Mark

You don't know if you lost it by $1, only that the high bidder's bid was higher than yours at the end by that increment. He might have been willing to pay a lot more than that, it's just that nobody stretched him out more than you did. I've never used a sniping program, but on the other hand I try to throw my bid in as late as possible. You only have to be high bidder for one second, just as long as it's the last second.

Back then, the pro stock (and most funny car) kits were based on stock annual kit bodies. When the bodies were updated to next years' cars, the chance to reissue the drag version was lost. The Leal Duster body is now a '75-'76 Dart Sport.

And, should you meet them, they won't want to shake hands with you...

The body from the '32 sedan was issued once in the mid-Seventies as a stock/street rod kit. The interior, chassis, fenders, etc. from the Phaeton kit were used in that kit.

Revell's kit came first ('63). I'm pretty certain AMT's double kit was first issued in '64. There's a photo out there of John Mazmanian's Willys in front of the AMT offices in Michigan. It's been said that AMT originally planned its Willys as a replica of the Mazmanian car. The Willys in the AMT double kit is nothing like that car, though.

Things have definitely changed over the years; I guess I'll be finding out again. In 1978, you "had to have" a resume that stretched into two pages, even just out of business school. Now, it's "keep it brief" at all costs. Last time around, I had people at employment agencies telling me that giving two weeks' notice was an "outdated" concept. That wasn't one place, which I would have considered unusual. If I need to do so, that is definitely still happening, as I've got a number of benefits that don't kick in unless proper notice is given. Too, as far as I'm concerned, it's just the right thing to do.

Do people still wear a suit to a job interview, or is that making a comeback? I guess it comes down to the position. I didn't wear one last time around, in 2005. I'll be finding out again soon...

The Falcon is one of the most heavily altered kits in this series. Some of them could be returned to something approaching "stock", but for a Falcon I would try to find a rebuildable stock kit, or see what is available in resin.

The '49 Ford engines (both the flathead and the Cadillac) have the axle hole eliminated. Ertl did this about 25 years ago.

The Sturm car was a '64, later it had a '65 front clip. I believe he later cut that car up and used its frame as a starting point for his first Corvair funny car. Malcolm Durham likewise probably had a '64 turned '65, but he's overlooked in terms of subject matter, except maybe in the case of his Corvair. Another guy to look into might be Pete Seaton. He also had a AWB Chevelle, I believe he was the son of a GM exec so his may have started out as a Z-16.

I'm pretty certain the hood on the right is from the AMT Blazer/GMC Jimmy. The pickup hoods never had a cut line on the underside.

There are three or four Dodge logos included for the tailgate, in different colors. "Custom" scripts are included on the decal sheet also!

I'm not 100% certain as my "earlier" pickup kit has been messed with a bit, but that issue does include a three-carb intake that is designed for a flathead application. I believe the stock cylinder heads are included too (not everyone ran finned aluminum heads back in the day). The headers in that kit are three-into-one on each side, but they attach to the ARDUN heads and not to the block as they should on a flathead. The port spacing might not match up with the ports on the block also. The newer (yellow) truck does have the better parts. It may still have the flathead three-carb intake, but I'm not certain of that.

#3 are definitely from the G&R Pinto. That's the only kit they were ever in. #4 might be the fronts from the Monogram Tom Daniel Dragon Wagon (reissued as the Circus Wagon). #5 (the small one) is from one of several AMT '61 or '62 compact car kits.

First version has the truck on the box with scallops, whitewalls, and flipper caps (forget the color, I just took the box downstairs). It's a Monogram-branded kit, "Custom '50 Ford Pickup". Second version is Revell 85-7203, yellow truck on the box, " '50 Ford F-1 Pickup 2 'n 1". The second version includes some larger diameter custom wheels, but also still has the flipper caps and whitewalls. The ARDUN heads in the second version aren't terrible, still I wish Revell had done a better one when they were still doing variations on the '32 Fords...

Yes. The '23 roadster shares some parts with the delivery van and depot hack (another one-shot issue). The rod version chassis parts were shared with yet another one-shot kit, that awful, awful '34 Ford three-window coupe...

The first version of the custom pickup DOES include a flathead intake for the ARDUN conversion. That kit also has headers with three pipes on each side. The rocker covers also have one corner lopped off, to fit the flathead's upper radiator hoses. The second version (yellow truck on the box) does have different (better) head/rocker cover units, a different intake manifold with ports that extend to the heads, and headers with four pipes on each side. I stand corrected on the intake, as I hadn't looked at the newer version prior to posting.

Besides the drive-in airport, I'd be surprised that the Renault actually ran long enough to get there...

The Chevelle has been the Modified Stocker dirt track car since the early Seventies. No going back with that one...

The Revell Chip Foose '67 Charger has a set with "Mopar HEMI" below the plug holes.

With a 1:1 ARDUN you would of course need to change intake manifolds, but I'm pretty sure the Ford pickup kit still uses a flathead intake with the ARDUN heads. One more reason we need a correct ARDUN setup in 1/25 scale styrene...

The '62 Catalina parts would be the best starting point. The Moebius '61 chassis is pretty much a straight crib of the AMT kit at a slightly higher price. Anything else that might fit won't be as accurate as even the original piece. I'd rather live with rudimentary detail with the correct configuration, than "more detail" that isn't as correct. Funny, I was looking at this last week from the flip side; that is, sliding the Catalina pieces under a '63 body shortened to Catalina spec. That swap does work (I didn't look at the interior because mine wouldn't be using a console). In general, the AMT Sixties Pontiacs do measure out pretty well. The Catalina/GP (regardless of year) has a 3" shorter wheelbase than the same-year Bonneville, and is also shorter overall by 7" (+/- a fraction of an inch).

Miss Deal has a very nice (ex-parts pack) 392, but the external parts are outdated for a late Sixties car (blower has a chain drive cover instead of a belt, etc.)

The Model King and Round 2 issues have more parts than the original SMP issue, because the annual was available as either a hardtop or a convertible. The newer issues have parts for both included.

As I remember, that stockpile was down quite a bit. I do remember seeing glass for early Toronados, the S/C Rambler, and possibly the '70 Eldorado last year...not much else. I bought other items in prior years, and am now glad I did.