restoman

I bought a set of Excel bits from one of the tool-truck guys years ago, and they were pretty decent. Unfortunately, when I went into business, my tools got used and abused by those guys who didn't/couldn't/wouldn't care about someone else's investment and most of the numbered bits were destroyed in short order. I bought a second set and kept them hidden away, but they aren't Excel bits, and they're not nearly as good.

I asked the local Michael's manager about their lack of kits a while ago. He said the corporate reason is "supply chain issues", but in his opinion, it was due largely to regional managers needing their fingers in every store, and model kits being slow movers for them. I said "you can't sell if you've no selection" and he simply said "that's what i meant about division managers...".

Yup. I actually think I like dealing with glue bombs better than tackling a fresh, un-goobered kit. The result of a lot of years in the rust & resto end of things...? I've got a '72 Ventura GB that is slowly coming apart. The glass is toast, I'm sure, but I'm trying!

Resin, from Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland. Decently happy with it, it got pretty fiddly towards the end, trying to not knock of any parts with my meathooks while handling it. Comments always welcome!

Picked up a '70 T/A missing the 340 and wheels... Raided the hoarde for a Hemi and a Dana, along with some slicks, drag fronts and Centerlines. Single layer Chrysler Cool Vanilla paint and some custom-mixed Testors orange for the interior. Might add some longitudinal orange side stripes... No idea yet who Jim is, but I'm sure he'll have an identity when this one is done. Comments always welcome.

Nope, just stock-appearance. Norm's castings are fantastic. The front forks need a little work where the gauge cluster fits through the frame head, for a better alignment. A simple fix and it's a kit problem, nothing to do with Norm's work.

That's looking pretty good!

I'd be happy with it, too. Good work!

A-K Super Chrome with a coat of Future over top... i really liked the A-K by itself, but I was handling the bike so much fitting it together, I was starting to smudge the finish.

I think the card that came with it said it was originally available in the '63 Chevy truck kit, so it's likely an AMT based kit.

Resin, from Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland. It's going together, but what a fiddly kit...

I liberated some ideas from other folk's builds, too.

The final configuration of the interior tub. It's a tight squeeze fitting this into the somewhat stiff resin body, but it does fit! Due to the need to compress the sides inward to clear the wheelhouse on the body, I had to install the rear interior corners directly to the body. Once the tub is in there, the corners look great. No pics, but the body & tub fit the frame as they should, with the fenders lining up like a proper kit. A good bit of fitting, filing and teeth-clenching, for sure! Comments always welcome.

From Replicas & Miniatures of Maryland. A neat little addition for my diorama. Comments always welcome!

Picked this up a few years ago, along with the matching Matador kit. A fair bit of work getting a decent fit on a lot of pieces, but I'm happy with how things turned out. I cut down the grill and made it fit a bit farther forward for a more prominent look. Black basecoat, some gold pearl nail polish and topped with 2k clear. The gold pearl gives a bit of a bassboat flake look, perfect for a 70s street ride. Comments always welcome!

It's actually a nail polish. More of a light gold with pearl. At first, I thought the pearl effect was too big, but for a 70s street ride, it fits. Your build was the only one I could find in a Google search of the site. I love it! I have the Matador kit to accompany this one, but not sure if i want to get into it if it's anything like this one.

One of those '70s kits that don't fit together very well... But, little by little, it's going together. It should be pretty cool when done. Comments always welcome.

Stellar!

Nice work!

Back at it, scratching together an interior. I'm using the kit's dash board and front seat, the rear seat is from a die cast car. Floor & interior sides are home-built, and both seats have been narrowed to fit. It'll have storage pockets on the front doors, and some inside release handles. Thinking about power window switches instead of crank handles. Still need to cut down the rear seat height a bit. Fitting it all inside the body is a chore. I've used a lot of tape so far, holding it all together, fitting, modifying and re-fitting. Comments always welcome!

Very nice! I'd be happy with how that one turned out, too.

Now appearing in Under Glass...

Some custom touches here and there. Wide whites from the bin, wheel discs from Modelhaus tires. Vibrant Orange nail polish over light grey primer, with 2k clear for the gloss. Comments always welcome!