Can-Con

My Trans Am had a slightly oversize factory style stainless steel exhaust in it. Seems to work fine. I was looking at a '69 Riviera years ago where the dual exhaust didn't clear the back bumper, it shot the gasses up into the back of it. The rest of the car was solid as a rock but that bumper was completely rusted out from the fumes and humidity from the exhaust.

One of the big fires in Nova Scotia was caused by someone's wheeler catching fire.

Maybe your thinking of a different Mustang kit, Alan. The AMT '66 coupe is proverbially "old as dirt" and I'd know as it's as old as I am. ? It's a pretty simple kit based on the promos. One piece chassis and the rad wall is just one piece also. Shouldn't be any fit problems.

You forgot the AMT Ford Taurus. It first came out in what,, '88 or '89? A few years before the Revell Chevys.

I went out of my way to find one of these units for my Trans Am. Had it fully serviced and an AUX jack installed so I can play my phone through it if I want. Funny thing is, when these were new everyone took them out,, "factory junk" and replaced them with aftermarket units from Radio Shack or K-Mart. These were actually better quality then 90% of the units that replaced them. Delco always made a great radio and the cassette mechanisms GM used in them were made by Blaupunkt.

it turned out great, John.

The boot for the Eldorado is indeed flat, as Bill says. I made the one for my '74 Caprice with sheet stock covered with some masking tape for texture. I also did a hard fiberglass "parade boot" the same way but with thicker plastic. The real Caddy and Caprices used the same convertible roofs and boots Here's a few pics of the Chevy,, I never did paint the parade boot to match the car so it never got used. Note the filler piece added between the rear seat back and trim panel. This is the correct shape for these boots. Also remember, the windshield on the big GM convertibles has rounded top corners, not squared off like the hardtops and sedans.

The Firebird has been done. there was also a Camaro version but not exactly easy to find.

I haven't seen Bill post in years. I used to hang out with him and his gang when I went to the NNL East shows years ago. Used to occasionally see contest coverage with pics of his cars but haven't seen that in a while also. Anyone know how he is, assuming he's still with us ?

That's a cool old Caddy you don't see very often, Jay. You did a nice job on it. Too bad about the paint. Two cars I did last year did the exact same thing. The cracking didn't show up for a few days after I painted them. I don't know what happened. I used the same paints and techniques I've used with fine results many times. I see you used Tamiya paint for the color coats. I used the TS-13 spray for the clearcoat on mine over HOK pearls. seems the Tamiya paint is the common factor but again, I've painted cars in this exact same way before with no problems.

And just think, that old gluebomb would get at least over a hundred bucks on the bay now if you had kept it. ?

Yea, I've built them before too. Based on the "Blackjack T".

Um, you talking to me, Jack? If so, I consider the hood and tail gate to be understood to be included as they are body parts. The grille is in the last issue of the kit But you know what looks cool?? Years ago I cut the front off the '80s reissue of the Commando and replaced it with the front fenders and hood from the MPC CJ5. That looks cool. ? Looked like this.

Yea, I "THINK" you'd just need the right body. IIRC, all the other parts were in the last reissue of the Commando kit.

Doesn't matter. I want it because I had it as a kid. Nostalgia is a dirty mistress. ?

should work. ?

Not silly at all. Like I keep telling people, would you rather have a 1/2 dozen more common kits you won't get around to and don't have much interest in anyway or spend that money on one kit you really want? I think you made the right decision, Mike.

Here's another good shot,, Looks like it's kinda crimped a bit around the outside edge of it.

No problem John. I figured the mixup was because of both kits being '70 R/Ts. Easy mistake to make. As for the boot,, The real ones are flat, no height to them really. I'd just cut a flat piece of sheet plastic to the right shape and glue it down. Maybe add a bit of detail on the sides where it wraps down a bit between the seat and side panels. I did the same thing with my '74 Caprice convertible when I did it.

I'm hoping they'll reissue this one. I don't think it was ever reissued in this form although there were some spinoffs from it in the '70s and '80s.

This is SO SO wrong !! ?

Looks incredible. Love the pockets for the door hinges.

Very cool. ? I'm planning to one day do the same upgrades with an MPC '74 I have.

That kit first came out in '80 or '81 as the "Yankee Challenge'" when Lesney [Matchbox] owned AMT. and it was never a diecast, that was the Revell R/T. All the AMT '70 Challengers are the same kit with a separate hardtop piece. Not a bad kit really except for that separate top with the awful side window shape and the totally incorrect shape of the convertible boot. I have a couple and plan to use the chassis and underhood stuff from one to update an MPC '74 annual I have.

Jim, That kit is actually a '64 annual hardtop and the roof came that way. If you wanted to do that roof on yours, you could keep the vinyl texture if you like. All you'd really need to do is cut the opening back and add a thin strip to replace the drip rail. Since it's a custom, anything goes, right? ?