Snake45

You couldn't go wrong with that combination, and it could last you for decades. I finally bought a Paasche H last month--on closeout at Hobby Lobby for just $25! Haven't used it yet but I'm looking forward to it.

I still have quite a few I built between 1966 and 1970. Many are intact; others have been paint-stripped and are awaiting rebuild. Here's an original issue Monkeemobile I built in late 1966 or early 1967, and an original MPC '68 GTO I built in 1968. Both were disassembled, cleaned up, and repaired/restored/touched up as necessary a couple years ago, but they're basically just as I built them back in the day.

I see they're still available, but not from my default net diecast supplier, diecastwholesale.

My compressor is a Campbell-Hausfeld from Walmart, which cost less than $100 in 2002 and I think the same or a comparable model sells for even less today. It's loud, but no louder than the little Brown Speedy Sprayer I used for years, and the attached tank (I think it's 2 gallons) means I can turn it on, fill the tank (only takes 3-4 minutes), turn it OFF, and have plenty of silent air for most of my airbrushing sessions. (Leave it on and it will cycle back on when the pressure drops to IIRC 75 PSI, but 75 PSI is WAY more than you need for airbrushing, typically somewhere in the 20-35 PSI range, and the full tank will put out that pressure for many, many minutes.) The thing has been troublefree for 16 years and if it blew up tomorrow, I'd go buy another one. I've often said that the day I brought it home was the happiest day of my adult modeling life.

Wow, that looks great! I MUST have one of these!

Do you already have a compressor? What are you planning to use for an air source? I ask because I'm of the opinion (having learned from experience) that the air source is at least as important as the airbrush itself. I'd rather work with a second or third-rate airbrush (or even a cheap knockoff of same) and a GOOD air source than the finest airbrush in the world and a crummy air source. The set you're asking about seems to come with some kind of "mini compressor." I'm having a hard time imagining that it could be ANY good at that price.

Fabulous! I hereby award you your Black Belt in Snake-Fu. Actually, "Snake-Fu" might be insulting when talking about the work you've done here. You took far more time and went FAR beyond the detailing and work I typically do on a diecast. Well done, and what's next on the workbench from you?

Who makes that? I've never seen one. Might have to try to track one down.

Bullitt, like Kelly's Heroes, is a great movie to watch to spot all the future stars and familiar-faced character actors in supporting roles. Just off the top of my head, I can recall: Jacqueline Bisset Robert Vaughn Robert Duvall Norman Fell (Mr. Roper) Simon Oakland (you've seen him a million times; I think of him as the General on Black Sheep Squadron) Don Gordon (another face you've seen a million times) Justin Tarr (Rat Patrol) ...and I'm sure I'm forgetting a couple other notables.

Hmmmmmmm.... Looking at the calendar here.....

Got that mag today. FABULOUS article detailing all kinds of little things you need to know about/things you can do to improve these kits. Tim, you've got me in the mood to track down a Melrose Missile now!

Beautiful, and doesn't it feel great to bring one back from the dead? Well done and model on!

It's a levi-wheelie!

Very cool! Nice to see a '53 in some color other than white, and this shade would seem to fit into the '50s perfectly. Model on!

Very interesting--a short wheelbase Elky.

I stand corrected. I've never actually seen an AMT '64 Tempest kit and didn't know it was a LeMans. Thanks for setting the record straight.

IIRC the '64 Tempests had the taillights in the fender tips, like the '67 Chevelle. The Lemans and GTO had them in the rear panel. I believe the AMT Tempest kit has the correct Tempest taillights. I have a Polar Lights GTO I want to build as a late '60s hardcore street racer. Am considering turning it back into a Tempest 2DS, but not sure I'll go to that extra effort.

Agree completely. Well done and drive on!

Same story here, and only 2PM and 7PM shows on the 7th and 9th. Guess I'll just have to pop the tape in again.

It will, but he might have to work for it. The hood, for example, is not a drop-in fit. I tried it some months ago when I compared the two to see what the problem was with the PL kit, and IIRC it will need adjustment in both directions (length and width). As I recall, it's too much in one direction and not enough in the other. But it can be MADE to work if that's all you have to work with.

Oh I really like that. It's really got "the look." I wonder if I can do it from an Undertaker and a Jawbreaker body? (I wanna convert my Slingster body back to stock-ish and make a street rod out of it.)

Very, VERY nice! Love the color!

The frame looks more like the Revell Slingster.

The Johnny Lightning is the Polar Lights kit. Rick's dealing with an original 1964 AMT annual. I can tell from the correct shape of the roof (and the lack of the "banana bend" in the body).

Hadn't thought of that, but I don't leave it on long enough for that to be a problem. For example, this morning I masked off to shoot a black vinyl top on a body. Did the edges in tape and the rest in bag plastic. Shot the primer (Walmart flat black) a couple hours ago and I'm about to go down and shoot the color (Krylon Satin Black, shot from a foot or more away for texture). Should be able to unmask the whole mess tonight, or tomorrow at the very latest. One advantage to the plastic over paper towels or paper napkins or ANY kind of cloth for this is, no lint! I'm always on the lookout for static electricity problems, but so far have never had one. Maybe this kind of plastic doesn't generate it. I stick my left hand in another plastic bag and hold the body directly and don't get paint all over my hand, too. World's cheapest glove!