swede70

Greetings... This was an older thread, but a few of us chimed in: Mike K./Swede70

Oh - the image and insight provided Harry is most appreciated! Nothing like insight from the period by someone involved in the effort to better steer my efforts (and that of others) in addition to providing an always valued morale boost - kind thanks... - Just another tiny update here. Given the chrome plate on these period AMT annual kit parts wasn't great back then and isn't terrific having travelled through the portal of time to arrive in my hands, it didn't seem much of a barrier to cross to work over the otherwise stock castings in search of improvement. Here both the front and rear license plates typically bearing year-specific identification in the form of '1964' have been scribed and sanded flat, while the reverse lamps as well as the cast-in headlamps have been drilled and hand-filed out in anticipation of fitting either plastic or aluminum rod plugs to suggest fill panels (on the front only mind you). - ...and just a further small update of a small update, here the fuel tank on the original annual kit chassis has been filed out, the resultant hole filled with sheet plastic, and a fuel cell housing fabricated not to extend beneath the frame rails further forward. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Just a quick addition/update... Here the pair of refueling ports/inlets have been cut into each respective quarter panel of the 1:25th scale '71 Lime Rock Gray Ghost, with one outfitted with a Jo-Han '70 Donohue Javelin Trans-Am fuel cap, the other side plugged so that it would be nearly flush with the surface of the surrounding thin panel work. A quartet of small pin vise holes/dimples will surround each inlet - although such work is to come. The quarter panel trim cap seams/dividing lines were scribed onto the shell, the fender to cowl seams were likewise scribed, while repairs were made to the somewhat suspect panel line beneath the passenger's side door which might still require further attention. Out back, the trunk lid Pontiac arrowhead was carefully removed from deck lid without inadvertently scrubbing off the character line running down the center such (color this work tedious), while whatever Tempest model identification that existed towards the right back edge of the trunk lid was also scrubbed off. Lastly, the faint cast-in/on exterior door handles were removed on both sides, some block sanding performed to clean up matters here and there - thanks. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Refabricated four times over now (forward of the main hoop for judging lengths and where to bend proved difficult), seen is the roll cage inside the interior fit the chassis and body, plus trimmed AMT '65 GTO glass. Slowly working up the home brewed seat, apparently made up of an abbreviated base stock seat with aluminum side bolster supplementary structure. Concerning my own efforts, inside bolster padding plus the head rest stand to come. Thanks... Oops - the top edge of the front 'glass' has come undone here and has swung to rest atop the A-pillar to main hoop bars... I'll scrub the door handles off given they are faintly rendered and subpar at best. Revell '66 Chevelle wagon or Revell '66 GTO parts will be substituted on and in... Refueling port/inlet detail with one functional, the other plugged along the quarter panels is next, while some fuel cell vent detail worked up before for the other 1:25th effort will be duplicated and added in/here as well. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... This would be a brief run through of how one might implant Jo-Han (or Testor's) '69 S/C Rambler rear suspension and chassis shapes into an otherwise unassuming '70 Javelin chassis plate/casting. Done twice before, although doubtlessly with greater finesse this time over. The example seen is intended to be an early-season '70 Penske Racing SCCA Trans-Am Javelin and perhaps configured as a Peter Revson ride given one just doesn't see his Trans-Am mounts rendered all that often. If supplies exist consistent with allowing you to do such, the cast-in leaf spring detail on the promo-style Jo-Han AMC chassis (where applicable) can be filed down so that SC/Rambler leaf springs and associated hardware may be overlaid. At worst you'll be afforded the chance to actually paint things up cleanly for applying yourself just so. A good amount of material exists to file material away rather aggressively (albeit carefully as not to chip or damage every other surface in proximity to said area), while the results literally are plain... To the left would be the remains of my long suffering SS/AMX release in the form of a scrap chassis, while situated to the right would be a two-piece SC/Rambler chassis having just arrived via helicopter from a donor... At far left would be a stock SC/Rambler chassis again less trunk pan, middle would be the carefully trimmed part that includes an effort to preserve the driveshaft/driveline tunnel, while seen right would be my '70 Javelin race chassis (note no cast-in exhaust detail to say little of a fuel tank here) awaiting further work. Some gaps around the rear subframe require plugging to clean matters up - although none of this is terribly hard in total. This is how close the subframes align; i.e. pretty close and definitely worth considering if one is contemplating a detailed AMC build utilizing leaf springs. The SC/Rambler rear subframe was trimmed a bit at the back, with a new cross member added to tidy things up. Plugs to close up the gaps atop the rear axle as well as the holes situated further forward inside the rear subframe relative to the floor were soon fabricated to result in what's made out below: While this is what resulted. Rushing ahead a bit, notice too the Model 20 AMC differential found in rather rare Jo-Han AMC funny car kits which is combined with abbreviated axle tubes and the usual SC/Rambler Dana 60 differential pig. The staggered shocks are positioned opposite of what they ought to be given this is a temporary mock up and I simply didn't have the parts to orient things correctly, while with two SC/Rambler kits or resin clones of select items, this oversight can be addressed. The fuel cell housing is scratch built, a 1:25th Revell '69 Camaro Z/28 driveshaft is employed, while a cast resin Jo-Han Javelin promotional model radiator support cross member was further added. At some point I'd found an early-tool Jo-Han AMC oil pan with mounting hardware faintly rendered and cast-in, hence it was copied and shows up here floating in space with an enlarged early-season wet sump. Modified Jo-Han '70 Rebel Machine upper control arms account for the odd shapes situated atop the axle locater perches seen forward. I'm unsure at this point what a limited take of revising matters up front across the suspension might constitute. More SC/Rambler sacrifice on-view, with another set of inner fenders/wings slowly be grafted in even as the pair just rest atop things here. Indeed - I'm wary of the extent of what I can achieve for revising the inner fender/wing detail, unwilling at this juncture to swap in Ford assemblies or contours if I might come up with something original. Approaching the end of this post, here again another radiator support has lost it's cast-in radiator, the heater blower motor has vanished from the firewall, while the lone track bar/Panhard rod is a late AMT NASCAR item soon to be repurposed. Thanks for your skim of this thread update. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Some interior work performed on the intended 1:25th scale AMT-based '71 Lime Rock iteration of the Gray Ghost this. The cast-in console w/tachometer was carefully filed out, as was the rear seat cushions top and bottom as well as the textured (and sadly glue burned) interior floor. An aluminum panel was carefully cut to serve as a bulkhead looking towards the trunk area, whereas after filing down the lip of the pad otherwise found atop the instrument cluster, it too received a carefully cut and shaped aluminum panel which will be subject to further work. An MPC mid-seventies Pontiac Firebird Trans Am steering wheel now appears, the somewhat odd roll cage less any tubing aft of the main hoop was fabricated (some clean up work still remains to be performed here), while scan close and the front footwell outriggers to the suspension pick up points can be made out. Lastly, the standard AMT firewall which comes through with plenty of cast-in detail in the form of a heater core and what is intended as wiring was filed flat, plugged, puttied, and generally cleaned up in anticipating of going back in and adding more than what's made out which constitutes only a wiper motor drawn from another kit I can't identify. At least at present, fair progress is being made... An application of Tamiya Matt Clear helps to tone down the sheen of the tires and disguise the sidewall lettering carrier film otherwise glaringly obvious... Although it's quite small, I might try to reproduce the checkered flag pattern across the aluminum instrument panel insert much as I did on the 1:18th scale Sun Star-based diecast effort seen further up this thread. Previous such was done for successive applications of tape to mask some areas, leaving others to be scrubbed with a pencil eraser before mixing matters up and doing other sections similarly masked and exposed - albeit scrubbed in a different direction. Sounds odd - although the technique was effective before... Plugging the console centerline hole won't be fun, but something had to be tried... Looking quite nice though, especially if one considers that the actual assembly seen here is a bit smaller than shown. The outriggers from the roll cage leading to the front suspension pick up points can be made out here... While finishing up here, nothing too exotic, but better than the mass 'o wiring and related bits very much in the style of an early AMT effort in-scale and otherwise inappropriate for this build. Thanks for your review of this post... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Work of an evening then, I tore off the glue burned period wheel backs from my intended '71 Lime Rock 1:25th AMT Pontiac Tempest Gray Ghost effort and replaced the old hollow vinyl MPC Goodyear Blue Streak Stock Car Specials with updated solid PPP 1965-1969 Goodyear Style Stock Car Tire(s) w/sidewall decals/markings clipped of their blue lines. Newer AMT wheel backs were modified to live with the tires (not a big effort), while overall the model appears far more together and reasoned as projects go. Rim faces seen are resin clone Jo-Han Superbird items, maybe a touch small for diameter then - but not awful. The interior is out receiving work, hopefully to be seen soon for ambitions realized here. Thanks... Greg Rickes photo... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Hidden out of sight for years, this would be a brief update of a 1:18th Gray Ghost '64 Tempest project reflecting some scarcely visible changes and updates for my securing another example of the Sun Star model on which it's based. The doors had been shorn of their hinges before given I didn't imagine they might coexist with the roll cage I'd worked up, while careful effort to shorten the floor insert, adjust the fit of some roll cage tubing and discreet grinding of the floor pan helped to better site the odd separate roof panel to the body - especially along the cowl panel relative to the fenders. New bumpers are seen, the wheels have been painted (less lug detail at this juncture), while the fuel cell vent area otherwise filled in with rather thick white metal behind the standard fuel inlet has been laboriously ground out in anticipation of fitting something better shaped and detailed. As projects go, it's very much still a beast, although with further contacts established with regards to whom can design and produce the decals as well as better techniques in hand to strip the body shell and blend the flares into the surrounding panel work, further progress seems possible. I'm hoping too that the discovery of 1:20th scale MPC AMX Craig Breedlove exhaust headers that can be modified for use on 1:18th scale Pontiac V8's will help on the exhaust front, and that other discreet problems might still be sorted and eliminated each in turn. Thanks for your review of this post. Mike K./Swede70

Hello, Not meriting another thread given it's largely the same topic, this would be another 1:18th scale BMW E3, this time the recent Minichamps sealed shell tool of an early 2500 sedan. Having picked up a set of early alloy wheels and tires from the eBay seller who posted bundles of KK and Minichamps sets that included the Alpina turbine wheels plus tires fit to the '74 3.0 S in Granatrot featured above, I hoped to wrap up matters for effecting another swap out/conversion as made out below. Caution is advised given it's a finicky swap at best even as the manufacturer here is the same; i.e. wheels from a sealed-body Minichamps BMW E9 CSi being fit to a sealed-body Minichamps BMW E3. The front suspension of the E3/2500 sedan isn't all that easy to remove or service, although once apart trimming the mounts of the front wheels to size and screwing each into place to match the alignment of what had been removed proved doable enough. Spacers had to be fabricated for the rear wheels, while given space didn't exist to transfer E9 brakes to the front of the E3, I didn't mount an extra effort to add anything in terms of extra detail even as room existed to mount brakes at the rear. I guess for the effort it's no worse for detail and a bit more handsome for it, hence happy enough on this side. As-delivered and quite handsome as seen, finished in what is termed Tundra Green... Intimations that it can look quite fetching when upgraded with the period factory light alloy wheels though... Performed fast but (more or less) effectively, the wheel/tire change pays dividends. Just the two models together recovering in the display/post-op. area I maintain. Further below is the BoS BMW E3 2500 from years ago, while it wears full wheel covers to round matters out. Thanks for your review of this post... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, A fairly fast project this, one long put off. A few years ago KK released a range of 1:18th scale diecast BMW E3's, whereupon I purchased an example and later gathered up some recently removed new-tool sealed Minichamps 1:18th scale BMW E9 CSi and CSL wheels and tires hoping to add these to my KK E3 purchase. Some promotional photographs depict the then new or newish Alpina-style rims without the familiar black paint finish across the centers, while so too do occasional examples turn up online depicting such as witnessed here. I view this appearance as a bit lifeless, whereas with the Minichamps scale footwear in hand, eventually I'd try something. This is how the KK sealed body BMW E3/3.0 S arrives, and pretty tidy it appears. Other colors have been done, hence some choice exists with regards to gathering an example if one is so-driven. ...while this the wheel appearance/finish I desire/desired. Quite handsome, while the exterior color appears to be Granatrot in BMW-speak. Not trying to much for this fast overhaul, nevertheless the decided to spray the interior casting floor to suggest low pile salt & pepper carpeting while also adding small squares of fluorescent red material to suggest seat belt latch releases. The seats but for the rear bottom cushions may be removed from the floor casting, hence not much was risked here. Same too for the handbrake lever; i.e. it's a separate part that can be pulled to facilitate paintwork. After trying to pull the wheels and tires off the KK model and failing in my attempt, I decided to remove the tires and laboriously hand file each rim face flat until the old rims fell away from the hubs hoping at it were that I could reuse the KK assemblies here. The effort seemed doubtful for a time, but then success! The Minichamps E9 CSi/CSL Alpina turbine wheels had to be ground out a bit to remove shafts situated behind each to otherwise accept alternately an axle or pin, but otherwise didn't require a wild amount of work. Track remains a bit wide, but I'm not sure much further effort would have yielded me a commensurate improvement with regards to appearance. Tires hardly seemed different for detail, size and material employed between the two companies, hence what's made out here are Minichamps tires on same-tool wheels, while oddly enough the KK model comes through with superior brake detail including fair brake calipers and photo-etched brake discs that show better through the Minichamps rims. Notice further that the seat belt latch release button detail can indeed be made out through the side 'glass'. Really quite nice then, with the recent sealed Minichamps BMW 2500 situated just beneath the facelifted KK iteration above. Out back one can make out new 'Bavaria' trunk lid identification even as many discreet tell tales relate this to be a later 3.0 S. The 'Bavaria' lettering was commissioned to and created by 3 Amigos Decals. Additionally, the exhaust outlet was cut a bit short here, while an AUTOart BMW 2002tii chromed exhaust tip was added to mix things up again. Thanks for your review of this brief project post. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Very tedious, barely noticed will be revised roundel artwork consistent with replacing the styled and italicized numeral one with font employed by the team after the '70-season opener held at Laguna Seca, CA. The now upright and austere numeral art was done by 3 Amigos Decals, whereas working up a white layer to disguise the old numeral art beneath across five roundels and applying no less than four layers to more or less address bleed through issues proved a chore. The first effort at applying roundels from what stock I had in hand failed for proving far too translucent, whereas eventually I just reached for some clear decal stock, traced patterns on the back of such with a suitable stencil set, painted the uncut decal stock on the film side, finishing the effort for cutting each disc of material out by hand and employing an emery board to clean and true up the edges so the resultant wafer of decal stock would be (more or less) round. Doing these consistently enough to match the dimensions of the 'hole' each roundel overlay had to fit into without unduly spilling over an edge proved more fun still... As to the technique, utterly unrecommended to any novices looking on then, while pondering now how else I'd approach things. Were this model less expensive, I might have dared to wash out the roundel decal art from within the graphics seen, although risking something like this risks the total write-off of the exterior finish of something rendered in resin and draped in photo-etched trim. If I can devise a means to more consistently trim the roundels so they'd match for size four deep I'll likely redo what's made out here, although for the moment what's seen seems an achievement. Kind thanks for your review of this post. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings and a short return to form here... With a spare body in hand and some chassis parts also available in duplicate, here I'm attempting to work up some Holman & Moody stub frame stiffening structure built atop late AMT Thunderbird NASCAR parts. Removing the rendered hood from the all-of-a-piece body plus bumpers and grille wasn't fun but proves possible again. At least the risk of damage to the rest of the model is minimized for cobbling together this engineering hack of sorts; i.e. if things go seriously amiss, this effort reengage the project will vanish in the middle of the night! Quickly revising some earlier work and photographs of the same, here the firewall top has been filled in and finished with greater care. The removable stress/cross brace hasn't been final fit and simply rests unglued atop matters waiting if you will for further application on my part. The Holman & Moody upper shock mounting points/eyelets come next, while the shape of the tubes in this area are pretty much dictated the stub frame shape/configuration situated directly below. The driver's side will be a bit of a cheat given material is missing and/or offset here, although in some fashion I'll manage. And just resting quietly to one side exists the project otherwise untouched, anticipating what I hope will prove well-sorted implants. Kind thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... A small update this, scarcely rating a post. The KK model seen above has a tampo print on the tail panel which denotes the example as a 2002 tii Lux, whereas given the interior suggests a lesser 2002, I took some Tamiya tape and acetone solution dipped cotton swabs and scrubbed off what I could until only the 2002 badge as it were remained. Tedious in total, the markings could have been ruined entire, but mostly looking good now. Thanks... ...as delivered then. This must be a prototype given the exhaust doesn't look quite a bad on the actual model as it does here. ...and the results with some Interdecal EU license plate decals set/overlaid onto what KK provides even as the images used seem a bit narrow relative to the width KK rendered just beneath. Thanks for your review of this post. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Just a small interior overall performed on the new 1:18th KK 1974 BMW 2002 tii/Lux, presumably finished in Granatrot Metallic even as I'd hoped for Malaga given I'd owned an example so-painted many years ago. Some diecast vendor web images suggested a hue that could be mistaken for Malaga here (think a period solid burgundy), but when the model finally washed ashore no longer could I cling to this hope. Further, KK didn't do a full Lux interior, something denoted by the inclusion of applique wood trim on the door cards as well as the center console, while given my 1:1 example was outfitted with a fairly rare light gray interior, I decided to disassemble this KK release consistent with redoing things to reflect a stand spec. interior in this less common scheme. As AUTOart 1:18th releases of old continue to appreciate well beyond my capacity to collect such, the KK option becomes increasingly attractive do understand. On with the limited show and tell then. Seen just below is a '74 and on light gray vinyl interior, unusual given these cars are usually outfitted with black, tan/buckskin or navy blue vinyl interiors with the typical deteriorating horse hair (i.e. gummihaar) seat padding and peculiar smell to match! Combined with wonderful mechanical noises and the faint smell or oil and gasoline, there exists a definite and visceral aesthetic with regards to owning and driving an old BMW... Back to my scale example, Tamiya AS-2 (IJN) Light Gray was employed where seen (all is largely unfinished black plastic as-delivered but for some chrome painted trim), with the raised and chrome applique trim on the door cards carefully masked and repainted, while an AUTOart E21 BMW 323i steering wheel picked up via AUTOart Spares was switched in given the model came through with something specific to an earlier iteration of the E10 platform. Low-pile salt & pepper carpeting was just simulated with a dusting of white paint sprayed at a distance atop a matt black basecoat, while the sides of the interior fall away to facilitate whatever work one would want to perform upon them. The means by which the dash and the side panels attach to each other is simple and easily serviced without risking damage to the model, while the whole chassis detaches from the body for the removal of only four easily accessed screws; i.e. this is a benign scale platform as such things go. I might still fabricate an overlay for the instrument cluster given it too reflects an earlier spec. '02 for not featuring a wood grain finish, while an AUTOart E10 chrome exhaust tip might further be added. The tii-specific clock installation usually seen on the dashboard/pad is also missing... Really not awful though, with the Tamiya paint really capturing the look of period vinyl well. From experience and review of online photos, the 1:1 light gray interior often discolored, the seat piping turning both brown and hard, etc. Some Granatrot and Malaga-painted examples came through to the United States outfitted with such (other exterior colors too - albeit very few), but in the main it wasn't a common choice... I might make an effort to clean and respray select aluminum perimeter beltline trim given it appears incomplete here. Thanks for your review of this post... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Seen would be the addition of some external door number/roundel-illuminating lamp housings worked up from some architectural plastic stock and replicated four times over if you will. Tedious to shape, although generally acceptable now for size and position. I'd nevertheless like to add some grain of wheat/scale railroading-sourced electric bulbs to situate within each housing even as I wouldn't harbor ambitions that they'd strictly work. Further, the plastic 'glass' front and rear has been reaffixed with the chrome trim surrounding each panel likewise refit. Along the bottom of each fender, the Valvoline decals have had their lettering covered over with what presume might have been lengths of electrical tape given a possible conflict with the associate sponsor deal given the PURE oil/lubricants decals otherwise situated in pride of place higher up on each respective fender. Slow progress then - thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings and certainly a surprise to notice this thread rescued from the deep... Neat association there and highly unexpected. The model remains in about this state at present, although some reassembly has since been performed. About a month ago I fabricated some door numeral illumination lamps w/housings, hence in little ways the model has received sporadic attention and isn't wholly dormant. This much related, I think I'm going to have to adjust some aspects of the roll cage to accommodate the 'glass' installation with chrome trim, while the firewall needs some work given the cross ram air cleaner setup and the Lane tool wiper motor don't coexist well with each other (i.e. bang, bang). Beyond this most of the scale model engineering problems have been addressed, the ride height and track about as close as I can get for better or for worse. I remember some mild interference encountered with the interior rear quarter area trim too, while it's happened that serendipitous discovery of new or better research materials have prompted reengagement with this or that project given confidence will be restored. Pity that the ACME release evidences so many errors for might otherwise have been done well albeit at greater expense. I'm currently working on a '70-season Milt Minter American Racing Associates '69 Camaro based on the well worn and familiar GMP '69 Penske Trans-Am tool, and for so doing I'm finishing up on the Al Bartz-prepared engine which in some ways closely reflects what was fit to the Jon Ward/Jerry Titus Daytona 500 class-winning Firebird less the cross ram setup, hence this other effort could serve to prompt me to reengage the engine aspect of this project. Recently I was afforded/availed many clear plastic display cases and was able to find housing so to speak for my incomplete projects consistent with pulling this and that together for carefully cleaning and segregating out what I'd worked up to date, while I was appalled at how much dust covered all of the delicate decal work. Not nearly as badly neglected as it had so recently been, hopefully I can see the project out before too long. Thanks for your interest and outreach... Mike K./Swede70

Just in brief this... Curious as to the utility of a set of 1:18th scale Goodyear Blue Streak Sports Car Specials in two sizes (front and rears then) matched to Minilite wheels rendered as 3D prints and sold via an eBay listing, seen are some photo images consistent with telegraphing what's on offer there. I think I paid $26.95 with free shipping, and while wheels look a touch shallow for offset, the lugs somewhat short, the wheel spokes somewhat underdeveloped around the wheel hub/spider by my estimate, the total effort isn't a hateful one. Better to have them than not... The last photo relates that GMP Camaro Trans-Am wheels can be ground down to coexist with the tires alone (the wheels and tires are rendered separately do know), hence for some this might be the best approach. Notice that wheels ride on axles, thus if one intends to overhaul a Replicarz '70 Camaro or '71-'72 Javelin Trans-Am topic with such, you'd have this on your side even as the tire choice here is restricted to Goodyears. Lest I confuse anyone, the yellow wheels are GMP issue, the bluish gray the 3D-rendered items whereupon I'd sprayed the tires with Tamiya Rubber Black which accounts for their revised appearance. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Efforts to reproduce the tail lamp pinstriping detail mostly comes off - although a bit further work will be required before it's complete. Two brands were tried, the first Interdecal waterslide black lines in various widths proving unmanageable, although the Belgian manufactured Marko waterslide black lines (also afforded in various widths on the same sheet) worked far better in this instance for being better rendered, easier to shift, stickier, and compliant around the bends much to my surprise and relief both. Seen above would be an '84 SVO Mustang with black trim versus the desired '85 and on gray exterior trim reflecting the '86 spec. of the topic. Rather a challenge to make out, look close and the trio of horizontal stripes can be made out across each of the four lense clusters. That one dips on the right hand side top three lines down across the reverse lamp is something I hope to correct/replace. Three problems exist that need rectification, although only two might realistically be addressed. From 1985 the pinstripes ought to be gray versus black much like the exterior trim had been updated and altered for color, while a small section of the second from bottom stripe as it wraps around the side of the tail lamp lense/cluster ought to be shorter/shortened to leave the reflective surface situated beneath open/bare. None of the stripes were applied perfectly, with the aforementioned wiggle seen top right third stripe down that shows up in the photos posted. Pity gray stripes aren't available - hence out of luck there, but most everything else I should be able to address and correct. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, An answer is provided concerning whether or not the broken down/kit version of the 1:24th scale Maisto 1993 Mustang Cobra might possibly come through in Teal versus what appeared to be a middling medium metallic blue; i.e. answer: sorry - a middling metallic blue versus the hoped-for Teal is what we'll be afforded. The kit iteration does afford two sets of wheels, while with one set chromed I suppose it might be possible to mask the centers of these and spray the rest silver to come up with an alternate look, otherwise few surprises. Although not my video, a link is afforded to view someone's video where the kit version is reviewed consistent with answering all. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings... Not very pleasant to do, all the side window trim as well as the front and rear screen perimeter trim here has been masked and painted in gray versus the as-delivered spec. in black. The side 'glass' could be removed to facilitate the work undertaken, although the front and rear 'glass' was left in-place, masking carefully performed, then finish was applied with the relevant assemblies sprayed in-situ. A mess was made of the front 'glass' for poor masking, allowing for material creep behind what I'd imperfectly applied and requiring much effort to save for concerted polishing to remove burns inflicted upon what ought to remain clear. Most of the damage (albeit not all) was addressed, but very discouraging in total, whereas pleased this not so nice aspect of the rebuild has been seen to. Note that a black wash was applied to the window frame part and parcel of the door glass positioned 'up'. Usually 1:18th diecast models have open windows and little to offer here, whereas the few models that do sometimes sport an undesired budget look given the detail can appear out of scale, distorted, or too plastic for words. Some polishing of the panels was performed which helped a bit, while the side exterior mirrors were refinished as well just after cutting and fitting thin plastic panels to mask the mirrored surfaces on the back of each. The rear hatch 'glass' was the most challenging to mask given the presence here of some unexpected curves, although saving the effort for last ensured that a technique had been worked up to more or less ensure quality work could be performed. Effort to screen scrape and subsequently reduce said image(s) to something legible came to nothing, hence a 1:1 reproduction emissions system decal for use under the hood was ordered... Here the reduced image is fit atop a scratch built weather shield/heat insulator resting atop where key ignition components are sited on the SVO Mustang inner fender well. It's coming along then. Thanks for your review of this project update. Mike K./Swede70

Greetings again... I was searching for interior photos too and after a period the realization hit me that perhaps the 1993 Mustang Cobra is the most listed Bring a Trailer topic of all time! Wow - just listing after listing after listing... - Something discreet tried here - namely an attempt to employ a Silly Putty mask to the exhaust tips prior to applying the few passes of Revell of Germany 'Chrom' aerosol spray lacquer to what remained exposed. Silly Putty can be used to mask very irregular surfaces with light practice, and while the exhaust pipes aren't rendered separately on the Miasto 1993 Mustang Cobra chassis, if masked creatively one can finesse things consistent with coming up with a good enough result. First, I isolated two small balls of said putty, rolling the results to come up with a pair of coils 'o putty, both which were in turn wrapped around the exhaust pipe tip detail hanging down twice over. The chassis was removed from the body (two screws only here), then the rest of the chassis was masked, the Revell product identified above sprayed/applied. The tips received two dots of black paint to suggest these are tubes at the ends, but otherwise not a huge effort. All in all, the effort came out cleanly... Barely discernible then, whereas I still have trouble taking clear and accurate photos of this topic. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Nice work on the interior Angelo - carefully controlled flocking and paint work as well. Very impressive in total... - Just a recap of the photos afforded elsewhere but soon to be buried beneath content otherwise standard to the new diecast acquisition thread. Things tried to date are as follows: The top of the door frames were touched in with a very wet application of Revell of Germany Matte Black applied with a brush which leveled out nicely and blends well. The door and hatch exterior lock cylinders were painted black. No raised detail is afforded here, while in truth perhaps I should have left the door lock cylinders alone as they are touched in with silver paint as-delivered. The tires were replaced here/above, although fitting solid tires versus hollow vinyl tires from a kit entails more work given one is required to file off a raised locking lip cast-in to each rim. I found it well nigh impossible to remove the wheels from the axles (i.e. they'd spin a little for twisting, alas they wouldn't shift from the axles however hard I tried), but know too that for metal file as well as emory board work, one can safely file off the unwanted material without fouling or damaging the chassis detail for just restricting work to the topmost section of each wheel when each is positioned where the wheel house detail isn't provided; i.e. the chassis plate doesn't extend over any of the wheel/tire assemblies when things are disassembled and inspected close in. Although not identified on the sidewalls as 17 inch fitment, some AMT Mustang tires were done as directional Goodyear Eagle 'Gatorback' ZR45's, while if a search is set up on eBay restricted just to 'AMT Mustang tires', sellers exist who split out the parts contained within a plastic kit to make such affordable. Some very light touch-in work was required to address quality control issues in relation to the windscreen trim (in flat black again). Nothing too serious, and hardly a deal breaker... For applying lengths of Tamiya hobby masking tape and isolating the exterior side view mirrors, then popping a hole in a drug store poly bag to protect the rest of the body shell, I spray painted the mirror housings to match the door frame paint. Not difficult, whereas things look a touch better for so doing. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Greetings, Just briefly, this would be the 1:24th Maisto 1993 Mustang Cobra on the AMT tires referenced above. Sort of a trial to fit to the rims given the rims couldn't be removed from the axles and furthermore required file work to sand down a raised tire lock bead, but after about three or four hours things came into focus. I did try to file out and enlarge the inside diameter of each tire, although minimal success was registered here; i.e. eventually I just microwaved a bowl of water, immersed the tires, and persuaded the now semi-pliable result onto the shaved rims. Not huge fun in total then - but then what's made out didn't take weeks to achieve either. The side exterior mirror are now painted to match the door frame trim, so too the small radio aerial base atop the passenger's side fender. Thanks... Excuse the fact that the body hue appears pink in this set of photos, alas things appear far better when one has the model in hand; i.e. the body color appears a quite accurate and sharp fire engine red. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

I don't have the 1:24th scale Revellogram tires to reach for/compare at present (sigh), although here would be an image of the 1:25th AMT tires I've ordered and await. Hoping too that grinding down material from the wheels to facilitate a fit won't prove a massive headache (i.e. surprisingly removing the wheels from each axle/shaft proved impossible to shift yesterday), whereas we'll see... As related elsewhere (I think!), Maisto just did one mold for the rims; i.e. don't expect the dimensional/alternate side with the wheel spokes/vanes leaning in the opposite direction here. Hey - the price point is low, and we can't be afforded everything. - No pictures availed, but I also applied a pool of black wash to the air vent/opening situated along the bottom front of the fascia to better fill it out, whereas if the model is tipped from side to side the small serrated vent detail on either end/edge of the opening can be filled with the black wash as such will pool into the recesses. I kept messing matters up for trying and cleaning things repeatedly, but then just applying too much and tipping the model proved enough to move the material/wash and flesh out detail that's discreetly rendered in the body tooling. Thanks... Mike K./Swede70

Thanks Angel for the advice and tip... I found a listing for what seems to be the same tire/tool split out from a kit yesterday and ordered the same this morning. They date from an early '94 release of the Mustang from AMT, the sidewall markings appear the same, hence I'm hopeful. In the main I'm quite happy with what we've been provided, whereas let's hope the blue kit turns into the teal release most of us would go for. Not sure if I'll pull my interior to paint the same from the red iteration just purchased, whereas I'm thinking of just ignoring the underhood area consistent with a claim that my example is maintenance free - so there! Kind thanks... Mike K./Swede70