E St. Kruiser50

Hey Jairus GREAT TOPIC Here's my "2 Cents" . To me, from my experience, there's all sorts of levels and combinations of kit bashing and scratch-building. You can do a kit bashed car with scratch-built pieces, or a scratch-built car with kit parts and kit-bashed pieces. Like when I'm creating a never-released bodie style, like the Hollywood, or the Duesenberg SJ Airflow Coupe, I find pieces from any number kit's, in the case of the hollywood, 45 kits, cut up and glue stuff together to form an armature, like in sculpting clay with a metal armature inside for the clay to stick to, and then I can add body filler, and create a brand new shape. That's one level, to me, of scratch-building. Or you can do like Jerry Cardinal does, and build a body, frame etc, from sheet and solid brass stock. Or, what I'm going to begin to do late this summer, like I did in one part of my career, is to begin with a sheet of pattern wood, cut it up and glue it into a beginning shape, carve it into what I want with all the detail, as well as seperately create (Or master) bumpers, grill, and other pieces, using no kit parts, and make molds off everything, cast the parts in resin, and hand lay-up the body in a multi-piece mold made from the master, spray in gel-coat, and back it with thin glass "Veil Cloth" soaked in liquid resin. Body comes out thinner than most any styrene bodies, and is so much stronger, and ridged - and NO WARP !! Or, like when I worked at LANCER CO., maker of slot racing bodies in the 60's, I started with a dried block of plaster, that I mastered into a shape, and then once the plaster was completed, it was sealed with a primer, polished, then cast into Silicone RTV Mold Making Rubber. Aluminum filled resin was then poured into the hollow cured rubber mold, and this became the scratch-built "Mold" that was detailed and "Vacuum Formed" over in production. There are other types of scratch-building also, but I personally don't think there will ever be one definitive answer or a "UNIVERSAL STANDARD", because there will always be differing opinions, of builders and of coarse, especially by the judges of all the different shows in this country. A nice short response like "Art Anders....... "

Hey Manuel It amazes me how many guy's here are old enough to remember this stuff. It's really cool .

Hey Buddy HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY FRIEND 56 - WOW - JUST A KID STILL HAVE A GREAT B-DAY TODAY - I HOPE YA GET ALL THE TOYZZZ YOU WANTED AND MORE - dave

Thanks Tim and everybody, This is one of those times that really belong to every one of us, not just me. Thanks again Don, from all of us, for finding this and sharing it with everyone. We've all spent years enjoying and supporting this hobby to make it what it is today. I hope that together, as friends, we can all continue keeping this hobby fresh, alive, friendly, and exciting as the years continue to go by. God bless - dave

PRICELESS IS RIGHT, not so much the cover thing, but life itself. I have some of the best experiences and memories from the past, a person could have, but even more important to me is the friends I have been gifted with. No one, especially me, deserves the wonderful friends I have, who, more than anything else, help me be a more whole and complete person. No one ever achieves anything of value in life without the people most important to them, because we are all the sum-total of the people we surround ourselves with, and share our lives with. I am who I am because of my "PRICELESS" friends and family who love me, without them and my Faith, I am nothing, and life for me would be worthless!!!

Hi Don You're certaintly right about the "FUN". That's what it was all about back then. Ronny Brown, Joe Bernardt, and I were all friends first, and loved to build and compete against each other. We never cared who won, we'd just do better the next time and maybe win. NO EGO'S OR ARROGANCE back then. . The "TWO" big differences I see now after 50 years, is the average age of the builder's, being mostly adult now, as opposed to mostly kids back then. The second "HUGE" difference I see, hear and experience in this hobby, is the GIGANTIC ARROGANCE & EGOTISM by men way old enough to know better, some on this forum, some in mags or at model events. Some pretty big. You all know the one's - THE "GRAND PUBA" TYPES . When I was a kid we'd never think of "Slighting" someone, because we thought we were better. We were taught to care about people, and to help each other to be better, and be good as other's. Kinda make's me ashamed of some pretty important people I met and looked up to, only to find out they were part of a "Clique", or fan club, that would go OOOH and AWWWE and constantly praise him. Made me want to throw up . I learned early in life that feelin' good about yourself was about how you chose to feel about yourself, not what other's thought. It's nice to get compliment's about your work, or be able to brag once in a while, I sure do, but that shouldn't be about why you do it, or the only reason you feel good about yourself. To me, feeling good about yourself is about how you choose to live your whole life with other's, not just about how you do a part of it. I GUESS THAT'S JUST "OLD SCHOOL THINKIN' AND LEARNIN", but it sure has worked for me . Life for me isn't about how good you are at somethin', even though this hobby is fun, it's about what kind of friend and human being you are to others.

50 years ago we were just "youngan's", doin' what we loved. Here we are today still doin' it. To me, that say's something about how great this hobby is, and also the people. I'd be around another 50 years if I could. Us "Dinasaurs" from the "Flintstone Age" of modeling don't go away easily .

HEY ALL This thread is kinda "piggy-backing" 84vanagon's thread, with mag cover pics and the inside article pics, from a Rod & Custom Car Mag., especially for those who haven't seen one of these old mags before. This sure brings back memories. My "Pink Leprachaun" is in the 4th pic, top left. This sure is fun to share - Imagine 47 years ago . The date on the cover say's June '62, and the PRICE IS 25 CENTS . THIS IS HOW WE DID IT BACK IN THE DAY . Just a bunch a kids havin' fun. The cover is really cool. It shows Ed Roth debuting his "ROTAR" show vehicle. Top left you can see my custom '61 Pontiac Tempest - Sorta . My first scratch-built body and frame. Bottom right, a drag car that was built by a friend Walter (Woodie) Wood. Hope you guy's enjoyed seeing all these old model's in this article - dave

".....LONG YEARS OF DOING IT". You got that right - 59 this year. Took me 54 years of building to get good enough to build the "GRAHAM". You'd think I'd be better at this in that length of time Guess some of us are just "Late Bloomer's" - . Well, better late than never .

Great job George Now I want to see some pic's of that "REVELL CITY BUSS" you bought .

It never seizes to amaze me when something like this comes out of nowhere, and the rush is so incredible, and the feelings so deep. Unfortunately, this model doesn't exist anymore. Things disappeared after several moves. Funny how that happen's. Now that I have pic's front and rear, I may at some point in the future, try to recreate it. That'd be a lot of fun. Much gratitude Don - dave

This is so amazing 47 years later after the event, and 32 years after moving here to Oregon, and losing this most cherished of all my memorabilia, Don in a PM, said he is mailing this mag to me. Please everyone, tell Don what a great gesture and gift this is to a fellow modeler. Don, I have no words to tell you how much I appreciate this. Thank you my friend, for being so kind and generous - dave

OH MY GOSH I used to own a copy of this mag with MY MODEL on the cover, but lost it in a move from California up here to Oregon. I was "BLOWN AWAY" when I clicked on here and saw your post. Do you own this Issue?? I'm looking for just one for my own collection of things from my past. Maybe even just a glossy copy of the cover?? This was my very first scratch-built car model, starting with a 1961 Pontiac Tempest. It was Named "THE PINK LEPRECHAUN". It was pink pearl. I was just 18 years old. It was in Rod & Custom also. Hope I didn't spoil your fun Don. Do I get a prize???

Hey Clay. I thought that may have been just my connection. Yeah, now I have to Highlight using the left button, then right click, and then point at copy and left click, then use the green return button to get back to MCM. Maybe that's how we all do it now - DUUH

Joy Thanks for helping George. Here's what I do to post ...... (1) I get logged into Photobucket (2) Then I go to MCM, and pic the thread, and the post, maybe an edit if it's one of mine. (3) Click on my Photobucket browser (4) Find the pic I want (5) Highlight the very bottom choice, and then point at it with your cursor with your mouse and left button "Click". It should say "Copy", just like in Clay's pic above. (6) Then use the green return arrow and keep pressing until you're back to #2 in MCM where you want to post your pic. (7)With you mouse "left button click", where you want to paste your pic. (8) Then "right click", and in the choice's "left click" paste, and the JPG script should appear. Good luck, and tell George HI for me - Treehugger Dave

Hey Nate I've had to redo several pieces of kit glass in the past. Use as fine a sandpaper as you can to start with, as whatever you use will leave scratch marks that will have be removed. I usually end up with the last grit of sandpaper being 2000. After that I do the polishing with Novus Plastic Polish #2. You can also use the #1 and 3, if your especially picky, or want to experiment a bit. Sometimes I use all three. Alway's support the glass the best you can while polishing, as clear styrene can sometimes be pretty brittle and fragile. Hope this helps - dave

Thanks guy's I think I've found the camera I'll purchase. It's a Nikon Coolpics P80. 10.1 MP, 8 GB memory, 18X zoom, and Macro 1 MM - infinity. This is a beautiful black "Beefy", guy looking camera, that I really like. Comes with a bonus 6 piece Bonus Package, all for $299.00. My price range. I have recently used a standard body , point and shoot Nickon 10.0 MP on the "Retro-Vette", and was incredibly impressed. What do you guy's think?? Would love to hear some feedback.

Yes You won several nice awards. I met you briefly, and was cheering for you during the award's presentation. You had your girl friend with you I believe. Hope to see you on the 18th - dave

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. Got a few things to finish this year, and then hope to start on a new big time scratch-built project, hopefully late this summer. Need to take some time off from building first though , and get familiar with a new chrome system I've had a while, and a photo-etch system I've never tried. Alway's new adventures

As I was growing up, I remember my Dad alway's saying, "WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY'S. Somehow, that seemed to trigger in me, something that would stay with me all the rest of my life. My dad was fairly sucessful, and retired comfortably, and realized several more personal dreams before he passed away. This topic isn't about beating yourself up for not being as good as someone else, or expecting way more than you could ever achieve for yourself, or try to prove something to someone else, because we're all limited in some area's of our lives, including me. But in some area's of life we are all gifted. This isn't just about models either, but about pursuing, achieving and enjoying life. Confronting life full on, and intentionally choosing to enjoy your interests and to follow your heart and your dreams. WE ALL MUST HAVE DREAMS . That's what make's life fresh, exciting, and worth getting up each day for, to meet the challanges and opportunities life has to offer. Sometimes not alway's the best experiences- sometimes we suffer loss or betrayal, or other problems, but if you have certain positive mind set's about your life, that becomes the foundations of your life, that you always return to, and what help's shape your life. I have choosen to never give up at anything I think I can accomplish, until I am proven wrong. Not everyone want's to reach the level of building where I am, or where other's on this forum are, because, after all, this is just a hobby, and all these model's are just toy'z. But by having a mind set of choosing to purposly and intentionally enjoy life and all it has to offer, by pursuing it for all it's worth, and not merely accepting what come's your way, by following your heart and taking "LIFE BY THE REINS", you can choose to chart a coarse of excellance and perfection in every area of your life including model building. You'll fail many time's as I have, while engaging life full on, but in the end you will be proud of all the effort you put into being the best you could be just for you, and enjoy the personal integrity you developed just for yourself, by choosing excellance and pursuing perfection, while knowing that neither will ever be totally obtainable. ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF .DON'E BE AFRAID TO TRY NEW THINGS.

Hey, you found it . That's the sample I sprayed up, and took to the GSL, and displayed it there. Wayne Stevens, who is one of the member's here, took the picture's, and posted them. Wayne and I are really good friend's, so after the show, I gave it to him as a gift, as he had left our SABA Club in Portland, and moved to Florida, so he and his wife could care for his wife's ailing mom. Wayne and Jill are VERY COOL PEOPLE. Thanks for posting it - Dave

Thanks everyone Since building the Hollywood, which was completed in Jan. '04, I have been gaining more new skill, and collecting new tools and equipment, some still to be used for the first time. I have a new machine shop that I have yet to use, and have owned it for over two years. Same for the photo-etch kit I have, and a new chroming system, as well as all the wood and fiberglass supplies to build a completely scratch-built body. So if you think the "Treehugger" has "Maxed out" his potential - NOT GOING TO HAPPEN any time soon . If there's anything new out there to try, I'll be all over it like "STINK ON A SKUNK" . I have always been a planner and dreamer, and as you know, love to push myself to new limit's. The Hollywood is not the 'Top Of My Game", as I have plans to better it, using everything I mentioned above SO MUCH FOR MY COMFORT ZONE - lol.

Hi Simon It's a commercial system, that when you're done costs several thousands of $$$$ to set up, but gives beautiful results, and I get to choose the quality, not depend on someone else. I also get to have all the fun of doing it myself. Just a personality quirk .

Beautiful job This would look nice on my shelf .

Myself and several others here have had good luck, brushing the Alclad on in small area's. For me, I always experiment on a scrap piece to figure out what i can do, and what i can't. Practice makes perfect ( Or close to it ).