Muncie

Bill, thanks for the feedback on the Scotch-brite - I did the Scotch-brite prep on one of Revell's new NASCAR Fusions - they are made of some very tough play ready plastic - kicked my butt. It will be good experience to go over it again with cleanser to see how it comes out. Guys, thanks again for the information and the stories - no ArmorAll or WD-40 here

to finish something... plenty started...

Good information - good to have the details about the specific products to use - absolutely, preparation is the key to good results - Thank you for adding knowledge to the toolbox I haven't painted anything in a while but have a couple of thing prepped. I used 3M 07745 Scotch-Brite. It is gold, finer abrasive than the gray, and is for 1:1 automotive intercoat or clear coat prep. It puts some tooth on the plastic without causing damage to the emblems. It also gets into the finer details. --- your thoughts?

Great review Tim, I always thought the open chrome reverse wheels were one of the original AMT Deora's best features - Was hoping replacements would be in the new reissue - but not too disappointed about it with all of the other things that have been brought back. The small diameter of the old AMT compact tires really makes the Deora sit perfect- but I know an alternative that I like. I've built two - and will get another. The first was an original issue back when it was the new Deora kit, Testors Gold with clear top - somewhere in time it was lost - still have some of the parts. The second was a close duplicate with automotive paint - I painted the original clear cover because it was too rough and scratched up to leave clear - 4 slot mags from the kit with Monogram low profile sports car tires. That one was among the models at the 50th Detroit Autorama in 2002 - the show where you did the photographs in your review - the Alexander Brothers were being honored that year - It probably still has the grease on it that filled the air from the pretzel vendor that was just feet away from the model contest

Both the Revell and MPC Vega funny car bodies are almost flat across the rear so trimming to the curve of the body isn't really necessary - could be optional if you want. 0.010" thick would be a little more than scale thickness, but 0.015 is a little easier to work with. - some Evergreen plastic strip .015 x 5/16" would make a spoiler extension panel about 8" tall and you would only have to trim the ends - one way to do it...

and what's in the box has been really good - great job cleaning up and restoring the tooling - Love it! I'm replacing some of the old reissues because the new kits are so much better.

wow! - nice save and a big improvement from the original part - it really looks like an FLD Classic hood

I had good success with Bill's method to clean up a set of Monogram slicks to prepare them for lettering with some old Shabo tranfers - the knife has to be very sharp to cut the letters off the rubber - used some white (very fine abrasive) Scotch brite for the final clean-up on the side walls. Used an acrylic semi-gloss clear to seal and protect the lettering on the tires.

here's the math answer... sorry, don't have the kits in hand for actual dimensions and assuming the Revell auto transporter is just a trailer with nothing on the chassis of the tractor... Need enough space between the cab and the trailer to avoid an interference condition in a turn. The fifthwheel on the chassis should normally be between 8 to 16 inches ahead of the centerline of the tandem suspension. The California Hauler has a sliding fifthwheel so it can be located for good weight distribution on the steer axle. start with the measurement on the trailer from the kingpin to the corner of the trailer It's usually 60" on a square corner, 96" wide van trailer, but the auto trailer may be different. Add four inches for "dip" Add the fifthwheel position ahead of the tandem centerline to the trailer swing and that will be the location back of cab to the drive axle centerline. Can be longer for the look, but that's the minimum where most fleets want to run. I'm thinking about 176 to 180 inches wheelbase. Hopefully the research confirms the numbers

Jesse is on to something... hope you all noticed that the Roofer's Toy has a longer wheelbase and the body is more aero than the Revell '57 Chevy Pro Sportsman... Pro Mod started as an exhibition class with a few 1955 and 1957 Chevy's with real Chevy steel bodies on real Chevy frames - kind of an outlaw run what you brung deal. Carburetors and gasoline, but lots of cubic inches. As it evolved into a real racing class, later model cars with tube frames and plastic bodies started showing up. To be competitive, the shoe-box Chevies also started changing. Somebody figured out a modified McEwen funny car body or something similar would work realty well... put some doors on it, open up the front end - yep, that'll work - and then things have changed from there... The Revell sportsman kit represents something that is somewhere between the early stock bodied cars and the aero bodies Like Roofer's Toy that came later - Don't get me wrong, the early cars are still cool - saw the Ron Harding Movers stock bodied '57 run 7.35 @ 192 MPH at SIR - beyond impressive. If your looking for a Top Sportsman 1957 Chevrolet, the Revell kit is the way to go - If you want the later, aero 1957 Chevrolet, (without having the kits in hand to confirm) it looks like the McEwen funny car body on a lengthened Revell Pro Sportsman chassis would be a good place to start.

very nice - can still remember the radio jingle for the local Dodge dealer Come see the good guys in the white hats at Dodge City 5050 southeast eighty-second avenue.

one of my favorite funny cars - well done

Hey Curt, I can't see it in the picture, - is it still called Dull Aluminum? I haven't been able to find it around here, It has been my go to for years and also works as a good base under the Testors metallizers Thanks, Steve Sounds like I need to check out the other suggestions as well.

more info here bout the sport with videos - http://www.tethercars.com/ These are pretty serious collectibles now

appears to be a tether car racer...

good ideas already in this thread - thinking out loud... small block Chevy - the current kit, even the Rat Roaster, requires quite a bit of work to fit a small block Chev with a hood and inside exhaust. The engine mounts on the frame are in the wrong place and interfere with the exhaust manifolds. A couple of intake manifold choices to make things more interesting, maybe choice of 4-speed or automatic transmission.... (friendly engine mounts for engine swaps would be an alternative) - if this one gets a small bock Chevy, Revell will be thinking ahead with something else for the next one... rear leaf spring with a quick change, a more modern tubular or traditional hot rod X center crossmember, bench seat interior, dropped beam front axle Revell has some great tires in their new kits like the '29 - so would like to see another wheel choice A brake master cylinder - edit - clarification... chassis mounted - edit again - found it on the chassis in the highboy roadster and the five window coupe, no master cylinder in the rat roaster - guess I've been working on too many AMT '32 fords... Continue with excellent parts interchangeability with the current kits as much as possible - I have favorite parts from from each of Revell's '32 kits and like to pick and choose. Going with an old traditional style, an update to current hot rod style, or a different level of kit detail would differentiate the new kit form what Revell already has already available

Even with the internet, this is not as easy as it looks - and I kind of thought I knew what to look and spent a half an hour with no luck. Your best bet may be to find an online library of truck brochures if something like that exists. for Freightliner COE it would be "frontal air intake with Farr Dyna-cell" and other search variations - If you have another brand of truck in mind or a cylindrical air cleaner, that will change.

you might want to check for Time Machine resin here - If Ebay and PayPal have some protections for the buyer it may be a better way to go.

haven't read every post or opinion... (but will probably wish I had...) The seller who parts out a kit (hopefully one already started or missing parts, but if not that's OK) makes five people happy, that's five projects that can be finished - the seller who sells the kit only makes one person happy. Price is what a buyer and seller agree - so no blame

Seee, I told you life was good, I got a box today with an Olds body, some tuck n roll, some cool seats and more wheels than I could count Great stuff, excellent service, and thanks for the tip on mounting the interior trim parts

good information already here's a couple of soldering tips - I've used a 40 watt soldering iron for some slot car chassis - with practice it's easier than it looks and you can amaze your friends A paste type flux may be easier to use than a liquid - it will stay where you put it. Apply the flux where you want the solder. Heat the metal that you are soldering. Melt the solder on the metal, not the soldering iron. The metal needs to be hot for the solder to flow into the joint and stick. The solder flows toward heat and will flow onto/into the joint. I tend to not fishmouth (trim the ends to match the next part) so there is some space for the solder. A close fit doesn't have much strength. Experience is the best guide for how tight the parts need to fit. Some connections my need to be drilled and pinned for alignment during soldering. Some fluxes come off with a bit of hot water and a stiff brush or steel wool - no drama There are some good articles on soldering in the new Slot Cars Magazine - three issue are out there now. The usual cautions about acid, burning acid holes in clothing (or skin), heat, hot metal, being careful not to burn flesh and that sort of thing apply.

stock '55 Chevy sedan (post) roof is two inches taller than the hardtop... but the Monogram Street Machine Roof is something else I also recommend the AMT, best to glue the hood in, reinforce the seam, and let it set before cutting the fenders loose yeah, I want to see this project! The skinny and wide American racing 200S wheels used to be easy, both Replica and Modelhaus sold them but I didn't see them in their current catalogs.

that's interesting - which is another way of saying that I have no idea... is this on a North American truck? what year? The size of the ram leads me to believe that it is air assist and not hydraulic - but still need a control valve unless it is integral with the ram

If you're into that sort of thing, more detail really adds to the look of nearly any model - adding detail takes experience - trailer air and electrical lines are obvious if they are missing and easy to add - chassis and engine detail can come later The Bendix air brake Handbook is an excellent reference for the air brake chassis plumbing - http://truckpartsetc.com/sales/PDFs/Bendix/extra/Bendix_AirBrakeHandbook.pdf I may edit this post if I can find an older revision of the Handbook with the correct, pre-1975 single air brake system for most AMT truck kits...

good plan - AMT kit with KJ's wheels, you'll have a great truck model - hope you show your work here