mr moto

I've seen models roll off of display tables at contests. Settled that question for me.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words! I wish that when I built the Aqua-Vair I had had a hull more like that Glastron that I could use. That would be a really ideal "period" look for it.

The rules seem to indicate (it's underlined, no less) that all competition models MUST have a number. Many racing vehicles don't display a number - modern top fuel dragsters or LSR cars for example. I wonder what they'll do about that?

I guess the short answer to "why so few AMC kits?" would be "because most of them were tooled by Johan. As we know all too well, most of Johan's tooling (all?) has gone to Neverland.

Using Google to find out what I don't personally know, it looks like Tamiya makes a TS-35 Park Green spray lacquer and also an X-28 Park Green acrylic paint. Same color - big difference in the paint. Although I'd be surprised if Tamiya didn't make their line of paints cross-compatible enough to allow this combination, that could be the problem. Which Tamiya paints did you use?

The 53 Stude chassis being short shows just how out of scale the Johan Lark is. In the real world the 53 has 120.5 inch wheelbase while the Lark/Avanti wheelbase was 108". That chassis SHOULD have been way long!

The Avanti was actually built on the Lark convertible chassis because it was stiffened by an additional x-brace. That should be your best choice for a Lark project.

Johan also made a 1962 hardtop. It was an annual only available in 1962. Much harder to find than the convertible.

Beautiful work and a paint job that Winfield would be proud of!

This is my take-off from an Ala Kart starting point using a '32 Vicky body and Fred Cady decals. And here is another approach to the "not so Ala Kart" concept. It's an AMT '34 Ford pickup and it shares nothing with the Ala Kart except the spirit.

That is really SWEET! Great job.

We faced a similar situation recently. The ABS controller in my wife's 2008 Hyundai went out causing the brakes to lock up. Fortunately she was going slowly at the time. This happened while she was visiting her sister in another state making for a very inconvenient situation. AAA towed it to a local shop but repair costs would be over $3,200. That's a lot of money for replacing a module and not a very good investment for a 2008 vehicle with over 170,000 miles. Fortunately, we were in a situation that we could afford a new vehicle. She loves her new Nissan.

Haven't seen them in person but I remembered seeing them in my old car magazine (small pages) collection. I pulled out a few and got lucky - it was in the second I looked in. It was "Accessory of the Month" in the January 1959 issue of Car Craft. There's a 3 page article (again, these are small pages with large print and it's mostly photos) showing how to install them. Retail price was $35.50. It's cool that they're in the '57 Ford kit. I have one unbuilt on the shelf. If I build it I'll be sure to install those. I know another old mag has a small ad for them but I decided to quit while I was ahead and didn't look for it!

THANK YOU, EVERYONE!!! I'm kind of blown away by the reaction and all the great replies. It's really kind of a simple build and just done for fun. I have to say that I see much better work by so many of you every day on this very site so I just can't tell you how much it means. I have a little history with the car/boat thing having done one before. Here's a few shots of the pair of them sitting on the workbench and in the spray booth. The other one is called the "Hydro Hawk". It's made from a Jimmy Flintstone (I think) resin 1951 Studebaker and the old AMT 3 in 1 speedboat.

I have no good excuse for building this. Just one of those crazy ideas. It's a kit bash of an SMP 1961 Corvair and a Lindberg 1959 Owen Deluxe Cruiser. The motor started out as one of the 1959 Evinrude Starflite 50's from the boat kit but I decided it needed some remodeling to look more realistic. While I was remodeling I went ahead and updated it to a 1960 Starflite 75. Got 25 extra horses from just a little bit of styrene and paint! Enjoy.