Pete J.

Faeries- Mannheim Steamroller's version of Tchaikovsky's Dance of the sugar plum fairies. The percussion is just superb! Crank up the volume and enjoy. Merry Christmas

Oh, that would be great to see one in P to P trim. There have also been a couple of Larks. Have fun with it!

This is in the real deal rules so I guess it should apply here, "All cars must be of a type exclusively designed to carry passengers with either saloon or sports bodywork. Estate cars and station wagons may be considered but any commercial or military vehicles such as light trucks, vans, ambulances, pickups and utility 4x4 vehicles are not eligible."

Oops, didn't mean it that way!

Oh, that looks perfect for this! I look forward to seeing this one.

I really don't want to make an issue of this so I will say, please build what you want. There is no prize, purely just for fun but here it is. The rules for the real deal PtoP are very specific. It is for as close to period correct generally unmodified vehicles. Contrary to the name this is not a "race" rally. It is a endurance rally. Taking what is essentially an unmodified factory stock car, with very modest upgrades, loaded with all the spare parts and camping gear you are going to need to get to Paris. Purpose built rally buggy's and other vehicle that you would run in Paris/Dakar may not participate in the real deal. It is a gentleman's race. As I said, please, build what every you want and have fun with it. As for me, I am going to stick to the spirit of the real race.

Ok, wow! I wonder when they changed that and why? https://www.endurorally.com/events/the-8th-peking-to-paris-motor-challenge-2022/ That is really subtile on the web site. No big announcments or anything. Just a side note. Bummer. So, do we continue and do a 2022? I am kind of partial to holding it anyway.

Alex, I'm in the process of updating the placards with the 2022 date. Look for my posting in the future to get a set of the updated one. Roundels proved to be more than I wanted to tackle this time. The Stutz would definitely work. Right in the spirit of the rules.

To many paint is a dark art, inhabited by demons and other evil creatures. If you are having success with your methods, keep on doing it. It works for you and no one is trying to convert anyone. This post suggests a lot of different opinions and methods. The best one is the one that works for you. If yours isn't working, try someone elses approach. Your choice.

I am having some trouble understanding your question. If you mean why isn't there an issue in the can, it is because it is all pressurized in the can. When you decant it to brush or airbrush it, without letting it "rest" the paint acts like it is boiling and makes a mess. There is enough propellent left in solution right after your decant it that if you put in a closed container it will pressurize the container. When you open the container, it suddenly releases the paint or 'blows up". The same thing that would happen if you opened a one inch hole in the side of the can. If you are asking about bubbling in the finish, it does happen. That is the primary reason that most people recommend a series of light coats. I don't know how many times I have had bubbles show up in crevasse in the model with rattle cans.

PM me when you get the CBP set up. I will need to have people PM me to see how many I need to print. My initial art work says I can do about 128 per page. If everybody gets 4 then that would cover 32 people. I give 4 because that is easiest for me to cut and gives the builder extras if they make a mistake. I believe that the rules call for one placard, prominently displayed per car, but I see many cars with more than one. The older cars typically have them on a mounting plate. The newer ones most often use stickers.

The period correct part is the hardest for most people who play in this arena. The organizers of the real deal are quite picky about "modifications" . These cars must be mostly unmodified for the race, or show room stock if you wish. The permitted modification are mostly for safety and not speed. Here are the real deal rules. https://www.endurorally.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/ERA-Technical-Regulations.-issued-January-2020.pdf Very intersting how they have this set up. Not at all like other ralleys. Completeing the "race" in an old car is the objective, not being the first to cross the finish line. It is not about speed.

Hey Richard, I've been doing this a very long time and use a totally different method than most. I will describe it after I answer your question. It is always best to let decanted paints sit for a time. The propellent that most manufactures use is propane for various reasons. While is it under pressure in the can, it dissolves into the paint and takes time to "de-gas" when pressure is released even in small amounts. The most common problem with painting decanted paints with an airbrush, Tamiya paint in particular, is that the paint flashes(or the top sets first) and the gas trapped below that skin creates bubbles. I find that is happens most often in areas that the paint accumulates, like panel lines or where two parts create a vertical and horizontal surface, like wings of aircraft meeting the fuselage. In that case the paint takes a lot longer to degas and the bubbles show up long after you can do anything about it. So yes, let is sit. Frankly, I am a super cautious person and let is sit overnight. I also tend to decant an entire can at one time as Tamiya's rattle cans will just fit in one of their 46ml mixing jars perfectly. So far I have found this is cheaper than buying their new LP paints. (Same paint without the can) Now as I mentioned, I decant very differently than others. I started by poking holes in the side of cans with an ice pick. That could get really exciting very fast, but I found I could control the release of the propellent by slowly withdrawing the tapered ice pick to act like a valve. The real problem with that was that you had to stand there with a cloud of propane around you for a long time until the majority of the propellent was released. I tried to come up with some sort of saddle valve that would penetrate the can and control the flow. After a lot of trial and stupidity, not to mention paint all over, I came up with my own tool. Then I happened to be at an automotive A/C repair shop and saw them using a "side can penetrating" tap. It is a tool that looks like a hand held clamp with a gas valve that they use to put liquid refrigerant into an ac system from a can. Bingo! Just what I wanted. A tool designed to punch a hole in a rattle can and create a controlled release of the gas inside. So to finish this method, I use the refrigerant tool to punch a hole near the top of the can and set the valve to slowly release the propellent. I lay the can and the tool on it's side on the bench and leave it overnight. The next day I come back and shut the valve and shake the heck out of the can to mix the paint. I release the tool and get out my trusty ice pick and with the can on it's side and the first hole straight up, I punch another hole as close to the bottom as I can. I then put my fingers over both holes and stand the can up. I hold the bottom hole over the jar and release my finger from the bottom hole. I then slowly release the top hole to control the flow. Once I have all the paint out, I use a pipet to squirt some Tamiya lacquer thinner into the can through one of the holes, cover the holes with my fingers and and shake it up. This gets the last little bit of paint out of the can. I told you I am cheap! Oh and one last tip. When the can is empty, tear open the side with a can opener. You will find two small glass marbles inside. Take them and drop them in the jar to help mix up the paint when you want to use it again.

Yup, got my last unfinished builds and this will get them finished! I'm excited! I will try to get some decals in order. I will try to get enough together so everyone can have a pair in 1:24 scale.

Zora Arkus-Duntov would agree with you. He is reputed to have said "At last, a corvette I can feel proud to drive through Europe." Oddly, to me the clue that lead me right to is were the front bumperettes. A real Corvette design que.

? Flat 3 twin turbo. Offset to give the driver room!

Ok, and then there are times that you have to take the weird and build on it! I had just finished a 4 year project Tamiya 935 with the SMS super detail set and needed to decompress a bit. This was just for fun!

Took less than a minute to find this one, even though I had never seen it before.

Amazons packaging continues to amaze me! Some stuff is so over packed it is ridiculous. I ordered some "watch" batteries for our christmas ornaments. 4 button batteries each on a single bubble card, pack in a 8"X8"X10" box full of bubble wrap. Even the post office couldn't have damaged the batteries with a hammer, in a simple envelope, so why all the packaging?

Oh great. Here we go again! People getting their panties all in a bunch about an online game that is suppose to be about fun!! It's a frigin meaningless game people. Play it, have fun with it, but quit treating it like your life and reputation were on the line! M.W. puts a lot of effort into it to get it ready, but I am sure he doesn't expect anyone to make an uproar over some one else's comment. Quit taking the fun out of it and get over it!

The owner looks like and engineer geek, which would make sense.

Wow, a nickel for parking?? Even I am not that old. I remember the cheapest as a dime!?

Randy, I will second that one! I would love to see an instructional video on how this is done. You said the lightbulb when on. Heck I am still trying to find the socket to screw the bulb in, much less have is shed any light on how you do this! A nice long video on You Tube would be great! Definitely old school craftsmanship! Highest compliment I can pay!

I have several Joe Honda books and they are excellent reference material for models. Very detailed photos.

The Hindenburg effect! That is what has stopped using hydrogen in an internal combustion engine. People believe that a hydrogen powered car will burst into flames in an accident just like that ill fated airship. Unreasoning fear! Personally, I have been an advocate for hydrogen combustion engines for a very long time. Burn hydrogen, you get water, or more correctly steam. The main issue with that is you also get corrosion. Manufacturing an engine of that nature costs more to compensate for waters corrosive effects. One of the good parts about hydrogen in an accident is that if it does leak(and doesn't combust) there is nothing to clean up. Fuel spills of hydrogen do not harm the environment. If it does combust, it is no more dangerous than what happens in an accident with a propane or lp powered vehicle. The main issue with using it as a fuel is the same one that electricity has. Lack of infrastructure to deliver it efficiently.