Ragtop Man

Thank you! The experience isn't all that great, but there sure are some cool kits.

Spent two cups of coffee searching, and only hit vendors or other sponsored sniper attacks... kinda frustrating. The appear to do some very cool products that I'd be happy to buy, but finding out what's there is a challenge. Thanks in advance for any good, proven links.

More pics, please. How did you save the A post and vent window? This is a common break point for the 88's. Really handsome build!

Looks great! The chassis and stance improve the kit 1000%

Many thanks, Bob! Anyone do this conversion yet? It looks very angular in the pic - even more so than the 1:1.

I think it is testimony to the quality of the original design that it is so hard to capture accurately in scale. All these years later, there's still not a bang-on replica of the '69 in plastic or diecast. This build of the MLRC AMT '69 is by Tom Mooty, who was working from the attached reference. IMO, pretty darn close. The bright grille surround is absent, and does much to define that aggressive grille. I'm overdue to take a pop at the recent Revell '69 B302, which sure seems to be a hit, seeing it at both the LHS' and chain store aisles.

Aghhh.... the clear body Gassers were STACKED at the local K Marts for $2.00 a pop back in the day. We thought the clear body was a stupid gimmick! Incredibly, while packing for our move and briefly sussing each kit boxes' contents, a fresh '69 clear body popped up. I'm gettng old... had 0.00% recall of where it came from or how it got there. Earnestly considering a 'box build' using all the illustrator's colors assuming I can find all the other bits; somewhere there is a chrome tree from the original kit with most of the parts intact, and the Boss 429 is not a big lift to find.

Super cool builds, Tim. How much of a task (or not) to fit the OG chassis in the Chally?

Great build - it works around all the obvious problems with the kit. Kinda gets me thinking about the Nomad... hmmmmm.

If this isn't one of the most obvious 3D projects, ever (Wylde!) I don't know what is. FWIW, the car IRL was never my cup of Cuervo, but I know it is an icon of sorts for many builders, and a clean car is a great entry into the collector / special interest side of the 1:1 hobby. Plus - you can use it every day.

Dead ringer for one I've seen on TR6's - would that help the search at all?

Oh hell yes! Great job - one of my first Monogram builds was the T-Bird, which stalled out with the complication my wire axle brain couldn't process (yet) Dad helped me get it together when he could see I'd stalled out. Once I started following the instructions, it got a little easier. Funny how that works in life. Think it got a cammer from a '68 Galaxie that we'd parted out to make a mold to do slot car bodies, like the #10 Bill Champion car we'd seen in Milwaukee over that summer. (IKR?)

The Pro Street Nova is a little bit tougher fit in the MPC 1/25 Novas than one would first think, mainly due to the interior interface with the chassis - just enough to be frustrating. Nothing a good sesh with the dremel can't fix, though. Sure would be cool to see the Ventura II surface, and I've seen some Pontiac V8s that are pretty crisp in the aftermarket lately so busting a kit isn't mandatory.

Or the 1/12 Torq Thrusts...

For a wheel so common to so many scale model Pontiac it is darn near impossible to find a good set in a kit that really hits the "gotcha" button. Chasing older aftermarket is hit and miss - would love to see a good set of them in 3D, preferably with centers that were separate from the trim ring which simplifies detailing about 100% Ditto that for the Pontiac Honeycomb 'polycast' wheels, or for that matter, the Rally 1.

Got a Pontiac itch that build really scratches. Nice work!

Badda bing! Perfect look for that car - did you massage the 1/4s at all? The build seems to have toned down the angularity a bit. The gold, yea, I'm loving that with the redlines and you can see why...

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo bitchin!

Woo! Local boy - South Haven, MI checking in. Good to know.

The Fiero engine is the 60-degree V6 that mirrrors the Ford "Cologne" engine, not the Buick-based 231 which became the beloved "3800". To the bigger question of what is included in the kit, yes all the fixes would be great especially to fit and finish issues (bumper, etc.) But I'd rather deal with the small stuff on an individual basis than not see the kit at all. It's pretty much an open invitation to the 3D and resin industry, if they feel there is really a market there to exploit.

Wrecking my mind with this build, super crisp and clean, very unexpected subject and execution! Look forward to the finished result!

Knew I remembered this from somewhere! (Besides my rearview mirror #butofficer) Could you post some build details about this one when it is convenient? Reason I ask - at a former employer, one of the production folks in the graphics end of the building had a civilian MSP Tahoe, which was as tough looking as a truck stop waitress. Always wanted to build it... and for that matter, an MSP Impala.

Great to hear this is back!!! As if I need more distractions, these were very cool parts that really scratched an itch in the market.

IIRC, Tom had a health issue that prompted him to drop the business. That was a flat shame that he needed to bow out, his stuff was tight, clean and crisp. I have a few items (donated a mint '61 Olds sedan to him) that he cast and they are uniformly outstanding resin items. He set a high bar for being professional, courteous and accessible to the hobby.

While we are on the subject - which hobby kit has a FLAT hood for the '67 -'68 Fastback that would be reasonably available? A close friend in the hobby can cast clear and I've had a jones to build the Autolite-1 Salt Flats Mustang for a long time now... Any ideas or assitance would be most helpful!