StevenGuthmiller

Pontiac didn't make an ugly car after 1959. (The '59 was a little "out there") My '64 GP is probably my favorite model to date. Steve

Rerouting the exhaust as I forgot to allow for clearance around the torsion bars! Steve

Thanks guys! I just have to bring this up in lieu of the recent discussion about the anonymous emoticons that the mods have graced us with. In my September 23rd post, I posted a photo of the chassis that I'm working on. Someone "reacted" with a "confused" emoticon. This is exactly the argument that I was making when I said that these reactions are not helpful to me, or the person who posted it. I don't know what their confusion is, and if there is something that the poster feels that I did incorrectly, or could be improved upon, a "face" does absolutely nothing to help with that issue. I always appreciate input during a WIP thread, because there is plenty that I do not know, and very often, suggestions from the readers can help me catch things that have either been done incorrectly, or things that could be added to enhance the project. A confused emoticon does nothing to help me correct something, and it's not helpful to the poster if they find something questionable. I will be turning off the notification feature, so in the future, if you have a question or something legitimate to add, please just do so. Steve

I know that some guys say that they don't like SUv's, but if you need some space, what is your option? A MINI-VAN!!!!! ? Steve

I just make short axles from plastic rod with the ends heat swaged. Then I just insert them from the inside of the chassis into the wheel. This way you can attach the wheels without having the axle run through the engine block, and you can still allow the wheels to roll if you prefer. Steve

Normally I don’t worry a lot about exhaust hangers, but in this case, the originals were just so obvious and “in your face” that I had to tone them down at the minimum. Steve

Well they should now. Steve

Yeah, now that’s just stupid! Steve

I will very likely replace the glass with thin plastic film. Steve

I sat down in the shop for a few minutes today, and as I contemplated what I should focus on next, I was taken back to Bill's suggestion of adding the "skid plate" on the K-frame. I really like experimenting with this sort of thing, so I decided to go for it. While it didn't take any "real" time at the bench, I suppose I spent a couple of hours of back and forth, in and out of the shop while I waited for glue to completely set. I think it will be a nice, and unique, addition to the under carriage. Steve

Exceptional!! Steve

Very nice!! I have a soft spot for these old boats! I had a '67 300 in high school. Steve

That's one pretty Olds!! Steve

That is nice!! I have a '66 Monaco that I would really like to get a start on. I picked it up fairly cheap some years ago, and while it looked a little rough, it was in surprisingly good shape when I got it. It's got some mismatched chassis and engine parts, (which I don't care about) I'll be doing a full chassis and engine swap anyway. The only missing parts were the correct glass, (which I can work with) and the correct rear bumper. Took me a couple of years to find the right bumper, but a fine gentleman and a member of the board finally found one for me! The guys on this forum are the best!! Steve

Returned with a few more awards from the NordicCon show in Inver Grove Heights last weekend. A gold for my '64 Grand Prix in the Factory Stock category, gold for my '65 Fury in the Street Machine category, and a special award for Best Interior for the '65 Plymouth. I also picked up a few plaques from the Desert Scale Classic "Virtual Contest" this summer. A first and second in the Curbside category, and first and third in factory stock. I was also awarded a "Best Interior" prize for my '64 Grand Prix, but unfortunately, the plaque was muffed. Steve

This thread is more my speed. While like most of us, I would rather start with a pristine kit, it's becoming increasingly difficult to find vintage un-started kits for anything less than what most of us "builders" would consider ridiculous prices. So the next best thing is a good restorable kit. While still more difficult to find and more expensive than a typical "glue bomb", they're a heck of a lot easier to mold into a nice finished model. In many cases, a restorable model can be almost as easy to return to glory as an unbuilt kit, as even the unbuilt ones will often need new chrome, etc, so if you can find the right restorable model that basically needs little more than a paint stripping, you're way ahead of the game. I've been lucky enough over the years to be able to acquire some pretty rare kits that may have looked like a booger on the surface, but were true gems underneath, and for a very small fraction of the cost of a mint one. This 1958 Ford was acquired on Ebay for a fair price, and was in exceptional condition, requiring very little work to restore. I added a few Modelhaus parts, but other than that, it was built using basically what was sent to me. Steve

True, but patience pays off. I never thought that I would see the day when I would ever find good rebuildable examples of some of the rarest kits in my collection, and in some cases it took years to find things like a Johan ‘68 Olds 442 or an MPC ‘66 Dodge Monaco, but they both eventually materialized, and I didn’t have to compromise on price or condition with either one. In almost every case, (at least for me) I’ve always been glad that I passed on the basket case and waited the extra time for the nice one to come along, and in my experience, they usually do if you give it time. Steve

I agree to a point, and believe me, I’ve done my share of resurrections, but I’ve always found it to be well worth my while to be very careful and selective when I am searching for vintage plastic. I would much rather spend an extra $30.00 on the built vintage kit that is intact, but covered in 8 coats of enamel paint, than spend $30.00 less on the one with the crushed roof and then spend countless hours just to make it whole again. This attitude has served me very well over the years. I have pretty much every model that I’ve ever wanted, and I haven’t had to fix an A-pillar on a single one! ? Steve

? Steve

I tend to agree. I don’t mind starting with a nice rebuilder, but I won’t spend my precious modeling time repairing busted windshield frames, broken fenders, fused in glass, crushed roofs, severe glue rash, etc, unnecessarily, especially if it’s an easily replaced kit. A bunged up original issue AMT 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix holds no value for me when I can get a pristine re-issue inexpensively and can start from scratch. Steve

All that we can hope for is that this stuff will retain its value over time. With the way the hobby seems to be going, I can see a time in a few decades where anything model car kit related could become pretty much worthless at some point. At least I wouldn’t rely on it in my retirement or anything! ? Steve

I don’t use nail polish myself, but my understanding is that it needs to be thinned for airbrushing anyway, so why not just pour out a little, add thinner, shake it up and pour it out? Steve

I can send you my copy. I’ve already finished it. ? Steve

I don’t know, I think I’m already in that “old guy” category. ? Maybe not quite as old as some, but I have been building for about s half a century. That surely makes me feel old. But in the end, my attitude right now is that when the day comes that I’m no longer a “builder”, I will most likely become a “seller” rather than a “collector”. I can’t see myself wanting to have all of this stuff laying around if I can no longer do anything constructive with it. I would just as soon see it go to someone who can still enjoy it for the purpose that it was intended. Steve

Personally, I have no interest in “collecting” unless you consider my built projects a collection, which I suppose they technically are. Everything in my stash is slated to be built, no matter how rare or pristine it may be. Steve