ChrisBcritter

One of my many stalled 30-year-old projects is a Hubley '61 Ford wagon, which is 1/24 scale. I need a suitably wide front suspension setup for it, and I thought of the Monogram '58 T-bird - can anyone tell me the width of its front suspension from spindle to spindle, and is its rear track the same? Thanks! (And if anyone has one spare taillight for it, I sure can use it...?)

I thought the old MPC Raiders Coach might have some, but it doesn't - although it does have amps and speakers.

One more: The opening credits from H. B. Halicki's The Junkman (1982). Watch for the exploding Jo-Han '64 Cadillac and AMT '57 Ford models: I got a few models from his estate auction; last one I still have is a brown '79 El Camino promo.

Knew I forgot one: Disney's Dad, Can I Borrow the Car? from 1970: You can watch the whole thing here: (I once met Ward Kimball, the Disney animator who made this show; I could kick myself for not asking him about it. )

(pounds head on workbench) Rats. Hey, maybe this was the convertible tool and the coupe might still survive? Otherwise... oh, Mr. Holthaus...

Maybe, but it would be nice for them to tell us (the hobbyists who buy their models) what could and couldn't be done so we wouldn't have to waste our time asking and polling and petitioning for stuff they can't give us. Another hypothetical case in point: the '64 Olds F-85 Cutlass. It never became an AWB funny car or Modified Stocker. If the molds are gone, tell us. Maybe we'd want a new tool (as a 442!). If they exist, would we want it reissued? Ask us. How would that hurt them?

So are there any more chances of long-hidden old tools awaiting rediscovery, or has everything been gone through to the point where Round 2 can say that there's nothing left to recover? Was finding the partial '59 Imperial tooling a one-time fluke, and are there other partial tools known to exist? I wish they'd be willing to tell us (hypothetical case!) "We have the body and chrome for the '63 Falcon Futura, but we don't have the interior" and we'd give our input on whether we'd want them to reverse-engineer the rest, or "We've gone through everything and we can definitely say there's nothing left of the '59 Pontiac/'69 Continental/'64 Corvair/whatever" and the resin casters would take over.

OK, just checked - the old AMT compact tires are 9/32" ID, while the Jo-Han compact tires (Olds F-85 coupe and wagon) are 1/2" ID at their outer edge and taper inward. Looks like I won't be needing the new ones for now.

So sorry to hear that. I knew a couple guys that worked with him on the Studebaker team at Bonneville. I also had to call his company, Tune-Up Masters, once on some small business matter for my boss back in '83 or so, and the secretary put him on the line! After I got the business question out of the way, I told him I was a fan of his, and he was real nice about it.

Just remembered this one - the 1966 TV show Thunderbirds, which used a lot of model cars as miniatures, especially the Monogram '58 T-bird. Here's the IMCDb page: http://www.imcdb.org/movie_57790-Thunderbirds.html

The headlights and taillights actually are extended from the body a bit; the headlights can be trimmed back and chrome bezels added. The taillights will work for a '53 if you cut them back almost even with the end of the fender, then use the lights from the Monogram '53. For a '54 you'd need to trim the back of the lenses about 3/32" to countersink them, then trim the edge of the opening a bit from the bottom up, leaving a lip flaring out at the top. A little Bare-Metal will finish the job. Now let's talk about reshaping the top of the windshield... Honestly, sometimes I think Revell was in a real hurry when they engineered this kit.

PM me your email and I'll send the file. Anyone else want a copy?

Question: Were there many changes to the stock SBC engine in these kits over the years? My '67 lacks an engine and if a later-reissue version is the same, it will be easier to replace. I've been cleaning up a damaged set of decals from the '67 Chevy pickup; if anyone else can use them here you go. Might need a bit more work but it's way better than it was: Also have this in a larger version (1965 x 1500).

Only problem is the base for the body is 1/32, not 1/25, plus if you look at old American school buses, it still has a ways to go to be correct.

Forgive me if it's a real dumb question, but can these diecast bodies be soldered together? Or can it be used as filler like lead was on 1/1 car bodies?

I'd like to build up a '57 Ford Fairlane like my uncle's old street racer: He put in a single four-barrel '62 or '63 406 and four-speed out of a wrecking yard. My idea to match this would be to use the engine from the newer AMT '62 T-bird and the fan belt/pulleys and transmission from the Revell '64 Fairlane Thunderbolt. Am I on the right track here? What would be my best source for a correct single 4-bbl carb and manifold - maybe the '60 Starliner? Over to you Ford gurus - thanks!

Christmas 1964. Before: ...And my little brother and me, after. Cars, cars, cars capped off by a Crusader 101.

Just to clarify: Are you using baking powder or baking soda? I've heard of baking soda being used as filler but not baking powder. One smaller thing: The vertical lines on the left side below the trunk lid are for the fuel filler lid; the two on the right are just indentations in the panel to balance out the lid and shouldn't be deepened: (ignore the continental kit, it was the best closeup I could find)

It was actually Silver Mocha Poly (dark brown, like the Revell '57 Country Squire) and Doeskin Tan - my uncle called it the Brown Beast. He said he did most of his racing on the streets of Paducah, but when this was shot the markings were temporary for a trip to the dragstrip in Brookport, IL. He sold the car shortly afterward in 1965 when he went into the Air Force. Here's a closer but blurrier shot: P.S. Just noticed you're from Pass Christian - my mom's from Gulfport. Her cousin (whom I never got to meet) drove stock cars around there - "Tiger" Fillingim, #72. Here's a few photos: http://www.misschicken.com/72-Tiger%20Fillingim.htm

Nice job on this one - especially how you matched the markings. My uncle had a '57 Fairlane 500 four-door pillared sedan which he raced around Paducah, KY in the mid-60s: It ran a 406 four-speed with a single four-barrel (the tri-carb setup was on the 292 it had before). Since it was his daily driver, the markings were temporary. (Which will make it a lot easier for me someday when I build it - I can freehand them and it won't have to be too neat!)

Looks like the rear end is from the AMT '57 Ford, if those rear "shackles" are molded onto the springs.

Color chart: http://www.tcpglobal.com/aclchip.aspx?image=1961-Buick-pg01.jpg How about something subtle, like Desert Fawn Poly? Mary Tyler Moore's ride in the movie X-15. With matching outfit.

Leave one of them. Donut spare on the other side.

Turned out real sharp - especially in black. Well done! How did it go over at the meeting?

Just to clarify, what is the inside diameter of the new tires? MM or inches is fine.