gwolf

I can smell the rust on this one...

I think I'm watching the same shows you do. On Fast 'N Loud they've essentially updated everything, but sealed the rusty paint. Looks great so far. Here's my first rusty pickup: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=89942#entry1188849

Great looking truck, man. That dashboard looks pretty detailed as well, would love to see that closer. The colors rock! I mean sand. No, they rock! Looks like that could have really been a 1979 Ford truck color scheme. I'm really OK with the warp in the bed. I think it adds a little character to it. That and it's always great to build a kit despite the plastic not always cooperating.

Wow! That is impressive work!

Looks great! I can never accomplish a nice glossy paint job like that. The headlights are always a pain on the '32s. I have built them without headlights or side mirrors or whatever was hard to glue in place and think about the line in the Stray Cats song Built For Speed, "haven't gotten 'round to getting license plates."

Those do look nice! How do you attach rims like that, though?

Looks like it could be a Mad Max type of vehicle. Very cool!

Thanks Andrew!

Thanks Carl! I have to have that quiet time or I'd go nuts. There are some mistakes in the build (glued windshield in, then realized I forgot to paint the rubber seal around it black), but I learned from it. I'd definitely make this kit again in the future.

I bought this for a few bucks at a thrift store recently, no box or instructions, just the parts in a large ziploc bag. Been working on it for the last few weeks and finally finished it this weekend. I stayed up til 4:30 in the morning Saturday night, listening to the nuts on Coast to Coast AM on the radio and working on the kit and had a blast. Nothing like "me" time. It isn't perfect, but it's done. One of my favorite shows is Fast 'N Loud and I especially enjoy when they take an older vehicle and redo the brakes, interior and electric, drop in a new crate engine and tires, then seal the rusty paint to keep the patina. I used the salt technique I learned from this forum. While the salt was drying on the primer, the salt got wet during a humid night and it didn't come out exactly as planned, but I can live with it. For a skill level 2, there were a lot of parts in this detailed kit. I love the look of body color steelies and chrome center hubs, but I thought I'd do something different. Initially I was going to use a different wheel / tire combo, but the Revell kit has the "pop on" type of wheels and I simply had no replacement for them. Since this is a work truck and nothing fancy, I dechromed the bumpers using Eazy Off oven cleaner and painted them flat white (first time dechroming for me). I used a drug store watercolor set to add rust and fill in the grill. Had I to do it over again, I would have painted the engine a different color and painted the engine bay flat black. There are imperfections (the side badge slipped after gluing it, among other things) and there are a few pieces I omitted (side view mirrors, among others) but I think I'm relatively happy with the outcome. Next build will probably be my take on the Rat Roaster.

Are the door locks drilled out? THAT is genius! Nicely done!

Congrats Mike! Get him started early with some Snap Tite kits.

Happened to me just recently. For some reason it especially happens with MPC kits...

I agree Andy, it's only plastic.

Nice work, man!

Went to the Mid-Atlantic NNL this weekend in Severna Park, Md and found some nice stuff. First up is the birthday present I bought for myself, a 1959 Dodge 2 door hardtop. There was a real one parked in my neighborhood when I was a teenager in the mid 80's and I've beenfascinated obsessed with them since. I'm guessing this is an X-El redo of the old Jo-han kit. Anyway, paid $40 for it. Just need a Modelhaus interior tub. Just look how straight the body is... Got a 1982 Chevy Cavalier promo car from my friend Mark. For a long time I detested any and all MPC kits, mostly because of the horrible flip-nose kits I had by them and the fact they're almost always molded in black or red and have been hard to paint. Since I've grown up and use primer now, that isn't a problem and these forgotten 80's cars from Detroit will get built. I really dig the box art on the mid-eighties MPC kits, too. Can't beat an open but complete '62 Catalina kit for $6 (I know it says $8, but i paid $6) I bought this bag o' truck for $1 and most of the parts are there except the engine and tires. So here's my idea: Like they do occasionally on shows like Fast 'N Loud, I think I'm just going to clean up the body with some soapy water, fix or replace what's broken (like the frame and suspension) and put a big, newer engine in it, some new tires and rims, and add some detail to the cab (paint the rubber seal around the windshield, paint the wipers, etc). Anybody got a spare windshield? I like the custom grill... Then there's this guy... I bought this and another built model, a '63 or so Corvette for $3 in an old Gangbusters model kit box. I gave the Corvette to my buddy and had plans to tear this one apart and redo it the way I did an old '32 Ford ( see http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=75266#entry947120 ) So here's the dilemma: a couple guys took a look at it and said it was an original 1960's issue of this model and it's historic and a shame to take apart / tear up change a complete kit that's an example of kit building from that era. I know what I think, but just thought I'd ask you all. Now for the good stuff, the parts I got from Jerry Frazier. Been looking forward to hitting up his parts table since last year at NNL. A whole bag of 1/25 tools for a quarter, laptop, shelf stereo, one of those weird animal things you attache brake lights to, and a 1/25 .50 cal machine gun. Could be useful. Yes... was so psyched to find a couple bags of dropped front axles. A couple tool boxes, gas can, rims for my VW GTI project, Odds and ends. Steelies and wheelbacks excite me, as do spoked 32 Ford rims. A couple tire sets. Not sure where those whitewalls came from, but they are very nice. A few extra engines for the parts box is always welcome. Jerry's parts bins just rock!

The idea of a Volkswagen GTI pickup has intrigued me for years. Definitely check this out: http://blog.carrtel.com/2013/04/04/mkiv-volkswagen-golf-pickup/

Looking great! That engine looks like it was made to sit there.

Big GTI fan here, too. On my fourth one...

I have that Monza kit and I've been getting more and more interested in building it. I'd go with that one.

That show looks interesting so far, at least from the clip. Good lookin' out!

Great start man! "Let me tell you what Melba Toast is packin' right here, all right. We got 4:11 Positrac outback, 750 double pumper, Edelbrock intake, bored over 30, 11 to 1 pop-up pistons, turbo-jet 390 horsepower. We're talkin' some !@#$%^&' muscle."

Well that solves it! I'd trade ten of these for one '89 Pontiac Sunbird kit. Doubt they ever made them, though. Thanks!

On Saturday I went out to the Northern Virginia Modelers Model Classic 2014. It was mostly tanks and planes, but I found a few things at very reasonable prices. Got this nice open, but complete 3 in 1 '34 Ford pickup kit for $5. Lots of extra stuff in this kit and a couple different engine, which is nice. Lindberg kits look to be nice quality, but I have not put one together yet. Got this sealed AMT Boyd Coddington American Hot Rod 55 Chevy kit for $5. I'm a little iffy on the rubber band like, low profile tires and huge rims, but I can always replace them. Got an open but complete AMT 57 Ford for $6. I already have one, but it's just such a nice kit with the opening doors, I had to grab another one at that price. I love 80's era Pontiacs and picked up this kit, which I'd never seen before, for $5. It's an 88 or 89 Pontiac Gran Prix Turbo. Not sure why it's considered limited edition, but I couldn't pass it up. For $2 I got this open but unbuilt Skip's Fiesta Drive-In series '59 Ford Galaxie. Yes, this is the one with the retractable roof and horrible four piece body. I originally got this for Christmas back in 1987 or 1988 and it never got completed because it was just too fussy and difficult. The reason it was $2 was that it's missing one piece, the deck lid, that covers the retractable roof. So I'm thinking with some time and Evergreen sheet, I may make a pickup out of it. Lastly, I got some great 2 for $1 parts baggies including some tires, steelies, and hubcaps. I spent most of the morning there and for less than $35 had something to eat and had a decent haul to take home.

Great job! Welcome aboard!