StevenGuthmiller

Ok Harry. Stop your crying! This one is for you. Is that better? But enjoy it. You only get one! Steve

Thank you so much guys! I'm humbled! Such encouraging words from everyone is the greatest motivation there is for the next one. I still had the "photo studio" set up from the other day so I thought, "why not". Decided I should add a few indoor photos as well. Thanks again everyone!! Steve

Testors lacquer gloss coat is very mild. You can shoot it over almost anything including enamel & acrylics with no problem. I've sprayed it over sheets of decals with no ill affects, but I don't use enough decals to give you a definitive answer, but I would be surprised if the Testors clears would harm them. Steve

Thanks so much guys! Being an ex 300 owner myself, I consider it my personal crusade to at least build all of the Johan 300 kits that were offered. Almost half way there! Thanks Kevin! That "blue" is a little deceiving. The lighting may have been a little off in that photo, or more likely, my camera settings, but it looks quite a bit more blue in this photo than it actually is. The color is actually correct 1965 "Royal Turquoise". As you can see from these more recent indoor shots, it's much "greener" than the original photos depict. Granted, natural light really changes a paint color, but I think my camera was playing games with me that day. Sorry about destroying that beautiful blue for you. Steve

Don't forget MCW. I would say it's more of a personal thing, but keep in mind that different companies use different paint types. Some are enamels, some acrylics & some lacquers. Not that familiar with the rest, but MCW paints are all automotive lacquers formulated from original specs. I use their paints mostly for their huge array of available colors. And the paint itself is thinned, ready for airbrush, & fantastic stuff!! Steve

I agree. looks like the paint is pretty thin. Looks like it could use at least another coat anyway. Steve

I would say sanding & polishing would most likely work, but be aware that enamel, especially Testors enamels, take a loooooooong time to cure fully. I'm talking about weeks, or possibly even months! Sanding & polishing an un-cured paint job will pretty much guarantee you a big mess! Now, taking into consideration that you thinned it with lacquer thinner will probably shorten the cure time considerably, but I have no experience in that department. You'll have to figure out for yourself whether it's cured or not. Steve

I just thought that having just finished my '66, some of you might like to see a trio of old Johan kits. '64, '65 & '66. Still have the '62, '63, '67 & '68 to go! All in good time I guess. Steve

I would just save this photo & use it for reference for mixing your own darker green. Should be pretty easy to do. Steve

It is an odd color. Available on the '57 as well. I originally was going to use it for a '56 Nomad too, but when I was researching for a color for my '58 & I found this photo.......well, that clinched it. Steve

Thanks guys! Thank you Bill! I have a '66 Plymouth to build as well someday, hopefully soon, but mine is a convertible. Steve

I painted my '58 Bonneville in the same colors Mike. Mine were from MCW. Looks a little different than yours, but lighting makes a big difference. The difference between indoor & natural lighting is dramatic! Steve

After looking at some 1:1 photos, I'm pretty confident that the Testors pale yellow, (actually a Ford color called "Phoenician Yellow") would be pretty close. A little pale, but close All depends on how exact you want to be. As Harry & Mike said, MCW & Scale Finishes will give you an exact match. Nice color combo by the way! Steve

India Ivory would probably be pretty easy. It's basically just an off white. Duplicolor or Testors Ford "Wimbledon White" would probably work fine. The yellow might be a little tougher to find an exact match, but it shouldn't be hard to find something very close. Testors used to have a "Butternut Yellow" but it was a little lighter shade. I think it was a '69 GM color. But I'm not sure if they make it anymore. Of course, if you wanted an exact match, you could always order from MCW. They carry some colors in a rattle can too. I'll bet they would have something close in a spray can, & their spray paint is every bit as nice as their airbrush colors. I checked & they have about 10 different shades of yellow in a spray can. But they run $15.00 a can & there's really no way from looking at the website what shade you would be getting. You'd have to do a little detective work, or call or e-mail them. Steve

Thanks so much everyone! Aside from the bad windshield, (which I replaced with a spare '65/'66 Plymouth one) & the broken A pillar, this one went pretty well. I enjoyed it immensely! Thanks Pat! That platform is the retaining wall on the East side of my house. The only real flat surface around my house that is a good place to get outside shots. If I wasn't so lazy, I'd pack up my builds & take them out some where to get a better back drop. Either that or make some sort of background for taking pics. But that really eats into my valuable build time. Steve

I really enjoyed my last Johan 1966 Chrysler 300 build so I decided why not extend the joy & go right into another great old Johan kit. This '65 Fury is in exceptional condition. So much so that the chrome will not even need replating. Normally, I would remove the mold lines from the bumpers & have them re-chromed, but the chrome is so nice, I'll let them go on this one. Already started filling the few minor sink marks in the body. The color on this one will be "Medium Tan Metallic". A kind of champagne gold color with a white top & probably a gold interior See you soon! Steve

That's the biggest reason I started using them. Availability of color choices was my main reason for trying them. Particle size of the metal flakes in the metallic colors is a huge deal also. If you look at these photos, it's very difficult to pick out any "flakes" in the paint, yet it is a metallic color. Just how a metallic paint job would look from this distance on the 1:1. I won't go back to a rattle can. At least for any metallic paint jobs! Steve

These Johan '62 Plymouths are not all that rare. You should really have no problem finding replacement parts for it. Steve

Ok. Photo size issue aside, thank you everyone! Thanks Harry! I use MCW paints almost exclusively now with a smattering of Duplicolor. This is a Model Car World Color. I really love their paints! Thanks Marcelo! I have a giant soft spot for these C-bodies too. I owned a '67 Chrysler 300 in high school. I have the kit. I just need to get it built! Steve

Thanks Harry. Most responses I've had so far either say they look fine or they don't mention it. So far only you & Jon Cole have mentioned it. The camera I'm using is set on "normal" mode & seems to take the best photos at this setting. Anything smaller starts to lose resolution. I post these exact photos to several other forums & sites including some Yahoo forums & Flickr as well as other "magazine" forums. I've never heard any mention of it any where else. Never even knew there was any problem at all until I started posting here. I appreciate your bringing it to my attention Harry, & maybe I can make some "future" adjustment, but the photos that I have up till now will be staying as is. Steve

Can't imagine what the problem would be, but I have far too many photos to start resizing them now every time I want to post something. All of my photos are posted from external photo hosting sites. If I start messing with them & change them in any way, all of my existing links begin to disappear. I'm using a 23 inch HP monitor. Everything looks just "hunky dory" on my end. Steve

What are you viewing it on? My guess would be an I-pad. Steve

I've heard you mention this before Harry, but I've never seen what you're talking about on my monitor. Seems to me that the problem is on the "viewers" end depending on the device they're viewing it on. I've seen these "squished" photos on an I-pad, phone, etc. But on a computer screen, they look just fine. The photo you re-posted looks absolutely fine on my end, just smaller, but they both look the same. Steve

Well, here it is. I was hoping to finish this one by the first of May. I guess I made it! This is probably one of my top 5 all time favorite cars & definitely my favorite Chrysler 300. A very nice kit as well, as most of these old Johan kits were. It's just a shame that these old tools will never be coming back. Nothing much to say as far as the build goes. Pretty much box stock, the way I like 'em, with a few added details. Cast window cranks & flocked carpeting on the inside, & a little plumbing & wiring under the hood. The color is correct 1966 Chrysler "Spanish Red". Steve

I've had moderate success removing some minor yellowing by soaking the glass in Super Clean. Usually this old kit glass would benefit from a good cleaning anyway, & the Super Clean does a pretty good job. I have had some old kits with yellowed glass before, but nothing that dramatic, so I won't guarantee that it will help. I did have some minor yellowing on the last project that I worked on, but by the time I was finished soaking & tinting, it was indiscernible. That's another option that may help is some light tinting. Steve