StevenGuthmiller

Don't know if it will help you or not, but I usually use a product called "Lay Film". It's a rigid, clear vinyl, (PVC) sheet used for overlays and such. The product that I use is Grafix .007 Lay Film. Even a product this thin will not work well if your glass has any compound curves, but I find that it works well for most applications. Steve

JB Weld, "Clear Weld". Steve

Looks like it will fit, but as with most swaps such as this, it will require some modifications. Steve

No, actually I think you were right Peter. I think it would be a great look propping the hood open with a 2x4. Perfect! Steve

It was pretty scary when that trophy went over! Steve

Takes all of 10 seconds to stretch a piece of sprue and would look a whole hell of a lot better than some big honking, ugly *ss tooth pick on the contest table. I'm no judge, but a tooth pick would be an instant turn off for me when there are simple options available that show that a little more thought was involved. Correct. It is a simple answer, and could have been offered without the petulant comments that accompanied it. Seems to me that it was going along quite well until someone decide to interject with sarcasm. Steve

We're just giving him ideas. I don't know how that constitutes a "federal case". The OP asked a question. You could just give him a simple answer rather than try to make him feel like an idiot for asking. Everything you said has been suggested.......only a little more tactfully. Steve

That's why, in my opinion, a piece of stretched sprue, which is included in the kit, should be absolutely acceptable. But, who knows. That decision will be for the judges to decide. Steve

A few months ago, I was moving a few things around in one of my model cases, and like a klutz, knocked a big *ss trophy over onto the back quarter panel of my '65 Fury!! Luckily, no paint damage, but it did crush the rear suspension! As I was hoping to take this model to a show in a couple of weeks, it was time to pull it into the shop for some repairs. Fortunately, no real "breaks". Just failures of the glue joints. This was one of the last models that I assembled using CA glue, and after inspecting how and where the parts came apart, it became quite obvious to me that had I used my current preferred 2-part epoxy for assembly, the damage to the rear suspension would have been much less extensive. I suppose that the argument could possibly be made that had the rear suspension not collapsed as easily as it did, a breakage could have occurred in a worse spot, such as in the body, but I'll have to wait until I make another stupid mistake to find that out. In any case, I was very happy to be able to rescue this, one of my prized models, without any major devastation. A little dusty, but like new again. Steve

For anyone looking for something to do in the ides of March in the vast wasteland of southern Minnesota, eastern South Dakota, or in my case, eastern North Dakota, there will be a small IPMS show held from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 400 South State Street in Fairmont Minnesota on Saturday, March 16th. No flyer to show, and it's a very small show, but it's something to do on a clammy late winter afternoon. Steve

You know I'll be there!! Steve

Just stretch a piece of sprue the correct thickness to be relatively thin for visual purposes, but strong enough to hold up the hood, paint it the color of your choice, and take it with you. Once you're at the show, explain what it's made of and ask if it's acceptable to use. If not, display with the hood on or off, just as everyone else in the category will be required to do. This is one of the many reasons why I never compete in the "box stock" categories. Too many little rules to consider. I've won awards with basically box stock curbside builds in just the regular factory stock category. Steve

Watch your wallet. A lot of scams going on on Facebook lately. People ordering hundreds of dollars worth of "cheap" kits from questionable sources and receiving nothing but the shaft in return. Still surprises me how many people are blinded by their pursuit of cheap stuff. Steve

I suppose you could cheat and use mini magnets! ? Steve

The absolute best way of course is to drill out the molded in lenses and replace them with clear lenses. Any solution that you can come up with for the reflectors is acceptable. Most times I'll use reflectors from a different grille and modify them to fit. Then it's just a matter of replacing the lenses with some from the parts box. The other option is to paint the lenses with some combination of clear mixed with very small amounts of white and silver. It can look acceptable, but rarely looks "right". This '64 Bonneville used buckets and lenses from the Moebius '61 Pontiac Ventura kit. Steve

In all honesty, a few decades ago. I was perfectly happy using rattle cans, and was reasonably proficient with them, but at some point I became aware that companies such as MCW and Scale Finishes offered premixed, ready to airbrush paint in virtually every color ever offered by auto manufacturers and I was instantly on board. It’s the “only” reason that I bought my first airbrush! Steve

I only have one bottle of Scale Finishes engine enamel that I bought several years ago, and had very good luck with it. That’s the only experience that I’ve had personally with Scale Finishes enamel, but it sprayed beautifully and dried quickly for me. Steve

Personally, I prefer MCW. Mostly because I find their metallics to be more in scale. On the other hand, Scale Finishes is an equally good product as far as workability, and more economical in the end, with twice as much paint for a few dollars more. They are both excellent products! Steve

It has nothing to do with our "favorite adhesives". It's just a matter of finding a solution that will work for the OP. If that happens to be "melted cheese" as Bill said, so be it. Steve

Scale Finishes offers all of their automotive colors in gloss enamel, or "base coat" lacquer. If you visit the website main page, click on "automotive colors", choose a make, click on the year, then click on the little arrow in the price box, a little drop down will appear with the choice of "Base Coat", or "Gloss Enamel". Base coat lacquers are generally $12.99. Enamels are $12.49. I don't know if it's the case anymore, but there used to be some issues with the enamels drying. I use the base coat lacquers myself, and have had very good luck with them. Steve

In regards to this particular epoxy, yes. It was essentially dismissed as a loser, and rejected as just another typical epoxy pretty much from the start. Steve

I'll grant you that. Well, in the end it might not be the ultimate solution, but at this juncture I have yet to see any evidence that it will not work for Gary's situation. I've certainly given it the old college try to demonstrate that it "may" be a viable solution, even though the idea has met with pretty much nothing but outright rejection......with nothing to back that idea up I might add. I certainly can't see why it wouldn't be worth further investigation. I believe that the epoxy performed more than adequately in the examples that I posted in the videos. Steve

I did read the entire thread Peter.....numerous times. And I just read through all of your responses again. I didn't see any solutions offered at all. Just a number of statements about how paint and glues won't adhere to various plastics. Sure, I suppose that you might call that "advice", but it's not particularly productive when the OP is looking for solutions to his problem, and not just proclamations of it's impossibility. I took a little time to experiment and then post some videos of how that experiment went to try to help Gary with his issue. As we still are not certain exactly what type of plastic that we're dealing with, (although Gary did mention the type of plastic used in Super Glue tubes, which as far as I know is pretty close to the plastic used in the paint cup lids in my video) all that we can do is either offer other solutions, continue the experiment with every type of plastic known to man until we happen upon the right one, or just admit that we don't know. I feel pretty good about my contribution, and believe that I've done my part. As far as the JB Weld product goes, I don't own the brand, or any stock in the company, so I have no interest in promoting it other than to say that to date, it's met my expectations with everything I've thrown at it so far. You can take that however you please. Steve

Just JB Weld, Clear Weld. You can find the syringes at many auto parts stores, or the individual bottles on line. I believe I bought the bottles on Amazon. Steve

Already done. Videos above. Steve