customline

A good thought, David. I learned some years ago that keeping the threads of the bottle cleaned off and also the inside of the caps wiped clean with lacquer thinner(which I clean my brushes with) pays off. I am religious about it. This bottle is old but never used as far as I can recall. I tried running the cap under full hot water like my mom taught me when I was 4 years old and then used pliers and, with great risk to all the crowns in my mouth, used all the strength I have left in my 70 year old arthritic paws, the freeking SOB still would not open. Today I will take that SOB outside and open it one way or another. I will not be denied! ? ....but thanks for helping ? Thank you, Greg. See above. (I will try that ?)

That's fantastic, Greg! The whole instruction sheet on line! That's a huge help for us cheapskates trying to save a buck by buying started, bagged, incomplete, open box and glue bomb kits off Ebay. ?. Seriously, I appreciate your help. I wonder if the original builder didn't read the instructions all the way through to find out about the holes you need to open in the body to attach various trim pieces, you know, before painting it . I already screwed it up so it's all good. I'm going to attempt to open that bottle of green metal flake with an 8" adjustable and vise-grips today. I refuse to let the Testor's monster win. ?

Just spent an hour and a half polishing out the body with good results (not great, but as good as any of my paint jobs ever turn out) until I tried to fix a small area of orange peel on the trunk. That would be the circled area in the last picture. Lucky for me, I have a bottle of Testor's metal flake green enamel ?....that I couldn't open to save my life. A full bottle that absolutely will not open. ?

All righty, here it is. It's all there, as far as I can tell with the exception of the aforementioned hood ( thank you David for your offer....more later). There is a broken bumper bracket but the piece is present. The builder, I believe, was not greatly experienced as the engine halves were painted rather than the halves glued together and the seam cleaned up before paint. Also the mold parting lines were not removed on the fenders around the headlights. The fenders will need repainting after they are cleaned up. The green, however, may be salvageable. I tried to clean up an area on the right door that might have been a smear of some sort. I am going to micro-polish and, if there's enough paint on it, let it ride because it looks good, mostly. I suspect it is Testors Extreme Lacquer in "mystic emerald," which I happen to have on hand. Since both engines were painted, the intent of the builder is not evident... I will have my choice. ?. The interior tub was sprayed with gloss black. Not good. I like the gray seat but it will need to be dull-coated if I keep it. The original upholstery would have most likely been gray mohair or broadcloth. The tub would need gray also. The red rear axle housing is a non starter for me. The whole undercarriage needs repaint. I do like the color combo and if I keep that, who can fault me for making a few needed paint changes elsewhere? The steel wheels are painted so the intent was to use the stock wheel/tire combo. Sorry, I think it will look better with the mags. Can someone tell me what the things on the chrome tree that I circled are? And maybe post some shots of the instruction sheet? Both of my '40s are Revell.

Beautiful detailing and the wheels look great, Bill. The roll cage is a good idea .

AMAZING! ?

Great info, Dave, I remember the tudor kit (I've been trying to find one for a fair price) Thanks. That kit should be in my hands on Monday. The excitement builds ?. I'll have some good pix tomorrow.

You'd have to be nuts to go to that party. I love watching football but I can't imagine dealing with that crowd, even when I was young. ?

The '56: no bumpers but "rolled pans". Decals on the '39 are home made. I'm still working my way through the bodywork on the Auburn with a fairly good prospect of actually completing it. It needs door lines to be scribed, some sort of interior panels and a custom dash (the Auburn dash will find another home ?) Thanks for your interest, Dave. Will you be tailgating today? I'll bet it's pretty crazy where you are.

I'm speechless ?..... Is the dimmer switch on the floor or on the column? ?

Yup. And the seller appears to be a general merchandise peddler so that may be the case. It's an older version. If it looks as good in the flesh as it does in the photo, it's just a detailing job. I don't see a hood so it will be running the hot rod engine with no hood, like "CabDriver" Jim's sweet blue '40 coupe (I totally dig that build.)

Of course the tail lights are left over from my Desoto conversion. They just had to be used on a custom. I saw an opportunity with the '56 but I think a Bel Air would have been a better choice for this type of mod. The Del Rey makes a better gasser. Too late now ?.

Personally , if I knew the kit was a quasi-curbside I would have passed on it. If you like building airplanes, you might like this kit. It goes together the same way. Good luck! ?

After some reflection, I decided to try to fix the chassis. Its not a clean job but it'll do. I'm not out of the woods yet but I'm on the path. I married the frame covers to the tail section and blended with pink stuff. The frame covers will need trimming to clear the fenders. This is not your father's Auburn ?. More later, maybe.

I hope this will not disturb anyone emotionally, but I won this started kit last night with a first bid in the last minute of bidding. I'm concerned someone may recognize it as having been started by a builder who has gone on to the big hobby shop in the sky. Anyway, I don't have it yet but should by the middle of next week. I'm excited to get my hands on it. I will probably decide to just simply finish it the way I think it might have been headed. Check it out and please let the opinions flow! I will post detailed pix when it arrives. Stay tuned ?.

Those are kind words, Joe, I appreciate the offer but I have no way of connecting a drain to my septic system. There is plenty of room in the back seat though.....? This one, like my other projects, is in paint limbo. I've decided on black lacquer by airbrush using Alclad II gloss base. Just need a good day. ?. Thanks for your interest!

The Del Rey is actually a bit farther along than that. It is waiting for sandable primer. I had just forgotten about it ?. I was considering quad headlights but the fit was in question. Very tight but maaaaaybe do-able. The rear quarter trim I added will need attention too.. Anyway, that's another day. The gasser has a broken nose ? ? ? ? ? ?

I browse occasionally and ran across it with no bids, starting at $11.99 and one minute to go. How could I not? I really didn't have time to actually see what was there. I now know there is no hood (in any picture) but both engines are there and there are plenty of tires. I'll know more when it arrives. It looks like a good win from here though. With kit prices soaring into low orbit, I'm a happy boy ?. This project is back in white primer again and I missed a perfect day to paint yesterday ?.

Well, I hit the wall. The '35 Auburn glue bomb is in the box. I must re-build that chassis that I screwed up. Nothing will square up properly. I'll come back to it. I have distractions now. I'll park it next to these two:

Hey, Greg, I got the Mr. Color thinner. And I got something else. Check out my "barn find" I won on Ebay for $12 bucks plus 8 bucks shipping. This could solve my paint problems ☺️.

Very funny, Steven. ☺️

Yup. I got one off of ebay a couple months ago, missing the tail light lens. You have my attention.

Nope. We're headed back to primer again. I didn't have a whole lot of faith that a little wet-sand would allow me to go back with just color. The only way to get an even coat is by re-priming. So be it. ? . Today would be an ideal day, here on the Chesapeake, to paint this puppy but I'm not ready. But it will get primer on it. Again.

To answer that first question, I think I'm done with those cans. Too difficult to control. The Tamiya sounds good. I use the primers exclusively before color. Super fine atomization. Love it. Thanks, Greg, I appreciate your help.

Thanks for your interest, Greg, I appreciate your praise and the tip about thinning. I have had better luck from the can in the past so maybe it was not shook up enough. I thought it was. I see color variations. I use cheap hardware store lacquer thinner when airbrushing but I'll see if I can find the Mr. Color around here. P.S. I have 2 bottles of T-106 on the way.