maxwell48098

I remember the chrome flaking off of the big rig kits I bought that were produced for Revell Germany back in the '90's and early '00's. You use a file or sanding stick to clean up the edge of a chromed piece before gluing, and you'd take 1/8" to 1/4" of the chrome on the face surface with it. You could scrape the chrome off with your finger nail, if you tried. Those parts didn't have the clear base coat either so there wasn't anything for the electroplating to adhere to. That's one reason I quit buying Revell Germany truck kits. A.J.

If you use a little imagination, you can turn that Concorde into a police cruiser. Here's a couple I did years ago.

I left out a critical part in my post above in that I cut the rough amount of BMF foil I'll be using, then put the remainder back in the fridge to avoid the expansion/contraction issue that causes the cracks and buckling. It remains at a constant temp in the frig. Here's my corrected BMF storage comment: Someone told me many years ago to keep my BMF in the refrigerator between uses. I bought directly from BMF and kept it in the frig without it ever wrinkling in 7 years, so far. I take it out of the frig and cut off the amount I'll be needing from the sheet about an hour before I go to use it which allows it to warm up, the back into the frig it goes when I'm done. From the way this guy explained it, the wrinkles are due to the expansion and contraction of the foil and adhesive. Seems logical, and so far I've never had a problem. A.J.

Someone told me many years ago to keep my BMF in the refrigerator between uses. I bought directly from BMF and kept it in the frig without it ever wrinkling in 7 years, so far. I take it out about an hour before I go to use it which allows it to warm up, the back into the frig it goes when I'm done. From the way this guy explained it, the wrinkles are due to the expansion and contraction of the foil and adhesive. Seems logical, and so far I've never had a problem. A.J.

Very well done. A.J.

Interesting how over the years, "flat black" has become more like "satin black" with a low level of sheen . "Flat" flat black must have been reformulated over the years for some reason. Used to love the original Krylon "no runs, no drips, no errors" flat back for painting resin and vinyl tires, and it had sort of s sweet smell to it. I inquired to Krylon about why they had to change the paint, and the reply I got was that it was for environmental reasons out in CA. I really miss it. A.J.

Seems like good minds think alike when it comes to Chevy panel Civil Defense unit. I made mine a 4X4. A.J.

I've used Fred Cady decals since the '80's. Fred silk screened his decals based on the individual colors, so for things like lettering and logos, you have apply each color layer over the previous to build up to the final decal. You start with the base or background, then add the other color detail layers one at a time. I've clear coated these all of the time with no problem. The key is the thickness of the decal film. The thinner each layer of the decal is, the easier it will be to blend them into the final surface finish. I've attached a few images of some of the models I've used Fred's decals on. A.J.

The weekly ad from Monday said that all boxed model kits were 40%. A.J.

My local hobby shop is Great Lakes Hobby and Toys. They are located at 43055 Van Dyke Ave, Sterling Heights, MI 48314 which is about a mile south of M-59. They are located in an old super market building and are one of the largest hobby shops in the Midwest, and everything is discounted 15-20%. They have a HUGE selection of models of all types and scales, including automotive kits. Definitely worth the the time to visit them. http://greatlakeshobby.com/about-our-company/ A.J.

Why only 1 Ford 8000 logo includes with that set as there is one on the left side of the hood, as well as one on the air intake on the right side. Looks like an Oops. Would have been nice to see the gas 700, 800, 900, along with the diesel 7000 and 9000 logos as well. Maybe they could do on with the logos and nose lettering, but without the grille? A.J.

I've already build a '66 Ford 4X4 by simply dropping the '66 body on the '70 F100 4X4 chassis. Used the engine from the '66 as well. Except for the rear cab mount crossmember locastion, every thing else is a simple drop on.

Remember that the Chrysler 300 was offered in this configuration in Europe., and those used a 3.0L Mercedes diesel, as well as a manual trans, with auto trans an option that few in Europe go for. A.J.

It's been around for at least 10 years as that's how long ago I bought the set that I have. Works well on heavily rusted items. A.J.

Well, here's a comparison of my Jimmy and Blazer builds from their original releases. Sure would be nice if they added exterior rear view mirrirs which most kits of that era didn't include. A.J.

I've used the cheap (thin) local grocery store brand for decades. It also works for making diamond plate like used on fire trucks and big rigs. A.J.

And no matter where you go in the world, everyone knows Coke. My wife has an old friend from high school who is a Coca Cola collecting freak. If the package or item says Coke or Coca Cola on it, she's got it. And that include ALL of the Coke models and die casts ever issued!! She loves adding these new R2 kits to her collection, and they'll never be opened!

As a bit of information, the frame and chassis of Ford pickups was the same from 1953 to 1964. In 1965, the front suspension changed to Twin I-beam. I have built a 1957 Ford F100 styleside using the Modelhaus cab conversion which dropped right on the AMT 1953 for F100 chassis. Fit like a glove. While I haven't tried it personally, the Revell 1956 F100 might be another choice for a chassis. Of course, you'll have lengthen the AMT and Revell chassis for the proper wheel base. If you'll be building an F-250, the chassis from the Mobius F100 4X4 would also work with converting the front suspension to leaf spring and an appropriate front axle. FYI - Every Mobius long box Ford pickup from '65 and up drops right on the '70 F100 4X4 chassis.

I'll buy cheap, bagged kits at toy shows for under $5 just for some parts. I've then built "parts box" vehicles with the leftovers. A.J.

I had the same thing happen to me just a couple of weeks ago. Went to a website that offered Testers Wet Look Clear, and showed the old Wet Look Clear can and label. When I went to pick it up, I opened the box before leaving and sure enough it was the "extreme lacquer" clear with the "Wet Look" label and sku on the cap. Took it home anyway, and used it only to be disappointed by the less than glossy finish. Let it dry several days before I went back to the old polishing kit to get a respectable shine, but not nearly as glossy as the original "Wet Look". I won't be spending any more money on this product. A.J.

Any more pics, or a photo site where have them?

Those look great. However, remember that Ford changed the roof on the F-series trucks beginning in 1964 where the center section of the roof is lower in the rear. From 1960 thought 1963, the roof was flat.

Very nice, but don't forget the outside rear view mirrors. A.J.

Well I informed my wife this morning that due to the Wuhan virus / Covid 19 / Coronavirus, I would be self-quarantining myself in my model room until further notice. She actually bought that for about 5 minutes, but i'm sticking to it. A.J.

Just to add a little interest, when I was at the Pierce fire apparatus plant in Appleton WI a few years ago, I snapped this image of their "standard" paint color offerings. Notice how many shades there are of each color. Yep, that's 42 shades of white, 56 shades of red, and 28 shades of lime. A.J.