SfanGoch

It's an enamel solvent-based knock-off of Easy Chrome. Unlike Mirror, which requires at least 24 hours to dry (solvent evaporation) before handling, Easy Chrome is lacquer-based, dries hard and is safe to handle in 15-20 minutes. Mirror is ridiculously expensive, 40 bucks for 15ml (about 1/2 ounce). a 6oz. bottle of Easy Chrome costs $170. An equivalent amount of Mirror will cause $480 worth of damage to your credit card for a product which is inferior in quality to Easy Chrome.

The company is AMMO by Mig, owned by Jose "Mig" Rodriguez. Jose was the owner of Mig Productions, followed by AK Interactive. He left AK Interactive after a falling out with co-owner Fernando Vallejo (no connection to Amadeo Vallejo of Acrylicos Vallejo who, coincidentally, is a Jersey guy and started the company there in 1965, moving the company to Spain in 1969) and started a new company, the aforementioned AMMO by Mig. From Britmodeller: Alclad paints are sold by AMMO under the A-Stand brand. Therefore, any claims that A-Stand lacquers are superior to Alclad are nothing more than marketing B.S. since both are the same product.

Dollars to donuts, Peter Vetri, owner of Atlantis, has the toolings, minus the tires. Most likely, they were among the items obtained from the Revell U.S. warehouses during the liquidation sale. I wouldn't be surprised if he's working on new tooling for the tires and possibly the glass.

It costs more; but, Alsa Easy Chrome is the best on the market. Unlike Hyper Chrome, Alclad and especially Molotow Chrome ink, it doesn't require a clear topcoat to seal it, can be handled without rubbing off, never dulls and it looks like real chrome. Satisfied user since 2014.

Nice! The Testors 356 is a re-box of the Fujimi kit and is just as hard to find.

Tru-Color paints are excellent. Large and expanding range of automotive, armor, naval and railroad colors. They can be mixed and blended to create custom colors/shades. They are acrylic solvent-based, containing a small amount of acetone. That said, don't get creative by thinning them with acetone or lacquer thinner. From the Tru-Color FAQ:

The Metalflake kits command some major triple digit bucks. Every once in a while, you can run across one on fleabay for a really good price ($50-$80 range) because the sellers doesn't realize their relative rarity. The scarcest kits are the Newport and Imperial Crown. The majority available are really trashed out junkers, missing all of the important parts like hoods, engines, glass and most of the chrome, in the $100+ range. I was super lucky to have snagged the mint Imperial Crown for 79 bucks after I mentioned to the seller that he engine block halves were missing. When I received it, I found the parts inside the folded instruction sheet.

Revell produced two series of six 1962 Mopar kits, one (H-1250-H-1255) molded in colored styrene and the other (H-1260-H-1265) in Metalflake: H-1250/1260 - Valiant V-200 4 Door HT H-1251/1261 - Plymouth Fury 2 Door HT H-1252/1262 - Dodge Dart 440 # Door HT H-1253/1263 - Dodge Lancer GT H-1254/1264 - Chrysler Newport Convertible H-1255/1265 - Imperial Crown I've been lucky and snagged four: Plymouth Fury (Metalflake), Dodge Dart (Metalflake), Lancer GT (white styrene) and Imperial Crown (burgundy red styrene).

It's definitely a Revell. The odd points on the front and rear center edges of the roof are found only on the Revell Fury and Dart.

Fixing the lame hood moulding is fairly easy. Steve sent me a picture of his SMP '60 Bonneville hood a few years back because I wanted to correct it. I dug up the correction pic and annotated it with the steps. Using the SMP hood as a benchmark, the SMP moulding is 51 mm long. Trumpeter's is 45 mm, a difference of 6mm. 1. Carefully remove the spear. It's wrong in every way and it's simpler to make a new one from styrene strip or .016" aluminum sheet (to get that authentic metal look ?). 2. Measure and mark a line 4 mm from the rear tip of the moulding. 3. Measure and mark a line 2 mm from the front tip of the moulding. 4. From the 4 mm line, measure and mark a distance of 25 mm on the moulding. Draw parallel lines on both outer edges of the moulding and cut that entire section out. Once that is completed, cut off the 4 mm segment indicated in Step 2. Slide the section to abut the rear of the cut in the hood and cement in place. 5. Measure and mark a line 2 mm back from the front tip of the moulding. Draw parallel lines along the outer edges of the moulding from this line indicated in Step 3. Cut and remove this entire section. Cut off the 2 mm area from the front of this section, insert and cement the moulding tip to abut the cut. The two gaps increase the length of the moulding by a combined 6 mm, making the moulding 51 mm long, matching the length on the SMP Bonneville hood. 6. The last step is to fill in the gaps. I prefer to use Magic-Sculpt two-part epoxy because it has a smoother consistency and is easier to work with than Milliput and is better than attempting to jam pieces of styrene then trying to carve them into shape. It cures rock-hard and can be easily sanded or carved. Mix a small amount of Magic-Sculpt and insert it into the gaps. It's easy to manipulate while setting. You can use drill bits, burrs, micro-chisels or homemade tools to sculpt and adjust to match the shape/contours. When the Magic-Sculpt has cured, you can use, if you have them, 400 grit burrs, or 499 grit wet/dry sandpaper to make final adjustments to the shape. Fabricate a new spear and you're finished. It's not perfect; but, it sure looks a hell of a lot better than what it was originally.

Great looking build, Sidney. The colors definitely work, sort of like leather upholstery. It's a really nice kit when one puts a little effort into it. Steve, using either the SMP/AMT '60 Bonneville or the Revellogram '59/'60 Impala roofs as benchmarks, from front edge of the windshield frame to the edge of the rear window trim, the roofs of all three measure 51mm. The Trumpeter Bonneville roof is 49mm. To correct this, a few cuts need to be made on the Bonneville roof and tulip panel. 1. Remove the posts and the 1mm lip along the top of the window openings (bottom edge of roof) from the vent window all the way to the base of the C pillar. Next, cut across the roof to where the posts were located. 2. Measure and mark a parallel line 13mm from the outer lip of the trunk. 3. Measure and mark a parallel line 11mm from the outer lip of the trunk. 4. Measure and mark a perpendicular line (15mm long) from the front edge of the C pillar to line indicated in Step 3. Using a PE saw, cut along lines 3 & 4 to remove the roof section. Once it is removed, saw off along the line drawn in Step 2. This section is 2mm wide, the exact discrepancy between the incorrect Bonneville roof and that of the Revellogram Impalas and AMT/SMP Bonneville. When the Trumpeter roof section is attached to the tulip panel, there will be a corresponding 2mm gap at the top of the roof between the cut sections. Using Evergreen 344 (1.0 x 2.0mm) strip, or 2mm sheet to fill the gap, grind and sand to match the roof contour. If you prefer, you can mix fiberglass resin and microballoons instead. Just place a piece of tape on the top and fill in with the resin from underneath. Sand and adjust as with the styrene strip.

VMS Track Black or drop the chain in chlorine bleach.

That's a Revell H1252 1962 Dodge Dart 440 Four Door HT. Revell H1251 Plymouth Fury is a 2 Door HT. If you can find, or have, a junk Johan C-4162 '62 Dart HT or C-4862 '62 Dodge Dart Convertible, you can scavenge all of the parts to rebuild your body. The Johan glass and interior fit perfectly. If you have a Lindberg '64 Plymouth or Dodge, you can use the engine, chassis and suspension, which are more detailed than the Johan parts. Edit: My mistake. This is the Revell '62 Fury.

It's scheduled for two weeks ago. Don't be late.

Ugh! No disrespect intended; but, what is it with you guys? In the past month, I made two separate postings about the '57 Nomad. I even included Peter's reply to my email about its status; yet, nobody seems to pay attention or read previous comments because the same question keeps popping up. I guess his own words aren't good enough for some members.

Read my previous post. It's already an established fact.

The Skip's Fiesta Nomad is nothing more than a rebox of the original 1969 H-1260. All of the parts are the same in every reissue.

Reply to an email I sent regarding the '57 Nomad:

Brooklynese, as in the original Greenpernt form, soitenly! Sorta like a feline version of Leo Gorcey.

I dunno. Fmeep was fluent in English, Polish an Pig Latin.

Cats respond, and are attracted to, odd and unique sounds. That's why choosing a name is important. When Raven was a kitten, I had a debate with my ex about this subject. I told her I could come up with an unusual nickname to which he would answer because the way it sounded would get his attention. She didn't believe me; so, I told her to think of a word and see what happens. She tried about a dozen or so words without any response from him. "O.K. big shot, let's see what you can do." I said, "Watch this" and said, "Hey, Fmeep!" He turned to me and stared. I walked into another room and repeated. He walked into the room and sat there staring again. I told her to try it herself. She said, "Hey, Fmeep!" and he trotted back into the living room and stopped in front of her. "Smart_ass" was her response. From then, his official nickname was Fmeep. When we were at the ASPCA in the process of adopting him for my son in 2008, Joseph, who was six, asked, "Why is his name Raven?" Mom replies, "That's because he's black." I looked at her and said, "You're black (actually Spanish on her father's side, West Indian and Irish on her mother's); but, I don't hear anyone calling you Raven." The ASPCA volunteer with us had a nervous expression on his face. His eyeballs darted back and forth to my ex and me, not knowing whether he should laugh or keep a straight face. She comes back with, "Ha ha. That's funny. Wanna know what else is funny?" and whacked my neck brace (I broke my neck in a trucking accident the year before). I hope nobody gets their shorts twisted by this anecdote. My ex and I had, and still do have, a great relationship where we would always bust each other's chops in good fun and not take anything said personally. We're weird like that.

My son and I sincerely thank everyone for your kind words and reactions. The vet called me at 9:06 A.M. with the results of Raven's blood work. It was very bad. Liver cancer, reduced kidney functions and other terminal problems. He said that he needed to be euthanized as soon as possible. I asked him if we could still hold out hope to have him with us for another day; but, he said that Raven could die at any moment and his suffering would be over. I'm morally against this but we didn't want our baby to endure any further pain. As we prepared to take Raven to the clinic, I held him and he looked at me, opened his little mouth as if he wanted to say something and went limp. Watching our little pal pass away in my arms was one of the most difficult and saddest things I've ever experienced. An animal's love is unconditional and we saw that in his eyes as his soul passed into God's hands. Raven always knew how much we loved him and he returned that love a thousandfold every single day. Raven was a tough, yet lovable, guy and he went out on his own terms, being with those who loved him so much. Playing by his own rules, that is Raven.

Thanks, John. He's going to have great company. That's my son when he was eight years old in 2010.

A very sad day. Raven, aka Fmeep, our beloved cat pal, passed away peacefully in our arms at 9:40 A.M. this morning. He was much more than a pet. Raven was a true member of our family for 14 wonderful years. He was the swellest little buddy one could ever ask for. God made sure that he wouldn't suffer anymore and he'll have a grand time in Heaven. Our baby will always be with us in spirit.

It seems that you only expect figurative pats on the back from members commenting on your WIP. I gave you that three pages ago. You're awfully thin-skinned if you equate building tips as ripping your work. I don't know how or why you arrived at the conclusion that I was criticizing your efforts. Can you point out anything I wrote disparaging your work? You can't because I didn't. I didn't post anything critical about your build. I stated from the outset that I was offering tips for a future build, if that would be in the books for you. I wouldn't be able to give detailed suggestions unless I actually did the work described. How would I know that deepening the floorpan notches would remedy the chassis fit problem, hollowing out the engine block mounting points to lower the engine so the hood would fit correctly or the correct construction of the rear suspension to avoid fitment conflicts with the gas tank, differential and rollbar supports if I didn't do it myself? One can't make up those kinds of fixes unless one did them in the first place. You didn't consider them. I'm not a know-it-all. I just happen to know what I'm talking about through practical experience. I built the AM GS kit # 5000 when it was initially released in 1995 and it was a mess because I didn't take the time to fully analyze the various issues which frustrate many who have tackled this particular kit and make it somewhat of an ordeal to build. I have built others since then and learned from previous construction mistakes; therefore, I have a 27 year head start in remedying the annoying quirks I found with this kit before you decided to build it; and, as I previously said, I offered you suggestions and tips to allow you to build it relatively problem-free by avoiding the same mistakes which I, and others, have made. It's your prerogative not to post any more updates on your progress. You'll just miss out on getting helpful suggestions from other members who could offer other construction tips which could reduce, or eliminate, any extra work you might consider.