Billy Kingsley

Here's one of the 8 models I polished off this week. Probably the best results, of them all. They go a lot quicker when they were half done previously, I might add. I decaled this car more then a year ago, possibly back in 07, when I started the chassis. The decals are Blue Ridge and as to be expected they had some issues-I had to do some touching up on all three major colors. (In case anyone wishes to do this car in the future- Testors Light Yellow matches the decal stripes where the Testors Acrylic red matches the red in the numbers and logos-I used Tamiya flat white to touch up the white portions and it is not a good match) The "Craken' Good" logos were mis printed on both sides of the car. If anybody has a spare set I would like to aquire them somehow. I used a Davey Allison kit for the body and a Jimmy Spencer McDonald's kit for the chassis. I had to use a different steering wheel, (I lost the red one) and that came from my parts box, originally a DW combo piece. So, the body was molded in black, the interior in red and the steering wheel in white! Normally I do not build Busch cars of Winston Cup drivers, but this car is kind of special to me, as I had to really hunt for the 1/64 version of this back in the day. I knew it was out there as early as late 1992 but I could not actually find a copy until 1994. I eventually did get both the 1992 and 1993 versions, but whatever cars I have to hunt for usually end up being important cars for me. Kind of odd, yes, but so what! Enjoy the pictures... Thanks for looking.

Yeah, I didn't have any trouble either...I didn't bother painting them, I planned to have the interior black from the start so it saved me the trouble. I just don't like the concept of them I guess, I am more of a tradionalist then even I realize most of the time! I am not sure when the car will get done now, I need to clearcoat it and it's supposed to be raining for the next week. Phooey! The chassis and interior are done, already! I did have to run a bead of super glue across the entire "ledge" on the back of the rear seat to get it to stay flat and not sit in there crosswise. It was warped just a bit. I want to add I also like the ease of wheel assembly. When I saw those axles and the wheel holes I thought it was going to be nigh impossible to get them in there, like some of the 1990s AMT snaptights....but they went in perfectly and locked into place, without any hassle!

this proves that sometimes an accident CAN lead to something good!

Those look like they were scanned on a traditional flat bed scanner!

The subject matter doesn't interest me, but I can't wait to see one built up. I hope they actually do appear, though. Big ticket, complicated kits sometimes are rare (IE, Pocher)

That looks good! I will be in for a 70 when it is finished and ready. Depending on the prices perhaps a 71 and 72 as well. I have always loved this body style!

Work has been progressing slower then I expected. I have to say, I am NOT a fan of the rubber seats. While the concept may sound good on paper, it just doesn't translate into actual form. In addition to just making things harder then they need to be, my rear seat is also warped. I am hoping super gluing it down will fix the issue, if not, that alone will make the kit just sub par. Dissapointing. Other then that this is the most finely crafted new tool I've got my hands on in years.

to go one further...they are actually all purpose built race cars....so would would have had to say "You built a NASCAR spec race car that wears Pontiac sheetmetal" or some such... By this point the hood, roof and decklid were the only pieces of factory metal, everything else was handcrafted by the race teams or a supplier to the race teams.

I bought mine today and looked inside the box only quickly, as dinner was a cookin'! It looks gooooood. I love the real car, I want one but can't afford it. I hope to paint it tomorrow, mine will be Sublime green. I don't care if it's not factory stock! (If I was ordering a real one, I would order it in white and then instantly have it painted sublime green) I may be one of the few, perhaps only one alive, but I prefer the looks of the new Challenger over the classic. Sacriledge? Maybe. The tooling looked very crisp! The kit itself I am going to build box stock, and I am looking forward to it! I get my kits at the TNMCC meetings, and I would have had it and built it already but I was sick last month. I think this kit was worth the wait! I got the 09 version, as well.

I find it funny seeing all these posts about new cars. It's all just a bunch of letters, and aside from the Mustang, I couldn't identify a one of them! I am happy with this news. I bought an original unbuilt AMT 66 Convertible a few years back, IIRC paying $90 for it, and at that it's got some issues, tire mark melted in, chassis broke, and some parts painted but still on the trees. Seeing this hardtop makes me happy, I will be in for at least one, perhaps two, one to be factory stock, and one to be a mild custom. If, amazingly, the hood should fit into the AMT annual's hood hole (?) I will need a third for parts alone! (I can fix the tire mark on the hood, but I have not yet) The 72 Olds...hmm...I will probably only get one of them. I'm not a big convertible fan, I think I've built less then a handfull. 3 I think! Still, I love to check out a new tool when I can! I'll probably get one of the 57 Chevrolet, if the body style is actually something I don't have yet. I'm going to wait until it's actually out before I am sure. I agree with Larry, in this instance, that I can't believe they have never done a convertible! Even though I'm not big on them, I have to imagine it would sell incredibly well, and yes, even I would get one! The 30 Fords, oh yeah, for sure. Even though it is a classic kit, I don't have one and I will have to add that one in to my stash. For the 60 Impala, I will probably end up with one of them, as I want to build two and only have one of the original issue; this one will likely become the car Bobby Allison made his Grand National debut in in 1961. That 37 Ford looks like a 38 to me. I missed the 37 pickup the first time it was issued so I will get it this time. I will be passing on the rest.

That looks like a big chunk of strawberry ice cream. Makes me hungry.

That will put your show the week after MassCar and less then a month before the NNL East. I have seen from first hand experience that if it comes down to it, people WILL skip other shows to go to NNL East.

Thanks guys! I don't want to post pictures because I don't want to let out what I am building yet

Those all looks nice. I have a soft spot for DeSotos, and I love Wagons and pickups! That Ford wagon might be mine come NNL East time...we will see...

Thanks all of you! Man, it's weird that a simple boring snaptight gets more comments then a full detail build? Chris, you know I have plans for that Camaro! I gotta keep PACE, you know? And just think, my next build will totally be opposite from what I normally do....a modern, foreign exotic car! (With my own twist, of cource)

As you all know by now I don't do stuff with modern or foreign or, God forbid, modern foerign cars But I had an idea for a project that required just that and I saw on a product list some emblems for the exact car I plan to build. I went ahead and ordered one, and now I have it. But I don't know what to do with it. It's from Hobby Design, which appears to be a Chinese aftermarket company. There are of cource no directions. Are they decals? Do I cut them out and glue them to the model? Are they something similar to metal transfers? I am not honestly sure, all I know is they are on Kodak paper. They are raised-they aren't flat like decals normally are. I was not exactly expecting them to be what they are, I thought it was going to be Photo Etch! They are pretty neat and I don't want to ruin them, so I am asking. I know this forum has a high quantity of foreign/exotic car builders who may have used this product and could give me some helpfull advice.

Harry Birthday George!!

It's been a while since I had anything to share, but I did finish this Corvette in February. I joined the local IPMS club that same month, the HVHMG, and this is the club group build. Everyone got a snaptight kit, choice of car or plane. I took the car, and here we are. It's Tamiya blue sprayed directly onto the plastic, no clearcoat. Some minor paint detail. Fun build, but the headlights just won't fit like they are supposed to. That's some nasty light glare...ugh

I know I have been quiet on here for a long time, but I still got to MASSCAR, of cource, which was this past weekend. Had a great time as usual, and had plenty of fun hanging out with LedsledMerc and my friends the Oteris. This year MassCar's Saturday Night event featured classic sock-hop food, a great DJ, the awesome trivia contest and yes, even dancing. It's my favorite part of the weekend! Here are some sample pictures and a link to the rest. Please note, these are pictures my Mom took. My pictures will be given to Gregg at NNL East for the Magazine! Barry Fadden's 56 Chevy was flawless Taking the Shelby theme class a little differently! With "aftermarket meat and crackers"! I didn't know who built this one until he brought it to the photography table! Turns out it was the forum's very own LedSledMerc! Jeff Harper's cool Cord pickup This year, MassCar expanded to welcome all forms of modeling, somewhat absorbing the unfortunatly defunct Cape Cod Show And, it would not be show coverage from me without a photo of one of my own models! This 34 Ford was one of three I had on the tables. As usual, I didn't win anything. As always, thanks for looking and enjoy the pictures! Feel free to leave comments! Here is the link to the rest: http://public.fotki.com/ElCaminoBilly/mode...s/masscar-2009/

Great concept Terry....

It was 2001 when Slixx had the issues. PRetty much any decal from that time will not work. Here is a really cruddy picture of a 2001 Slixx decal that did not work. I never bothered decaling the rest of the car. By the way, the trouble runs into the end of 2000 and the beginning of 2002 as well. And then, of cource, you will have just the odd decal that will be bad, and not part of an overall large problem. Decals that are printed on white paper are more likely to have issues then decals printed on blue paper. Age of the decal doesn't really matter, although 99% of people will tell you it does. I've used decals more then 30 years old with no problem other then the carrier turning yellow.

Actually Harry the photos posted on the board do NOT need to be re-shot. All the person would need to do is send you the original, full size file, (What comes out of the camera) not the compressed version that gets posted. I know, I had my model in a half page Galaxie Limited ad that was taken at the exact same time as the photos I posted on the board....and in fact I sent them all to Jairus first and asked him which one he did not want me to post at that time... EDIT: They would need to be reshot however if they are not "clean" photos- plastic trimmings, tools, standard bench clutter, other things in the background that are not related to the topic of the picture= bad picture. You don't want to distract the reader from what you are trying to show them But I sent Jairus the original file, whereas the photos I posted were compressed by Fotki. If I could get out of this accursed slump I'd be contributing right now myself. I just got a new 10.1 MP camera too so the photos I took the past three years at MASSCAR are going to be blown away by this year's....and I will be contributing that!

My first issue of MCM had a lowrider on the cover. Back around 2000 or 2001. I think it was titled "Las Vegas" I have not had it out in a while, but that was actually what made me buy that first issue-the cover looked interesting. Ken, I thought we weren't allowed to say differing opinions are "whining"?

Very interesting thread. Cars are in my blood-that's why I do it. I'm a 4th-generation "car guy"-it was destined to be, I suppose. I actually owe my hobby to my mom. It was her idea to even consider it, and it was her motivational support that got me really into it and kept me at it. Not only that, but she drives me half way across the country every year for a model show!! She also got me into NASCAR... Even though I am a lifelong car guy, I actually don't drive...yet. I've had my permit since 2000 but I almost never use it. And even if I did, I would not be able to afford all these cars in full size. I build what I would have in full size scale if money were not a problem. I mostly build NASCAR and factory stock or mild customs, which is what I like in the real car world. That's about all there is to it, in fact.

Every model means something to me, but the most sentimental...that's hard to choose. Obviously, we all build because it's something that means something to us, and those of us who are like me, high volume builders, have a lot to choose from. For me, it's NOT my first contest winner. It's NOT my first published car. It's not the first I decaled or spray painted. (The first I decaled survives only in a zip lock bag). But it IS my first model, built all by myself. Back in 1992 I "built" a model with my dad, which consisted of me handing him the parts which he glued togther, and then I covered in various paint stripes (including over the windows and chrome!) Unfortunatly, the whereabouts of this model are unknown. That lasted a few years, one model a year on Thanksgiving day, but then it stopped. Fast forward to late 1999. November 7th, to be exact. For some still unknown reason I got the urge to build a model. It came out of the blue, really, because I really didn't DO any building of the previous models. Several models had been laying around the house, and an AMT 53 Ford Pickup was sitting at the bottom of the basement stairs that whole time, on a shelf that I could see every time I went into the kitchen. I pulled it up, and built it, starting that day into the next day. I didn't have any idea what I was doing-it never got it's right taillight, or fuel filler, and I busted up the front suspension pretty badly, I don't remember exactly how. I didn't know to paint the inside of the body, and the bed was painted gold because I didn't have any brown. It was, of cource, entirely brush painted. It came out surprisingly good-it remains one of my best, of nearly 100, brush paint jobs. And the rest, as they say, is history. I've been building almost non-stop since then, and in a little more then 8 years I've done 240 models. (despite the fact that I am in a major slump currently) It has, unfortunatly, taken some damage since then-the tailgate has busted so it no longer stays on, which is the only majorly noticable thing, but there are some others I've fixed. I have an unbuilt that is also sentimental to me as well. That first kit, a Revell "Max Rat" 66 Chevelle Pro Street, molded in bright green plastic, which was my first kit. It's long gone, the only one that is. I had been looking for another for years. Literally, since I started going to model shows in 2001. I was unable to find one for a long time. I had posted a few times that I had not been able to find one of them...and a member of the Hobby Heaven board codenamed Weird Michael sent me one! The box is a little worn, but the kit is complete. He would not accept anything from me in return-he gave it to me just because he is a nice guy! It's been sitting in my stash since 2007 but in September 2008 I finally started it. I'm going to be putting in more detail then I normally do-I've already opened the trunk! Unfortunatly it was one of the last things I did before I lost the will to model back in September. Coincidentally, I found a factory sealed version at the NNL East last year. It came home with me, and became the only factory sealed kit to enter my permanent display. And...to add another layer of 6 degrees of seperation....it was 7 years ago today my dad died.