swede70

A very nice and clean effort as is your trademark. It's a relief for some new manufacturers to arrive on the scene in the form of Model Car Group, KK and others consistent with affording us some product that isn't strictly going to stop the hobby dead for being too pricey. Even so and even if, I'm certain your period club racer collection of carefully thought out and executed builds numbers more than 100. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks everyone for the guidance and photos. I'll likely search for some parted out scraps along the lines suggested and proceed from there. Thanks again... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, I'm trying to work up assemblies for what will be a '71 Penske as well as a '72-season Roy Woods Racing Javelin Trans Am racer very slowly building - a pair then. Not being versed concerning what's been accurately tooled across the range of contemporary road racing as well as NASCAR kits, to say little of what might availed across the cottage/aftermarket scene, I was hoping someone looking on could make suggestions if knowledge exists. Basically the setup is a Weavers Bros. dry sump system with the expected stacked scavenge and pressure pumps, the toothed belt Gilmer drives up front, combined with a modified stamped steel pan adapted to suit. The oil tank is sited essentially inside the firewall, while it's assumed that most of what is seen I'll have to make up from scratch. ...a '72-season RWR Javelin Trans-Am dry sump Trans-Am mill resting on a pallet. Note the interesting 'box' intake manifold... ...viewed from below, the pump assemblies and robust mounting bracket. Mike Eisenberg image. ...test fit into the unrestored chassis, seen from below again. This is also a M. Eisenberg image. ...predating the Penske Matador effort, seen is a stock stamped steel oil pan modified for employment with the dry sump oiling system. M. Eisenberg photo. ...while these would be my '70 to '72-season Trans Am Javelins awaiting their fates. The '70 spied further back will make use of a wet sump design, likely an early-season Aviaid model. Just wrapping up then, if some really excellent toothed belt and drive system parts existed in another tool consistent with making both better and shorter work of things, I'd be most appreciative of whatever guidance might be availed. Yes - I do have the AMT Penske Matador kit which has it's points but isn't earth shattering in this regard. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... A favorite would be the BMW E9 platform produced from '68 to '75. This would include the 2800 CS, the 3.0 CS and CSi as well as the 3.0 and 3.3 CSL models. Body by Karmann Coachworks, while the funniest thing I've read concerning their handiwork is that Karmann invented rust - then licensed the process to the Italians! ...ignore the museum identification applied to the end of the front fenders above the beltline trim which looks strange indeed. Chamonix (White) isn't a terrific color for this car, although these were amongst the best images I could find for a short search. Yes - Mikey likes it! Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... This would be a Jo-Han '70 Penske Javelin front bumper project brought back online for some recent developments. The promo bumper 'features' a prominent cast-in license plate with the word 'JAVELIN' spelled out, whereas the Donohue Trans-Am release is plain, albeit unperforated as the 1:1 stock bumper would otherwise have an opening that would afford a bit of airflow back to the radiator. Additionally, it seems Penske Racing did some modest cutting and reshaping of their own, hence coming up with an accurate opening takes a bit of work. ...the topic at '70 Mid-Ohio, the photo sadly unattributed. The extended tabs used to attach a license plate within the space of the cut out in the front bumper along the top have been trimmed and removed versus stock. A small debris screen is very likely there as well. Given I should cast this for some plating reverses experienced as of late, some other changes will feature. Note that the cast-in headlamp detail has been filed out even as the raised headlamp rings remain in place. Otherwise one is compelled to use the too high standard Jo-Han fill panels/overlays, hence something subtle this. Seeing things through, it'll be my aim to remove the front turn indicators to allow the Jo-Han fill panel inserts to reliably fit flush, while also be readily removable for pressing from behind. As-delivered, the Jo-Han parts 'ride high' and prove tedious to remove and reset even when sanded flush. Hopefully all will be better soon. Thanks... ...while noticed to the right would be some cast resin U-joints and a scratch built passenger footwell-sited battery box intended to be replicated, cast and spread across my Penske and Roy Woods Racing/American Racing Associates builds. May things come right. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Long forgotten, for some material sourcing a bit of attention is paid to this build. I'd wanted to find 1:1 vinyl interior restoration spray paint in the appropriate '69 yellow hue and eventually found what was needed from a first generation Camaro specialist known as Heartbeat City. About $30 a can, but it's definitively the right stuff and covers well. I did this quick on a spare panel simply to determine if I could trust the stuff... Also sourced was license plate artwork done a computer and printed onto paper. It doesn't sound like much, although I really doubt I could have afforded myself the results achieved by Michael Hanson at Best Model Car Parts who was very flexible and accommodating consistent with turning out what was needed. Notice all the font is right, while all the associated peculiarities of a press pool car/manufacturers plate of the period were accurately captured. Nice stuff most certainly... ...likely the best front licence plate view from M. Lamm's The Great Camaro. ...what was sent me by Michael Hanson and very nice indeed. And lastly, having two front bumpers in hand, it was my opinion that the Endura bumper ends seemed a touch taller as contrasted to the chromed iteration, while the slightly rounded corner contour along the top back ends wear the stamping blends into the front panel work needed subtle reshaping to capture more or less accurately. Not a complete success, but seen below is what I came up with. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Thank you both for the leads and ideas consistent with getting me where I want to be. I'll be doing some further research on the pattern and count per inch to firm up what I'll require, and then proceed to shop for designs that might be reduced and printed on decal paper. Thanks again... Mike K./Swede70

Greeetings, Searching for suppliers and likely leads consistent with doing what's necessary on a 1:12th '69 Camaro Z/28 featuring a yellow interior with yellow and black patterned houndstooth inserts. I finally sourced 1:1 vinyl interior paint from a supplier, but alas haven't yet turned up decals to pull this off. Guidance sought then. Kind thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks... Looking largely consistent, the '72 RWR Javelin is also up on wheels w/cage after filing and fitting the red plastic late dashboard seen further up this thread. Forward one-third then... ...the wheel arch contour is different, while this example wears a '71-'72 grille/front bumper assembly less bumper guards if nothing more. At least it looks pretty honest. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... For bending a lot of material and tossing out copious amounts of the same, a pair of roll cages take form for my '71 Penske as well as my '72 Roy Woods Racing Trans-Am Javelins. In particular, I wished to integrate my scratch built cages with the cut outs patterned into the '70 Jo-Han Trans-Am Javelin dash design for the bars stretching from the main hoop, down behind each A-pillar, and finally to the floor on either side. Using a Jo-Han '70 Donohue Trans-Am Javelin as an alignment buck, the new cages were fabricated, while two redesigned '71-'74 Jo-Han/AMT-boxed annual kit dashboards were isolated with the intent of filing them to accept whatever was worked up for use of the earlier design when in position inside the interior casting. ...this would actually be the '72 interior and chassis awaiting work consistent with filing out the late dash design to mate/mesh with the forward most roll cage members. Note how the roll cage bars neatly parallel the edges of the kit glass... ...back to my '71 Penske Javelin, no real effort was made to work up a proper seat mount here, hence it's at the wrong level and leans back far too much. Matters to be sorted then, while the '73 front bumper/grille is just something temporarily employed for mock up purposes and will vanish soon enough... ...happily the A-pillar roll cage members are largely invisible... ...trying to keep beneath the lip of the instrument panel surround on the late dash design, most everything fits and/or aligns. Certainly it's better than living with an incorrect '70 dash afforded across the entire range of Jo-Han/AMT-boxed Trans-Am Javelin releases of old. Thanks for your review of this post. Mike K./Swede70

...while in short, this would be my '72 Roy Woods Racing Javelin Trans-Am taking shape to the extent that I've removed select trim and have recontoured the wheel arch openings to match period photos. Subtle stuff, not particularly exciting in sum, while sobering it is to notice where kit part prices have gone in recent times. Finding another '71- '74 dashboard (or much of anything Jo-Han Javelin related) isn't work for the timid. Thanks... ...a fuzzy press kit image communicating the basics. ...and looking a bit pallid given the bumpers (across projects really) are being prepped for chrome plating. The bottom surfaces are a bit rough, while the ends of each 'stamping' front and rear needed light work lest they stand out for all the wrong reasons. Another front spoiler has been fabricated to situate here, although it's literally out of sight when this image was captured. Mike K./Swede70

Thanks for the interest expressed... After much mulling, I finally removed the Racemark seat I'd work up for my late-season '70 Penske Javelin and created a two-piece mold to reproduce it. The thought of working up at least two additional examples from what would have been at least four additional AMT Penske Matador seats plus all the extra effort to flesh out all the required elements in terms of the extended base, the lip elements along most edges and the better integrated headrest struck me as troublesome, hence the old work was refined before making a mold. Other things done include the careful removal of the cast-in seat belt harness, and putty work to integrate all the delicate lip detail. Further, the new headrest was hollowed out from behind to suggest hand laid fiberglass with slightly thicker edge detail to match the lip elements added to the back rest and extending to the integrated armrest profile as seen. I don't know why I hesitated to create a mold for all the work done up to this point across the seat, but delay I most certainly did... Noticed further below is one of the first usable examples from the mold which has proven tricky to fill and vent, although clean examples now issue forth. Spied to the right supporting the Racemark design is my default early '70-season Jo-Han Penske Javelin choice of the moment, something found within the AMT '37 Chevrolet release. For reviewing things, it doesn't seem that Peter Revson's car was ever strictly updated with the Racemark design right across the '70 season which seems odd. At least I can proceed with the '71 and '72 roll cage fabrication given what rests within is now less of a mystery. Thanks... ...the 1:1 seat installed in Mark Donohue's '70 Penske Javelin from mid-season. K. Ludvigsen image. ...sans seat mount, hence delicately poised for a photo as witnessed. Mike K./Swede70

Neat Quartzo Porsches certainly. From here the decal work looks pretty good, while I'm hoping most of it's intact and settled on each surface. I still suffer nightmares of decal wrangling and decal repair on these when found, memories rooted in some of their E20 BMW 3-Series race releases. Cool discoveries and a fun collection theme there... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Not wholly impressed with my first go at refinishing the amber tail light panel/insert on my Tonka/Polistil 959, here I've redone it after breaking the first attempt when I tried to remove the part from my build - ouch! Thought was given as to whether a Molotow paint pen could be used to bright up the back of the amber sections along the ends, while for mulling things it seemed worth a try to grind off the mounting pins (sort of an 'L' section when viewed head on) and generally clean up things from behind. ...as delivered then. ...first attempt with the sloppy reversing lamp effort on woeful view. The wheels look odd sans aerodynamic overlays later worked up and added, while the amber-color plastic retained for the turn indicators along the back seem pretty lifeless. Very much Kay-Bee Hobby toy aisle... Moving along, I painted the ends of the turn indicator segments/elements with Tamiya translucent orange aerosol, while a better white was chosen for the reversing lamp sections to aid matters. Enhanced control is witnessed in relation to the division of colors and tones used, and this helps on the quality front. Not so obviously toy-like now, and pretty much the work of a day. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Interesting and certainly I've never seen an example. Wish I could help in it's identification, neat score all the same. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Indeed I did. They've become somewhat more savvy in relation to monitoring eBay auction results and pricing accordingly, but stuff is priced instantly and turned quickly as you too have discovered. Thanks everyone for looking in and for your comments... Mike K./Swede70

Indeed - picked up at Great Lakes Hobby here in SE Michigan. Likewise, I was hesitant before to pick up the oddball 1:20 Tamiya F1 scale Revell Creative Masters 1965 GT350, not being certain quite what to make of it. I missed purchasing a boxless example at Great Lakes for $50 some time back, although I was afforded the chance to inspect what seemed a good tool. On another subject, eventually I pulled the trigger and found a 1:24th WIX Filter promotional 1965 Cobra 427 SC and was thrilled with that, hence maybe it didn't take much to lower my resistance to sourcing and purchasing the Revell model at some point. Odd that I'm not that huge a Shelby fan, although it's hard to walk past what seems obvious quality vs. price when seeing the WIX model up close in particular. Prices for all the above are all over the map. Yes - for some digging I now have a better appreciation of what other items were included with the signed FM GT350 - thanks! Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Having picked up a reasonably cheap 1:20th Revell Creative Masters Shelby 1965 Shelby GT350 last year for under $40, today a 1:24th Franklin Mint iteration of the same topic was found for $39.95 at a local hobby shop. There are so many indifferently tooled Shelby GT350's that it's hard to sort out what's what, although these two seem about the best as mass market diecast go. Happily the photo etched wipers as well as the radio antenna are each intact, while no diecast rash was found even as the model needed a clean. No signature, but in essence good riddance given I'm no fan of autographed diecast models. Maybe it's rare given it's not signed? Ugh - C. Shelby would sign and/or affix his mug to anything. Thanks... ...top is the 'new' family member, riding high in the rear as I think this model generally does. EBay photos are usually taken to disguise this reality/fact. Notice my WIX Filter Cobra just in sight to the left... ...and just the 1:20th Revell Creative Masters iteration on the bottom again. Goodyear 'Blue Dots' were added to the tire sidewalls, and will likely be added to the Franklin Mint model just atop it given it calls out for such. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks everyone for the kind interest displayed and comments left... The wheels and decals ordered arrived, while a new rear axle was cut consistent with widening the track a bit to even things up. Noticed will be the new Fred Cady period tape graphic on the hood, essentially matched up to the edge formed along the rear of the stripe work where it terminates along the back of the fresh air hood duct. Perhaps I set the image too far back, while mild regrets that the 'Javelin' script on the leading edge of the hood prevents the decal from settling as flat as I'd otherwise desire. Still - mostly good and about as far as I'll carry things. If a late AMT Gremlin plastic kit is turned up soon, I'll swap in the later style steering wheel found within. Thanks again... Mike K./Swede70

Another wave then... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings David, Only if you'd want, I might be able to help on the scale Minilites front. Searching my name/handle for threads will turn up my period SCCA Trans-Am efforts, hence much could be shared - again, at your discretion. Neat effort this... Mike K./Swede70

Indeed - that looks really nice. Good to see the side trim come off in particular... Mike K./Swede70

Very neat and trim build. Thanks for sharing... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... I always wondered what a factory promo of the '73-'74 American Motors Javelin AMX would have looked liked had it been afforded to us, pondering what could have been made of parts tooled for the AMT release as well as the knocked down snap together Jo-Han release of old. Witnessed below would be a starting point... The 'Volcano' styled stamped steel wheels would appear within AMT's Gremlin (and likely stock Matador) unassembled kits, while maybe the MPC hard vinyl Goodyear Polyglas GT tires could have been used even as they were likely sized to suit the Vega GT promos first and foremost. Modern eBay kit breakers were turned to, while the availability of things sold separately helped knock down costs... For gathering a nicely built up snap together release and collecting suitable scale footwear, I finally decided to do something about a certain urge. Another set of wheels is in the mail, hence I'll hopefully have four well-plated and reasonably crisp examples to choose from. This would Fairway Green Metallic on a '73 Javelin versus the expected Javelin AMX model, with the neat 'Volcano' stamped steel wheels also on view... ...while this would be a very typical (albeit in terrific restored condition) American Motors interior hue of the period. My interior paint choice isn't the closest, although it's typical of period Jo-Han practice. I feared that if I simply painted the interior basic black, it would appear more 'messed with' versus something that might be mistaken for an actual promo. A later Gremlin kit might be tapped to come up with a steering wheel akin to what is pictured here, given the rim blow option was no more after the '72 model year... Seen would be a respray for use of Tamiya TS-20 Green Metallic which approximates '73 American Motors Fairway Green Metallic, a weird interior refinish in Rust-oleum Stalin Leafy Green with a quick semigloss clear coat applied over it. Some clean up work was performed to the body shell casting, although only enough to ensure it would look about equal to a pair of '71 and '72 true promos that I have in terms of finish quality. Jo-Han plastic kit axle locators were modified for adding a bit of plastic tubing to widen the track both front and rear prior to painting each ACE hardware Garden Green to match the color of the plastic used for the aforementioned snap together release, the results being generally clean and discreet for so fitting. Music wire was used for new, wider axles matched to the track of the old Hurst mags typical of these models. I had a spare plastic 'glass' panel/insert on hand, hence such was polished with NOVUS 2 and switched in. The tires are a bit small, but I'll live with such... The tail panel plus bumper top cove black out denoting that the 'GO' package was added after masking out the bumper guards. Locating tabs otherwise intended to square things up for assembly of the top tail panel insert relative to the red-tinted tail light panel were ground away to level things out, while the aforementioned lense insert was stripped with Easy Off and reshot with Tamiya TS-74 Clear Red to ensure it was colored evenly versus the usual Jo-Han blotchiness. Watch out for clumsily built up examples which often evidence glue burns to the tail panel insert top corners extended along the back of the insert. Damage such as I describe is something commonly discovered only after one returns from a show with a messed up example in hand. Both tail light lenses I had to choose from were damaged in this fashion, although one was within the realm of saving for use here. Fred Cady decals are coming - hence a gold 'T'-stripe hood graphic will be added soon enough, being as weird and as typical of anything AMC ever did in period. Mostly I'm happy. Thanks for your review of this more or less finished mini-project... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Small stuff this, but aluminum hub guides were added to the '71 Penske Donohue Javelin, with the horizontal raised trim scrubbed out along the rocker panels for a cleaner appearance. The rear rims were narrowed a bit to better fit the tires and live within the wheel well space afforded, while replacement plastic 'glass' via Okey Spaudling purchased years ago replaces the wasted kit glass on this restoration item. Along the front of the model some initial pattern work was performed consistent with fabricating a reasoned front spoiler, while a pair of headlamp screens overlay the headlamp installation consistent with suggesting brake cooling ducts which were allowed for a rules adjustment going into the '71 SCCA Trans-Am season. The tail light lense was stripped with Easy Off oven cleaner, the resultant clear plastic panel refinished with Tamiya's TS-74 Clear Red aerosol consistent with cleaning up the appearance of what was mottled and of middling quality. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70