rsxse240

I was looking for some parts, not being very successful and decided that I needed to organize my parts bin. At this point, I have pulled most of the wheels, tires, interior buckets, seats, engines and bumpers/grilles out and have a LONG way to go before I am satisfied with it being organized. I think there's somewhere in the neighborhood of 300 different model kits donating parts to my parts bin. bumpers, hoods, tires, wheels and engines Bodies, chassis and interior buckets and all the rest that still needs sorting. There is yet another crate like this one that still needs sifting through. but it contains mostly parts still on sprues and larger pieces.

I think the reason there is a lot less emphasis on "tuners" in contests is that the enthusiasts of tuner cars are typically young (at this point under 40 years fits the "young" age group lol) and don't have enough patience to sit down and build a model or have any creativity. Also, this topic really seems to be directed at the American hobbyists where we are all Mustang, Chargers, Cudas, Chevelle, and other huge vehicles rule the road. We don't have the twisty winding roads of the highly populated countries like Japan, England and the likes which require the use of small cars and extreme fuel economy due to cost of living. It stands to reason that the model car hobby in the U.S. gravitates toward the cars we love. Look at the Big Truck forum on this site and the commercial class at your model contest, Mostly Pete's, KW's, Freightliners and other US model trucks with the occasional MAN or DAF. I think it's geographically effected. Most of the European and Japanese forums I frequent gravitate towards the tuner genre. As for RICERS; I have yet to see anyone, on purpose, build a model like the Cavalier posted earlier that looks like they drove into a J.C. Whitney catalog and everything stuck.

I don't build race cars, and I very rarely deal with resin kits, but I have a very soft spot for the Sierras/XR4 cars. I have the Tamiya Sierra XR4Ti AND the Eggenberger Texaco Sierra RS500 GR.A. I want to get several more of each kit so I can build several different variations, and now, I guess I'll have to buy some of those IMSA mustangs too. If these are not a gozzilion dollars, I'd be in for one or two.

cult classic? there was a huge following? I've never even heard about it until I stumbled upon the auction I posted. I guess I'll just have to spend a month's worth of movie money so I can see what all the hubub is about. (I spend $8/month on netflix) It's just a shame about the hostilities between people. I guess it is what it is though.

Until some booger picking greasy fingered idiot touches it in the middle of judging at nnl I love this build! I have to find one to compliment my deuce coupe.

Thank you for the encouragement, Chris. I just have not completed a model in about 4 years. I've been continuously working on models and buying them and getting supplies as any plastic addict does, I just keep getting side tracked by other projects and I keep bouncing back and forth between my real car and guitars and models. I was all set to complete the 50 chevy truck custom, but then I saw some nail polish that looked like it would be nice on some customs, so I played with that. I bought some acrylic paints, so I started building a Nissan Leopard (f31) and a R34 skyline GTR. None of which are very close to being done. I have been very excited by this model, but everything is still going well. As long as I don't clean my work table off, I'll continue. If I clean it off, I'll get distracted and start something else. I am contemplating rear bumper and side skirts at this time. I like how Andy Brooks' "track rat" looks with the simple side skirts that are very purpose built, but I really want to stick with the Elenore theme, but currently, my real car is suffering from a self destructed transmission, so I may me a bit on the next update.

Turns out she's not going to be landing for another hour and a half, so, there's plenty of time for a quick photo shoot. here's the "finished" grill and one headlight. A slight amount of change makes such a drastic difference, wouldn't you all agree?

Ok, got some more done this weekend. still just body stuff, but that's what I'm concerned with at the moment. I realized I might need a different type of scoop or none at all depending on the motor, so I quit working on the hood until it's time for engine clearance tests. On to the sides. I love how the real elenore's side scoops are exaggerated, so I made my attempt. I haven't decided if I want to put the big scoops or just keep it simple like what I have here, as these are quite a drastic change for the little muttstang. I started by laying tape on the body side and tracing the body lines with a fine tip sharpie, then transferred the tape to some sheet plastic of appropriate thickness and cut out the basic design . after some finer shaping I whittled out the "scoop" from behind. rinse and repeat: Here it is just mocked up, it fits nicely and dramatically changes the attitude of the car. I was asked earlier if I was going to tuck the bumper. In short...no. I kinda like the big chin look. (I'm a closet Jay Leno fan) In stead of tucking the bumper, I'm bringing the grill out and giving it a more aggressive, angry look. ' Again, with the blue tape (it doesn't leave sticky residue like white tape) I placed it on the grill opening, traced it with a sharpie, and used it as a basic pattern for the plastic needed. At this point it looks like a butt ugly sucker fish or some kind of algae eater. haha Now I thought I had taken pictures of it all cleaned up and shaped, but they must not have been saved for some reason, so I'll just have to get a pic of the finished grill opening and headlights. The headlights went through a similar procedure. I have to pick the wife up at the airport, so I'll get pics up tomorrow of the outcome of the weekend's workings.

I have been working on one of the "Roarin' Rods" trying to make it a more realistic customs, which is pretty much the opposite of what you are talking about. On topic: I have a few Initial-D kits and I plan on building a Nissan Silvia that is all crazy wide fender flares and wings that is from another Japanese cartoon. And who hasn't wanted to build the entire line up of Speed Racer cars. I'd like to get my hands on some of the cars from the movie with John Goodman as Pops.

I hadn't thought about that. I don't know why. I usually use future for aircraft canopies and headlight/tail light lenses to remove any scuffs and to "thin down" the material. A friend let me borrow a can of "Jambing" clear which is used for blending clear coat into the paint on door jambs. I haven't tried it yet, he says it's urethane that is designed for use on acrylic automotive paint. Thanks for the tips, I'll try the future for sure.

So I've bought a few of the Wicked Colors water based airbrush colors at Hobby Lobby. I like the way they lay down, but I haven't had good luck with clearing it. enamel and lacquer clears either fog, craze or fisheye. I would like to get paints local, but don't want to spend $60 on 2K at the body shop. Is there a one step urethane available that I can get at a local shop like lowes, home depot, any auto parts store or body shop? Another thing I'd like to know about the colors, is with their blacks. There is a Wicked Black and a Wicked Jet Black. Is there enough of a difference in the two that a two tone paint job can be done or is it only a difference sheen or is one metallic or pearl?

He is asking for "BEST OFFER" so the worst he can do is say no to your offer. I would love to see one of you guys collect this. I am going to see if I can find it on Netflix. If I do, I may end up bidding on the model. lol, unless it's like ANY of Kurt Russel's early stuff and I can't sit through the intro. hahaha

Simply gorgeous! I have always loved Coral and White, only topped by Black and Coral. the shine is amazing!

The wheel choice is perfect! have you thought about paint yet? I look at the curves and size and it makes me think pearl orange and cream with cream and walnut interior.

Very cool man! I never realized just how customized the body was. Of course I never bothered looking very closely until now either.

I love the 29, but since I've been a cab over fan for like ever, I would REALLY like to see the COE! This thread has it all. super cool!

If you have the kind of patience to post 152 photos, I think I could have the courtesy to look at them. I like pictures, keep em coming!

didn't realize I had one of the 99 cobra kits in my closet! I think I'm going to take your idea, but I'm going to make a resin copy of the entire rear end and have it on hand for future builds that require IRS setups.

I was at Hobby Lobby today too, I REALLY wanted to get this kit, but I had just come from Harbor Freight and had spent my allowance on tools for my real car. Maybe next week. If anyone else goes to Hobby Lobby, be sure to pull up the Hobby Lobby coupon page with your smart phone and show them the 40% off "coupon" on your phone (they need to see the code on your screen) I did get a couple of mixing bottles for airbrush paints.

I have a crate of them in the attic. I haven't read them in years.

I was on evilbay today and found a Columbia Pictures movie promo of Kurt Russel's "USED CARS" movie. It actually has a model kit in the box but is not even close to what is on the out side. It is just a movie promo not intended for actual construction. Here's a link if you want to bid, He's asking $200 OBO. I think it's great. I think it's probably the same model kit that they used for the Kenny Rodgers' "SIX PACK" promotion, an early 80's Camaro Stock Car. http://www.ebay.com/itm/KURT-RUSSELL-USED-CARS-MOVIE-1980-MODEL-CAR-BRAND-NEW-IN-ORIGINAL-BOX-/131291610795?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item1e9196feab

Mike, I might be working on a special mill that may accommodate the larger bumper for "superfluous cooling" (I have a certain 67 mustang that has 2 engines and can only use one of them)

The alumi-coupe was available as a full detail or a curbside. I have only seen a handfull of the full detail kits, but they were nice. This one was apparently the slammer kit (meaning you slam it together and slam it down on the table, lol) I have loved these kits, I have built and destroyed about 7 or 8 of them, mostly used as test mules for paint and body techniques and never finished or tossed. I would like to find another one and actually build it. The red looks great on there! If I recall, isn't this one assembled more like a model aircraft fuselage than a typical car body?

I guess if I am relegated to page 3 I am not working hard enough on my projects. lol I have a small updated. I don't get a whole lot of time to work on these things, usually about an hour or so a day. Here's what I have: tried a hundred different spoilers from other cars, none captured what I was looking for, but many gave inspiration. I settled on a period correct STYLE spoiler that I fabbed up from strip stock. I also started work on the rear bumper. It is still VERY roughed in, though I had to carve in the license plate recess to have it correct before I installed the bumper which needs to be shaped to fit the ends. I guess I could have just used one single piece of plastic to make things easier on the bumper. Oh well. I wasn't happy with the scoop that was on the hood previously, so I dug around the parts box again and found something that might be a little better suited. hahaha, no, but seriously, I'm going to use it I cut the giant scoop off of the "pro stock" hood and left a nice hole for power parts. You can also see here where I filled in the exhaust hole in the bumper and filled the space between the bumper and grill. I also carved some character lines just below the headlight bezels to help the bumper flow with the body work a little better. I hope you can see the scoop in the background, I think it will work well for a pseudo elenore hood.

Blain did a color test of a very similar orange on a 49 merc. Everyone complained about how large the metallic flakes were. PFFF, I love it.