maxwell48098

Here's a couple more.

Ordered several sets, and they are set to arrive Wednesday. A.J.

When I did this, I had purchased a3.5"X10" pierce of tread plate material (a resin casting) from Jim Etter at American Industrial Models. It was perfect for this purpose, but was way too thick for use on the model trucks and fire apparatus. I also bought the cheapest (thinnest) store brand aluminum foil which was easier to form compared to the heavy duty Reynolds Wrap the wife had in the kitchen. Thinned Elmers glue was the go to adhesive. A.J.

I started doing this way back in the early '80's. Interesting enough, those models that I built back them still look great today. One thing I also did is to use the foil shiny side up for a polished aluminum look on some custom big rigs. I used thinned Elmer's glue as the adhesive. A.J.

My first model car was an AMT 1958 Buick Roadmaster hardtop that my dad bought me in July, 1958! Wish I still had it. A.J.

Cigar/cigarette lighters and ash trays.

Models By Dave already offers one in resin. A.J.

I've always had a love of things automotive since I was a tiny child. I started building model cars back in 1958 when I was 8 and my dad bought me an AMT 1958 Buick hardtop while we were at the local dime store. I'd been taking some of my toy cars and trucks apart, and putting them back together, with mixed results. My dad figured that taking something and just putting it together would be better. I started using old DuPont Duco cement, and it wasn't the best, but it allowed me to take my build models apart and rebuild them again, like I did with my toys. I went through the '60's building model cars and pickups, when the first big rig truck kit arrived on the scene in 1965, the IMC Dodge L700, and I got hooked on big rigs. I then added fire apparatus to my interests in the early '70's with the AMT American LaFrance Custom Pumper, Ladder Chief, and Snorkel arrived on the scene. And I'm still building today, having added resin, and now 3D printed conversions. I guess I just loved being creative and models allowed me to do that at a price much lower than a 1:1 car, truck, or fire truck.

Here's one I built years ago using the C600 stake truck and ALF pumper.

When I've had the Moltov come out silver, it's been a case of settling of the pigments. I've poured out the contents of the Moltov tube into a bottle, then used a paint brush to clean out the rest of the pigment from the tube and add it to the bottle as well. Then I THOROUGHLY mix it, and the put it back into the tube, and it was once again shiny. I used some the other day that I bought 3 years ago, at least, and it was fine. Just my experience. A.J.

I saw the coming '60 Ford F100 in person this morning at Warren, MI toy show. Very nice, and the cab and pickup box are separate pieces, and it appears that the front bumper and grille are separate pieces as well unlike the original. It was also hinted that different versions will be offered, but no specifics. I'll bet Round2 saw what Mobius was doing with their for Ford F100's and will follow a similar path. A '59 may also be offered as the cab is the same for '59-'60, while the '57-'58 cab was different in the forward part of the fenders. (The Modelhaus resin '57 Ford F100s show the differences, as well.) I for one will be a happy camper. I've used original '60 F100 cab for larger trucks like this fire pumper. A.J.

Interesting note, if you want a more detailed chassis to put under the 1960 Ford Pickup, I've used the one from AMT 1953 Ford F100. Of course the wheelbase would have to be lengthened for the long box used with the original AMT kit #1360, but you can use just the 1960 cab assembly and the 1953 short box Flareside box. Modelhaus used to offer just cab conversions for the '57 and '60 Ford F100 for just this purpose. The Modelhaus cabs would literally drop on the AMT '53 chassis and pickup box. A.J.

FYI - The Amazing Casting Resin, and their other products are made by Alumilite. It's a more consumer friendly brand name that was first promoted to non-modelers. https://www.alumilite.com/amazing/ A.J.

Nice build. A.J.

One thing to always think about when you see resin parts is that when you see something you like, want, or may want in the future, is to order it right away. Resin part suppliers come and go as real life is more important than the business life. Look at folks like Modelhaus who did this full time, but then decided to retire. Two years worth of orders poured in within a month's time putting off retirement until all of those orders were filled. And as usually happens, no one comes forward with the cash, or fortitude, to buy the business and take it over. FYI I still have some of the American Industrial Models castings unbuilt that I purchased from Jim Etter in the in early '80's. A.J.

I worked for Chrysler for 35 years in service and parts, and back in the late '80's I worked with our electronic engineers on "flash" reprogramming most modules for vehicles already in the field. Unless an actual component inside the module failed, the modules could all be reprogrammed in the field b y dealers, as well as aftermarket technicians, using the proper diagnostic tool and software. As I retired, we were working on updating module software via communications software on the vehicles and satellite download as vehicles were parked.

Here's a couple of '41 fire trucks that I built some time ago. I used the Monogram '40 For Pickup cab and hood, and the Monogram '36 Ford front fenders/head lamps. The '40 Ford frame was used for the front protion, and then a scratchbuilt frame behind the cabs. Wheels/tire were my own resin castings.

This is the email Doug from Keystone sent out 12/30/2022. "We would like to wish everyone a safe and happy new year! Thank you for all your patience and support! Ordering on our website is now enabled for our original products. We hope to enable ordering for all other products this coming year." A.J.

Really nice build. A.J.

Checked my PC and the contents for the whole DVD is 7.71GB Like other programs, it is all on the PC and you don't need to be on-line. It's totally stand alone. I also have the 5 Year Collection 2014-2018, but it is just data and has to be searched manually once you open it. I got both of these DVDs when Kalmbach was having a sale. They currently show both DVDs available and on sale. https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/catalog/videos?page=4 Hope this helps, A.J.

I've got one and it works fine on Win 10 & 11. These are pdf files, and the best way to use it is to install the content on your PC, if your hard drive has the space, rather than putting the DVD in when you want to look at specific articles/columns.

Wow, that looks really great. A.J.

I remember back in the '50's and early '60's when the AMT kits just had paper stickers over the box ends that showed what kit was in the generic box. Funny but I didn't know anyone who thought someone would open a kit to steal parts, but I was just a kid living on the south side of Chicago. Times sure have changed.

Going back to the '70's when I was a service and parts district manager for Chrysler Corp, my rural districts had Chrysler-Plymouth dealers. Dodge-Dodge Truck dealers and Chrysler=Plymouth -Dodge Truck dealers. But sprinkled in there for interest were Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge-Dodge Truck full line dealers. Then there were the hold overs who originally signed up decades earlier who were Plymouth only, Chrysler only, Dodge car only, and Dodge Truck Once upon a time, Chrysler-Imperial were their own franchises until Imperial was added as a line under the Chrysler brand.Chrysler also had the DeSoto brand franchise which went away in 1961 that was usually combined with Plymouth, or Chrysler-Imperial, or Dodge Truck. Pretty confusing by today's standards, but then again I had dealers who were very small and only sold 20-30 new vehicles a year, but twice as many used vehicles. Their low overhead, combined with profitable service and parts operations, made them feasible until the late '70's. Once upon a time, a dealer would sign up as a franchisee for life, and some of them hung in there right up until they left this earth, or just decided to close up on their own. These small, family owned, operations were the best ones that I called on. A.J.

One of the best products I've used for decades for removing decals that haven't been sealed to the surface with clear coat is plain, old Scotch Magic Tape, the frosty appearing tape. Press it down firmly, then do a quick pull. Repeat if necessary. A.J.