FloridaBoy

Harry, I read on another topic you build Pocher models. I used to think of mysefl as a top echelon type builder, not a champion anymore, but I am not afraid to tackle any model out there, and make it OK, then I even built one of those horrible ol Palmer/Lindberg Cords, and thought I was top of the heap. But no............. Over the past few years, I have come into owning about 4 Pocher models, and said "no problem" especially what I see people paying for the built models down here.....in the thousands. I saw nothing but dollar signs and even my wife took our bill-paying desk in our bedroom and reserved it for the build, so I could be nearby when she watched TV and we could have together-quality time while I was making thousands of dollars................... uh-huh. When I opened up the box, tears started to run down my cheek, I showed the model and its million little screws and washers, and tears came down here cheek, I put them on ebay and sold them. I likened it to me asking out Miss Universe, way out of my league... My hat is off to you, Harry, and those dedicated modelers out there who have or are building a Pocher kit. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I am not saying that every model car contest, event, or club, or even hobby shop for that matter, is comprised of nothing but fighting idiots, but it is human nature to retain the negative stuff much more than the positive memories when you look for an impression of the event. If you go to a model car contest and someone asks about it later, and if there is an incident or two, you mention those because they are more unexpected and unusual and sit stronger on the impression, regardless of the friends, tips, education, impression of the work, being terrific. That is just because we were human. I have attended some contests in which bickering was kept to a minimum, or very private and/or civilized and had a great time... Over the years I have made great lifetime friends in model cars, and even model railroading, as well. But the problems I describe are not restricted only to model cars, I have seen this phenomenon occur in tennis and softball leagues, basketball leagues, jobs that I have had, social and church groups I belonged to, service organizations, and even government boards and councils. People just can't get along, and compounded they are not equipped for the most part to resolve conflicts, so we harbor resentment and carry grudges. When my health resumes, I am planning to host an early summertime model car contest myself, and recruit help and sponsors with the intent to show that people can get along, and my contribution will be first to bring people together, second, to eject or disqualify anyone who starts up the #$#@$#@$, and throw a high standard fairly judged contest. A guy named Mark in my club did one a few years ago on his own, and he rocked!!!! I will be contacting Mark and a few other guys to start right after Christmas. I will confess I have only a sand pebble of influence but I know a lot of people and I have a decent venue to host the contest with tables, and all needed is some sponsorship money for expenses and awards. If I can get some help, I will even accept mail in model cars from my beloved forum members here, and do my best to protect them both while shown and on the way back home. I an couple of weeks, I will be displaying on my fotki.com the judging sheets for my judges to utilize, as each is based on the IPMS 100 point system, but each category will have its own criteria and weigthing. After all, I have been bitching enough, maybe it is time I put my money where my big mouth is. If there is anyone in the Palm Beach/Broward area who can help me out here, feel free to contact me. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Guys, I am trying to input as much as I can, because the problem has persisted for quite some time down here in South Florida, and if it doesn't get nipped in the bud, it will get so bad that plastics will be the exception and pot metal display cars will be what defines the hobby here. Down here, in effect, there are no Floridians per se, we are all from somewhere else, and do not share any congruity of culture like more stable communities north of us. So, we suspect, judge, before we think, and expect everyone to think like we do, and guy from Iowa has a different set of upbrought beliefs than a guy from California. Plus the basic personality differences like type a's vs type b's, organized vs disorganized, people who live for tomorrow vs people who live for the past, and the list of basic differences goes on and on. This is compounded by living in a crowded area in which several people feel like cattle on a drive. So, to stand out, they criticize others to elevate themselves, or further their personal agenda to get a following to play leader, and so on. Then now, thanks to a very difficult economical situation which has proven hard on people, plus us seeing good work and jobs get farmed overseas while we are collecitng unemployment, we are definitiely and understandably more irritable, and as humans we tend to take it out on people close to us. Florida is volatile, as people constantly move here and away from here all of the time. Even me, I have lived down here since 55, but have moved out of town 3 times only to return because I missed the place. Over the years, I have been affiliated with many model car organizations, all of which self destructed over ego wars, dissension, disagreement, personality clashes, and other reasons which a true feeling of cammaderie would have resolved. I have seen other clubs in other cities outside the state, and there is a continuity and that clash is minimal compared to down here. I have been a member of no less than 5 clubs over the years, including holding officer's positions, and my sole agenda is "How we can get along" but have been outlasted or overwhelmed by the conglomerate anger. One time I was President of IPMS Chapter in Ft Lauderdale and brought it up, and was shot down by Mr. Anger and Resentment, then criticizing me "because I had too many red cars". That weakened the chapter and it was involuntarity merged with the Hollywood chapter which was insulting as a smaller chapter took in a larger one. Then there is the leadership. A past president of a model car club during a contest and a self appointed judge was "walking the tables' and pointed out a particular car and lambasted it loudly, right in front of the owner/builder. Imagine my outrage and from that point, I made a conscious decision to display only and never compete down here again. Granted the guy was a narcisstic sociopath, but his poison is now spread to his new locale in the middle of the state. But his legacy is continued in his groupies he left behind, and visits to refresh the agenda. Sad sad state. This is a guy who wanted to airbrush his car on my formal dining table to show off without considering the sacrifice and cost of the dream home I finally achieved. He was banned for life after that......not making a big deal, he just didn't get invited. The point is that open conflictive confrontation most of the time when done in front of others is destructive to the hobby, and harrypri is right on target. If we let the testosterone fly and start flame wars it is destructive and one should think of that before letting loose the invective to another, and if he realizes it, and has the ego to vent anyway, maybe he doesn't belong in the hobby. I know this is a problem, because every article about the Salt Lake contest or the NNL talks about the close cammaderie, and to bring up something as if it were special when it should be a given, means to me, that the ambassadors of the hobby who travel around see that this problem is a lot larger than we all think. Last, but certainly not least to Ryan. I am quite older than many out there, and still listen to advice or even positive critiques by younger, first because most everyone else is younger, and second, I reemember my youth when I was innovate and creative. I like to think I am still creative, but not innovative, so I open my heart and mind as much as I can. I am always eager to learn. I am sorry to ruffle the feathers here. Even describing the situation down here can be considered destrucitve, but I would like people to evaluate themselves inwardly more down here. Florida is not like anywhere else, we are a population of mongrels, and although we may bring our upbringing and culture to the table, we have to be mature to accept differences of others. Even I am adjusting on a daily basis. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

"Ken, I love reading your posts because of the vast amounts of wisdom and insight they contain and the way you're able to express yourself so simply, yet eloquently. Want to see a great ambassador for our hobby? Go take a look in the mirror, my friend! " khart, Thanks for the kind words, to both you and many others who have agreed and sympathized with our comments. I always believed that the more information, education (not necessarily school) and life experiences one has, that person has an increased ability to see the bigger picture and maintain composure. Again, guys thanks. As to being an ambassador, I am of a strong belief that one charismatic ambassador is needed in this area to generate interest in the hobby. He has to have skin at least 6" deep, be able to listen without taking too much heart, see a goal and be merciless, selfless, and persevering to see that model cars gets to be a viable pastime it once was. This includes generating interest at IPMS meetings, help form clubs in each major city, assist in contests or even form a contest circuit, be seen at all hobby events, including craft fairs, industry get togethers and car shows. He must be a promoter of his hobby and not himself, (or herself) and still have some time to build some great models to display to show he (she) has credibility, and finally be a leader with a vision, which serves all and not just himself. Frankly, I would love to be that guy, but I don't have the stones, the youth or charisma, or maybe the selfless dedication to pull it off. I yearn for the model car climate in 1994 when in Palm Beach, Broward and Dade County were at its peak with lots of contests, a few really good clubs, dedicated people in the clubs, and those in charge put their egos aside to further the hobby. Honestly this was the "Golden Age" for me, and even more than the sixties and early seventies. Thanks to egomania, gamesmanship, psyching everyone out, personality clashes, false judgements, gossip, a once thriving hobby has turned us modelers into "Lone Wolves", and we thoroughly check out contests now before entering them to assure legitimacy of judging. Right now, I am not entering in any contest in this State, planning my return to competition in Spring 2010 in Georgia and Alabama. I would rather lose a contest legitimately than win one illegitimately any day of the week. There are pretenders to the throne, Augie died way too early, Bob Kuronow is too busy with Model Car Garage, one guy from Ft Lauderdale committed suicide, and I am not charismatic or have the health, strength, or sense of leadership to do anything except bitch, bitch, bitch. Other possible candidates show promise, but Mike Alvarez has the legitimacy and the track record, but he is spread too thin right now, and perhaps with some convincing on my part, he can become the Model Car Czar down here. Everyone would win, hobby shops, clubs, cammaderie, teamwork, goals, and business for everyone. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I have noticed some traits that model car builders have in general, and somethimes I am guilty of it myself. I tend to think everyone should build what I am interested in, and others are not worth the time, energy and money spent on them. Ever since 58, my interest has been street rods, show and road customs, and in the early years, I thrived because that what was evernone else was doing. Then in 62, along comes Don Emmons and "spoils everything" with his NASCAR Merc Marauder and then other types of cars have been springing up. Then in the seventies street rods and customs down here took a dive, and I still stuck with my first love, street rods and customs. Granted I tried building some funnies with altered bodies, or really nice resto-mod type gassers, but give me a sectioned 40 Ford coupe and my mouth watered. Over the years, I have received construcitive and not so construcitve criticism over my choice and taste, which most I have classified as downright rude. I never go after a NASCAR modeler because he doesn't build street rods, so leave me alone. But I think it is in some modeler's nature to be territorial, and have an agenda which is like going to a strange chuch and the entire congregation gangs up on you, coercing you to believe what they believe. It don't just work that way. Now rods and customs are back, and those big mouths from back then are building military, or playing golf or fishing, and here I am still building what I love. The lesson here is to show respect for others, after all they had the capacity to survive this world, cleanly enough to be able to take time money and energy to build a plastic model car kit. But this on the floor $#%$##$% has to stop, as attendance at model car contests is declining, and people are always interested, but will walk away when two guys are arguing the firing order of a late model flathead motor, or the thickness of spark plug wires, or the quality of a paint job. If you are one of the arguers, you may be right, but in a very few years, you will be alone in a big auditorium listening to your echo. Learn to confine remarks and replies, take the argument to another place and time, and be an ambassador for the hobby. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Dave, I tend to agree, but maybe those old paint jobs which are now close to 50 years old are holding up, maybe it was because I lucked on the best preparation of the surface, as I really haven't changed much since then, as I primer everything, but now use both Duplicolors primers on the bodies, and sandable primer on the parts trees. Second, I use a lot of primer, as I really like to seal off the putty, as down here in SoFla the elements like sunlight even if exposed just a smidgeon are always present. I primer every square inch of the car, inside and out, and take great pains to make sure even the inside fenders which are not seen are covered for protection. Next, I always use undercoat, either copper, light or dark silver metallic, white or light gray. Like I said I just painted and clearcoated 3 cars, and they have been sitting for a couple of months and have not changed since the day I painted them. I even used an enamel (Testors) on top of a lacquer (Duplicolor primer and basecoat), and a Testors Enamel clearcoat over a Duplicolor color coat. So far, everything is working. They are in my fotki.com album under my name and I will be trying to post them in a couple of days in the work in progress portion of this forum. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I was absent for a few years after the seventies and into the mid eighties. Back in the sixties and seventies, I carefully applied Pactra candies, metallics, solids, and pearls over primered and undercoated bodies and achieved a very nice shine. I used the rattlecans, as down here only a few hobby shops carried airbrushes. I had limited success with them back then, so I used both. As I commenced finishing some of my nuveau "middle age crisis" models in the nineties and new century, I struggled with airbrushes, but with the advent of Testor's paint and new colors, used rattlecans until my proficiency returned using airbrushes. Airbrushing to me is NOT like riding a bicycle. I virtually had to learn it all over again. I know in my absence the EPA and other agencies cracked down on chemicals and paint content, which affected our hobby, but do now know how or what. I still use rattlecans and airbrushing but I am really getting into DupliColor and Tamiya colors in the rattlecans. I have a 2 cars remaining I built in 1962 and 1964 and the paint is incredibly shiny contest quality, smooth, free of orange peeling, etc and I do not touch them. Additionally I have a 1962 Ford at the Salt Lake Museum with its oriignal Pactra shine. But in 1994 I finished a Merc with Testor's Boyd Aluma Yellow, a 40 Ford Coupe painted Kiln Metallic Red, and another 40 coupe painted metallic blue, not clear coated. These paints have lost their sheen, orange peeled, or let the epoxy and glues seep through and are unsightly, so much so that I have deposited them in boxes for refurbishing. BTW I used Testor's primer before chaging to DupliColor Primer. What happened to the paint over the years? Right now on the drying stand for a couple of months, I have some rattlecan and airbrushed cars waiting for the paint to settle before applying chrome and assembling them. Since I used clear coat and polishing abrasive systems and a finishing polish the cars look OK. But the fear of the paint breaking down is always there like a rattlesnake posed to strike. Can anyone give me some of their experience and knowledge as to what to expect. I am asking this question only here because of the standard of quality of building here, and what you guys know, is good enough for me. Thanks in advance, Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Sometimes in model car contests and the jerks are running amok, and the testosterone is rampant in the air, and people are blasting other's work and extolling the virtues of their own, and no one is listening to the other, plus the egomaniacs are putting on their matinee, I just say to myself, "Treat others with dignity and respect, treat yourself with dignity and respect, expect dignity and respect from others, nothing more" a million times. If I had a penny everytime I have said this over the past few years, I would be the sole owner of AMT, Revell, Lindberg, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler. If a situation gets untenable and the personalities involved are too strong and idiotic, just walk away and you maintain control. Let your work on the table do your talking. Down here in South Florida, this contest scene is run by a few despots who have shown rampant favoritism, and all of the negative attributes I have described, and there is no one to take up an alternate, so it is just wait it out until someone else decides to run a contest. The one club who threw the absolute best contest this side of NNL and Salt Lake disbanded due to ego battles, and the other had personalities which discouraged new membership. I watched a group of the most recent practically destroy a potential modeler who was into doinks, and got so discouraged by the comments. I am not a doink lover myself, but tried to find redeeming value in the workmanship, color combos, and the fact that they were decent models. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I have lived for 62 years, a majority of it being in model cars and railroads. Both of which are mostly "guy" hobbies. Somehow most of us do not share our pastimes with women, maybe let them in once in a while, but basically our hobbies are "ours'. Over the years, I have seen testosterone just dominate some incidents where if people acted within a framework of behavior, the hobby would progress, we would feel better, and at least down here, people would start attending model car contests again. Down here in soFla people are so diverse, I have seen many arguments take place over nothing on the floor of a model car contest. Great ambassadorship, and the same goes on this forum. After being married twice for a total of 35 years, I have attended many marriage counselor sessions to resolve marital differences and even family differences. I also separated the psychological clatter from real substance, and have come up with my own rules of behavior that I adopt no matter how hard it gets on forums. I have had my share of flame wars and believe me, nothing was ever resolved, and damage was done to the forum itself. So, here are my rules, and if some see some wisdom in any of them, or if it benefits just one person, the energy is worth it. No matter what, conflict is conflict whether it be family, spouses, friends, co workers, colleagues or neighbors. 1. I never swear at people when I am angry. As a matter of fact, when I am upset, I get quiet, rather than swearing even it not aimed an anyone. Talk about forming a lifelong resentment toward you. 2. I never attack the person, I attack the act. For example, I never call someone a liar, but will challenge a statement as either inaccurate, unfounded or untrue. When you attack a person, you are trying to kill their spirit. 3. I command respect by acting respectfully. I never assume people will respect me no matter what, I maintain my control, pride in myself to maintain cool under all duress, and that commands respect. I always try to keep my head and not lose my temper. 4. When I am in an argument, my goal is being HEARD, and not right-fighting. I have learned over the years, that people and perception of the same stimulant differ and often that leads to confrontation. 5. Learn to resolve differences and eliminate long term resentment or vindictiveness. You will not change people, they can only change themselves, and none of us are mavens to "teach other lessons" the hard way. We just ain't that close. 6. Last but not least, remember the hobby we share is nothing more than taking a pre-formed plastic model car kit, and using tools, paint, techniques, and guile build it into what we conceive as a finished model car of varying quality of workmanship, realism and aesthetics. Two alternatives are that each party agree to disagree or even one apologizes for huring the other, but not changing the content of one's beliefs. 7. This is the age of medical awareness, treatment and technology. Some of us are now ADHD, passive-agressive, bi=polar, and the list goes on and on. Others are on medication which affects our personality and attitude. A little tolerance goes a long way. Plus, now even age groups and cultures within us provide a sometimes wide chasm between us. For example, I shudder when someone addresses me as "dude" - frankly I hate it, but others tolerate and accept it or sometimes are even complimented by it. Put that into a million other situations, and it behooves us to show our maturity, class and composure we have lived right up to this date. Believe me, I have gotten much more satisfaction by controlling myself under dire circumstances rather that fall for the easy anger and temper loss. Pick you spots, don't let your spots pick you. 8. If you fight, remember that the pain you cause are to those around you. How many people know, respect, and regard both adversaries, which causes trouble. When people are presented with this choice, they run, or get into denial, and a few take sides, but none of those is a positive option. There is always loss. Minimize the loss by keeping the argument a disagreement. If you look at me, you would assume I am a big burly guy, but in reality I am quite the gentle person, as you can see on my facebook page. I have been accused by many of having a chip on my shoulder. What I do with people is not contain or conceal the irritation, but to directly address the issue, and wait for a reply. The choice remains in your court, and you are in control of your own behavior. But over the years, people have attempted to insult me personally, (as all of us have been), physically attacked by a model car contestant's mother after I won a contest, physcially threatened by a fellow judge during a judging, and a million other issues it seems, and all I can say, is "hey people this is just model cars" not nuclear war. I know from this thread that there are still teeming resentment. Try to seek a solution and go on with your life and pastime. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Erik You have every right to not only be proud of your achievements, but validation of what level your building it at, and appreciation of what you do. In other words, you were recognized. In my book, it ain't braggin' but it is gratefulness. IPMS are the original hard asses when it comes to giving out awards, especially to us car guys. Their judging is tough, standards are stringent, and it was your models which in their eyes rose to above the others as the "cream of the crop". The awards are meaningful with the competition for the reasons I stated above. I am 62 and have won a share of contests from 1961 through 1994, and now I consider myself retired. I have kept my trophies and ribbons and still display them in my dining room hutch, and other guys who have won trophies out there for the most part proudly display their stuff, not because their stuff was better, it was that their work and achievement was recognized to be above the others displayed. In my opinion, competition is what advances this hobby, by competing with others, each tries to outmodel the other, and yes, I have seen my ego-ridden hardware desperados, but the real builder sets a goal, and always improves his lot to be recognized. I have been modeling since age 5, and keep my eyes, mind, and heart open to everything, especially the cars and work in progress on this forum, which is superior in whole to any one contest, and the discussions we share are to further the cammaderie. Although I do not build for contest, I still try to build contest quality models, and still at an advanced age try to make my models evolve - that is, the next one is better than the one I just finished. Your cars are beautiful, and you have every reason to be proud. However after all of these years, I am now more proud of the work I did back in the "golden ages" than at any time in my life. One of my models, a 2 time Pactra winner, at the request of Bob Kuronow and Marc Gustavson, was donated to the Model Car Builder's Museum in Salt Lake. By today's standards, the model is substandard, but the elements were still perfectly intact - paint, body work, detail, and interior and no brag, it is part of the legacy I plan to leave when my time comes. Great work, be forever proud of your models, even though the ones coming out of your work shop will be much better next year and the years after. Sincerely, Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

What a great list!!!! Especially AMT's! No doubt I will be adding to my unbuilt stash this year. The Galaxie, AMT Double T, and Double Dragster are very emotional kits for me. If you can believe this, I purchased the first double T kit with the intent as a teenager to copy Norm Grabowski's T bucket from the TV series, "77 Sunset Strip". I still have one of the cars built from the many I built, in which I shortened the frame, and made it to a Bob T. I am sasding it down and repainting it, becasue somehow by accident that kit came out just right and survived the years of shelf display. The other emotional kit is the 61 Galaxie Styline. I built 3 of them and none have survived. I sectioned them all, even sectioned that neat front styline headline/rolled pan, then opened up the hood, substitued frames, added a motor, opened up the doors, and voila, one of my all time favorite models. The first one I built was totally crushed on the living room floor when I laid down next to it and rolled and crushed it. The second one after finding one in a hobby portion of a surf/bike/hobby shop, I finished and entered with my collection in a county hobby show, which won grand prize, but all of my cars were stolen. The third one was inadvertently thrown out by my ex wife when she cleaned the garage. I plan to buy about 3 of them, to ensure at least one survives me. Since I am also into building vintage dragsters, I plan on building both cars in the double dragster, almost right out of the box. That double engine feature is a stunner. I also am hoping that this time AMT doesn't make the mistake in providing only one body for the T kit. The last time I was extremely disappointed to discover that there was no coupe body, either the chopped or full height versions. Either would be just fine this time. The chopped version would be perfect for a rat rod, or the tall T a very distinguished looking street rod. I would expect that since it looks like the original box art will be used, and the coupe is prominent on that box, it would follow that the coupe body would be there. I hope I hope. As for the 49 Merc, it looks like a older reissue, so will the kit include an option for the new wheels and tires? In many ways I still have a couple of Revell 49 Mercs which beg for kitbashing, especially that MoPar motor. Plus there are others in the mix like the 82 Pontiac and the Revell 62 Impala. Heck I still have a couple of AMT's to kitbash. I might even make a nostalgia SuperStock out of one, like Hayden Profitt's. Does anyone here remember Pat Covert's rendition of a 62 Impala called "Bubbles" - a terrific custom. This is one all star year. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I thought I have been around the block by now, and up until this minute, I never heard of 1/28 scale. My first impression is the old fuddy duddy in me, all we need is another scale. But as usual, I learn and adjust, and secretly wish the money, energy, creativity and effort those manufacturers spent should have gone to 1/25. All I hear from the manufacturers in both of my hobbies is "tooling cost, tooling cost, tooling cost" as the #1 prohibitive in coming out with new kits, but there always seems to be enough lying around for the eclectic stuff. Just when I wanted my 49 olds. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Pyro and Lindberg picked some very nice kits to screw up. I just put together a horrid Cord, which took me to the limits of my ability to cope with a overpriced poor model. I tried to make the best, because the Lincoln, Cord and Auburn are great foundations from which to add your own scratchbuilt or kitbashed parts to make a viable model. So that is where I find my solace in those kits. The model looks terrific, and from experience with the Cord, I know how much body work he did to achieve that end, and my hat is off to the builder. Way to go. What a lot of work just to achieve what should have been stock in the box, and any unknowing judge in a contest wouldn't know to credit the builder with the extent of work and workmanship. This model and its sisters sort of prove my point for model car judge requirements -- not only to evaluate the work product, but evaluate what work was done to achieve it. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

At 62 and still actively building several hours every day, and every model is getting better even after modeling after 50 years.......I sure wish you guys lived around here. You guys in my contests are considered "juniors" lol. But our tastes are all of the same, partly because we all remember the glory of the fifties and sixties in hot rodding. I believe thanks to Overhaulin', Foose, Pinks, Speed Channel, the late Coddington, Discovery and Learning Channel, Barry White, we are still in a rebirth of the "golden age" of cars. Even back in the sixties, we didn't have such neat coverage on TV. When we have model car events, be it constests, shows, swap meets, or the like, the best we can do is be ambassadors to our hobby, hoping to inspire someone to get active with their hands, build their dreams they otherwise could not afford, and enjoy their liesure time working with their hands. Great stress reducer. This hobby is responsible for my youthful attitude. I have an enthusiasm because I and as a result of building and creating. If only others realized how relaxing this hobby is. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Just when I think the model car culture is dying in this area, something comes along and shows promise. Oh, yeah!!!!! A little about Weston......Weston is a relatively new community in South Florida directly west of Ft. Lauderdale, from which many have escaped due to its having lost its innocence....me included. (I moved to Boca Raton, FL, a modeling desert). Weston was founded by of all people, Mike Douglas the talk show host from the sixties who lived down here to play golf, and it consists of upscale homes, apartments, malls, townhouse, gated communities, etc. It is also served by what I consider the biggest and most stocked hobby shop. It is jam stocked in an old supermarket store, and has extensive, knowledgeable and detailed inventory of just about every hobby imaginable. Plus each "department" is manned by a relative "expert" in its respective hobby to provide customer assistance and support. It is called Warrick Superhobbies and it is just that. Western Ft. Lauderdale is home to a lot of model car builders, as even the MOPAR show generally attracts about 75 to 100 models at its showings at public parks out there. There is another noted model car builder out there who rented a storage garage to house his over 4000 unbuilt models....and I thought sometimes I was too obsessive. However, my two favorite hobbies both model cars and model railroading seem to be in relative decline in other areas, as seen by fewer events, fewer hobby shops, less exposure, and its impression seems to be leaving the public consciousness and awareness. I wrote this because of hope. You guys out there are incredible builders and provide this old geezer inspiration, as I still consider myself viable in this hobby, as my building continues to evolve despite the cultural environment. Hang in there guys, keep on buildin' Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

When Revell came out with this kit years and years ago, I thanked the heavens above for bringing out one of my favorite hot rods. I was still drooling from the old Rod and Custom magazine in 1961 in which one was scratchbuilt and came out pretty well, but that was way beyond my scope then and likely now. When the box art on the first model showed, I thought it was just the roadster pickup, wrong of course, but imagine my joy when I saw that hardtop pickup body and doors........whoa.........now. The only drawback with the model are the headlights. I substituted AMT 29 Ford headlights and that worked just fine. The headlights on the Revell model are chromed built in molded in lenses. As for the motor, I am into just about anything or everything in an "A", from a modified 4 banger to a hemi. Your mind and your expression are your limits to no limits. If you get my drift. Good luck and have a ton of fun building....... Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Tree and guys, I am 62 retired and build several hours per day, and it took a while, but it seems like my old creative wheels are turning. When I was working, I fought for a few hours here and a few there, and it seemed like I always had other obligations, so I would be a little more "frantic" when working at my bench, just to get a model working. I had work, church, 2 children, a high maintenance wife, a social life, professional organization, a model railroad club and a model car club, and political activities. I just don't know how I got cars done, but somehow I did. I always dreamed about having time to build after I retired, but when I did, it seemed that now that I had the time to spend, I was spending it foolishly, and not getting much done with a new laid back approach. Instead, after a while, I asked myself do I want to build or not, or just hack away at plastic without a purpose. So, now I am back at my old energy, not frantic, but now I take more time to let putty and glue dry and set, to measure and measure again after chopping, channeling and sectioning, to apply putty more carefully. I also invested more in tools to make my models better and build them quicker, and now I have about 20 projects in progress. I also "branched out' as my level of creativity is now I don't have to answer to anyone except me, and what bounds I have or not. I am now into milder customs, solid paints, big wheels and narrow line tires more, wide whites with steelies, and breaking out of my old molds and going into other stuff. I just chopped my second roof to an AMT 40 Coupe in 50 years of building them, and it came out right on the money. I am also slowly learning how to build up an album, and my website of choice for my photos is fotki.com. I am just about breaking into a stride, and hope to see you at contests and events in the South, and next spring in the Northeast. My message is this: Retirement is great for building, but you still must budget your time accordingly or it will get away with you and you lose direction. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I love 40's car, but I think history is against model car manufactuerers speculating on them because in my opinion, the high sellers are already taken, like the tri-five chevvies, etc, and the other factors are there are basically very few. To me the only potentially popular ones left are the 50-52 Buicks and Caddies, 56 Lincoln Continental (one of a kind), 52 Stude bullet nose, and a couple of others, but again, in my opinon would appeal to us hard core modelers, retro rodders, and restorers type, but not to the mainstream. I would like to see a 50 Olds, plus the others listed above, but I am not waiting around. My first car ever at 15 was my dad's old 50 Pontiac flretline couple with a straight 8 and auto trans. The car was ok, but the interior stunk as I had to keep the windows up, and the mohair just seemed to collect mildew, but it was a classy looking car, but had to get rid of it before I got my drive alone license. Remember there were fewer platforms of cars back then, fewer models, fewer selections and such. For example, it would be difficult to tell FoMoCo cars from 52 thru 54, as is GM, and the Chrysler Products were ugly tanks. Thanks to classic car auctions like Barret Jackson, and shows like Pebble Beach, are we getting more appreciation of the "other brands" and perhaps at the start of a revitalized economy and with us guys spending more on models, maybe they will rekindle the old competition and start knocking out some of those really desired oldie goldies. Can you see a low boy 53 Hudson with a Hemi? oh yeah........ Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

My vote for best and worst, or at least most memorable was the chase scene in Cobra, a not so good movie starring Sylvester Stallone back in the eighties, and featured his trick 49 Merc, and took it through Frisco jumping all over the place. The bad thing is that it wrecked a perfectly good rod from the bottom up. I guess it is also memorable because it was probably the only redeeming part of the movie, and that the supermarket scene was copied in real life a week later by some thug, and the endings were the same. He was shot while terrorizing the place. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I think Hobby and Trade shows are GREATLY IMPORTANT!!!! My local hobby shop owners to me are two of the most knowledgeable in both of my hobbies as can be, more than any other in my life, and at age 62 living in many towns and visiting others, I have seen my share.......... Their hobby shop is small but incredibly intelligently stocked, as they make trade shows either indivicually or together, and as a result, they are among the first to receive the new products, get products that we never knew about but seemed to be inexpendable once we got them, new aftermarket items and the list of advantages goes on and on. They also know what seems to be coming out from the "scuttlebutt' that always seems to prevail at these events. I got more information at the NMRA National Train Show held in Ft Lauderdale in 2002 in a few hours than all of my years in the model railroad hobby combined. Ask any real car buff if he thinks SEMA is worth it, and I would be it would be an affirmative, and it was allegedly started by Revell to get close to accessory manufacturers to make models for their kits. Then there is the most important aspect, which is talking and interacting with other hobby buffs and players, which in itself is a rewarding experience. Anyone walking away from one of these shows without ideas or inspiration just didn't get it at all. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I had a friend named "Peanut" but he had a bad night last evening, he was "assaulted"......... This was my opening ice-breaker joke speaking to a bunch of retired policemen a few years back....... Two snails were walking down the side of the road, and along comes a turtle and accidentally steps on one, killing him instantly. The ambulance, rescue and police are called to the scene, and the other snail was asked what happened, and he said, "Man, I don't know, everything happened so fast!!!!!" One of my very few clean ones....... Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Hey guys, Bob is a long time friend and I can vouch for his products, present and past, only his past is still in stock. He is a former Great Salt Lake class winner and also has won several other contests and had his cars featured in several mags. So he is a modeler making aftermarket products which is why in MCG's early years his company was rated #1 in quality in all of the aftermarkets. Bob's stuff is often the difference between a very good looking and detailed model and a great one. His stuff is easy to order via online, and very descriptive. Right now, I am working on an AMT 60 Ford mild custom using his detail parts packets. When I was a young'un I never thought I would be modeling a key for the 1/25 ignition. Geeeshhh. Message to Bob, "Long Live TCSAS", and may it last long in our hearts and memory. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I'm taking a computer break from my workbench, and when there, it is getting so cluttered with tools, supplies, materials, parts and bodies in progress, that I am getting somewhat dysfunctional. And I need to clean it off, put the proper parts with their respective cars, and since most are ready for paint, to prep them for primer. Clean my top of workbench..........naaaaaaaa. What is stopping me is looking at my models in progress and re-creating that moment I saw a particular auto and it sort of ingested itself into my soul, and I dedicated the rest of my life, on and off, to building model cars. That real car was Bill Cushenberry's 1940 Ford El Matador, which not only took the show circuit by storm back then, but AMT adopted it and it became a corporate showpiece for Budd "The Kat" Andersen. It even permeated my life, as somehow in the years aftermath, it had a lot of decline, including a flat black paint job (can you imagine this as a rat rod) then a garage fire in Tampa where it was stored, left for pieces. It was purchased as a bucket of parts by my local hero, who rebuilt it right as it was only using modern technology and materials so it would hold up better. He owns a towing and body shop, and had close affiliations with Treasure Coast Scale Auto Society, the greatest model club to have existed down here in SoFla. Imagine having Bob Kuronow, owner/founder of Model Car Garage, and 3 other GSLMCC contests over the years, and Augie making periodic visits. The 'show and tell" portion of meetings was worth a price of a Rolling Stones Concert ticket. I got a call one night back in 93 from a fellow model customizer who told me the Matador was in town, and it was at All American Towing. It was just a few blocks from work so the next day, at lunch, I went over and there it was, totally identifiable in pieces, but it certainly was. The owner called upon the model car club to come out Mon-Thurs to help with the car, like sanding, fitting, primering, etc, which I did over a span of 3 months, and voila it was ready. Again, it became a milestone in my life, as I took my family up to see it for a photo shoot. That car will always be in my blood. I have made close to 100 similar/dissimilar clones to it from 1961 to the present, and currently have 5 in the works, which can be seen on my fotki.com album page. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

This is a good topic. I would like to add my $.02 since I am an old geezer and a very long time in this hobby, and I think I have earned some right to express and opinion. Just when I think I have seen or been through everything, something new comes up in my personal history of experiences. Although I have several interests, I have never lost model car building as a part of who I am. It has beent there for me through thick and thin, health and sickness, rich and poor. But age and life changes you, not participating in an argument. No one else's opinion has ever changed me after an argument, and I am darn sure it goes for you too. What changes me is experience, trial and error, observation, thinking things through, and since this world changes, I know I am not the same person of one, two, five and ten years ago. I also know that I probably am a little too opinionated, have a little chip on my shoulder, expect too much of myself and others, and often just darn cranky due to old age and/or creative moods. There are some quite talented and creative type people out there in this forum. I am old enough to recognize talent and creativity and hopefully mature enough to recognize that there are a lot more cars out there better than mine. But I build for me, and not to please others, although I like to consider myself somewhat talented. I never try to fall in those self destructive personal modes which a symptom is to criticize others just to elevate myself. I get my share of critics myself being in the mainstream down here for so many years, and I have taken the Bobby Knight stance, "When I am old and dead, and my time has passed, may they bury me upside down, and my critics can kiss my A$$' With that all aside, I also have some personal character rules when it comes to flames and arguments. First never attack the person just for his opinion. OK to attack or disagree with the opinion, but not to get personally attcking the person's character just for having the idea. That ruins the spirit, affects the hobby as a whole, and is not productive in any way, as it causes agitation and counterproductivity. I also never directly criticize the work, although some model cars out there just sicken me, I keep it to myself. If someone is different than me, say a NASCAR modeler, as I have never had one iota to build one, I sure don't try to bring him over to my side of the fence.....he is a product of his upbringing and environment and I am no God who was appointed to change him. But I get people at every model car gathering that try to convince me to build like they do, think like they think, or sometimes just agree or sympathize with them. I don't. and I sure don't expect people to be convinced by me or my choices. I don't avoid arguments, and take umbrage at personal attacks, just because people disagree with me or me with them. So, I say man up, look at the hobby from a larger perspective, and accept the fact the other person has an opinion, and as long as he doesn't invade my space or attack my character, OK. But to resort to getting into a major flame war, I sometimes fall back and say Hey, this is a hobby and we are all supposed to have fun together. I then let the Nazi's alone and quietly exclude them from my space. Also, it seems just when I get a load of myself in this hobby, I meet someone or see work which humbles and inspires me, and I am not afraid or too proud to compliment his work. But too many of us are way too proud thinking if we pay a compliment we are compromizing ourselves, or subjugating ourselves and we are not. We are improving the hobby, giving out the recognition that we strive for when we display our own work. I've said my piece. As you get older, I learn that i have more grace and tolerance than when I was younger, although I can still get a little feisty, the actual hobby for me now are those late night quiet moments when I am hacking away putting together and redesiginig or assembling a model. What also keeps me going is NOT the negative stuff, although we are all fans of attending fires and love to watch, is the positive stuff. I get truly inspired by the work of many of you guys, the art of Jarius and sometimes even Brad Liesure, real work, old work, new work, Chip Foose, the list is endless. I try to focus on that stuff, as it is what keeps the blood pressure high and ideas rolling out whenever I peek inside a kit. No matter what there will be overzealous jerks in every hobby, and I just smile and think to myself, "Hey I used to be like that....it is only a stage now" and go on with what I do. I will say I can sense the agenda of a person attacking my work to bolster theirs, and that is just rude, and I basically just walk away. I guess these self rules have kept me happy and positive no matter what all these years. And I think like the Eagles sang, "You got to go the Hell before you get to Heaven" and sometimes just when I think I did, something new pops up around the corner. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

If there is anyone close to Bud in distance, I have a suggestion. When this list of well wishes gets large, that person print screens all of the replies and presents itself to him. I was active in a model railroad forum in 2003, and had a gastric bypass operation which developed complications. My friend first announced in on the forum, and it got quite a few replies. He print screened the entire thread and put it in an envelope and brought it to the hospital. What a picker upper!!! Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman