StevenGuthmiller

Thanks guys! Steve

Thanks Harry! Sorry about the "clown car" version of the Starliner! Steve

The browser I'm using & posting photos from is Firefox. Steve

looking good! Keep us posted! Steve

You should be able to delete too Lee. If you click on that "Options" text at the bottom of your post, "Delete" comes up as the only option. I have not tried to delete a post, but it would stand to reason, that would be the place to go to try it. Steve thanks! I didn't see that, old age I guess, lol. But I still don't see how to delete a thread you started, we were able to before. That I don't know. I didn't think it was possible to delete an entire thread once it was started. Steve

Thanks for letting me know, Steve! I was able to download 2 of these photos, crop them (to save on file size), and saved them to my photos folder. Now, if the photos were bad, everyone would be having problems viewing/downloading them, right? One other thing, did the photo get saved in .jpg or .jpeg format - they are the same but some programs can't handle the longer file type extension, and will say that the file is corrupted, etc. All I can tell you guys is that they are JPEG images dragged & dropped from my hard drive to Photobucket, & then copied & pasted to the forum. Dimensions are 2592 x 1944. Most pics around 1 MB if that helps any. Don't really know what else to say, everything looks good where I'm sitting. The pics look the same on my hard drive, Photobucket & the forum. Steve

Thanks so much guys! The '61 Starliner is probably my favorite Ford body style from the 50s-60s. My second favorite is most likely the '67 Galaxie. I need to find one of those @ some point! Steve Thanks Lee! The interior is done the way I usually do them. Just paint, masking tape & plenty of time! Steve Thanks again for the wheels Bill. It just wouldn't have looked the same without them. I just stripped them & shot them with Testors Metallizer "Aluminum Plate". After a little polishing, they looked great, so I just left them alone. If you're looking for a '61 convertible, I have something you may be interested in. If you see this message, PM me, or I will PM you @ a later date to show you what I've got. Thanks again! Steve

You should be able to delete too Lee. If you click on that "Options" text at the bottom of your post, "Delete" comes up as the only option. I have not tried to delete a post, but it would stand to reason, that would be the place to go to try it. Steve

You should be able to edit your posts. I've been doing it. If it's your post, there should be an "Edit" text in between the "Quote" & the "Options" text on the bottom of your post. Just click on that & edit away. Steve

I'm thinking it could be the resolution your monitor is set to. Try some other settings and see if the photos don't get unsquashed. It could also be that Photobucket is sending the uncompressed photos to your screen, and they're getting squashed so that they fit the size of the window that's running the MCM website... Thanks Frank! No, it's not a resin. It's an original AMT annual that I picked up on ebay. They're pretty rare, but they do pop up on occasion. Here's a before pic & a shot of the original box. Steve

Thanks a bunch guys! I had a lot of fun building it, but it did have it's moments! Steve

Boy! That's quite an honor Andy! Not quite sure I know what to say. But I appreciate it. Thank you!! Steve That does look a little goofy Harry! The photos look good on my screen, but the photo you posted does definitely look squashed. Either it's your computer or it may have something to do with the way we have to post photos since the new layout started. I posted from Photobucket, but I used the "copy & paste" method. I've heard other members say that their photos come out looking squashed doing it that way. Looks good on my end though. Steve I'm betting your Starliner will come out looking very nice! We'll have us a little Starliner "cruise" when you're finished! I look forward to seeing it! Steve

I've gotten a start on it this afternoon & the "double" mold lines between the c-pillar & the upper rear quarter trim are a real pisser!! These early AMT hardtops must have been an after thought. Looks as if they just added a roof to the convertible kit & they didn't do a real good job! I had the same issues with the '60 Buick. But, it all worked out. Steve

Next up to the plate is this nice '61 Buick hardtop I picked up on ebay quite a while back. It's in pretty nice condition, but there are a few small issues to take care of. This kit seems to have a little more problem with mold lines & the like than some of the others from the era. I think I'm going with a 2-tone paint job on this one. White or off white with the center "cove" area inside of the trim either "Laguna Blue" or "Turquoise". Most likely I'll go with the turquoise because I already did a '61 Bonneville in "Jewel Blue" which i the same color as the Laguna Blue. Although it is one of the nicer blues I've ever used. Now, off to do my least favorite job ever.....body prep!! Steve

Well, I finally made it! I don't want to toot my own horn, but I am particularly proud of this build. Not because it's a great job, but just because it's a little out of my "realm". I have built mild customs, street rods, etc. in the past, but I just feel that most of the cars from the mid fifties to the early 60s look better left alone, & that's mostly what I build. The '61 Ford is one of those exceptions in my opinion. In my eye, it just lends itself to be hot rodded a little, unlike most other cars from that era. As you probably know, this was built as a loose interpretation to the '61 Starliner at the end of the movie Hollywood Nights. Most of the externals were kept pretty close to that car, but I did take some liberty with the interior to add some color. Here's a partial list of the mods I did on this build: The front chassis screw posts were eliminated & the radiator support was reworked, as well as the addition of a hood latch plate to add some realism under the hood. The incorrect front fender scripts & faint trunk scripts were removed, & a PE piece replaces the trunk script. The head light buckets were hollowed out & clear lenses were added, As well as a revamping of the tail lights. I used the Galaxie custom bezels & added scratch made back up lights made from clear sprue & foil. The interior is pretty much the original article with an added parts box steering wheel & dash mounted gauge cluster. I also flocked the carpet & added a few small scratch made parts. The engine is from the Amt '62 T-Bird kit & is pretty much built straight from the box with added wiring & plumbing. The body was shot in 1959 GM "Shadow Gray" & 5 coats of Duplicolor clear. I also added a scratch built antenna, exhaust tips & a home cast resin mirror & lightly tinted the glass. I want to give a shout out to "gtx6970", Bill Alphin for providing the beautiful slotted mags that I absolutely had to have to make this build look some what "authentic". Thanks again Bill!! So, here it is. All comments & criticisms are welcome. Steve

Weather is not great today. Cloudy & raining a little off and on. But, I still hope to get a few shots this afternoon for the "Under Glass" section. To be determined. Steve

It would seem that I am wrong as far as the original stuff's availability - my 2 favorite sources are currently showing it "back-ordered". I'll keep on looking, but who's to say if and when the original stuff comes back, it won't be changed for the worse... I usually get mine from Model Roundup, but I do see that they don't have it listed at the moment. I don't see any listed even on ebay. I'm sure it must just be production issues. I have a hard time believing that they would drop their best product. Good thing I bought extra last time! Steve

Finally finished this project! Seems like a long time coming! Sorry to tease you with the pics but I usually don't even bother to shoot photos inside anymore. My indoor shots never do my builds any favors! Hoping I'll have good weather tomorrow to get some good photos to post "Under Glass". In the meantime, here are a few chassis & engine pics. Steve

Nice Tommy! I won't say I'm crazy about the gold wheels, but then again I'm not much of an aftermarket wheels guy. If they're not Cragar S/S, Keystone Classics or the like I'm not interested. Call me old fashioned. But A very nice build & a terrific engine! Nice work! Steve

I never lived in Iowa, but I spent so much time there in my "young man" days, that I felt like I did! I worked with my father doing drywall for a home building company in Minnesota Lake, Minnesota. We did a lot of traveling & spent a huge amount of time in Iowa building homes for farmers. Spent a lot of time in the Holstein & Cushing areas, as well as around Springfield. Towns I'm sure most of you have never heard of, but they were like second homes to me. Steve

The photo looks as if there is possibly a speck of dirt or a glob of primer between the center & last "leg" of the "M" making it look like an "N". But believe me, I just looked at my body under magnification. It is correct. Buy with confidence. Steve

Let's not jump to conclusions based on a photo guys. The "M" looks like an "N" in the photo due to the lighting. I assure you, it is an "M". I just checked. Steve

Cheers Frank, time consuming and frustrating is all I can say about BMF, I used the 'Ultra Bright Chrome' and I'm not really keen on the stuff because it wrinkles as soon as you peel it off the backing paper making it twice as hard to get the desired result, the old 'New Improved Chrome' I never had a problem with I've been using the Ultra Bright, as well, and I never thought it could be the difference between it and the "New improved" chrome. I think they're still selling the previous version... unless the stock is really old and the adhesive is shot, maybe this is my answer, too. Oh and btw, the wrinkling problem can be minimized by the way you pull a strip off - lift straight up and back at an angle. I still haven't completely gotten used to this new way... If I could just remember to use it... I would avoid the ultra bright stuff if I were you guys. Much harder to work with on all counts. The adhesive is not as strong. Doesn't conform to compound surfaces as well & harder to cut cleanly. Both attributable to the thickness of it. Steve

Are you gonna be driving it a lot? My kits are built to sit on a shelf in a case. If they're getting rough enough handling to break axles, there's probably going to be a whole lot of other issues with it. If one of my builds gets dropped hard enough to break an axle, my first worry would be paint, etc. Wheels can be glued back on pretty easily. I don't mean any disrespect with this response, I just don't think axle strength will be much of an issue as long as you're not pushing it around on the carpet. Steve

Nice find Bill! Just trying to find one of these with an intact, or at least restorable windshield frame is becoming very difficult. Steve