FloridaBoy

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

Thanks for the information about the Revell/Monogram 30 Ford Tudor!!!! For me, it was a totally unexpected benchmark model. I won my first major trophy in a model car contest in 1961 with a full fendered metallic blue Tudor!!!! I changed the tires as the old Monogram tires were too large, balooney, and unrealistic, and put a dropped axle on it along with a 14 year old's best paint job to date. If those are the only changes, those are very minor. If you desire those parts, try the 30 Woody which was issued just a few years back, and you could locate one at an out of production etailer, evilbay, or at a swap meet. Good luck. Meanwhile, I will try to find a model and purchase one. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I don't know Bud, but saw some of his builds in car mags, and admired his work. For a man who drag races in real life during the day, and builds model cars at night, that is passion, and I not only respect and admire it, but sure wish I had that level of dedication. When I was 17, I was sort of a cocky, arrogant and obnoxious spoiled kid who needed an eye operation. My dad worked a deal with the hospital to put me in a room with a man dying of lung cancer to "cheer him up" , as my level of obnoxiousness was manifested with enthusiasm. While in the hospital, I tried my best, but his demeanor secretly brought out high levels of sympathy, and I watched him die. That I will never forget, and when I had family members with cancer or scares of it, I was at the hospital with my heart on my sleeve towards them. Like another entry said, cancer is indiscriminate, it attacks anyone it chooses. Pray that current medical technology has answers for Bud and he can recover. Technology gets better everyday, and if it were caught early, it can be put into remission. Even if you are not overlly religious, Bud sure could use your prayers. I know I am praying for him. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Dukefan, Good luck on this car. It is work, but well worth it. This is the first Revell kit that to me, killed its AMT counterpart. I built my first back in 65 and have built a few over the years. To me the only drawback is the too-cushy interior fabric and upholstery, when a lean and mean interior would have been better, and second and most important is the bug eyed headlight bezels that just doesn't look like they belong. What I did finally on my last few versions after trying everything, even 40 Ford headlight rims, was to file down the back and actually make them thinner, and drill out the molded in lens and replace them with lens from your parts box. A couple of years ago, I bought a tubbed version of this model, requiring it just to be painted and assembled, but haven't got to it, and this inspired me to take it out and give it a looksee. A few thoughts....First the Revell 41 is a million times better looking than the AMT 40, since it is bulkier, but later through History Channel, I learned Willys actually increased the size of the actual car, so both may be right. Second, this car has opening doors and trunk, which lends itself to incredible detailing, which is missing from the newer Revell model. Ken "FloridaBoy' Willaman

As long as there are guys like this around, I am convinced that no matter how good you get, there is always someone who has better skills. I realized this when I met Augie Hiscano, and looked at all of his cars, which he was displaying at a contest down here some years ago. But I was also reminded about a similar guy to this in Italy many years ago who built these cars, and was way beyond our league. I convinced myself that I have chosen my niche, and am limited or not limited by my imagination and creativity, and the medium I choose to work with is plastic model car kits. I judge myself by being the best I can be within myself, and not on some other guy who is building off the charts. There is and always will be someone out there like that. The point is to enjoy the ride, so to speak. We are at all one stage of our skill levels, and the only cost to get there is fun. So, go out and have it. Ken "FloridaBoy'

Down here in South Florida, NNL refers to a judging approach in which contest attendees and passersby are given a ballot to vote on the best car in each category. Cars are all numbered and voting is by the number. This is an alternative to the conventional judging, in which many poor losers complained that their losing car was much better than the winner. Rather than "man up" and realize that every contest has winners and losers, this alternative judging method was designed to take the heat and work effort off contest officials. The problem is that a person can paint a model red, build it flashy or with a eye catching characteristic, it wins, or if an entrant wants a win, he has all of his friends stuff the ballot box. This is not my way of running a contest, because at best the voters see the cars only on the top, can't see details, or even undercarriages. The best alternative in my opinion is the system developed in 1980 in Ft Lauderdale by the IPMS, which is to document and record each car on a 100 point system, based on 8-10 categories of workmanship, realism, fit, shine, body work, clean up, and a score of other choices. The drawback is that when I used this system, I could almost tell which car won each division, and really didn't want to bother with anything below the top three. But to be fair, I filled out a judging sheet for every car and judged it, including writing a one paragraph narrative on the strengths and weaknesses of each entry. They were handed out to both winners and losers with a positive note encouraging improvement. But again, I would be besieged by sore losers, one noteworthy guy who practically physically assaulted me because I marked him down for an outrageous glue spot, and not cleaning up the mold marks under the running boards on the AMT 40 Ford, and we all know that requires some work. So, what is the answer, we all like to enter, and all expect to win. Now that I am older, I still like to win, but take it all in with a tongue in cheek, as I have come to believe that only I am the final judge to my work, and since my stuff is so different, compariing my stuff to others is like apples to oranges. Over the years, I have kept judging sheets on my cars, and now use them to judge my new work, both during progress and the final product, and what I do is the "quick 1 to 10" basis for each category for each car. To be honest, I am rough on others and my own stuff when judging a car. Last thought is the calibre of judges. My opinion is that they be non contestants, not affiliated with any club or group, and to be an above average modeler who is well rounded and has years of experience with a wide variety of kits from all manufacturer. Again, just how many guys are around like that? There is so much more to cover, but I prefer to think of the NNL as that great contest which started in Toledo, and now has branched out all over the country. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

First, model trucker, I am sorry to hear that you got laid off, and the American Tragedy continues.......Well intended hard working Americans are put at the mercy of those companies who outsource of those on Wall Street that make moves in their own self interest which translates into greed. So, get a good night's sleep, and take stock of your resources. Go down to apply for unemploment benefits, and it is not charity as some will tell you, it is a benefit you earned by contributing weekly to it. Second, don't blame yourself, it isn't about you, it is about your company reacting to a national trend. Even forget about returning to it, because if your old job opens up, they will advertise and you will have to compete just like you originally did, although you many have a slight advantage in the race. Unemployment is nothing like a salary as it is much lower and only lasts six to eight months, so you will have to look into survivor jobs, like driving a taxi, work in a gas station or convenience store or a fast food place. There are jobs out there, but they are likely nothing like you had. Third, look at your model collection and evaluate what you will or won't build in your lifetime. Sign up for eBay or Craig's List and start to sell off your excess. At all times do the best to keep busy and make every move productive with an intention or reason. Do not beat yourself up, or think you are in that cadre of victims, everyone is now considered expendable. Inbetween times, this is an opportunity to finish some of those projects you never had time to get to with all exterior obligations. If you are married or living with someone, and she is still working, make it a point to learn household chores to relieve the stress on her. I had to leave my last and final job because surgery left me in uncontrollable pain, and I collected disability. Now I am recovered but took early retirement and making almost as much as I did when I worked. Keep on trucking, modeltrucker, my prayers are with you. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Like a couple of other fellas on this forum, we have been fortunate enough to have been around for the entire model car kit building hobby. By that I mean either way you look at it. There were preAMT kits by Revell, and dealer promos before 1958, but to me the Golden Age of Model Car building started in '58 with the AMT 3in1 kits. As the hobby caught on within months, and coinciding with the Rod and Custom emergence into our awareness, some non-mainstream manufacturers made some very nice models. Unfortunately I owned some built them all, and got lost along the wayside of life. I didn't value them as much as my precious AMT models which brought home the gold and silver for me. But in a sparse moment here and there, and despite the glorious selection of models old and new available to us, I remember some of those great old kits and wish I could have some today to see just what I would do with them. If I had Alzheimer's it would have been easier just to forget them. For example - Eldon. Eldon was not one of the "big-uns" back then, but they made a spare motor Ford 427 motor which was outrageous, and a T Milk Wagon that has not been equalled since. Another example - Hubley. Known mainly for their somewhat horrible metal Model A kits (at least to me), they also had a couple of nice plastic kits which still make me salivate. Hubley made Ford Station Wagons of 1960 and I am told later model years although I never saw any. Then there are those fabulous lost JoHan toolings. AMT toolings are missing, as well as some Revell toolings. I just can't fathom any manufacturer who knows its market, knows that just about any tool will be successful if reissued in a couple of years after the initial offering, but these idiots let the tools go lost or to waste. Wake up guys, we are still buying. Hasn't the popularity of the original 3in1 issue of the AMT 1962 Buick opened your eyes? How about that 1961 Buick curbside station wagon with the outrageous Hemi display? or the origianl issue of the 64 Malibu? I am lamenting because back then I was so close minded, so bigoted towards AMT exclusively that I dissed a lot of stuff that I really shouldn't have. I searched Evilbay to see if any of these old models pop up, but when I do see one in a while, they are cropped up for the big bucks by collectors. Heck all I want to do is build them. When this recession is over, I want to see some old new models............. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

If my memory serves me correctly, AMT came out with a Snap Tite and full detail model the first year the Prowler was made by Chrysler/Plymouth. I was always intrigued by the Prowler, so my son and I built the Snap Tite version and he displayed it on his memoribilia shelf with all of his basketball stuff until he went to college. It was a prepainted but very nice model and went together, but it was a curside with no motor. I was intending to buy the full detail model, and read the Scale Auto (sorry guys) review of it and it said it was AMT;s best kit made up to that date. Seeing as how they use volunteer builders to review models, that just not melt the ice, and considering Revell's strongly earned reputation for making good models, either one is probably just as you described, as so far I haven't seen any 1/24-1/25 model right on the money. You can't go wrong with either of them. Happy building. Relieve yourself of the concern and just go for it!!!! Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I was going to start a topic on this, but maybe this is more appropriate. I was going through some old Scale Auto mags and was reading the 2000 issue featuring the upcoming Chicago Hobby Show, and AMT announced for that year, a selection of new kits, including the Edsel, 57 Plymouth, 49 Olds, and 50 Stude bulletnosed coupe. Later on, AMT announced that the plans were "put on the table"" for the Olds and Stude, much to the chagrin of us back then. The feature was highlighted by a prototype 49 Olds real prototype model AMT must have displayed back then. ' For those of you who are acutely aware of manufacturer's goings on, to me it seems that this development perhaps indicates that AMT may have some partial tooling for either or both of these cars. Frankly, with an AMT body chassis, grille pieces and interior, I am willing to pay the price for either or both of these kits. Does anyone really knowledgeable with the "new AMT" and now their habit of reissues, maybe can resurrect what is left of the tooling? Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Wow, Bill, nice picture. Really takes us back. Memory: I was 22 back in 69, and surfing my brains loose, and downturning my model car building then, as contests and clubs were on the wane down here, and the "short board" revolution in surfing had taken a strong position, and the sport was 100x more exciting. Down here, Wierd-Oh's and Funny Cars were what everyone built, and the most popular it seemed were the MPC Funny Cars with dealer promo bodies, and the same Logghe frame/chassis for every car. Real cheap. My style of model cars were fast becoming dinosaurs, as no one customized model cars, and the street rods had so much garish features, I was beginning to be turned off. When the surf went down, I played tennis, and only worked on my cars a little anyway. I was going to junior college, chasing women, holding a full time job at a battery manufactuer to pay bills, and pay for my own tuition. I did it, and still don't know how. Gas was way under a dollar per gallon. Model cars were about 2 bucks, and it seemed every hobby shop, five and dime, and drug store had a bunch of kits and basic supplies. Finally I caved in and started building some funnies, none of which I kept, as they were among the worst models I ever made. That's is when I started traveling around the US in search of "the perfect wave" for me, as model car building gave me skills in fiberglass and techniques to drive myself around, surf a little, play tennis a little, and work at various jobs related to both. Those were the days, my friend, we'd thought they'd never end, we'd sing and dance for every day and day........ Thanks for rekindling those golden memories. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

In 2005-6 I was confined to a wheelchair, crutches and walker for a 9 month period stemming from a radically broken hip with complications and lots of physical therapy. To accomplish what you did with your handicap, you are a truly inspirational person. Although I didn't gain any weight during that time, it was a complete struggle just to maintain. I knew how hard it was. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I was just sanding down a 40 Ford coupe I am re-doing from the early sixties when I realized my late father was very crucial in its original design. It is sectioned with new headlights, wheel wells, frame mods all done back in 62 and won me a slew of contests. But the corduroy interior has decayed and the body work is still intact, so it became a candidate for a re-do. But the memories of how my parents supported my hobby, despite some problems I caused in the house with it (the overspray on the laundry was a little hard for them to stomach), but they prevailed and often each of them added to my hobby. At first, I built the original AMT 1958 3in1 kits right out of the box with lots of decals, skirts, louvres, moons and such. My parents knew I liked cars and trains, but treated it like "what the kid is up to now". A crucial time was when I built a model display home diorame for my dad, a homebuilding contractor, from scratch over a long weekend for a presentation, that he became REAL interested in what I was doing. That little project got my dad right into things, and he was a "car guy", and taught me to use model/hobby tools, how to spray from a can, pay attention to details, etc. He even took me to a garage and went over the underside of a car and from that point on, I became "one of the first down here" to actually paint an underside. My mother taught me color combos and brought corduroy and naugahyde samples from the cloth store. Dad started to include me in maintenance of the family cars, but even most of all, they would drive me, before I was old enough to drive, to the numerous hobby shows in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, go to hobby shop windows at night to see how my cars did in the contests, model car club meetings, drag strips, car shows (they were in Miami then) and encouraged me all along the way. When I won my first trophy, we all celebrated over a dinner at WT Grant's (my favorite back then), took pictures and scrapbooked it. When I won 3 Pegasus trophies in 1963 it was my dad and mom who contacted the Ft Lauderdale News and I was featured in an article. Often both would say how proud they were of my results. The real moment came on Mother's Day in 1965 when the Ft Lauderdale police busted the entire beach population for drinking, and they thought I would be there. I was at a friend's house doing last minute work to models I was entering in a contest the next day. Not only were they relieved that they wouldn't be bailing me out of jail, but real thankful I was building cars and not there that night. Model cars got a big push of support then. When I was away at college, my parents carefully saved all of my models and unbuilt kits and brought them to my first home at the homecoming party. Up until his death in 2003, Dad was always interested in my car projects. Now I have a son. When he was 8, after building a few school project dioramas with him, he was ready for a build. I taught him how to glue and paint and he finished a curbside MPC 40 Ford, and we entered it in Junior Category at a TCSAS contest in West Palm Beach. He won!!!! We were on our way, but then along comes Pokemon, Beanie Babies, Playstation, XBox, and other stuff, and I thought I lost him. However, he stayed with me over the Labor day weekend, and started a Revell 56 Chevy, and asked to keep it out for his return on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The seed was planted. I couldn't be happier. BTW, he sold the Playstation and XBox, and now only has GuitarHero. What a guy. I didn't realize until working on my 40 now important both my dad and mom were to my progress at building, and now my son has a little impetus, consider it a real blessing. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I'm an old geezer, and have my own workroom converted from a spare room at my place. I have outfitted it with cable tv, a sound system and other creature comforts while I build. Yes I watch Law & Order, and my favorite is Special Victim Unit (SVU) and even at my advanced age, I would marry Mariska Hargitay in a minute, and even if it didn't work out, it would take a power chisel to remove the smile from my face. I also listen to beebop from the fifties, early and classic rock from the fifties to the seventies, and even some non-rap stuff from today. I don't proceed in an orderly procedural fashion in my building. My fashion is to develop my own put-together sequence by mocking up my models at least 100 times to ensure fits and completion. I rarely read instruction sheets only to identify a part on a new kit. My forte is sectioning, chopping, channelling, shortening, lengthening, frenching, cutting out doors and trunks, making door and trunk hinges and body molding. The majority of my time is to make sure seams are tight and fits are right, and the stance is even, square, and achieve the effect I want to make. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

My '32 Fords are like children. They are each very individual, have their own identity, look great in my eyes, and I love them all!!!!! One thing that intrigues me is an extended front frame highboy roadster with a Ferrari V12 motor, painted Ferrari Red, with Ferrari options. I know this has been done before in both real and model forms. The other is a roadster in the "Harley Davidson" theme with cycle fenders that resemble one on an Electraglide, Harley type interior, spoke wheels and painted in a very identifiable Harley color combo. That would be one fun model, like wearing a Harley Davidson T-shirt when entering it into a show. BTW, I don't nor haven't ever ride or ridden a motorcycle. That doesn't mean I don't love them, I think they are suicide traps, as many of the accidents which occur outside of my home involved motorcycles, and those injuries and fatalities were particularly gruesome. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Can't make it this year, but definitely next year. If any of the projects now undertaken prove worthy, I may even enter. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

If you really crave insanity, try N scale - 1/160. Believe it or not, they make very nice Classic Metal models and other companies make N scale auto and truck kits. Curbside, yes, but I even found a 51 Chev convertible with opening doors, separate wheels, opening hood, and pretty darn nice from a proportional point of view. No, I won't be wiring the motor. lol. As for HO scale (1/87), try Jordan Models kits, which are 1/87 versions of AMT Trophy Series kits. They run about $8-10 in styrene plastic, are incredibly detailed and fun to build. The Model T's, A's, and '32's have see thru wire wheels, their selection includes a 32 Highboy Hot Rod, among lots of others. Right now, I am finishing off a '25 T roadster while the paint and putty dries on other projects on my workbench. I do not want to get caught up in the work of micro minatures of autos and trucks, but it is out there. Look at the paint fidelity and detail of Micro Minatures and now if you look hard in Wally Mart, you will find 1/87 cars detailed to the max for $1. I also build model railroads now that I am retired, and since I am a model car builder, I attach a higher standard to the vehicls on my layouts than the regular model railroader, but there are guys out there that display insanity enough to superdetail a car that makes a quarter seem large. No matter what the scale, to me the allure is the same. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

First, in regard to an earlier comment about the market being saturated with 32 Fords, I would like to address it speaking from a long time modeler standpoint. I am 62 and have been building virtually all my life on and off, all kinds of models, and consider the 32 and 40 Fords and their near cousins with a degree of sanctity. There are fewer variants to the 40, but it has such beautiful lines its allure is beyond control. I thank AMT for its 3 versions, and Revell for its 2 all of which are terrific. But the 32 Ford. I built the first AMT and Monogram versions way back in 59 and I am convinced that was when my high blood pressure started. After all of these years, when I look at a kit, there are so many different choices - full fender or no fender, highboy or channelled, engines, interiors, chasses, frames and the list is endless. Then the body mods, like chopping the tops, lengthening, etc, and recently I just finished some body work on an old AMT 32 in which I duck-tailed the rear trunk a la boattail version that was depicted a few years ago in the sketchpad. I never get bored with the 32, and we have seen lots of variations, and if they are good they will sell. The fact that AMT came out with a "professional version" first in the series was testament to their knowledge that 32's sell. Revell is almost guaranteed a lock in whatever they make. For me, the last neat versions to make is the cabriolet, roadster and enclosed pickup and woody. The bodies already made available to us over the years is the roadster, 3 and 5 window coupe. phaeton, 2 door sedan, sedan delivery, speedwagon, pre-chopped top 2 door sedan, customized version, and the list goes on. To address another post, MPC/AMT does have a 32 Chevy tool which was pretty good, but it took some work to make a street rod, as it came only in stock version. From my point of view, from a user standpoint, this is the sunset side of another golden age of model cars. The advantage to modeler today is availability as modelers and manufacturers can draw upon the past to produce a model they would like to see. There are lots more models to make, but for right now, this is one heck of a time. Especially for the 32 Ford. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Foxer, McEnroe is still under 50 and in incredible shape, playing the Legends and Senior Circuits, Team Tennis, and his serve still clocks in at about 120. He maybe lost a step from the 80's but the regular tour grind takes its toll. Even playing 12 tournaments per year is physically demanding. I know, because I used to play on the Florida Amateur Tennis Circuit back in the old days and playing 10 tournaments a year took its toll on me. Bad shoulders, knees, back, and elbows, and after a year of it, I realized I just couldn't wait to drive home with my wife after a weekend away, and start building on a project. A model car building tennis player who surfs and races Hobie Cats. My wife always said I had too much going. Now all I do is build cars and trains, help organize family functions, help my kids, and ex wife with issues, etc, and keeping my own place up. I will post something soon with some evaluating my old work which was highly successful with today's work which is yet to be seen, but thanks to you guys, my attention to detail, reality and workmanship is tons better now than back even 10 years ago. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Hey guys I would guess that many of you out there in our model car community never even knew I was gone. I took a sabbatical, as my disability income ran out and I had to eke out a living for the past few months selling on eBay. That dominated my time and energy. Since I have built models all of my life, I never lost the love of model car building, despite some people, even those close to me, still question why I spend so much time building plastic models. Heck, I don't question why they spend hours trying to catch a fish, or chasing a golf ball spending thousands of dollars, so what the hey!!! Over the past months, I did organize my workbench and some of my pending projects and even finished a couple of cars for momentum. Heck, even formed a goal to attempt in 2010, which I coin as "my year" to be more active in all of my interests. These plans include to finish 10 or more of the cars almost finished, enter a couple of contests, (NOT LOCAL) in the upper part of Florida or in Ala or Ga. I am now living on an unexpectedly generous retirement pension and social security, way beyond my cost of living, and now have the time, energy and attitude to finish some of my cars I always wanted to do. Other plans include for 2010, are to attend the West Palm Beach Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction, attend the Delray Beach Tennis Championships which will feature John McEnroe, enter a contest in the Cleveland area while visiting friends and family in Ohio and W Penna, and then prepare for the following year and maybe even enter a few more contests out of state. I have severed all of my friendships and affililiations with the local model car club and I am devoting what creative and physical energy left toward my cars. I hope to achieve a higher level in building, particularly in detail and workmanship, and master air brushing. If there is a free or cheap photo album storage service, like photobucket, which accepts, stores, and transfers photos to this forum, please let me know, and I will post pix of my pending projects. I am 62 and have been building since age 5 on dealer promos with my original mentor and sandbox mate, my Uncle Bob. I do not care if I win or lose model car contests, preferring to display and share work with others. When I displayed my cars in past years, they always garnered attention. I chop, channel, shorten, lengthen, widen, narrow, mold and french new fenders, headlights and such. I also make my own hinges and open doors/trunks and now sunroofs to my cars, so you can guess my stuff is "off the road" sort of. Getting too uncomforable talking about myself, and now will go back to building. I just obtained a built AMT 3in1 original 1959 Ford Sunliner HT, which used every part in the box. After taking photos of the original buy, it will be stripped, sectioned, customized, lowered, using a 1957 Ford as a donor kit. Now feeling the juices flowing again................... Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

After buidling model cars for about 55 years now and looking at these on this thread, I think I am going to sell my model cars and start building military, and even (ugh) joining the IPMS. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Just two........ I am from Florida, and the misconception it is a name of Spanish origin, and it is NOT. It is the following: F -- frustrated L -- lost O --old R -- retired I -- idiots D -- driving A -- around ____________________- Two slugs out of their snail shell were walking down the sidewalk on sunny morning, and passing the time of day. Along comes a turtle and steps on one, crushing and killing him immediately. The ambulance, police, and rescues, and crime scene detectives arrive and mark off the area with yellow tape. There is a witness, the CSI is told. The detective asks the other slug what happened.......... The slug replied "I don't know...everything happened so fast!!!!" Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Just two........ I am from Florida, and the misconception it is a name of Spanish origin, and it is NOT. It is the following: F -- frustrated L -- lost O --old R -- retired I -- idiots D -- driving A -- around ____________________- Two slugs out of their snail shell were walking down the sidewalk on sunny morning, and passing the time of day. Along comes a turtle and steps on one, crushing and killing him immediately. The ambulance, police, and rescues, and crime scene detectives arrive and mark off the area with yellow tape. There is a witness, the CSI is told. The detective asks the other slug what happened.......... The slug replied "I don't know...everything happened so fast!!!!" Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I would like to see a 50 Stude 2dr coupe bullet nose 2 in 1 50 Olds 5 window cpe 2 dr all of the above customizable Lincolns from the thirties thru fifties 65 Riviera rebuild w new frame boat tail Riv 38 Packard 2dr cpe - (see Tora! Tora! Tora! - the car the general's wife drove him around, and the coupe at the end of Indiana Jones first movie) 39-40 Merc reissie 25 Lincoln Resin Cushenberry Matador there's more, but enuf for now Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

I sure don't mean to name drop here, but I have grown up and lived in South Florida even before Elvis, from 1955. I built model cars and down here in the sixties to seventy, it was a modeler's dream as there were lots of hobby shops and each one threw about 3-4 contests per year, and all were well attended. I got my introduction to reality, when I ventured south to Miami, and got my behind kicked by Augie Hiscano. He liked the body work I did with my cars, but my detail and workmanship basically stunk up the place and he showed me his "first" Bandit the red one, and it blew me into a new realm. Because I liked Orange Blossom Hobby Shop in Miami, I took the trip after I got my license and since I also like model trains, so did Augie, and we bacame acquaintances, like you would your hobby shop owner. Later in 1988, I met Bob Kuronow, who founded Model Car Garage at the founding meeting of the Treasure Coast Scale Auto Society in West Palm. They were friends, and my modeling improved, still modeled trains, and again, my work paled compared to theirs, but I knew not to be arrogant and be humble, as their work was out of this realm. They sort of taught me the ins and outs of building a model car contest winner, and to judge cars. Added to my IPMS experience, I prided myself in judging as I felt my days of competing are long over. Again, they taught me the difference of hues, tones, textures, etc on details including undercarriages. From modeling, I learned to weather a car as if it had been on a street. A black interior is not black in the sun, it is very dark gray, and the sunshine or daylight gives the black texture and definition. I have divested myself of all club activities and participation just so I can finish some of my projects without eyes looking over my shoulder, and have determined that if I miss a deadline, so be it, I will not hurry a car to make a deadline. I ain't Boyd or Chip, I am a slow old guy. I now realize I had the special gift of being around these guys in the past few years, and now one is gone, and the other I do not see often. Why I go slow is that my models are made in tribute to them, and not to please a judge. Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman