StevenGuthmiller

Modelhaus used to offer one for the ‘58 Ford, but of course they no longer exist, and if you did find one, I imagine it would follow along with everything else Modelhaus and cost you $40.00!! Steve

Although there are generally followed rules, there are always exceptions to every rule. For instance, some lacquers, such as Testors clear lacquer, can be used over enamels, and other paints as well. Mild lacquers such as Testors won't harm enamel, at least in my experience. I use Testors clear lacquer over enamel all of the time with no adverse affects whatsoever. Granted, I don't use this combination on bodies, but everything else is fair game. Steve

Thanks Joe! I have begun scribing all of my trim as well. The two techniques combined work nearly flawlessly. Steve

A few shots from today's NNL North in Bloomington MN. The entries were down a bit from last year, but a lot of top notch stuff! Steve

I’m not knocking anyone for how organized or unorganized they keep their bench, I personally just give it little weight in the grand scheme of the building process. I clean it up eventually, but it’s pretty low on my priority list. Steve

Always plenty of excuses for poor behavior, isn’t there? ? Steve

I honestly don’t know how you guys “put a tool back” when you’re “done” using it. I might go back and forth between 4 different files, a scribing tool, a couple different knives, a couple of dental picks, and a piece of sand paper, a half dozen times just scribing one body panel, and the scribing process might take me a couple of weeks to complete. If I was returning tools to their original positions every time that I got done using them for a minute and a half, all that I would get accomplished is the shuffling of tools! Steve

Personally, the only reason that I EVER clean my bench is when I can no longer find my tools or parts. The whole idea of taking valuable building time to spend cleaning my bench is completely foreign to me and holds little importance to the enjoyment of my beloved hobby. Cleaning my bench is “cleaning”. I love building, but I despise cleaning!! Steve

Wow! Never seen a hood rust that much! Steve

I use basically nothing except Plastic Weld for bare plastic, and 2 part epoxy on everything else. The whole build from start to finish. I have very little use for super glues, or anything else any more for that matter. Steve

As I won't have my current '64 Bonneville finished for the show this coming weekend, I'm digging out a couple of old curbside builds to take to the show. Nothing fancy, but they still look pretty good. Steve

My '69 Grand Prix, Model-J. As is often the case, funds are what's been keeping me from finishing it for the past 42 years! My first car out of high school, I paid $1,400 for it in 1981, drove it for a few years, and then life and family forced it into storage for 28 years. About 8 years ago, it came out of storage and the drive train, brakes, fuel system, cooling system. etc, were all rebuilt. With a pretty nice original interior, if I can ever scrounge together enough cash to do the body work and paint, I'll probably call it done. Never gonna be a show car, but it would be a nice driver. Maybe some day. Steve

I get it. I’d rather not have to do them either. But, it is what it is. Paying attention to little details like this are what separates the men from the boys. ? Steve

I wouldn't hold my breath. Of the threads he's started, he hasn't responded or returned to any of them. Not even a 'like". I doubt we'll hear from him unless he has another question and starts another thread. Steve

No, you’re not being petty. The missing panel lines on a lot of kits are something to consider if you’re looking for that extra dash of sauce. Something that I never really paid any attention to for years either. The only reason for my posts was to help people understand that the rocker panel gaps can be just the tip of the iceberg and to suggest doing some research to determine where all of these panel lines exist on a particular car. If you’re going to take the time to scribe in one, you just as well do the rest. It will help to keep this particular phase of the build from appearing half baked. ? And of course, these kinds of alterations are the type of thing that most people will never notice at first glance, but they can be the difference between a model looking very realistic, or like a toy. Steve

Then check 'em good. It's generally not just the rocker panel separation. It's almost inevitably the cowl/ front quarter/ door separations, and very often fender caps, which are often missed even if the others are caught. Then there are also often tulip panel seams. On my current '64 Pontiac build, I added the rear quarter panel cap separations. Something that you rarely see anybody do, but when they exist, they're just as evident, (or in my view, even more so) than the rocker panel gaps. Steve

Jim, you have to understand that this kit is older than some of the members of this forum. 60 years old to be exact. None of the models from that period, regardless of manufacturer, exhibited panel lines on the rocker panels or cowls. It just wasn’t done. It’s nothing new to have to scribe in those lines if you want them. Steve

There’s also a small model show indoors at the fairgrounds in the twin cities during the “Back to the 50s” car show in late June. If you’ve never been to the Back to the 50s show, you really need to put it on your to-do list. The entire Minnesota State Fair grounds is full to overflowing with hundreds and hundreds of classic cars! Steve

Where in South Dakota are you? I was born in Rapid City, raised in Aberdeen for the first 5 years of my life, then moved to south central Minnesota. I now live in a small town in Minnesota about 20 miles east of Fargo North Dakota. Not a lot in these parts for shows unless you’re willing to travel to the Minneapolis area. There is an NNL show taking place in Bloomington MN this coming weekend. Steve

The only one in my area within 300 miles just closed this past winter. Steve

That's exactly what I had suggested in an earlier post. It's not about thanking every individual personally. Hell, it's not even about a thank you at all. It's just a matter of letting us know that we're not talking to a wall and wasting our time by at least trying to help. Steve

Really not much of a “cheese shop”, is it? ? Steve

Doesn't matter if we answered his question or not as far as I see it. That guy on the street that I asked where the post office was? If he said, "sorry, but I don't know", I would still say thank you, just because he took the time to respond, even though he didn't have the information that I needed. Doesn't even have to be thank you. Just anything to let us know that he's still sucking air would be a good start. I guess I'm getting old. I didn't realize that people interacting with a modicum of regard was a thing of the past. Steve

A true craftsman! ? Steve

Not buying that one either. Even if I did ask someone on the street a question in that fashion.....”Excuse me sir, any help would be appreciated if you could direct me to the post office”. When he answered, “it’s just around the corner”, I could never envision myself in any scenario, just turning my back and walking away. Maybe it’s just me and the “Minnesota Nice” thing, but if it is, I’m happy to have been raised in Minnesota by parents that taught me some manners. In any event, if the OP has been dealing with a major family emergency, or has been incapacitated in some fashion for the past 2 weeks, I retract everything I’ve said. Steve