mikemodeler

I placed an order on 8/7, sent the check on 8/8 , got confirmation from Danny on 8/11 that order was being packaged and shipped on 8/13 and it arrived today, 8/16! That my friends is what I would call EXCELLENT customer service! It should also be noted that I paid with a check, so Danny kindly packed up my order and once the check cleared, he sent it out! It doesn't hurt that the products are flash free and look like kit parts and not resin cast pieces either! This is one caster that ranks right at the top of the list for me and comes highly recommended.

It's a so simple even I figured it out!

This new purpose built police car is similar to the old Pontiac G8 sedan from several years ago. Not sure if the public will be able to buy these new, maybe at an auction in 3-4 years!

A simple click on the little X in the upper right hand corner of the box and it disappears, like a magic!

That would look perfect in a body shop or wrecker yard dio. Nice job on that weathering/detailing.

Same here Chuck. I faintly remember hearing about it on the evening news, in between stories of the Vietnam War and the Cubs fading (again) down the stretch!

That video makes the simple one piece resin molds some of us try look pretty prehistoric! I know a ton of work goes into designing a kit, let's hope the Rat Roaster stays true to the 1:1 version.

Looks good so far, mine is not quite as far along as yours. The humidity is supposed to drop this week so I might be able to get some color on mine.

That is the best place for a mid to late 70's Vette. I can see you building that in a diorama Chuck!

Similar story here Al. I was fresh out of high school in 1981, had been saving my money for a car and decided I was going to buy the brand new S-10 pickup. I had visited the dealer and was trying to figure out what color and everything one night when a co-worker called me to help him with a car. I went over and he had a 70 El Camino SS396/ 4 speed sitting in the garage and I helped him with some minor work on it. He told me the owner needed cash fast and if I had $1,500, it could be mine! I did have the cash, but couldn't decide between the brand new truck or the 11 year old fixer upper hot rod. He did his best sell job and before I could say yes, somebody else beat me to the Camino! The S-10 I bought lasted me nearly 6 years and I had a bunch of fun in it but that Camino would probably still be with me and worth a whole lot more!

I was able to build on the kitchen table in the evenings and weekend when it wasn't mealtime. I had to box up my builds and move them into the bedroom every time I was done. Tried to get a corner of the basement but Dad didn't think the fumes would be a good mix near the pilot lights of the dryer, hot water heater and furnace! Once I was married and got back into building I have had my own desk either in the basement or spare room and a paint area in the garage. I remember boring my Mom with all of the details I was trying to add to my models back in the day and her getting mad at me for taking her emory boards and thread for detailing!

Charlie- It is not ignorance, just a lack of knowledge and an idea of what a decent shop needs to have to fix cars. If a shop was to only specialize on one type of car or repair, then the costs are much different. Kind of like comparing a traditional lumberyard to a Home Depot, both have 2x4's, but Home Depot has appliances, paint, lawn & garden and a whole bunch more! It is the specialized equipment that is needed for repairs and diagnostics, some of it because of government regulations. All new cars have a system called TPMS- Tire Pressure Management System. This was mandated because of the Ford Explorer's rolling over when the Firestone tires were low on pressure and starting blowouts. Big Brother decided we needed another safety system because some people don't understand the importance of checking their tires, mainly due to self serve gas stations replacing the old time full service ones! Multiply these types of specialized systems and the tools to fix them and it is easy to get to $25,000. A good impact wrench to remove lug nuts will be $200 & up, the special impact sockets to go on the impact wrench will be close to another $200, if you want them to last. Keep in mind that most of the better tools come with a lifetime warranty so in order to offer that, the manufacturers have to factor in the replacements and that adds to the costs. Yes, my son will be at Norwich and he is excited and nervous all at the same time. He should do fine, it is where he wants to go and the program is designed to his goals. He is looking at applying for scholarships from the Marines to help with the cost of school and he may consider law school upon graduation as he is a natural born arguer! Ultimately he wants a career in the military and knows the path through college and OCS will result in better pay and rank. He is a very intelligent kid and would be a great asset to our national defense. We went shooting yesterday and while he was bragging on the way to the range about his 2 years on the shooting team in JROTC and his sharpshooter medals, he was impressed with his old man's ability to outshoot him! While we keep saying we are looking forward to the quiet when he leaves, truth be told we will miss him terribly. His little sister and mother are in denial about his leaving so I expect Saturday morning will be a tearful goodbye at the airport. If it is anything like when he went off to kindergarten, his mom will need 2 boxes of tissues!

Yes, that was my main reason for buying this kit ( I am up to 4 of them! ). I plan on adapting these to other kits I have in my stash.

Albert, Revell did not have a long bed truck already tooled up so that is why they went with the short bed 1/2 ton. I agree that any serious plowing would be done in a 3/4 or 1 ton truck due to the beefier chassis and running gear but we will take what we can get! I do remember seeing a lot of these shortbed, 1/2 ton pickups doing driveways as they were easier to navigate with, much like Jeeps, Blazers, Broncos & Scouts. If you can find the Monogram pickup this truck was based off, it has the correct six lug wheels.

Thats' funny Harry! I have teased my kids that I would move without leaving a forwarding address!

having worked in the automotive industry for 30 years, I can tell you that some of the smartest people I have met came from a tech school and not a college. I have been overlooked for promotions due to a lack of a college degree but yet those who got promoted could not do half the work I can because they lacked common sense and street smarts, something no college can teach. I am the only one among my siblings that does not have a college degree but am the one most of them turn to for advice on many subjects due to my varied background and desire to always learn more. I agree that technology has changed the landscape for all businesses but as we all know certain jobs still rely on hard work and skill building. Most master carpenters I know spent 4-5 years as an apprentice learning all aspects of the trade before they were allowed to be called a journeyman. Same goes for plumbers and electricians! In the automotive repair trade, mechanics have become more highly skilled than ever before. The investment in tools is incredible as the vehicles have become more sophisticated. Some people think the $500 tool set on sale at Sears is enough to fix most cars and while that may be true for some types of repairs, the truth of the matter is that a good technician probably has at least $25,000 in tools and if they have to buy their own diagnostic equipment, it can easily be $40,000 or more! People seem to think paying a doctor $150 for 10 minutes of office time to diagnose an ailment is okay but a mechanic should not charge for that 2 hours of time spent finding that loose wire or cracked vacuum line. My son is going off to college at a military school and will be pursuing a degree in criminal justice and psychology with the plan to join the Marine Corps as an officer upon graduation. His goal is to be a career military Marine and the college degree will be his ticket to opening doors in the Marines for jobs he may not be considered for as an enlisted man. While we would have preferred he attend a state college that would be considerably cheaper for us all, the college he chose will give him the foundation for a successful career.

Thanks Gerry, that was one of my favorite hobby shops to visit back in the day when I lived in the Northern Burbs! I understand that they have shrunk the model section considerably and there is more R/C than ever there, much like Al's Hobby Shop in Elmhurst.

Krylon is on sale this week at Hobby Lobby.

Great topic Doc! Next Saturday my oldest child goes off to college and the wife is starting to get emotional about it. Me? I think it will do him a world of good to get out on his own and learn new experiences. He and I will fly from Charlotte to Boston and then drive 3 hours to central Vermont where he will attend college. He will be in a military ROTC program so he has his days pretty much planned out and they won't allow him much free time, which should translate into good grades and less time to get homesick. Mom is worried about her baby being 950 miles from home, Dad is excited because it will less arguing between my son and his 15 year old sister! Will it be weird to not see him and hear him? Yes, but we will be able to Skype and send email so I doubt it will be that bad, at least not as it was 30 years when I was his age!

Was it a birthday gift Pat? Belated Happy Birthday!

Stopped in the local HTU today to see if they would be willing to offer up something when the wife has her afterschool program at the YMCA this fall. I have to stop back and visit with the owner (darn, gotta be something I will need!) and while I was there I bought a can of Tamiya red (TS-18) and another 77 GMC Pickup, which they had for $21.99. By the way, does anybody else belong to their shopper program? For every $100 spent, you will get aher $5 coupon for your next visit. I think I am halfway there and while it isn't the same as a 40% off coupon, it is reasonable.

Yup, I shop there too and while they try, they make their money on R/C. Go in there around December 20th and watch parents go nuts dropping hundred dollar bills on radio control cars and planes. Their retail prices on kits are not too bad though. I have found other HTU that have better selections but the prices are full MSRP. Not sure how they sell any kits other than desperation!

That is a real cool conversion, something I would consider buying if it were available. Maybe Revell can re-issue that kit someday soon.........

Harry, I agree with you here as I just ordered the new GMC pickup last Tuesday (7/31) from Tower Hobbies in Champaign IL and by last Friday (8/3) at noon, there was a box with 3 of those kits on my doorstep here in Charlotte NC! Less than $19.00 per kit, no sales tax, and free shipping to boot! I was in the local Hobbytown USA last Monday (7/30) and the son of the owner didn't know if or when the kit was going to be in, so much for supporting the LHS! Wal-Mart having models doesn't do much for me unless they are marked down to $5.00 because they probably will only have a small selection and I would be looking for parts vehicles.

Keep track of everything you get reimbursed for by the insurance company and for the things you don't, try to get fair and accurate values as you may be able to write them off on your income taxes. The lesson here for all of us is to inventory everything of value, have those family heirlooms appraised, and keep everything on a flash drive or DVD in a safe deposit box in case you ever have to file a claim. I, like many others, probably have about half of my worldly possesions inventoried and the rest I wouldn't be able to tell you a model number or value of. I will begin work this weekend and make sure I am up to date with a list of my valuables. It is sad that there are people out there that want to use Craigslist as a means to rob people of their hard earned possesions but nothing surprises me anymore.