ChrisBcritter

So hard to deal with the early promos, although some manage to shrink fairly evenly without too much twisting. Case in point: this '58 Chevy Nomad wagon. It was a bank promo and the coin box pressed against the roof, which kept it pretty straight. I compensated for the shrinkage by narrowing the rear bumper, moving the rear wheels forward, and adding material to the front fenders to fill in where they'd pulled away from the front bumper. Separating the windshield from the rest of the glass and a lot of filing inside the cowl and A-pillars got it to fit much better. Some paint touchups, repairs and a ton of BMF finished it - although someday I'll get the bumpers rechromed. Before: After:

Don't burnish it; just take a cotton swab sideways and roll the side of the tip over the foil to flatten it.

Coming right up!

Went by the Deerfield store and they were starting the reset. One of the stockers handed me a freshly-marked-to-$7.99 '62 Electra; I'll donate it to the LMMCC raffle next weekend (our first meeting since February). Went to the clearance section and found a marked-down '40 Ford sedan stuck behind some armor and aircraft kits and picked it up too. Haven't built one in over 40 years, so might as well... Went to Vernon Hills and they were doing the ultimate reset - stripping the store bare to schlep it all off to Norridge, so nothing there.

The front clip may be tough; take a look at a Jo-Han Rambler Marlin as a possible donor to get the more square shape for the top half of the fenders, grille opening, and hood.

Nobody misses Premier

Hit a local Goodwill store today and spotted a Revell 1/48 B-25J kit that looked complete for $2.99. Got it home and checked more thoroughly - no clear parts. Checked Revell's site - no replacement parts shipped to the USA now because of you-know-what-19 (plus they charge some unspecified fee). Found new clear trees on eBay for 15.00 shipped, which will make the total cost about what I would have paid at Michael's for a sealed one with a 50% off coupon. Take gun, point at foot, squeeze trigger.

Hit the Niles store today; found some aircraft and armor kits on clearance and one 1/20 scale Toyota pickup. There were holes for the kits Rich Costello mentioned, plus a lot of openings for Gundam kits. There's a bin on the top shelf with seven or eight Revell '68 Chevelles, but not marked down. Will try Deerfield again tomorrow and Vernon Hills.

I was watching the 1943 movie Reveille with Beverly last night, and in a scene set at an Army camp entrance, this rolled by: Obviously based on a '35-'36 truck chassis, it's some kind of Army staff/command car; anyone know more?

At last - a '65 Lark Daytona! No? Ah. '65 Skylark GS! No? Oh I know - '65 Mercury Colony Park! No? Wait - Round2 found the Hero '66 Imperial tool and redid it as a full detail Green Hornet Black Beauty! (Anyone else wanna play here? - "comprehensive, extensive" so it's not a Round2 reissue)

Good to know - I was at the Deerfield store today and there was nothing on sale or clearanced. No Supernatural Impala yet either, though they had the two-door hardtop. Will check back soon...

I want to; still working the learning curve on two-part molds. I have a set that I've molded and slush-cast copies without the axle tubes; kept getting voids in the lug nuts but haven't done any of these since getting the pressure pot and compressor.

Got a couple things ordered from eBay seller sportfuryus - MPC '65 Dodge engine: Need it for the valve covers and TorqueFlite for the '62 Newports - will cast up an extra set. Also got these wheel backs from an AMT '68 (?) Vette: To me these are some of the best steelies ever tooled; just need outer rims - may use the ones from the old Revell '56 Chevy for the way they taper. Finally, I decided to pull the trigger on this 300-watt 365nm UV light so I can cure and crank out headlight, turn signal and taillight lenses quickly: When it gets here next month I'll let you know whether how well it works.

Which one do you mean? Are you looking for a windshield frame for one of them?

makes wine breathe

chopped rubber bands?

the Billboard charts

Sounds like we might get back the '56 Buick and '56 Eldorado Biarritz in 1/32, now with glass for the first time in over 60 years. The plastic tires in those kits were pretty well molded; not sure why they'd want to replace them with vinyl? Unfortunately the Buick was last offered as a custom, so the stock bumper/grille would have to be recreated. I wonder which Oldsmobile and Pontiac they're referring to? Hurst Hairy Olds? 1/32 '67 Firebird snap kit?

crackers in bed

Golden anniversary! My best wishes to you both.

Got '62 Newport #3 1/2 yesterday, and as the Royal Air Force mechanics say, converted it to components. Got the engine from #2 dismantled and somehow managed to saw off the fan, alternator and molded-on but off-center power steering pump without breaking any of the belts (but broke an exhaust manifold while sawing it off). Did some research today and found Revell molded the wrong air cleaner for it; it's for a 318 Poly engine - '62-'66 era. I'll just borrow one off a Jo-Han Dodge/Plymouth along with the valve covers and TorqueFlite (the Revell trans is a 3-speed manual).

Washed down in a flood maybe? A friend of mine's dad's beater '77 Coupe deVille ended up like that, sticking partway out of the mud after a flood went through their ranch near Ojai, CA.

leather and fringe

And the plugs are pre-wired!