Snake45

Nice job on what can be a difficult kit in a couple areas (which is why I've never finished mine). Well done and model on!

They're from the kit. I just painted what was there.

Just for fun, I photographed the model with the cover of the May '68 Car Craft with a similar '55 Chevy MP drag wagon as background.

I just realized--I never posted the final "Under Glass" pics of this thing. So here it is. The idea here was to build a typical “little guy” NHRA Modified Production class racer based somewhere in the 1969-1972 time period. Kit is the AMT '65 Chevelle station wagon and one of my goals was to build it as close to out of the box as I could stand, using the kit parts whenever possible (modified if necessary), even if these weren't the very best parts I had on hand. Everything you see here is from the kit EXCEPT: *Hood lump—Cut down and modified from AMT '72 Nova. *Carb velocity stacks: AMT '72 Nova. *Header collector tubes from aluminum tubing and header mounting flanges from sheet styrene. *Tunnel ram intake manifold from parts box, modified to fit small block Chevy. *Deep sump for oil pan made from laminated sheet styrene. *Hurst shifter scratchbuilt from Evergreen sheet styrene and plastic rod. (Full build details here: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=94431 ). *Side windows made from “throwaway” clear plastic pie cover. *Decals from three sheets from the parts box, plus the kit sheet. The original plan was to paint it a solid dark or “royal” blue like a $39.95 Earl Schieb paint job using generic or truck fleet colors, but the Krylon paint I used for this didn't lay down to suit me so I stripped that off with rubbing alcohol and went with Testor Model Master Nassau Blue, which I'd bought for another project and then decided I didn't like the color for that. But turns out that Nassau Blue is a factory '65 Chevy color, the Testor rattlecan color is darn close to it, and the flat finish of this line of paints does a nice job of replicating four-to-seven year old factory paint that spent its life parked outside and didn't see a whole lot of wax. GM cars of this type were notorious for rusting through in the lower rear fenders and sometimes the rocker panels, so I simulated some “rust repair” in these areas using, ironically, Model Master Rust paint (airbrushed). I was tempted to do more of this but there's always the danger of going overboard in this sort of work so I left it at this. I can always add more later if the mood strikes me. Hood lump was cut from the hood of an AMT '72 Nova Pro Stock, reversed, reshaped with filing (the top front corner, formerly the top rear corner, is now paper-thin), and cut down to a scale 7”. Painted satin black to match the primer finish these sort of things usually came in. I have about four hours or so reworking and detailing the front end. The grille and bumper come molded together, with a chrome strip between them. On the real car, there's sheetmetal between the grille and bumper below the headlights, and then it's open in the middle section, so I drilled and filed that out and then painted the sheetmetal areas. Chrome windshield and side window trim were done with a silver Sharpie (Cheap! Fast! Easy! What's not to like?), and the body chrome emblems were done with good old Testor Chrome Silver and a small paintbrush (from Walmart, if you can believe it—one of the best detailing paintbrushes I've ever owned). Main references were the May 1968 issue of Car Craft magazine (“SPECIAL MODIFIED PRODUCTION ISSUE!”) and the 1971 NHRA rulebook. Full “workbench” build article with engine and interior pics can be seen at: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=93345 Thanks for looking and comments/questions welcome.

Yes.

I think all those, except the Monogram, are of the White M3 (or variants such as the M16). The Monogram, in 1/32, is the only IH M5 I know of. Shouldn't be too hard to do a White to IH conversion if one wanted, though. Squadron has a nice book with good drawings.

I think when they started that series they said they'd be going up to 1968. But I'm not sure they're doing them in order.

Interesting! I'm gonna have to take another look at mine. I've been mainly playing around with the Coddington and orginal Switchers issues of the kit, don't think I've ever dug deeply into the Graffiti version.

From what I can see of the front fender, it looks more like the International M5 than the White M3. This is what the Monogram half-track kit is. IIRC most of the Internationals went to Russia while we used the Whites. Is it fairly complete? Enough of it there to restore? Restored, it could be worth as much as a good vintage musclecar. Hell, it's got a good deal of value just as it sits. This is a VERY cool thing you have!

Yeah. You might need another set of front radius rods too, I forget. As far as that kit's frame, it's pretty basic and doesn't bear much resemblance to a real '32 Ford's. So you can't really make a good open-wheel highboy out of it (I'm doing one of mine as a drag Altered, and another as a fendered Gasser). Shouldn't be too hard to whip up a scratch frame out of Evergreen styrene strips (they have some that are about the right size) and do an Altered or something of the sort. I think I'm gonna use one of the spare front axles on an AMT '32 roadster I'm also planning to do as an Altered. Maybe the extra rear axle too, dunno yet.

The new (January 15) Hot Rod Deluxe is out. Bought it at Walmart this morning. Looks like some good stuff in it. Featured drag year is 1963.

Very nice! I'm not a fan of that '65 GM purple paint but there's no denying you've built a fine, fine model that showcases it quite well. Of course we've come to expect no less from you, Ron.

I really like where you're going with this. You're really capturing the look and "feel" of these things much better than many "gasser" models I've seen over the years. Drive on!

As to carbs, most of mine are covered by air cleaners so I don't get too upset about lack of detail on them. I'll pass along one tip, though: I've found Model Master Jet Exhaust to be an excellent color to use on factory carbs. It's kind of a steel gray with a definite goldish cast to it. Great stuff and one bottle will last for years. On the general subject of "most unrealistic part," put me down for tires. Most model cars are sitting on perfectly round tires (what I call the "tippy toes" effect) whereas in real life, tires have a significant "flat spot" contact patch. For model airplanes there are aftermarket tires available with this flat spot molded in (though it's usually overdone), or you can just file it yourself into the hard styrene wheels/tires. Difficult to flat-spot model car vinyl or "rubber" tires and most people--including me--don't even seem to try very often. I'd definitely do it if I could come up with a good, foolproof way, as I don't spend all that much time pushing my little toy cars around on the table making "vroom vroom" noises.

Pretty cool! The cars look about 1/32. Too bad they didn't make the thing in 1/25 so you could have run your models through it.

Jantrix, I found I took some pics of that diecast when I first bought it. Shoot me an email and I'll send them to you--looking at it, I'm not sure these parts would work any better than the kit parts but you can take a look and see what you think. SnakeACP45@aol.com

I'm pretty sure some of the custom stuff like the grille in the AMT '65 Chevelle Wagon and El Camino will work on the Revell '65 Chevelle. I'm thinking seriously of building such a custom (perhaps using the rear panel from the AMT dirt track backbirth, which is kinda custom-y looking).

Yeah, the Milner car is basically the old MPC Switcher, but now with a chopped top instead of the original's unchopped. The AMT "Coddington" '32 Ford is also the same kit (now molded in dark red) except the only wheels/tires are now those big goofy "modern" things. I'm building mine as a '60s Altered, with some suitable wheels and tires of course. These kits are actually pretty decent "parts mines" for rod parts. Two complete front axles, etc.

I've got the "cheap" Guillows kit of the O-1 (Cessna L-19), and then a nicer one by Sterling or somebody. Dunno if I'll ever get either one together. Come to think of it, I've got a U-control kit of the L-19, too. Solid balsa fuselage and wing IIRC. Have to dig that thing out--haven't seen it in years. I bought one balsa and tissue kit that had alternative directions in it for if you couldn't get wood cement and dope anymore. I forget what they said to use instead.

Yeah, back when all the cars didn't look exactly alike except paint.

Kinda cool! Wasn't there a car wash toy back in the '60s, or am I imagining that? I have a vague recollection of such a thing.

Are you talking 1/25? At a flea market not long ago, I bought a slightly distressed diecast '70 Chevelle. It doesn't have the SS on grille or rear bumper. I believe it's a Classic Metal Works kit, on which these things were handled as decals, and whoever built it didn't apply the decals. The parts MIGHT fit the AMT kit if that's what you're building. I can check and see if they'll fit, if you're interested. If they do, maybe we can work out some kind of deal. Don't forget you'll need a non-cowl induction hood, too. Can't help you with that.

The FC Falcon has the teardrop hood. I THINK the headlights are blanked off on the grille, too, not sure about that. I think rear bumper and taillights would be okay, as would the windshield (prolly have to cut that free from the back window). You might have better luck finding the parts you need at Modelhaus. Good luck with your project!

I believe the real one is a street car created about a decade ago by either Hot Rod or Car Craft magazine to have the look of an early funny. The Moon tank isn't for gas, it's a radiator overflow tank IIRC. Darn nice model, BTW. I wish I'd built it--my highest compliment.

Daydream Believer, Monkees, written by John Stewart. (Not THAT John Stewart.)