customline

I didn't see this build until today so went straight to page 4, made a comment and decided to read from page 1. And I saw this: Joe, you've seen my stuff and I have enjoyed your input on my threads. You should not feel embarrassed, especially after looking at my stuff. You are meticulous, methodical, and inventive and this is quite obvious. You are an example for all of us. Keep doing what you are doing because you are definitely doing it right. ?

Real nice work on the windshield, Joe. Thought about it but ......no stones ?. BTW, where'd you get those adjustable tweezers? They're awesome ?I

Oh....I love a good gasser....and that color is just amazing ?. Great stance. Great wheel/tire combo. Did I mention the color? Tri-5 Chevies make great gassers, don't they?

Yup. Me too. Waiting for painting weather days for 5 projects. Missed a few good ones last week. And today! ?

Thanks for your comments, Charlie. I have chosen Black mainly because the chrome shows up a lot better against it and I have this nice big bottle of black lacquer that I know will produce a beautiful gloss without a clear coat. I hope I'm not wrong about that ?. You mention a '55 Dodge; in 1:25? 2 or 4 doors? I would love to see that one.

So.....is this where you're going Tom? I reeeeeealy like it ?

Does this mean I'm not crazy after all? What you're doing is very likely my plan B if I can't get my plan A to work. Go ahead and post more pix. Just in case I need to switch to plan B, I can copy yours ?

Jim, those look like '26 or '27 bodies, better looking in my mind. Removing the roof panel may not be an option for some of us but it's a pretty cool style. ? . Some inspiration there, Dave! I really like that last one with the wire wheels. Very "track" like.

I like the roadster. The T coupe, for some reason I can't articulate, doesn't look good to me. I built one recently. It was the tall body but I chopped it to look like the version you have but I obtained mine off Ebay in a parts lot . I think if I had your kit I would end up building g a T-bucket roadster. The Lincoln engine is an unusual choice by today's standards the basic '25 T kit goes waaaaay back and I can't understand the engine choice. I put a flat head in mine but that body just doesn't work for me. I think it's the trunk I don't like. Just my opinion.

Some thoughts about the AMT '40 coupe kit: The "custom tires"( Polyglas Goodyears) and the Keystone Classics date the version of this kit squarely in the late '60s/ early '70s. The tires seem way too wide but a backyard hot rodder might have oversized his tires for the "look". The Keystones might have been a budget buster but they look awesome. A week's paycheck for sure. The "custom" engine, an Olds Rocket ( a 394 out of a '61 maybe? A hand-me-down from Uncle Will?) with the J-2 option makes a lot of sense. The chrome exhaust provided for the drag/custom build is a non-starter for me. I'll need to go with home-mades. The metal flake makes no sense in the context of a home-built hot rod (gray primer very likely) so maybe our hot rodder gets a promotion and becomes the night manager of the Goodyear store he has worked in since high school. ? . Now he can get his body shop buddy to shoot the metal flake. Problem solved!....but what about the black fenders? Well, black paint is much cheaper than that emerald green flake. Cost cutter. I dunno. Developing a narrative to explain a 1:25 hot rod wastes a lot of time. ?

Stubborn Bottle update: The G-man is given credit for supplying the effective solution. Thank you, Greg! And now the rest of the story.....turned out that bottle was not a new, unused bottle of green metal flake. It was left over from a build I still have not found in my volume of finished works. It had been thinned with lacquer thinner and was of no use as a brush-on touch-up for this situation. ? I did, however gain a nice green tint on some of my digits ? ?

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.