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Thanks all, My LHS has a big supply of styrene sheets with many molded in features. I think that I'm going to try my hand at a scratch build street rod car lot. Seems simple enough. Just trying to figure out what the exterior finish will be. Any suggestions?

Really nice stuff George. Thanks for the link.

Thanks Ken, I checked them out. No drive ins. Just a used car office. At $149.99 for the kit, way to pricey for me. Id have to sell a bunch of my cars just to break even. They seem to have a large selection of diorama details that look really nice, and I'm sure that for the real diorama builders, they are a great source. However, for a one off guy like me, just out of my price range.

Slick idea Ed, really got me thinking. Two problems though. Back wall is 28" and would take some custom panoramic enlargement and would still be just a picture. Also, cars would naturally be parked facing the store and I want to show engines. But.... Maybe an old time road run setting. Like a park setting with grass, trees, parking areas, and picknic tables etc. I'm sure that even with my slight skills, I could handle that. Scaling benches shouldn't be a problem and finding scaled accessories should be easy. My main problem will be learning how to paint figures. I guess if I use acrylics I can have a lot of "re-do"s while learning. Thanks again.

Thanks guys. The photos of products looked like complete assemblies and I didn't bother check into to the details or component break downs. My bad. At least now I know that I don't have to break out my "single strand" brush.

I have a problem that hopefully you guys can solve. I build model cars. Not at all show quality, but good enough for me. I have an area that's just ripe for a little display. It is trapazoidal in size. Front is 28", left side 19", and right side 7". I would like to build a diorama to fit. I have no imagination and very little skills, so scratch build is out. I guess if I had a set of plans I could make the attempt. I'm thinking 50ish diner or drive in. Anything that I could stage a half dozen street rods around. One web site that I have tried has a couple of gas stations, but out of stock. Another has a drag strip, again out of stock. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

"hobby" noun. An activity or interest engaged in primarily for pleasure; a pastime. I got back into building model cars after an absence of over 40 years. Back then it was tube glue and brushed paint. The only contests were with yourself. Can I make the next one better than the last one? Now, with all of the high tech tools and materials available and the skill levels that are seen at shows and on forums, it would be easy for people such as myself to become discouraged with our own abilities. No, I'm not interested in scaled brackets to run individual brake lines. Nor am I interested in spending hours with many assorted polishing pads to get that perfect shine. I'm constantly asking basic questions on "tips and tricks" to try to "catch up" and have gotten a lot of help and support. I doubt that I will ever enter an official contest. Again, if my next build is nicer than my last one, I have won my contest. As the dictionary says, an activity or interest engaged in primarily for pleasure; a pastime.

O.K. Guys, me again with another basic question. I'm looking at buying some of the resin cast engine assemblies. I'm used to the "put together" systems where you can glue the plastic block together, paint it, paint manifolds and attach etc. It seems that all of the resin cast engines that are available are mainly complete with heads, manifolds,carbs, air filters and/or blowers already there. How the heck do I detail paint them? Primer everything then get out my single strand brush? Paint overall then mask? Really like the resin casts but have no idea how to make them acceptable. I don't attempt to make show quality builds, but still don't want them to look like junk.

I just got a kit with all of the plastic parts pre colored red. Two questions: 1- If I choose to keep the body red, what is the best procedure? my first thought is to just polish or just clear coat. 2- If I choose to paint, either the body or other parts, what special steps need to be taken to insure that the red doesn't bleed through? Everything is red. Engine, suspension, seats, etc...

Thanks, will try em both.

Looks good. Where can I find it?

Need a quick primer on applying washes to chromed parts, valve covers, conlsols, etc. Mix ratio, removal of excess and such.

I want to substitute engines without buying extra kits. I keep seeing mentions of Revell "parts packs" but can't find them. No mention on Revell web site and not carried at my LHS. Any on line sites that I could try? Also found somewhere, pre drilled resin distributers but can't remember where. Don't want pre wired, just pre drilled.

Not so much concerned about paint damage, (my paint jobs are not that great, rattle cans in the garage etc), but strength. Main problem areas are places hard to reach with a hobby knife that have been painted.

First of all, forget my "advanced" status. It is based on my number of posts on this forum, most of which are questions such as this, and not on my building ability, which is just a tad beyond novice. I know that you builders who are actually "advanced" have run into this problem sometime in the past. I get a frame, body, or engine painted and then find that I have to add a part, shocks, bumper braces, etc. What do I do to attach them other than trying to scrape a tiny area, which I can almost never get to with a hobby knife. Is there a glue, ca, or epoxy that I can use on painted parts? I have tried what I call "dry builds" where I do as much assembly as possible using double sided masking tape as an adhesive to locate and mask points that will require future parts before any painting, but always miss some.

O.K. Gang. This may sound really stupid, but just thought that I would put it out here for your consideration and comments. What if I used one of those electric rotating tooth brushes for final rub out and polish? Seems to me that it would be much like a 1:1 final finish buffing. It would get into all of the nooks and crannies and easily controlable. Years ago when I first started building model cars, I used toothpaste for a final rub. Did a good job and the cars smelled good. Am I just getting senile in my old age? Or is this worth trying?

Hurry up! I want some!

O.K. Jody, email is miltmeyer@earthlink.net I thought that I saw somewhere around here that King was coming out with a funny car kit around Xmas. Don't want to wait that long to just get a kit to copy the chassis.

Sounds great. Eyes are bad and hands shakey. Do they have a web site? Tried replicas&miniatures, but "not found".

Just went through my weekly trip to Michaels and found a few items that might be of interest. 1- Krylon has a silver leafing pen that is almost a 100% match for sprue chrome. Goes on easy and the excess wipes off well. Seems to be an easy alternative to BMF touch ups. 2- Wandered through the doll house section and found various P/E gold plated screens of various patterns. I guess they are used for facade decorating or what not, but might be great for custom grills etc. 3- Also in the doll house section I found fabrics used for furniture upholstery. Anyone tried this stuff?

Thanks Jody, it's a good start. I can't get the picture to print but will keep trying. At least I can see the basic structure. Isn't the Logghe chassis a 115" wheel base?

I may be wrong but, isn't a "hobby" something that you do in your spare time to relax? At least for me it is. I have other hobbies other than model car building. I put jigsaw puzzles together, glue them, frame them, and hang em on walls. I also do Pysanka (ukrainian easter egg decorating). Both of these hobbies require some degree of skill and patience, and have a visual reward when completed. When I get "burnout" or not getting the relaxation and pleasure from one, I just put it up and switch to another. After completing a puzzle, or a few eggs, I'm usually more than ready to get back to my cars.

Not sure exactly what I'm looking for. Mainly, tube chassis and cage layout, suspension, engine placement, etc. I'm thinking about using a modified NASCAR frame. Could at least get an idea of crossbracing etc.

Thanks Jairus, exactly what I was looking for.

Hey G&J, Going through my first issue of the mag. Just amazed at the pics from GSL-XXI. (don't know what "GSL" is, but, what the heck, I'm just getting back into this. Going to page 49 and the listing of all the class placers, I was struck with a question that I think many readers might share. How are the different classes defined? Diorama, best paint, best interior, etc.. I could figure out, but what is "box Plus"? How is Street rod different from Street machine or custom? It would be nice to know the criteria for each class so that some of us that have not taken our detail skills to a high level, might have a forum to show our works.