mikemodeler

Are they selling them in one lot or individually? There are some nice OOP kits there that would be nice to have, some are harder to find than others, others are more common. Be careful to not get caught up in the bidding frenzy and over pay for some plastic. If you have a list of what is being auctioned, I would recommend doing some research before you lay out cold hard cash. Best of luck and be sure to tell us what you got!

I grew up in a union family and my Father has never owned a foreign automobile( well, if you don't count the Chevy that was built in Canada that is!)and therefore I had a love of American made cars like most kids from the '60s. In 1980 I went to work at a Mercedes/BMW dealership and learned to appreciate German engineering and how well those cars were built. The same dealership also sold Chryslers and I think most folks would agree that the early '80's were not the best of times for the Pentastar and I got to see first hand the difference between a "foreign" and a "domestic" vehicle. I personally bought Chevies and Fords up until last year despite working in the automotive field selling replacement parts for import (foreign nameplate) vehicles since the mid-90's. Some of it was a preference for a certain type of vehicle, some of it was because of a great deal. The reality of it all is that last year when we traded in our 5 year old Chevy Equinox on a 2 year old Hyundai Santa Fe, we got a car with more "domestic" content by purchasing a "foreign" vehicle! Today, like it or not, the foreign vehicle manufacturers employ more Americans than the domestic vehicle manufacturers. Some states that could never attract the Big 3 to build a car assembly plant now have several foreign plants. The quality of the vehicles on the road today have greatly improved and as evidenced by the Toyota recall last year, no one is immune to having problems. (I still think the whole gas pedal problem was overblown as a means to help the domestic companies, much like blaming Ford for the Firestone tire issues from years ago) As Double D put it, drive what you like, especially if it fits your needs!

Nobody has mentioned the black helicopters flying overhead, I wonder why???? One thing is certain, the world is changing (in many aspects)and there are many theories and explanations as to why.

I just got my renewal too (July '11) and the April issue should have been delivered already. We are waiting on the May/June issue. The April issue is the one with the Old Time Huckster and the SoCal Lakester on the cover (both red models).

You don't mention where this transaction occurred- was it on eBay, eModelCars, or in the swap section here on the forum? Sorry to hear your story but hopefully thru PayPal you will get your money back or the product. There is a good trader thread in the swap section, you might want to post something there as well.

So Harry, you gonna trade that Mustang in on a Volt and get a headstart? I am sure we will see new technology in the vehicles we drive, I would just like to see some refinement of what is already available (CNG, Hybrid, etc) before we jump into the unknown.

That is coming along nicely but I agree that it needs to sit higher. Right now it looks like a pickup with a Topkick front end conversion. Maybe the chassis from the Ford Louisville would have it sitting right.

Kinda scary to see that devastation, especially in a place that typically doesn't see that type of weather. Hopefully the worst of the tornado weather is behind us but then again all they talked about yesterday was the start of Hurricane season! I was in eastern Virgina last week and saw some buildings and areas that were destroyed in a mid-April tornado outbreak. There was an elementary school that had the back half of it leveled and there was an area of trees that looked like someone took a chainsaw and cut them all down.

These were in Northern Illinois as well. There are still a few of the original buildings in the area, just don't aske me for exact locations as some of them have been remodeled and might not be a true replica. Fond memories of my youth, picking up gas and Cokes at the Clark!

Like that is going to happen! When was the last time a tax was eliminated in this country? How many times have we been fooled into that scam? A tax gets eliminated and before you know it, we have a "surcharge" or a "fee" added to the bill! What happens when California wants to charge more than New Mexico because they need to balance their budget? Per Jarius's request, I have edited my comments and his original statements. For the record, I did not change any of his words.

"I'm from the government and I am here to help." One of the three biggest lies ever told!

Like Rob said, some great points have been made here in this topic and it will be interesting to see where we do go over the coming years. What will be interesting to see is how the government finds the money to pay for roads as the demand for gas declines. It was recently discussed in DC that maybe a move to a mileage tax would be a better way to collect funds for roads in place of fuel taxes as the slumping economy and higher fuel prices have resulted in lower revenues. The reality of it all is that fuel taxes ARE a use tax- the more fuel you use, the more taxes you pay. A mileage tax is the same thing, just called by a different name. Don't be surprised to see a mileage tax imposed at some point in the very near future as electric and other alternative fuels become more commonplace. It will also probably result in another new government agency being formed to track the miles driven by consumers and we all know how well that will probably work.

The newly re-issued stock Revell '67 Chevelle kit is out and you could source the taillight assembly from it. I agree that having the stock & custom as an option is the one thing they missed in that kit. Back on topic- that is one nice looking Chevelle and that paint is killer!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with Mark, the buying public will dictate to a large degree just where we end up. The government will try to "guide" us to a certain point but like most things, we will use our spending power to decide what our future will look like. As someone who has worked in, on and around the automotive field since 1980, I have seen many changes to the automobile as well as the industry. The biggest challenge in the long term is finding qualified technicians to service the ever growing complex systems that are a part of a modern vehicle. Many high schools have dropped auto shop as a part of budget cuts as well as difficulty in finding instructors and students to be a part of the cirriculum. It takes an incredible amount of training and investment in tools to be able to properly service a modern vehicle, despite some perceptions that it is easier with the diagnostic tools available. I remain hopeful that I can get another 20 years out of this industry as it has been fun and I enjoy my job but it will depend on whether or not the independent repair facilities can continue to service vehicles.

Do you mean your 5th model this month or ever? That looks great and nice smooth finish on the paint, i sure wasn't getting them that smooth on my 5th try. Keep them coming!

Especially with the way the streets are in Chicagoland!!! Luckily with the nice weather here in the South, you can see nice cars almost year round. There is a very nice restuarant nearby that hosts Saturday AM car shows and recently it was full of Ferraris. It is not uncommon to see newer high end cars around here, few muscle cars except for late model 'Stangs, Camaros and Challengers.

There were some diecast versions of WWII era Power Wagons. I think there is a resin version of the Power Wagon too, check with Star Models as I believe he had a listing for them. To the best of my knowledge, there has not been a 1/24 or 1/25 models of the Power Wagons. There might be some 1/35 versions in the military section of a LHS or a Hobby Lobby.

Shrub is the nickname other drivers gave him because he is the younger brother of Kurt Busch. A shrub is a smaller bush...Get it? I agree that if Shrub had raced against Dale Sr., he might be a different person.

Matt, the only comparison that I made between Shrub and Dale Sr. is the ability to take an ill handling racecar and make it a winner. Personality-wise, they are worlds apart. Like I said, he can flat out drive a racecar and wins at all three levels of NASCAR racing. I am not a Shrub fan, I started following NASCAR in the '70's thanks to Richard Petty and really became a fan in the early 80's watching Dale Sr. I was at Daytona in '90 when Dale was half a lap away from winning when he ran over some debris and Derrick Cope won his only race. NASCAR racing isn't the same since Dale died, at least for me, and even though it is race weekend here in Charlotte, I will probably avoid watching the race because I don't find it as fun as I used too.

The vision of the music video of "Whip it" entered my head as I read that! Nice place you all have there, that is some basement Jeff, I guess the resin casting business is really paying off!

I will chime in here with a couple of comments. 1. I had tried to purchase most of my resin at shows as I felt that was the easiest way to see the product and ensure that I was going to like it and get it. All of the Dencon/Lookout product I have bought has been at shows, and like was mentioned earlier, his '69 Chevelle wagon had caught my eye. I think for now I will wait. I have recently bought more resin items from other online resin vendors and have been pleased overall. 2. While it was mentioned that a resin vendor should have sufficient on hand inventory before offering it up for sale, I think that is a stretch for most of them to undertake. If you are offering small resin detail pieces, it might be a viable idea but do you think that should hold true for a trans kit or resin body? It might take $20 (or more)of resin to cast a body and I do not think it is realistic for someone to cast 5 or 10 bodies in the hopes that they are ordered. Again, for most of the casters out there, it isn't about getting rich, it is about offering something not necessarily available. 3. Much like the "Good Trader" section, maybe a section on resin casters is needed. Obviously it would need to be policed so it doesn't result in bashing but some type of feedback could help us all. As was mentioned, all one has to do is ask a question here about a caster and usually the forum responds with answers (good and bad). 4. I never send off money to a new caster that I wouldn't be willing to lose otherwise. Sounds crazy but if I send $20 to someone that is new to the biz, I know that I have a 50/50 chance of seeing the product. I have been lucky in that I have yet to get burned but I think part of it stems from being cautious about whom I do business with. 5. I do hope that Dencon can get things turned around as I do like his product but like others before him, he may have done himself in with poor customer service. Sad if that happens, but not can't blame customers for avoiding a bad situation. 6. I am appreciative of the efforts of those casters I have done business with as most of them do it as a sideline. I can't say that I have any "bad" product, just some that may be better than others. I have ideas of some things "I think" would be appealing to others but until I could devote the time and resources to ensure their success, they will remain ideas. This thread has been great for many to express their thoughts without too much bashing, let's hope it will continue to be that way.

Thanks for starting this topic as it rings true for ALL of us modelers. As someone who resisted using BMF for years, I used Lady Trial and Error on a couple of cars before I tackled a 57 Chevy, something that I needed to build confidence in before trying. I find myself today frustrated with some of my builds even though I have been building on and off since 1972. There are days when gluing two engine blocks can take forever but that mirror like paint job is a snap! I do hope that anyone who is in this hobby takes this topic to heart, young or old, and realizes that we all had to learn how to do the many tasks involved in building a model.

it has been reported that here in NC that the penalities for "Shrub" could be hefty. Typically reckless driving at nearly three times the posted speed limit will result in a 30 day suspension of your license, regardless if you are a NASCAR driver. I am sure he will have a good lawyer help him plead his case but expect Joe Gibbs to weigh in on the matter and I would bet money that he does some public speaking about the dangers of driving reckless as a result. Like him or not, the kid can flat out drive a racecar. I think he is a bit pompous and quite arrogant and therefore not a huge fan of him but I do admire how he can take an ill handling car and run it. He does remind me of how Dale Sr. drove and maybe that is why some folks don't like him.

Marshall, I would contact the advertisers in the magazine and see if there is interest in casting your body. The cost can be expensive, and there might be some work needed to the master in order for it to be cast. I would contact the following: Bandit Resins Motor City Modelhaus I have bought stuff from these folks and they are all top notch!

somebody could be pinching the internet hose...that happened here the other day!