[Farm Floater Truck 1/24th scale]

Thanks Randy...your work is just amazing.

[Farm Floater Truck 1/24th scale]

Randy...are the lines for the Compressor and primary/secondary fuel filters have crimped connectors?  How are they connected?

Your work is simply amazing!

[New project on the table, sure to be a “Thriller”]

Thanks guys!

Will it be an exact replica? Probably not but a helluva base for inspiration!

For example, the wheels and tires will be different and not as wide as I wanted but what I found is close.

I just really liked the original and that in itself is a lot for me as I was never really a huge MOPAR fan. That said, I do love custom modified cars.

[New project on the table, sure to be a “Thriller”]

So I was thumbing through the latest issue of Modern Rodding and ran across an ad for Amsoil Motor Oil.

The ad had a custom 70 Plymouth Satellite that tripped my trigger.

A little digging through the innerwebs produced Weaver Customs “Thriller”…

https://www.weavercustoms.com/thriller.php
 

So, picked up the recent 70 Road Runner and set forth making a few changes. Changes so far include:

• Dechromed the bumpers and modified as needed
• Modified the grill area
• Added rear deck spoiler
• Opened the side vents on the rear quarters
• Lowered the front suspension
• Improvised the rear suspension
• Modified the rear wheel wells

and that’s it…so far.

Here’s some mock up photos using TX3DCustoms “Work Emotion” ZR10 20x8 up front and 20x10 on rear. I’ll also eventually be using TX3DCustoms Hellcat under the hood.

 

still a lot to do!

[Server Migration]

19 hours ago, Dave Ambrose said:

No. Everything will (mostly) stay the same, we're just putting a new engine into the website. 

Supercharged coyote, Hellcat or an LS?

Hey...someone was going to ask it eventually!

[2K Clear advice needed.]

I had a similar situation once...I had mixed up too much Splash 2K clear for a project so I kept the mixed up remains.  When I went to use it, I gave it a quick stir and decided it was going to be like trying to spray glue.  I shot a quick email to Splash and they responded almost immediately.  if I remember correctly, they said that 2K Clear (once mixed) needs to be used within a day or so or it will thicken.

So this begs the question(s)...

1. Was it already mixed and sitting a while?
2. Have you used any or the contents of either jar?  I'm thinking the exposure to air might have caused issues.
3. How long ago did you purchase it?  I don't know what the shelf life is and curious to know since I bought some about 6 months ago in an attempt to "stock up".

Either way, I would contact Splash and ask them for advice.  They are great people to deal with.  Their product is so good that it's the only paint I use now for painting bodies.

Here's my Bronco painted exclusively with Splash paint and 2K Clear through a Grex Tritium TG 0.3mm Fan Spray tip...no rubbing or buffing needed!

[Back to the Future Delorean - Part I]

12 hours ago, FoMoCo66 said:

Nice! I'll be interested in seeing how you do the brushed stainless steel body. I wonder if you could cover the whole body in BMF then lightly sand it with a finer grit sand paper.

I'm thinking that would be a ton of work with BMF and potentially peel away from the body.

Just a thought, not sure how the result would be but I was thinking that once you remove the seams and clean up the body...perhaps sand the body in the direction of the brushed aluminum marks on the real Delorean with a 200, 400 or maybe even a 600 grit sand paper then lightly prime it and paint it with Alclad aluminum (or some other aluminum color paint).

You'd replicate the brushed aluminum texture/color and possibly come close to the real deal.

I would try it on a spare/scrap body or hood from any other kit (not necessarily a Delorean kit) first before screwing up the Delorean.  Try all 3 grits on separate parts of another scrap body to see what best replicates the original in scale.

I'm just sayin!

[MCW *Enamel* Paints]

I have some of their airbrush paints but I have not used them as of yet.

Now I also purchased some of their "Brushable" enamel paints as I was assured they were equal to if not better than Model Master brush paints.  Semi-Gloss black, Flat Black, Silver and a couple of others.

After using them with a brush, I found them to be too thin over primer to be "brushed on" and too thick to be airbrushed without thinning.  They are not, in my opinion, NOT brushable paints.  So I won't be purchasing any more of their "brushable" enamels.  BUT, that has been MY experience.

There are other options readily available.

['63 Riviera radical custom]

I absolutely love custom builds like this!  Only one word comes to mind with this Riv...

"AMAZING!!!!!"

[Revell ‘71 Plymouth GTX]

On 2/8/2024 at 6:19 AM, atomicholiday said:

Your grill looks great!   And the finished build is sinister.   Looks awesome. 

Thanks...been a minute since I viewed this topic.  I went the opposite route with the suspension...rather than raising the rear of the leaf springs, I left those the stock height but removed material from the front suspension to lower it about a scaled 1.5".  Using "Z" wheels meant a lower profile tire for the front and the lowered suspension along with the smaller tire profile gave it the stance I was looking for...

I also did the BMF trick and removed the paint on the valve covers for the ribs and "Viper" of the Viper engine I used...

Your build is looking great!

[Diorama Tip: DIY Sculptamold]

When I did our Racetrack in the basement, I used scrunched up newspaper and covered it with cheesecloth (about $6 for 45 yards) impregnated with Plaster of paris ($11 for 4 pounds dry).  I just cut strips of the cheesecloth and once it dried painted it green or tan depending on what the surface of the landscape was to be (grass vs. dirt) then sprinkled Woodland Scenics grass or real dirt saturating it with thinned down Elmer's white glue.

For chunks of rock, Woodland Scenics train track balast and in some cases. real pebbles

The result...

[Pictures placed on forum showing up for sale on the net]

not quite the same but similar...

About 3 years ago, I posted a Danbury Mint Cadillac that I reviewed for a magazine for sale on Ebay.  I included the review in the auction write-up to include my name.

A week after that sold (for $900+, mind you), a friend notified me that someone had in fact copied my auction "word for word" including my name, pictures and all in a separate auction with the only difference being the state he was located in and his user info.

I contacted Ebay and they took the auction down and kicked that user off ebay.  Sucked for him as 3 days into a week long auction, it was already at $600+  That user had a repetitive habit of doing that with other auctions, in some cases never sending anything out.

That was the last time I posted anything on Ebay

[Issue 223 - Honey, I shrunk the Big-T's]

I seriously loved Scott Colmer's article regarding Monogram's Big and Little T's.  With no offense to Scott, a little bit of background on how the Big T came to be.

Years ago, I had a standing column in Toy Cars and Model Magazine that was called "A 1:24 Hour Hobby" that was centered around diecast cars and trucks...NOT models.  I was also a collector of the Creative Masters Limited 1/20th scale diecast cars.  The 7 models that were done for the series had detail that was unheard of in the diecast industry.  It was also Monogram's first foray into highly detailed diecast.

To make a long story short, I did a feature article on the Creative Masters (CM) Series and that led me to the telephone of Roger Harney, the same person that Scott Colmer mentioned in the "Honey, I shrunk the Big-T's" article.  Roger not only provided me with info on the CM lineup gave me a ton of background on his career with Revell-Monogram.  From that day forward until his untimely death in 2014...the same year that he had planned to retire...Roger and I became fast friends and would talk for hours when he wasn't in China.  He was a master modeler that could build a model out of anything.  According to his daughter, her parents house was filled with highly detailed models.  I remember calling Roger once and he was in his office building a segment of a GATO Class sub that was to be over 5' long!

Roger's first "real" job was building models as per the instructions contained in the kits when he was some 18 years old, if I remember correctly.  His tenure at Monogram, and later with Revell-Monogram, would propel him through designing and later as the Excutive Vice President of RM Inc in charge of tooling and manufacturing.  Somewhere into the late 90's, early 2000's, he and 12 other executives around the world became co-owners of Revell-Monogram Inc.

Roger explained to me how the Big-T actually came to be...I think he said it was in 1960 or so, he was trying to sell the idea of 1/8th scale Hot Rod engines as a model kit in itself to the Monogram Marketing Team.  With the model car market really starting to take off especially with the Custom and Hot Rod models, Roger had the idea that modelers would love to have a large scale detailed engine to display along with the smaller scale cars.

Marketing didn't buy it, however, stating something to the fact that without the rest of the car, it just wouldn't sell.  That was a Friday afternoon.  Undeterred, Roger went home that night and by Monday morning, he had completed a full and accurate frame and driveline complete with suspension and articulating front end including wheels and tires.  That same Monday morning, the Marketing Team didn't like the idea...they LOVED it and Roger was tasked with leading the design of the rest of the Big-T (Body and Interior)

[⚰️ Kustom Creeper ⚰️]

That is badass!

[⚰️ Kustom Creeper ⚰️]

On 3/13/2024 at 4:25 PM, NotBoxStock said:

Here is a full write-up on my most recent build. https://notboxstock.info/kustom-creeper/ 

The link doesn't work

[I’m tired of blowing chunks!😡]

here's a couple of options from Micromark

Strainer Funnels

I have the Strainer Funnels and they work great, cleanable with anything including Acetone (my choice of airbrush cleaner...cleans anything from acrylic to lacquer including nail polish)

Paasche in jar strainer

[Tired of switching chucks in my pin vise]

On 2/11/2024 at 1:00 PM, Pete J. said:

I got tired of it also, but I took a different solution.  I bought 3 more pin vices when I found them on closeout at Tamiya.  You would be surprised how handy it is to have an extra or two around. 

I did something similar.  At last years Mid-Atlantic NNL, there was a vendor in the corner of the main room that was selling various tools and supplies.  I bought 6 pin vices for $10 from him and have various sized drill bits in each that are the most used on my bench.

[1986 Shelby Charger underbody color]

I owned a Plymouth Turismo (Plymouth version of a Charger) and as far as I remember, flat black would be correct.  But that is for the Plymouth variant of the Charger.  The Charger may have been different.

[Ist time using 2k clear]

42 minutes ago, Bill Eh? said:

I have the same Splash 2 part clear as well. The bottle of the clear itself, I believe is twice the size of the catalyst. Since it is Splash's product, then yes it is three parts clear to one part catalyst. Make the mixture first and then thin to a good consistency for airbrushing. Wise words from Mark indeed. Use good ventilation and wear a respirator mask if you have one.

No offense but yes the mixture is indeed 3 parts clear to 1 part Catalyst...HOWEVER...there is no need to thin Splash 2K Clear.  Once you mix it it is airbrush ready. 

Definitely wear a good respirator (not just a mask) as the catalyst WILL harm you.

This Bronco was painted with Splash paints...primer, paint and gloss 2K Clear over decals and BMF

[Texas 3D Customs]

30 minutes ago, George Bojaciuk said:

No… the kits are not sold separately. You order the engine and select your upper kit. Be it stock or aftermarket. Transmissions you already sell  separately, on some. This way you don’t have a custom engine that isn’t selling.

Again, just a suggestion.

i think get what George is saying, Charles.  Kinda like the Ford FE Cobra 427 engine I recently bought from you in 1/16 where you offered the transmission as either a C6 or Toploader.

https://tx3dcustoms.com/products/ford-fe-cobra-427

 

[9-Year Project - Chevy 3100]

So I have had a couple of emails asking what paint and clear coat I used on this.  The paint is Tamiya Acrylic Gloss orange thinned down and airbrushed. 

It is NOT clear coated, however.  I buffed it with McGuire's #7 wax and a buffing pad on my dremel (link to that process is below)

"The Schindler Method" (as named by George Bojacuik)

What is important to note is to use a variable speed dremel or similar and dial it down as slow as you can get using light pressure. If not, you WILL burn through the paint...ask me how I know!

[9-Year Project - Chevy 3100]

Thanks guys.  The longer it sat unfinished, the more it continued to gnaw at me to get it done.

[9-Year Project - Chevy 3100]

So I started this project 9 years ago after seeing an article for “Vicarious”, a 52 Chevy 3100 in a Street/Sport Truck magazine I spied on a grocery store shelf.

The original artist rendering from HPI Customs out of Canada (no longer in business) is below…

Below are pics of the real "Vicarious" Custom Chevy Pick Up...

So off I went on this venture and for the next 1 1/2 years worked on it getting frustrated at times and finally shelved it after a repaint.

I sealed everything up until about a month ago and finally got back to work on it.

The pictures below are the finished product based on the original inspiration of “Vicarious”

The engine is a straight stock LS1 from Texas3DCustoms. The bed is from a ‘96 Chevy P/U that was narrowed by .5” with a scratch built floor. I wasn’t happy with it so I made a cover for it.

I also didn’t like the frame/floor pans so I scratch built the frame and used a corvette suspension front and rear.

It’s nice to finally get this one completed. I’ve been kicking myself for not finishing it all the way. I had higher hopes of detailing this just a bit more but I just needed to get it done!!!

Enjoy the pics

 

[My 9-year Project…revisited]

DONE! Under Glass!

[My 9-year Project…revisited]

Almost done now…

Exhaust done (not too happy with it), drive shaft fabbed and installed, engine installed and plumbed as is the radiator but I still need to install the brake master cylinder and gas tank.