dptydawg

I would like to see both a 1964 valiant and a 1964 dart model released. I need both to build a model of my first car, a Canadian 64 Valiant. Carl

An interesting project, douglas. I assume that it is 1/25th scale. So far the scratch building looks very impressive. Carl

I'm afraid that I won't be able to attend this years show. There are just too many things happening on Saturday. I'm looking forward to next year though. Carl

Well done detailing on such a small model. The wooden block base works well. Nice work as always, charles Carl

I agree with Junior. A model with a weathered paint job sitting on a turf covered base is just that. If it does't tell a story or even suggest a story it is not a diorama. In most cases I think that figure(s) are required to project that story to the viewer. I usually try to create the story line to fit a particular maodel that I have built. Sometimes the model is built to fill out the story line. Thats my take on dioramas Carl

Great looking model Carl

Now there is a great sight for old Mopar eyes to see first thing in the morning! Those are great models. Carl

Something like this? I put out a query today about Valiant wagons and was directed to this string. I'll be keanly interested in this project because I would like to build a replia of this car. Thanks Carl

Thanks for the leads, Guys. I'll be tracking Jeff's project closely. The paint on the car is better than this picture shows. I think we are seeing a refection from the red car beside it. Thanks Carl

A friend of mine, who is a bit of a Valiant fanatic, has put togeather a one of none 65 baracuda 2door hardtop wagon. I would like to build a model of it but the problem is finding donor kits. Does anyone know if there is/was any 63-66 Dart kits produced? I know there are first generation Çuda kits around. Here is what I want to build the original is a Canadian Valiant 4 dr wagon and a Baracuda and a lot if work. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks Carl

The Revell 1/24th Huey does have a jet engine and gearbox. Revell is re-releasing the kit this year, so they should be available at a reasonable price. There is also a jet engine included in the STP Lotus Indy turbine car kit. That is the kit with the Wheelhorse garden tractor in it also Carl

Thanks everyone for all the kind words. Niko, the windshield and back windows were cut from an acetate sheet that at one time was used for making overhead projector slides. Both window frames had tabs to hold the "glass" and I had a pattern for the windshield so I cut the acetate and cut some slots in it. The windshield does not have compound curves so fitting the new glass was not that difficult. The rear window is flat so I used the frame as a pattern. I did not make side windows as I don't think that the car had them originaly. Thanks Carl

Thanks Guys for all the kind words about this model. It had been well played with when I got it. At some time someone brush painted it black, Then someone took a blue rattle can to it. it was very dirty but the tin work was not damaged. The first picture is the car all taken apart. The friction motor only needed cleaning and lubing to work right. I only cleaned up the base plate. The tampo imprint of the drive train is still there. The interior floor an had a bunch of blue overspray on it. I managed to clean off the blue paint with laquer thinner on a Q-tip. This left the original paint behind. The wheels were also cleaned with this method. Another view of the completed car I'll bet that the vendor who sold me the car for $5.00 figured he'd found a sucker to buy a worthless piece of junk. Now I have a model of a 58 Mercury station wagon. So I guess we both won. Carl

I found this old Merc Wagon at a flee market. It is almost 1/24th scale. I splurged a whole five bucks on it. After stripping, cleaning, painting and a making some new windows this is what I ended up with. It is kind of an interesting piece. The detailing is quite good for a stamped tin model Thanks Carl

Hi Chuck, You might be able to find something in 1/50th scale diecast that would be suitable for your load. Some of those larger steamers might scale down nicely as a smaller unit in a larger scale. Check out Buffalo Road Imports http://www.constructionscalemodels.com/ They may have something of use. Other than that the only 1/25 boiler that I know if is The General civil war steam locmotive. Carl

Sam, this is a very good diorama. Your building flats are very realistic. The ground level picture looks 1:1. It is unfortunate that we don't have a better supply of 1/25th scale figures to use in our dioramas. This one could use a few dozen spectators to populate the show. The latches to hold the two sections togeather is a great idea. Thanks for sharing this diorama with us Carl

Standard door size was 2'10'X6'10" this would fit in a 3'X7' rough opening. I suspect that the main door is 7' high X 8' wide. That would make the building about 16' wide X about 20' deep. The inside would probably have 9' ceilings. 16 feet would be about the maximum unsupported span for the second floor. Remember this is a pre truss building. Thanks carl

My favourite model build is this 1/25th scale scratch built gravel crusher. The originals were built in Goderich Ontario by Tom Sandy. He built 25 of them. Mine is serial # 26. Thanks Carl

Try polishing it with a soft cloth before you go any farther. I have brushpainted metalcote on exhausts and other engine parts. when polished it looks like real metal. Carl

Nice collection of crawlers. Some excellent reference shots. SpecCast has a 1/25th diecast of the TD24 and logging arch. Sure would likre to find a 1/25th scale Cletrac though. Carl

I have a few vintage purple model trucks in my fleet and one not so old. This moving van is an original issue Allied Van lines trailer. I built it in the early '70's. The GMC Astro is also an original issue with the gas turbine engine. It too is early 70's vintage. The long box is a 1974 Dodge adventurer by MPC. It was painted in the colour scheme of a truck owned by a nieghbour of mine. The short box is one of the recent AMT repops of the Little Red Express. I added real wood trim,racks and box bed. Thanks for looking Carl

This is my favourite model. It is my scratchbuilt Gravel Crusher. the Originals were built in Goderich Ont. by Tom Sandy Carl

One of the tricks for painting figures for dioramas is to remember that if the viewers eye willl be about a foot or more away from the dio when they look at it. The figure details need only have the detail that would be visable on the 1:1 figure at 25 feet. From that distance eyes are not a major feature and hair lines are not well defined. Therefore I tend to under paint the features on my figures faces. Thanks Carl

It looks like the power train and running gear are based on the Ertl 310 Jd backhoe kit. It does make into a neat tractor It looks good in Ford blue. Carl

I'm a big fan of using figures in dioramas. If there is machinery in a diorama then there should be operators. I've often wondered why someone would model a garage with no oone around. Its like everyday is a stat holiday. Even those diorelics rotting in some fence corner should have some vermin or birds in the neibourhood. One exception could be Doc's toxic dumps I'm not a great figure painter but I do try to include them in almost alll of my dioramas. I try to make them part of the story line. But then again it is a hobby and we should build dios the way we like them. Thanks Carl