Billy Kingsley

Boy, this thread couldn't have come at a better time! I spent the week before last and the first half of last week sorting my 1/64 street car collection-some I had not seen since at LEAST 1994-and it's got me wanting to build a handfull of Ferraris (do three count as a handfull? The 308, F40 and Testarossa). A few moments ago I didn't know if any existed in kit form, now I know exactly which kit to purchase! As a bonus, both my LHS stock Revell of Germany kits...even though I've only bought 2 I know they are there, so I should have little trouble finding this one!

You can't spray Tamiya over Testors without trouble, I've been told. Tamiya being lacquer, Testors Enamel... And the lighter color should be painted first, too. It makes it easier in the end because you don't need as many coats, thus a high paint buildup.... I'm kind of ashamed to admit I've never finished a 59 El Camino What with it being in a 4-way tie for my all time favorite vehicle....I really gotta! I've started three though and robbed another for a resin donor, though. I have a mild custom painted Tamiya Pearl Green that I could probably have finished in a week's work, I just don't want to do all that BMF, so it sits! LOL! (It's got it all, but lowered/raked with Cragars) That light blue Turquiosey color is a great choice! I've seen a 60 (actually, the ONLY 60 I've ever seen in person) in a very, very simiar shade of blue...Very Period Correct. Looking forward to seeing this one progress!

I've never asked for any money when I've submitted anything...I know it the past it was generally way to crappy to use...(even though I did get one of the articles in, my first published writing, Woo Hoo!) Now, however, I know exactly what I should be doing, and better yet...I know what my mistakes were and won't do them again. (Meaning, when I send you stuff again it may be good enough to print! LOL!! I'd love to see an article about Dave! Way back in 2001 at my first NNL East, Dave was THE first person I ever bought a model from that wasn't Wal-Mart or the LHS...(The second person I ever met in modeling was Gregg...He got beaten by Almonte!) I'd also like to see profiles of modelers...Start with well known guys like Bill Geary and Clay Kemp and eventually feature other guys, like builders who are just on the verge of modeling acclaim or even any Joe Gluetube off the street (cousin to Joe Six-Pack? ). Ask them questions like first model, favorite model, when they started, how old they were, what their first was, why they do it, favorite build, memorable moments, etc and call it something like "Modeler's Profiles" and let us know more about the guys we've read about or even talked to, be it online or at shows. It would be a great way to find out whatever happened to the well known modelers from the past who have seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth...What are they up to now, are they still building, if not why, etc. There are also PLENTY of talented modelers who don't have the internet for various reasons and it would allow the general modeling world to be introduced to these people... I've actually had this idea for a while. What do you think? I could write up one on myself as kind of like a template....Lord knows, when I want to I can type enough to fill a book I know I'm not A) well-known enough talented enough or C)"important" enough to feature, at least anytime soon (who knows what the future holds?) but it could get the ball rolling...

I can't; that's why I have 97 NASCAR models in progress and an unknown number of street cars! I enjoy painting and decaling much, much more then chassis building, so that doesn't help. I have painted as many as 16 cars in one day, give or take (I can't recall now if any of those were multi-color builds...I've done more then one color on a car in one day, and sometimes it even works!). Last year I decided that things were getting out of hand, and that I needed to stop starting so many projects. So, I went through and figured out exactly how many NASCAR projects I had in progress. I then sub-classed them down three seperate ways: 1) Box Stock Builds that are ready to go 2) Close to box stock that needs very little to worry about or box stock that needs another color or something else major, or detailed models that were fairly close to completion. 3) Intense Projects. These are the builds that I've gone beyond box stock, some well beyond with major scratchbuilding and detail work. I didn't figure out the totals of each group, only that there were 112 total. I've gotten that down to 97, however, I DID start one more even though I vowed not to, as it was the Model King Torino which I did not have any other copys of. I will likely add one more as I just got some Model King Cyclones and I don't think I can wait too long before tearing into one, it's burning a hole in my stash! (LOL) I also have a 4th category: Dead Projects. These are the projects that have failed for whatever reason, these are the ones that I tried something my skills are currently not capable of, or decals that shattered, or I put it on a insufficiant body or any other reason for a project has failed. Those are NOT counted in the total. It had gotten to the point that my skills were improving so much, that I would paint and decal a body, and by time I got to building a chassis for it, I now considered it crappy, and not good enough. That's the main reason I have stopped myself from starting new projects. I did not count the street car projects, as I have been moving farther and farther away for building street cars. And besides that, most of my street car builds are not too complicated, they get painted, then, if nessicary BMFd, then clearcoated, and then just finished. If it takes me a while for a street car that means it's either complicated or being held up for some other reason. I do have a Porsche 959 that I have sworn that I will FINISH this year. I have a nearly flawless metallic silver paint job on it (Tamiya Gloss Aluminum) but I pulled it out a few nights ago and decided that I think I would probaby rather have it another color-most likely red. So I will probably take a while to decide weather or not to repaint it...Unless someone has an unpainted, complete Tamiya 959 body they would like to send me Here's a washed out photo after the first coat of paint, when it was still uneven. I have no prohibitions against starting new street car projects, though, and after I got all the parts back from Chrome Tech Bob back in November I know for sure that I will be starting at least three more street car projects very soon- Motor City 72 Ranchero, Scale Coachworks 70 Dart Swinger and MCW 66 Nash Ambassidor-although technically I've already started the MCW Nash, as I've filled the pinhole on the trunk and scratchbuilt new drip rails-they were mostly all broken off of mine. And, I've already started my Aardvark/Model Martin Firebird III. I only completed two street cars last year (My R&R Vacuum Craft 63 Impala Wagon and my Parts Box Monster, which I'm not sure really counts anyway) but 2008 should be a bit higher in street cars. Of cource, 2007 was a bit of an off year for me, as I only finished 23 total models. After sorting my 1/64 street car collection last week and part of the week before, I've also got an urge to build several Porshes and Ferraris. Luckily, I won't be tempted as I can't currently afford the Tamiya kits it takes to build them! (Those would be: 1970s 911, 928 and 944 Porsches and Ferrari F40 [My all time favorite non-American car] and 308. I don't even know if a 308 exists in model form, though. I've never paid much attention to foreign car kits, but after seeing these 1/64 cars I had when I was a child, it rekindled some great memories that I wish to capture in build form) For my NASCAR builds, well, I choose what I build based on how I'm feeling. Lately, I've been in a 1980s mood and burned out on the 2000s stuff. I keep bringing out my 4 box-stock Intrepids and just can't get anything done on them, the 80s cars I breeze through because I'm having so much fun. Lately I've been working on my 1984 Lake Speed car that I started back around 2005. I'm doing this one for a couple reasons- One, I promised Fred Cady in Toledo I would have a finished model with his decals at the NNL next October-I've never actually finished a model with his decals. I figure if I do it now, I won't have to rush and mess things up the last week before the show---again! The second is that my friend Charlie Kroll (Tuffy's Garage on here) called me up one day and challenged me to build a Notchback Monte Carlo. This was the only one I had in progress, so, here it is! I have it about 90% done. I finished the decals a few days ago (the contingencys came from 8 different companys and 11 different sheets) and the bulk of the chassis is done already. I need to do the wheels, still, and finish up the interior. I also need to scratchbuild a new front airdam and I'm debating weather or not I want to cut into the window net. The Monogram net does not really match any of the photos I have of the car, so I'm debating doing a cut and reshape deal. I've never tried that, though, so it would be an adventure if I do it. I've already done something new as I noticed that the nose of the car had an integral airdam molded in to the body, which was not on the 1984 car, (any 84 Chevy actually), so, working VERY carefully, I used my razor saw and removed it. Thus, the first body modification I've done AFTER the car was painted and decaled. Here's the only shot I have, before I did any of the contingencys. I don't know why the green and red looks so wavy-I never noticed that before. The real model is not like that. I also hadn't finished the basic decaling, the red outlines on the 1s and the black outlines on everything else. Next, since I am in a 1980s mood, I will likely do the 1986 #02 Mark Martin Miller American car I have painted, and I'm also working on a moderatly detailed 1989 Dale Earnhardt car-I've done all the modifications to make it a 1989 car, which is something I've never tried before. I thought I had it in final primer already, but it ran on me, and then I discovered that the headlight buckets were filled in on the 1989 car, so I have to do that too. Now, I just have to wait for it to warn up enough to actually do some work! It's been too cold, and when it wasn't too cold, like yesterday, it was raining. It's supposed to be warm enough and not raining later this week, so I expect to finish the Speed car very soon. ...Man, that was longer then I expected!

Gregg, I've been saying I'm crazy for a long while now! LOL!! The sad thing is...that photo from 04....I STILL have not finished that model yet!! Luckily I thought to caption when it was new what car I was painting! LOL! Someday I should post about the time I was out painting and got chased by a squirrel

I have 26 AMT display cases stacked up, and display a few more in front of them. Again, this is an old shot, so it's not the same now. I've been meaning to take a new photo. It's from 2005, and only 7 of the cars you can make out in the cases are still in cases! I have a wooden display cabinet I ordered from QVC several years ago but have not assembled it yet-no where to put it. I'm planning on rearranging some things soon which should give me space to finally build that (I think I got it in 2004 or 05!) and it will also allow to me to get some of those chrome backed cases. I've been wanting one of them for a while and I'll finally be able to get it soon. The 49 Ford kit you see is actually built, but it's stored in the box. For quite a while that was my favorite build, though it has since been eclipsed. The framed photo on the right is my dad, who died in 2002. I store my 1/64 NASCAR models on the windowsill. I've built more then the windowsill will hold, though, and I've been lining them up infront of the loose models on display. I also have been using the PVC boxes from Racing Champions, wish I had more of them. This photo is kind of washed out, unfortunatly. The two Petty Superbirds are not my creations, they were just stored there, and have since been replaced with my own.

I work on a fold up card table in my room. It's not very glamorous, but, it gets the job done. These are staged shots from March of 2006. Obviously, I cleaned the work area before I took them!! Usually it's covered in model parts from several different builds, tools, and what not. Here it was next to my window, now it's next to my bed. I no longer store kits on the back of the table, either. I store them on the floor next to me...easier to get into. I actually keep it a little different now, when I get it back set up I'll take another photo. I had taken it down to sort my 1/64 street car collection, and while the table is back set up, the full model work area is not. I've got to re-clean it to get all the little metal shavings off... I do my spray painting in the back yard. It's the same now, only the Christmas lights are not up at the moment. This photo is from 2004.

Oh yeah-I've been planning this build for about 4 years, since I got it. The most nerve wracking is that I plan to paint it with Testors enamel...it's the only way I have the shade of blue I want to use. Maybe I should look and see if MCW has something close enough....Also thinking about 2 toning it.

That looks good...Especially great job on filling the liscence plate area!

That looks very good Mark...well done!!

Lately I've been buying kits in multiples (Building NASCAR will do that to you) and I open one or two, and leave the rest sealed, only opening them when I need them. For example I have 16 of the 2003 Sterling Marlin kit. About 5 of them remain sealed, and will until I am ready for them. A kit that I don't have any other versions of, or even if I do but want to look at the decals or whatnot, will be opened pretty much instantly. I only have a handfull of kits I don't ever intend to build-I bought the first ever issue of the AMT 1953 Ford Pickup and 1959 El Camino...Both of which are important to me, as the pickup was the first kit I ever built, and the El Camino is THE El Camino, in my opinion! I also don't need to build either of them as they have both been reissued many, many times over, the Pickup just a few months ago for the first time since 1994. Even my mint, still on the trees $220 1960 Edsel will, eventually, be built. Of cource, I can't afford to replace it if I mess it up, so I'm kind of afraid to touch it...

Perhaps a "New to the Forum"/Introductions section is warrented. It seems that every third post is yet another new to the forum post.

Jon, I decided not to comment as soon as I read your post, because all it would do would continue a useless argument. Listen: We can sit here posturing like baboons or we can get back to what we both love doing, which is building model cars.

Looking good Erik! The gold interior looks pretty nice... Did you drill out the ends of the hoses? I never thought to do that, but it looks much better then box-stock!! I may have to steal your idea...Heh heh!

Very nice!! I've been a fan of the Deora since before I knew plastic model cars even existed!!

Marc, thanks for that info...When I bought mine I don't think he offered the full kit...I would have gotten that if he did...I got mine back in 2002. I'll have to get one of them from him...(somewhat surprisingly all I own from him is the El Camino and both scales of the TV Batmobile)

I built that one...All the pictures I took are ###### though...I will take some more. (I lost the little chrome part that goes on the bottom of the hood, to complete the grill...so if anyone has one to spare I could use it!) I built it when it first came out, and I seem to recall there being some nose fit issues as well. What I did was line it up and use Ambroid Pro Weld to glue it on. I would say attaching it beforehand would be the way to go...I did the entire body and all parts as one unit when I painted it...came out pretty good. I hope to have pictures worth showing soon!!

Unfortunatly Jimmy used a AMT 69 El Camino as the basic kit, and not the 68. This is a problem because the 69 kit had a seperate end cap that glued on; Jimmy did not cast this. I left the part from my mint 69 kit with Missing Link Resins in Toledo, and I havn't contacted them yet to find out if they've casted it. I need several copies as I also have an incomplete 69 kit that's missing it. I would use the 68 El Camino chassis...the bed of the 68 was a seperate, multi-part unit so the chassis should fit under the bed of the JF 72 with little diffaculty. I've not done any test fitting yet, though. I have a few spare 68s, one to put under the JF body, and another to put under the body I was given. You will need an AMT Chevelle for the grill and bumpers and whatnot. You should probably also know that the JF body is not really correct, as he just grafted a nose from a Chevelle onto an El Camino body...the El Camino while looking very similar was actually totally different sheet metal...but it's the best we are likely to ever get in scale, so it's worth ignoring. I have one that I bought about 5 years ago now and havn't actually even started on yet.

Thanks Jamie...I've been doing this for 16 years, and I've got more then 4400 different ones That's the largest collection I know if in NY, but not all of them are in good condition, as a bunch were bought second hand... Thanks again! When I finish new batches, I'm going to keep adding them to this thread instead of starting new threads for something that's not too popular around here...I'll have another update soon.

Joe, what's holding you? I wanna see that Harry Gant car! Jamie, I didn't know you had TWO kids...Did I miss something or just forget? LOL! Who made those Ingram decals? The only decals I was aware of for him were "hidden" in the Slixx number sheets, and I think they did the Lumina anyway...(scheme the basic same, but may be sized differently) Hmm....Tide eh? I've never done a Tide car, other then the 1989/1990 Lumina in 1/64...Spraying a fade may be beyond me, but the Wetworks decals for DW's Aerocoupe provides the fade....You're on!!! (Maybe I'll finally finish the BAD 2003-05 Chevy Challenge this year too...what was that from, 2004? LOL!)

We gotta christen the new section with a build challenge and a WIP thread...so here's the challenge! Get this build on the table at NNL East on April 12th...It's buildable with decals already available. Note the red interior, meaning it was a Folgers car...Jim Fitzgerald was the driver at Riverside 1987. To my knowledge no one has ever built this car in any scale. Now here's the kicker...Feel free to challenge me to any car at all to have completed by NNL East. Unlike my most recent builds, I'll even do a full detail, engined build instead of my usual curbsides. With the NNL being pushed back to April 12 this year it gives us both more time. Are you game? What the heck...I'll put the offer out to Jay and Joe O too...I'll actually be seeing you guys both soon at NNL East and MASSCAR...but if you all challenge me expect a build challenge right back! Only caveat is that progress to be shown on this very board.

Joe...while I agree with your sentiments...It'd probably be best if we all left the name calling out...There's enough of that aimed at BAD over there....Don't want to see here turn into another version of there, get my drift? (If BAD hadn't gone down I would have likely quit posting there by now, spending time solely at BAD as a regular contributer-I even commented as such at Randy's and I don't think anyone caught it) FWIW, I liked your idea of the green, and am going to steal it. LOL. In fact the end results of that COULD be on the table at MASSCAR 4/20...Chassis's more then halfway there already. Not to sound corny, but you saved more then a handfull of builds for me.

Nice! I've got to get some of them. I can already think of several uses for each. I only use Model Master Lacquer (MML) clear, so there should be no issues there...

The sports car segment of the hobby has always been well-represented here. And in the magazine. Ever read Alex Kustov's work? (I may have spelled his name wrong-if so, I apologize for that) NASCAR was the only segment of the modeling hobby that was NOT given the same print coverage as everything else, of which I've been campainging for for some time. Putting everything toghter in one group is counter productive (NASCAR, Drag, other forms of racing)...that's just the Under Glass section times two. Each having their own is perfect-it lets those who specialize in one segment or the other read what they enjoy building without scrolling through bunches of things they don't. FWIW, I would look at a Lowrider forum at least once a week...I built plenty back when I started modeling, and I have a few more I wish to do in the future as well. I actually joined a couple of lowrider based yahoogroups back in the day, but stopped checking them when Yahoo decided to cut out the pictures from webmode. And....let it be said, I would have things to contribute to a sports car section...I've got more Posches and Ferraris in my collection then most people would think! When I do finish any sports cars or lowriders, they will be posted in the Under Glass section, just like everything else, and it doesn't matter to me if I don't get a single responce...getting "Good Job!" over and over is not the reason I build.

Funny...I had pretty much stopped reading here because it seemed like all it WAS was sports/exotic cars! Why does it not surprise me in the least that nobody cares when there are various other section, but as soon as there is a NASCAR section people come out and complain? Why did nobody complain when a drag section was added, or when the other sections were added?