John Goschke

Interesting project! I would highly recommend using the entire roof and glass from another '65 Mod. Stocker kit, if you can find one, on your '63. The real '63-'65 Fairlane two-door hardtops used the same roof stamping and while AMT did a good job getting the roof correct on the '64 and '65 kits, the '63 is very inaccurate as you'll see if you compare that roof to your '65.

Maybe rat rods aren't so bad, but that thing sure is.

I believe the kits Joseph Cotton's tragic character is building in "Niagara" were Hudson Miniatures kits. They had a whole series of brass era antique cars in 1/16th scale with wood, paper, metal, wire parts and white metal and later, plastic, wheels. They were very well done and I believe Aurora's later antique car kits were heavily influenced by these kits.

The mark of a truly great custom is one that improves and refines the original factory design while offering a new insight or unique approach to that design, this car does not do that. The basic profile is quite good, but many of the styling touches should have been edited out in design process, particularly one or both of the unrelated inlets/outlet on the side. That said, it is a masterpiece compared to the infamous "Thunderflite!" The rear, where '62 Impala meets Plymouth Duster meets Riviera...

Beautiful build! Glad to see these Aurora kits getting some love.

The Revell '59 Skyliner is NOT 1/24th scale! It's 1/25th!

Yeah, basically, it's a blunder. With care it can be built into a nice model of a non-existent car. The original Aurora kit has some collector value for the outstanding box art, by Mort Kuntsler, I think. Monogram versions virtually none. While they were all great, the Jag may have had the best box art in series...

It IS the old Aurora kit. Aurora also did a Jag XKE coupe, Maserati 2500GT, Aston Martin DB4, and Avanti in the same series. The best thing about the Ferrari kit are the wire wheels. Put a two-ear knock off on them and they look passably like '53 Buick Skylark wheels. Toss the rest of the kit in the parts box.

This '58 Biscayne is just too cool! Old panel paint, shaved doors, decklid and probably hood. Wish I could afford a 1/1 restoration project!

"It's like the day Kennedy was shot..." Really? That's a completely ridiculous analogy. However, it is sad to hear of those cars, especially the unique early ones, destroyed.

Great projects, Stan! The '65 wagon looks very authentic. Is that last one a Holden? How about a '36 for 3/6? AMT '36 Ford roadster with door length corrected and a much-modified chopped top and windshield. Scratched skirts. This one's been packed away for a bit.

x2! Also, don't trust model kit instruction sheets either!

Oh, Nancy, you vixen you! Never heard of the show, though as a hormonal 13-year-old-back then I was well aware of Nancy and her walkin' boots! Nice T-bird, too. Can't think of any kit that has those specific mags, with the peaked spokes, but there are plenty of somewhat similar ones. The steering wheel sort of looked like a second-gen Corvette wheel with the wood rim.

The 36 Ford is the AMT kit built as a roadster, not the Monogram kit as shown in Daddyfink's post.

Good deal on the Continental and the Chrysler, Chris! Got this nice first issue AMT '57 T-bird that had it's chassis painted, engine partly assembled, and moldlines properly cleaned up by the original owner long ago. The "Styline" custom front and rear parts are gone, which doesn't matter to me, other than it's complete. The box and instruction booklet are really clean. $24 and change, including shipping, from Ebay. Feels like a good deal for a clean original-issue builder! Rubber stamp on the bottom of the box from an old hobby shop... "Major Art & Hobby Center, 201 E. 2nd St., Davenport, Iowa" Apparently they're still there. Opened in 1954! Anybody know this place? http://majorartandhobby.com/ Shots from the listing...

Looks great from the shadow side!

Sharp looking model!

Can you say "Coupester"? These weren't all that rare back in the day. Here's a cool one built from a cut-down '32 3-window! Here's a link to the HAMB thread about this car... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=725387&highlight=coupester

Now that's funny, Mike! It'd be a heck of a conversion if he could pull it off! But kinda looks like Starbird's Predicta to me...

The Chrysler wire wheels are a brilliant idea - really set the model apart! Great color, too!

One of the best models I've ever seen! Not only is it a beautifully designed, period perfect custom, but to get a model that looks convincingly like a real car from such an ill-fitting and inaccurate kit is a real testament to your vision, skill and commitment to quality workmanship and realistic, accurate detail.

There's a good reason Fox News is often called Faux News.

Outstanding work once again, Doctor!

Russell, as I recall from this and the other Aurora sports car kits I've had, the tires are polyethylene, the softer plastic used for toys, household accessories, plastic bags and a bazillion other products from the late '50s to today. It was also used by AMT and Johan for kit tires in their earliest kits before switching to vinyl in 1961 (for AMT; Johan used it a bit longer.)

That's the Aurora MG-TD. It's a somewhat oddly-proportioned copy of the better Revell (Gowland & Gowland) Highways Pioneers kit. That's a pretty clean old build! Look forward to following your restoration! Here are some of the boxes this kit appeared in...