mikemodeler

If they are ones you desire, then the prices are very reasonable and I would buy them. I agree with Casey on his analysis of the kits you have listed, but remember that is only an opinion. As Ian stated, look for kits that you can buy and source various parts from as well. I have some kits that their only purpose was to furnish a set of wheels/tires or an engine. Everything else became trade material or the body was used for practice with the airbrush. Let us know what you end up purchasing.

Stopped in a LHS yesterday and they had this kit on the shelf in the Revell packaging for $22.49. Sounds like you found a good deal and if you are going to build them, then get em!

Andrew, give it a try and see what results you get. It goes without saying that you should try a few test pieces before hitting a body, just to check to see if there any issues or adverse reactions.

Gimme my bullet, Andy!

I have bought kits from Tower Hobbies and Modelroundup with no problems. Tower Hobbies will run specials like $10 off a $50 order and with the cost of kits today, that is like free shipping on 2-3 kits, so it pays to wait to order kits in bulk. Your best bet is to shop each site and see if they what you want and at what price. Some places will also ship paint and other supplies with your order so in the end you have to consider that as well.

I went with real, either Harry is getting soft or I am getting better at this game! Will have to wait until Friday to find out if my streak is alive.

Awesome looking build and some serious scratch building and machining skills! I will be watching this one so let's get it done!

Are you referring to the Revell Can-Do Wrecker? It was an expensive one ($100+, but not $250!) and was a triple axle rig. I don't think it is currently in production but can be found. Unless there is a kit from Europe I am not aware of, the Revell kit is the only one in recent memory that was a triple axle.

I will get in here before CrazyJim and say "I like shiny!" Nice job there Jonathan, keep em coming!

Like many have stated, I buy when the opportunity presents itself but am cautious to not spend the grocery or mortgage money! My wife is understanding of my hobby as I don't have any others but would like to see me thin out the stash. I am fortunate to be able to buy most anything I need, but I am always on the lookout for a bargain like everyone else and really have enough "stuff" to last me a good long while. I will be reducing the stash and funneling that money into a spray booth later this year, mostly because I have realized that I have too many models and I need to start building more and hoarding less.

I spent some time today working on my airbrush set up, adjusting the pressure and getting the moisture trap and regulator set to an acceptable level. I took some time and did some test sprays on a couple of bodies I had sitting around and used some leftover acrylic paint from a project with my daughter. I am waiting on either building or buying a spray booth before I jump into the deep end using Donn Yost's method as I want to make sure I am not venting into the house! Show us your shiny stuff Jonathon!

Great topic Doc! Growing up in the 60's/70's, I had neighbors who were older that had some influence in my vehicle tastes and build choices, both then and today. There were the two brothers down the street who were always working on and tweaking their '68/69 Camaros. Fords and Mopars were not real popular in our neighborhood and therefore I am mostly a GM kinda guy. There was a neighbor who had several Chevy 4x4 pickups with snow plows and those days helping him with them also formed some of my build choices along the way. I wish I could say that the last 25 years working in the automotive parts field, mainly on Import vehicles, has me wanting to build BMWs and Mercedes but I would rather build my 12th '69 Camaro! Having moved from Chicago to Charlotte 7 years ago hasn't changed my build tastes, although one of these days I will build one of the many weathered cars and trucks that I see on my travels through the Virginia and Carolina countrysides!

Shane, A couple of questions here: 1. How old is the paint? I suspect that over time a can could lose some pressure. 2. Was the paint subjected to extreme temperatures? A thorough shaking of the can is necessary and if it was stored in a garage over the winter, you may need to "warm" up the can by putting it in warm water to get the paint flowing properly. 3. Did you do a test spray on a scrap body before hand? Whenever I am using paint for the first time I always do a test spray, just to make sure it flows correctly and the tip isn't clogged. A tip a car painter friend taught me years ago! Hopefully you can figure out what the problem is/was and move on. Frustrating to have paint problems!

That could explain the back problems, my toilet ain't set up for reading!

We had a Winnebago and if I remember correctly, a basic bright white would be correct. The big W on the side was more of a mustard brown or gold color. Keep in mind that we kept ours outside and it tended to fade some over time. Friends of the family had a newer one and their W was green but it was smaller than ours so that may have had something to do with it. I would do some research and see if the colors were different for the different lengths or models (Brave, Indian & Chieftain).

Fisher snow plows were mounted to the trucks differently than the typical Meyer or Western snow plows of the same era. A friend of mine had a Chevy Blazer with the Fisher plow while my Dad drove a 1 ton dump with a Western plow. The brand depicted in these test shots is a Western and I am guessing that because Revell is in the burbs of Chicago, there were a ton of trucks to view for reference. Should be interesting to see what we end up getting. The last time a model kit came with a snow plow, MPC was putting them in their Jeep kits back around 1970.

I agree Casey, the final box art should be interesting to see. The snow plow setups for trucks from this era were frame mounted by extending the frame approximately a foot so the frame and hydraulic assembly could be mounted in front of the grille. The factory bumber was then bolted on to the frame extensions. Today's trucks typically use a "quick hitch" type setup where the complete plow and hydraulic assembly connects to the truck in a matter of minutes. This was something the plow manufacturers starting doing in the mid-90's, not sure what the exact reasoning is for the change other than helps keep the front of a truck clean looking. I suspect that the plow set up will resemble the one in the picture as it may be easier to design and mold. The picture is obviously photo-shopped as it sits on top of the bumper and the lights are messed up. I still think we will see this kit, probably not until late summer or fall. I have it on my wish list ( a case at least!).

Jeff & Nick- stop talking about Quonset pizza, you are making me homesick! Jeff- I was born and raised in Waukegan, moved out in '98 when it started going downhill. I get back there once a year and it is sad to see the town in such decay, I had a lot of great times growing up there! Nick- Dick Strang is probably one of the top shops in the area and you found it! Jeff, you can order Quonset pizza and have it shipped to your door, a lot cheaper than driving all that way! Thanks Mike

The prep work for painting resin is a little more involved than a plastic kit. Most resin casters include instructions on how to clean and prep the body before any body work or painting begins but a general rule of thumb is to soak the body in Westley's Bleach White to remove any resin release chemicals. Some casters will recommend using dish soap or rubbing alcohol, it is best to check with them before starting. As Pete mentioned, resin is a different animal when it comes to customizing and given the cost of most resin bodies, I personally would be hesitant to chop one up. If you have confidence in your skills and have the extra money, then give it a try. Best of luck!

Kenny is a great guy to deal with, met him at a show a few years back and he is one of us, a model builder! He is friends with Eric at P&P /Porky's Resin and they usually are set up close to one another at shows. His stuff is nice and hopefully he has some new stuff in the works!

Kirt, Let me know what you find out about the club, I would be willing to attend meetings when my schedule allows. As far as "The Rock", they will have a NASCAR sanctioned event this year, a Truck race this Spring ! Andy Hillenburg has worked hard to get that place back to it's glory and hopefully someday they will race Sprint or Nationwide cars there! Thanks to Dave for the info, hopefully the club can be saved!

Check out RPP Hobby, they have some large tire/wheel combos available.

I am thinking along the same lines Bruce but the difference for me is that there will be some local shows over the next 6-12 months that I can drag my stuff to and get a table. Like you, I really don't want to get involved with online selling and shipping, mainly because I travel with my job and don't want to put it on my wife to handle. Sounds like the best thing you can do is try emodelcars.com and see how that goes. I would definitely include shipping costs in your prices as it ain't cheap to ship stuff out these days. Besides, if you are dealing with fellow modelers, we should understand very well what you are dealing with. I think I will do the list and PM it to forum members when that day comes as I would rather see them end up in a good home. Let us know what you decide and how it turns out for you!

Paging Mr. Art Anderson, Paging Mr. Art Anderson, please pickup the courtesy phone, you have a call! I think Art can best answer this one as he worked for JL, IIRC and would be able to tell you in detail.

looks like a Foreign job but the dang blasted steering wheel is on the wrong side! You got me Harry, I will have to wait til Friday.