Muncie

I agree... posted this elsewhere on the forum - with a little editing, it's probably more appropriate here. The paint department at the local hobby shop. Wow! somebody went crazy. A couple of new paint displays from Revell... the displays even included some glues and paint brushes from Revell. Revell has a bit of work to do to label things better and more clearly in the local language. Overall, the Revell display wasn't so impressive but I expect it will be expanded in the future. Over the last few months they have been adding other brands for models and gundam, some for the general hobby builder, some for rail - plus a lot of the new paints for weathering, land, sea, and air. More metal finish options. Humbrol, More Tamiya, More Mr. color, AK, Vallejo - too many brands to remember. Paint products are expanding into other parts of the store. They've been carrying lots of books on the new finishing techniques and materials. In general, Testors won't be missed.

Like it! don't even need the sharpest blade - Works great on brass, should be awesome on aluminum

While we're here, maybe we can mention some triple threat guys - 1:1, model cars, and magazine/media. We've seen Tim Boyd, Alan Barton and Marc Weller. Let's add Pat Ganahl and Steve Magnante. I've probably missed many more. I've been honored to meet a couple of these guys thru the years.

Ahh, I'm saved. I messed up a project on the bench. My cut and hack on the body didn't work out... I've been thinking a Model A pickup would be a better plan anyway. Any idea when we could see this kit?

I don't have a kit handy to confirm - I believe the front tires are narrower on the '55. The '55 has narrow and wide tires. The Tom Daniel Vette had medium and wide. And here's another kit to throw in the mix - one of the Monogram t-bucket kits that was derived from the Little T also has those wheels. The red t-bucket on the box with a trailer - wire spoke front wheels, wide rear tires, and medium tires on the trailer. hope this help

The paint department at the local hobby shop. Wow! somebody went crazy. A couple new displays from Revell... they even included some glues from Revell. Revell has a bit of work to do to label things better and more clearly in the local language. That wasn't so impressive but I see it being expanded in the future. Over the last few months they have been adding other brands, some for the general hobby builder, some for rail. and a lot of the new paints for weathering, land, sea, and air. Humbrol, More Tamiya, More Mr. color, AK - too many to remember. It's even spilling out into other parts of the store. They've been carrying lots of books on the new finishing techniques and materials. Testors won't be missed.

Way cool! Beautiful hot rod!

The first run of the 71's to the first three dealers will be without decals. It looks like decals will be available before the kit. I have to believe that there will be future runs of the kits with decals that will also be available at more dealers.. The initial run will help fund future releases. Somehow, the demand will be met.

mikesdecals.com - coming soon pre-orders start in March patience guys

One of the local model builders around here collects kits for donation to Wounded Warriors. There may be something like that near you.

Agree with the Dremel cutoff wheels - Dremel makes two different thicknesses - both work. The 0.020 thick cut faster but are more fragile. The .035 thick are more durable, but take longer to cut and generate heat in the wire - Heat isn't too much of problem, but makes the wire hard to hold onto.

Difficult to diagnose with photographs - I agree with all of the above. it appears the primer was not fully dry before the top coats were applied and the top coats dried first.

Many years ago, the company I worked for was exporting some products to Australia and they had to comply with the ADR for motor vehicles. Our corporate partner in Australia sent their guy that was in charge of certification to review the required paperwork. He stayed a couple of extra days and one of his missions was to find a reasonable deal on an air brush for his son. In addition to the paperwork I was also driving him around town. We stopped at Michaels and he found the right air brush. We got to the counter and the clerk pulled out the 40% coupon. I was newly single and Ross points to the coupon says to me "Steve, look at all the women in here... and they're all 40% off"

When fishmouthing tubing or rod, I start with a triangular file to mark the tubing deep enough to use the tapered end of a round hobby file to finish and file to fit.

I've found chain saw files down to 1/16 at a chain saw, yard equipment dealer. Not at the general home improvement/hardware stores. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edit - sorry, just went to double check and the chain saw file I have is also 1/8" - same size...

Well done - great looking model. Dale had Hank Parker Jr on his show - the Dale Jr Download. some crazy wild stories two hour audio - ‎The Dale Jr. Download - Dirty Mo Media: Hank Parker Jr.: Let the Feathers Fly! on Apple Podcasts 12 minute YouTube video - Dale Jr. Download: Reliving Tales with Hank Parker Jr. - YouTube

Looks like it might have been a temperature or humidity problem - I had that happen painting in a cold garage. Usual prep work - I had the model and paint in the house and took them out to the garage for painting. Best if paint, model, (air supply if air brush) and room temperature are the same temperature and are within the proper working temperature range.

kind of off the original topic here... but it looks like a good place. AMT engineered the stock and optional engines in the trophy series Fords with mounts in the some location so the that they could be swapped around between kits - more information here. Some of these kits also had the engine stand. What "Classic" AMT Kits Had Interchangeable Engines? - Model Building Questions and Answers - Model Cars Magazine Forum

Every time I see one of those 1978 Pace Car Corvettes at an auction on TV, I think about the story of a local guy who bought two in 1978 for $30K apiece. Astounding price for the time - at my pay level, even a sticker price on a base level Corvette was out of range. I believe Chevrolet built one for every dealer so that makes about 5,000 of them. Hardly rare...

The availability in stores may be as simple as each hobby shop will want to (or have to) reduce their inventory of Testors to clear some space for the Revell paint displays... The date will vary by store.

I'll call it lamb stew with key ingredients from good people. Friends at the local gas station gave me a bottle of Ecliptic Brewing Tiramisu Stout a couple of days ago - it's in the stew. Needed flour to brown the lamb so it finishes cooking in the stew. A small package of four is five pounds, use a cup for something and the rest goes in the cupboard - no idea how long it's been there. Bakery gave me a cup of fresh flour yesterday morning. Added onions, mushrooms, yellow pepper, potatoes and a little garlic, salt and pepper. 350 for three hours. Cooking now, house smells great. Will add some fresh tomatoes when it gets down to 15 minutes to go. Visiting friends yesterday and also picked up a couple of other goodies for dinner - Pecan pie for desert (but it's gone already) and fresh home baked rolls from an old family recipe About an hour away from primetime.

Real mags! - these Revell slot car wheels were cast in magnesium and came in a couple of different widths.

I'll take Casey's picks and add the 1968-1969 Charger and 1971-1972 Road Runner/GTX. Put them on the more recent Mopar chassis - wouldn't that be cool! The Charger deserves new tooling to replace the modified annual tooling that is past its prime time.

There are a lot of definitions and several origins out there for 'hot rod" - the adjective "quintessential" in the original post's poll question narrows it down to a more specific car or group. There are going to be a lot of different correct opinions... it's like asking what is the world's best painting.

Neither, The definition of a hot rod has evolved and expanded over the years - Even John Force and many others call his funny car one fast hot rod - and I agree it's one fast hot rod. Adding the adjective quintessential means something - (def. representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class) (def. of the pure and essential essence of something) There are a couple of possible origins of "hot rod" after WW II - one is the the contraction of "hot roadster" used to describe a modified Ford Roadster, T, A, 1932, and sometimes a 1933-1934. '32 Fords had a strong appeal with the flathead V-8 and light weight. If you want a quintessential hot rod, you have to go back to hot rodding in the late 1940's. Everything since is not the most perfect or purest form. The quintessential hot rod is a roadster. I've been going back to that since I talked to my dad about an early 1940's picture in the family album of his Model A coupe, chopped top, Kelsey wheels, dropped axle, deuce shell, dropped front axle, three piece hood. I exclaimed "that's a hot rod" - he said it couldn't be a hot rod because it wasn't a roadster and it was before people started calling cars hot rods anyway. here's more - History - "Hot Rod". What is the origin of the Term?? | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com) History - quintessential hot rods & customs | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)