StevenGuthmiller

Thanks Guys! I've managed to get the interior very close to finished today. All the foiling & detail work is done, as well as the carpet flocking. Just a few minor touches & some assembly & it will be done. Steve

You're correct Wayne. I had forgotten about the Revell kits. I believe Johan gave up Dodge to MPC in '65 also. But the vast majority of Mopar kits were made by Johan prior to that. The Revell kits had slipped my mind. Revell also did a '62 Chrysler New Yorker & a '62 Imperial 4 door. I believe they did Mopar kits for '62 only, but I could be wrong. Steve

I like the idea of the can of clear & airbrushing it on. You can get better control & a thinner coat with an airbrush, & with the quart can, I shouldn't have to buy clear so often. Plus, as I understand it, it's already pre-thinned & ready to spray, which is a plus! I'm definitely going to give it a try. Steve

The first thing that tipped me off was the obvious Mopar valve covers. At this time, Johan had a monopoly on Mopars. Steve

The Monogram '59 Chevy kits are not bad at all for foil usage All of the side trim is plated so that leaves basically the fin & trunk trim & window trim. You want to use up some foil? Try one of these! Steve

I will say that I've had bad reactions with clear coats also. I've had several occasions where I've had clear coats crack on me when using Testors clears. I've since given Testors spray paints the old "heave ho". Had way too many issues with them over the years. I am now using automotive clear coats. I have yet to try airbrushing Duplicolor "Paint Shop" clears, but I think that may be where I'm heading. Steve

I always clear mine as well, regardless of the paint underneath. The main reason that I do it is for depth for polishing purposes. Too many times, I've had a pretty nice paint job that was ruined by polishing through the paint some where. Steve

Yup! Steve

Yeah Bob. That's what was on the built up when I got it. I think a lot of these old Johan kits had them around this time period. I thought about ordering a set of factory wheel covers from Modelhaus, but I never really liked the looks of the '64 hub caps anyway & I've always been partial to wires, so I used them. I added a set of 2 bar spinners from a Lindberg '61 Chevy kit also. Steve

Well, the weather finally broke a little here in Minnesota, so I was able to get outside & get a few "sunshine" photos of the Chrysler. Someone one this thread had requested some & I needed to get them taken anyway, so here they are! Steve

Very cool Ludwig! You don't see a lot of these built, but I'm sure almost ever serious builder/collector probably has one in his stash. One of those faces that only a mother could love! Great work on it!! Steve

As John said, it's a polish, not a wax. I polish mine with Novus polishes all of the time & then detail after with no problems at all. Steve

I gave up on the "oven cleaner" method in favor of "Super Clean". The purple stuff you can pick up at almost any auto parts store. Get a gallon & put enough in a plastic container to submerge your parts. In almost all cases, it will remove all traces of paint any where from a couple of hours, to a few days. You can use it over & over again & when you're ready to get rid of it, it's completely biodegradable. I guess I'm not sure about Rustoleum, but Krylon is a pretty hot paint. I've seen it "craze" plastic without primer. All it takes sometimes is a finger print to give you adhesion problems. Steve

Thanks guys! I think I may have to set up something in my shop for photographing finished builds. The lighting is pretty good & there's enough clutter to give some good reflections so the paint can show off. It's a thought. Steve

That's what I'm thinking. Primer! Steve

Still plugging along on this project. I'm hoping to finish up before the first of February. Leaving on a weeks vacation to warmer climes on the first, so I'd just as soon be starting a new project when I return. Body's all polished out, (except for a little on the hood) & the foil is finished on the body. Took almost a third of a sheet of foil to do this one! More than you would usually expect from a '65! Steve

Looks like you're off to a good start Rob. I mix my own engine colors, & most of my interior colors for that matter. Who cares if they're perfect. Although, I will say, the early Mopar blue was more of a turquoise color. The later Mopars used a blue closer to the color you used. But, as you say, it's supposed to represent a daily driver & a lot of guys used to "refresh" their engine paint occasionally. For my '65 Chrysler, I just used the same turquoise that I had mixed for my interior & then just added some white for the engine. Keep her going Rob! Steve

Mine will most likely be built as I always build them. Pretty much box stock. I don't worry a whole lot about being 100% accurate. Steve

I over did it a little & doubled down Mark. This week I picked up an even nicer version of a '65 Plymouth hardtop! I think I'm played out for a while! Steve

I enjoy those "way out" creations too. I've just never had any real interest in building them. I've never really understood why I have no interest in customs & rods. Even at a 1:1 car show, most times I'll rush right past that tricked out custom that everybody else is gathered around, to get a look at the stock '59 Desoto in the back! I guess you don't really pick the things you love, they pick you! Steve

Just came today. In excellent shape! needs a little work on the vent posts, but other than that, very nice! Steve

I'll bet I've built twice as many old Johan kits than anything else in the past few years, & I've still got a lot more to go. out of the next dozen or so builds I'm planning on, I'm pretty sure at least 8 or 9 will be old Johans. I have this Olds in my pile too, but I really don't know when I'll build it. Never been real big on compacts. Very, very nice job Ludwig!! I love the color! Steve

I hope so too Bill. I just figure you never know when the eyes, or something else, will go. I hope to still be modeling in my 70s! I just don't know how realistic that will be. Steve

Ten years from now, I'll be 62. Ten a year will make 100 builds. If I can still build after that...Great! Steve

If you like 300s Bruce, I've got a butte load of them coming up. Probably in this order. '65, '62, '66, '67, '63 & '68. Not all right in a row mind you. I do have some other stuff I want to build, but I hope to get them all done in the next couple of years. I still need to do a '56 & '57 at some point also. Steve