mikemodeler

Let me know if you need the rebel flag license plate George, they are real popular here in the South.

There are pros and cons to everything and based on the comments here, people have had good and bad experiences dealing with them. I work for NAPA and technically RockAuto is considered a competitor even though they do not have a storefront. They are able to offer great prices because they do not have multiple locations and drop ship parts from their suppliers instead of having to stock them. Like anything bought on the internet, take your time to make sure what you are ordering is what you need to complete the job.

Sure, I don't even get the first one I bought from you started and now you give me a reason to buy another one! Thanks Jeff!

Two downsides for a manufacturer not displaying at the iHobby show is that some hobby shop owners attend the show searching out the new items for their business. Yes, they can see things on the web, but the opportunity to visit with factory reps and give feedback is lost (see Donn's comments) when they are not there. The same can be said when the general public is denied access to the model companies. As social media and internet popularity continues to grow, more companies will use them to promote their products, just a simple fact of life.

It's a Canadian thing Harry, you wouldn't understand!

I noticed that they have stopped the 7 day builds and have concentrated on building and finishing the vehicle. The format is slightly different and I like the fact that at the end of the show, they let the mark drive the car and that annoying theme song "I am gasoline" does NOT play when they start up the vehicle!

Hopefully being back here helps with the problems in your life. Sometimes I find the escape here very relaxing as I can forget about life and immerse myself in plastic.

Those paints are probably from recent re-sets at auto parts stores like NAPA, AutoZone etc. Great bargains and even if you get half the paint out of a can, it was only 59 cents!

There are quite a few from that area, including Casey, who is one of the moderators and lives near Milwaukee (Menomonee Falls). There is a great club, AMG (Automotive Modelers Group) and several others as well in and around the Milwaukee & Fox Valley area. There should be a swap meet coming up at the Serbian Hall in Milwaukee in November. Back in the day it was a great place to go for deals, haven't been there for 7-8 years but others can let you know what to expect.

Nice truck Andy, clean it up and get it ready, heard it is going to be a bad winter for you Northerners! Make sure you start it up and drive a couple of times a week. The worst thing you can do to a vehicle is let it sit- corrosion can start and seals tend to dry out.

Those are some nice examples there Jeff of what I would love to build! Sure hope a 4x4 option is in the works- either in resin or kit form!

I think your cousin just doesn't want to lend the chainsaw to you and made up the story. I have neighbors and relatives that are always asking about borrowing certain tools and they have yet to figure out that it is easier to go to Lowes or Home Depot because I make them wait until I feel like it. A neighbor wanted to borrow my leaf blower last fall. I said sure, got to get it back from my brother first. I let him know at Christmas that my brother finally returned it, he said "Nevermind, I used a rake instead". When I made a mention that he was welcome for the free exercise, he didn't get it! I have decided to not lend the following anymore to family or friends: 1. Money 2. Tools 3. Vehicle Too many potential problems and opportunities to ruin relationships. I figure the bank is where people should start if they need any of the above- they are in the business of lending money to purchase #2 & 3.

I see some potential kits for me, will have to see when they hit the shelves. Gotta agree that the iHobby show is not about plastic model cars, and without Revell, there is very little to see there. I enjoyed walking around the show back when it was in Chicago, but figured out years ago it was about many hobbies and not just my addiction to plastic models.

And the Bears get the weekend off while the Green Bean Crackers travel to Houston, who happens to be undefeated.

Harry, All sprays have gone up in price quite a bit lately. Tamiya sprays are $7 & up at most of the LHS around here. At least HL has the coupon.

I was in my local HobbyTown USA yesterday and they had red dots on many kits and I noticed they tended to be older kits that have been mentioned in this topic. The good news is that there are a bunch of new kits coming and we haven't heard from Round 2 yet!

Jeff, that there is just plain funny! You have some very nice stuff, any thing new to report?

While I understand the disappointment expressed by many here, I am with the minority and say that the completed model does look like the 1:1 finished version. I may or may not buy this kit, but it won't be because of the wheels or the stance of the model when completed. If there is one thing I have learned it is this- No matter how hard the model companies try, whatever they release will be subjected to intense criticism. Whether or not Revell "misled" or "intentionally deceived" us builders, most of us have been around long enough to know how these companies work. If you like the subject matter, buy it. If you don't, don't. At some point the model companies will figure out if their strategy works.

Last time I looked at Hobby Lobby, they did not make a space for the GMC pickup kit. They did have a spot for the 50 Olds and the 57 Ford though. They better watch out if the make a spot for those Mobeius Ford Pickups, I will be buying them like crazy with my 40% off coupon!

I thought that TPI fuel systems did not come about until the 350 TPI engine in 87? Until then I thought they were TBI , or as we called them at the dealership- Toilet Bowl Induction.

It has been stated before that the unions have made it difficult for shows in the Chicago area. I understand their rules, I just don't think they are relevant when you have a show like iHobby that does not have the deep pocket exhibitors like other shows do and you have to pay $100 for an union electrician to plug in an extension cord. I think maybe Revell has struck upon something by not attending the show and using social media to announce their 2013 lineup.

I work in the Automotive Aftermarket field and have done so for the last 26 years. Before that I spent some time figuring out life and working at several auto dealerships (Buick, Mazda, Mercedes, BMW, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo). I currently work for NAPA as a regional sales rep for their line of import replacement parts. The territory takes me from Washington DC to Augusta GA and all the way over to the Atlantic Ocean. I got out of the auto parts business for nearly a year back in 2000 and worked in motorsports but it was a stressful and hectic life and I came back to the auto parts business. Some days are spent on the computer, some days are behind the wheel of my Camry, and others are spent working with customers either in their store or visiting their customers. Nice to see how many others here work in the parts business.

There could also be that cost thing- those booths aren't free! If Revell didn't spring for a booth, I don't blame Gregg. Kalmbach Publishing (Scale Auto, Fine Scale Modeler, Model Railroader) has a broader appeal for the whole show than MCM does. And if I remember correctly, Gregg's back is not up for that long distance flight.

I will be ordering some more resin cinder blocks from Danny at Scenes Unlimited to put in the bed of one of the trucks I am building. I also have a couple of engine blocks from the AMT '66 Nova that will be weathered and tossed in the back of another one. If you are adding the hydraulic lines and cables, make sure you add the wires from the lights too. I may try my hand at making a tailgate mounted salt spreader, just depends on time.

Maynard, Not sure where in Illinois you are located but there should be a truck with a plow nearby that you can look at to get a better idea of what you will need to do to get a good representation. To answer some of your questions: 1. The chain is factory installed on Western Plows and a decent replica can be found in the jewelry section of a Michaels or Hobby Lobby. 2. The hydraulic lines can be replicated using some black colored wire or small diameter hose. The lines should run from the two power rams or hydraulic cylinders to the pump assembly that is on the front of the truck. 3. The control cables would run from the pump/motor assembly on the front of the truck to the floor or dash mounted control box. 4. The control box is about 4 inch square in 1:1 size and a smaller shifter would be close in size to replicate one. Older control boxes were red with T handles and newer ones (like the picture in your post) were black with a more rounded type handle. If you want to further add realism to the plow assembly, it is missing the skid shoes on each end of the blade. These were installed to raise the plow up slightly to keep the wear bar on the bottom of the plows from wearing out prematurely. A simple search should yield a quality picture from which to build them. I need to get my butt in gear and get my plows built and you have given me some ideas for added details.