for '68 also. Steve

Ok - I guess decal guys get to go at it in the forum this week. 2 colour pics of the '69 car do not show the peaks, two other black and white shots do, but there are only two of them. On my Midget sheets I am aware of a single error: Rodger Wards name is missing the first 'D'. I would be interested to know what else you think is wrong. If I missed something I would like to fix it in any future print editions. Bear in mind that my Midget decals were researched using period photos, not restored cars. Many of your Midget decals do not match those photos - I do not assume those are wrong as it is possible you have other photos of the cars at a different point in history. You can make whatever claim you want - you don't know my sales numbers, so I'm not sure how you are so certain. I don't even know my own sales numbers. I'm not even sure why it is important. The bar in the '68 Cougar is not as simple as it looks. I have some channel plastic from Plastruct, but the horizontal band is recessed into the vertical strakes of the standard grille - it is not just glued on top. And it cannot be cast if it is just glued on top. I hope your decals are selling well even if a bunch of things are wrong. However, you have a chance to correct them and hopefully sell even more of them to people like myself who think that the details matter. Steve

Wow Darryl...a lot of your what is in your images is wrong. You missed the serifs on the Cougar, the Mercury script is not right, the High Country font is off and the mountain peaks are way too tall. The '69 car changed the font of the Kumpf Motors also. It looks like there should also be outlines around a lot of the '69 text. And I do not see any peaks on the '69 car at all. I used this to help research the Trans Am cars - I suggest you take a look at http://www.fordmercurycougarxr7.com/pages/DragRacing/Wynn's777.html There are some really good period shots of the 68 and 69 cars. Did you use something different as reference material that show them with the markings you did? I've always liked these cars myself. Now if I can just figure out how to modify the grille to put the bar in for a '68... Steve Ok - the above link is messed up from pasting in. Start here: http://www.fordmercurycougarxr7.com/pages/Startpage.html click drag racing, then click Wynns 777.

Comparing photos will always be a problem. Both photos look distorted to me. We need to take measurements and compare them to scale measurements. I use a cloth tape measure and bring it to car shows for this sort of thing. Overall, I think the kit body looks pretty good - not perfect, but pretty good, but that is without taking any measurements. Still, the problems pointed out ARE problems that can detract from the overall build if you are the type to worry about it..

I was another one that supplied reference materials. The raisin bran hood and separate console were two things that I was pushing for, along with a good fit for the Dart 383 and/or Charger Daytona 440. I also provided a list of options to include with various future releases (to get us to buy those releases also) - things like rear spoiler, rear window louvers, steel wheels, base hubcaps, etc. I provided pics from Hamtramck showing the original factory literature and then a pic(s) of my own taken at Carlisle showing the item. I think I suggested that the torque boxes be separate parts to be added as desired, but I didn't think they would go for it.

Also the lack of brake and fuel lines on the chassis...nothing moulded in that has to be removed for a full detail. All of the chassis and suspension seems very well thought out.

So you get to start with a Palmer Plastics Barracuda then. Seriously - that argument is a non-starter...some of us are kit assemblers, some are artisans, and some of us are everything else in the middle.

I'm not trying to be spellcheck guy, but it took me a minute to figure out that wala is supposed to be violà. No worries - I thought it was kind of funny... Anyway - yes you are right - it is not a big deal to fix, but it is something that should not have to be fixed at all. Designing on computer should allow them to get things correct like the non- symmetrical beltline, correct number of plugs, etc. They should have a checklist of basics to check off before a kit can be signed off and sent to production. Yes, it is good that they are in business, but they would be in better business if they got things right. One guy in my club is still all bent about the '69 Nova kit. He says the rear end is wrong, and he said that if they had gotten it right he would be buying a bunch of them. To his eye it looks too wrong, so he spends his money on other things. I have an original MPC annual for the Barracuda - I'll check it against the '74 snap kit and the new issue and post some photos.

Thanks Casey - seems rather complicated with so many threads regarding the Cuda. Anyway, yes, it is modified slightly to drop into the Cuda kit. I'm not enough of MOPAR nut to know the correct mounting points.

Not sure if I should post this in the aftermarket section or not. I have a 383 from the Dart kit all set (holes blocked, mount adjusted etc) to be cast - anybody interested in casting them up and selling them? The decals I'm doing will have the 383 4V pie pan. I want a half dozen for myself. Let me know... Steve

Well, I'm glad you guys wanted the Western Sport Special - I already have the art done for it. It was printed on a white reflective vinyl. Unfortunately, only the rear Challenger TA decal and M46 white stripe were the only other ones done in '70 in reflective white. I'll be making my first attempt at a simulated reflective white with a '69 Mustang/Shelby sheet in a month or two. I may do the reflective on the Barracuda sheet if it does not add too much to the cost. And I may add a Challenger Bumblebee stripe or two if I have room. Yellow is definitely one of the Bumblebee colours I want to do - any preferences for a second or third colour if I can fit them? And I am basing the stripes on the AMT kit, not the Revell 24th kits - anybody have reason to think that is not the best idea? Tim, type 'm46 barracuda' in your browser, and do an image search. There are a few M46 cars out there - but the one I posted seems to be in the best shape. The m46 scoops seem to be in really short supply - there are a few folks with this car, but it was only recently that someone started making reproductions. I'm starting to learn 3d design, I'd like to make them, but they are way beyond my skills at this point. Steve

Its a very rare option. It has that scoop, painted Organisol black, along with the entire lower rocker panel and front/rear valence. There is a dual pinstripe in blue/white or red/white separating the black from the body colour. So any interest in the decal stripes in one or both colours?

John, Thanks - good stuff... The Mod sheet with be the yellow and blue Plymouth pattern and the green Dodge. I'm bundling them together. You will have to cut them out yourself, but making the pattern is pretty easy (and I will provide instructions). You will get enough material to do 1 roof (maybe more) of each colour. I have to sell them together in order to spread the cost around - Cartograf is expensive, but worth it. You will be able to make your own floor mats - I want to do that Hemi mod myself! What engines (pick 1-2) would be best for the Barracuda kit, and what would be good for the Challenger kit, using engines available in other kits? Going to do 383 Commando and Super Commando - any other must haves? Using http://www.hamtramck-historical.com/images/dealerships/DealershipDataBook/1970/70_Barracuda0012.jpg as a reference. How about must haves for the Challenger? I might also do the M46 option, but nobody has the rocker panel scoop. Yet. I will definitely add the Gran Coupe emblems - thanks, good add. I also like the idea of the houndstooth, but am not sure how accurate Scale Motorsports version might be - I think it may be a bit large. I'll check those - I may do them - we will see how much space I have. I know the seats are not right, but that can be fixed as well. Steve

Well, good news folks... I got the artwork for the Mod Top patterns this week. I just finished the designs for the Mod window stickers and the Satellite emblems. Should have it all put together and off to Cartograf in the next few days. I'm also working on a '70 'Cuda-Challenger sheet that has the 'Cuda strobe stripes, and the Challenger RT stripes. I want to add some of the pie pans/air cleaner graphics for some other engines - anybody have suggestions for the best ones to add? I'm doing the 383 4 barrel from the Dart kit - what else?? I'm adding the Barracuda scripts along with Cuda, and some other goodies, probably doing a vinyl strip in green and blue for the Barracuda also. Thanks, Steve