Danno

Dittos!! Tom analyzes it especially well. I particularly find it interesting how many 'weathered' models have uniformly distributed huge pockmarks all over. Far more severe than any rust would ever be in scale. Yet, the kudos flow. Those just don't look realistic. And, you guys are all correct: The railroaders and military modelers are leap years ahead of the main body of automotive modelers well it comes to weathering and aging.

Thanks, Jim. That's cool . . . especially since I always enjoy your builds.

Purely amazing intuitive creativity! Who else ever saw a bubble top in the side of a booze bottle? Great stuff, Ira!!!

What kind of 'competition' would use stuff like that? Freak-Parade races?

Cool idea. Looks like a big ole beetle with big feet. Good job.

There's an image: A blind, drunken haddock building a model. Great humor, Jules!

Thank you, Jonathan.

Thanks, Tom. That's a good story, too. I knew you were a fellow Studaphile, so I figured you would weigh in. Glad you like it. Thanks, Carl! Appreciate it.

Thank you, Bob. Yes, it was great fun recreating the Stude in scale! Have to do more . . .

Thanks, Ray! Thank you, too, Ray!

Thanks, Rob! You're right, Robin. Haven't lost the memories! Thanks.

In a seemingly never-ending parade (Ha!), comes forth yet another example of a finished model from my shelves. Yes, Virginia, Danno does complete one once in a great while. This is an older build, a replica of my first 1:1 car project from my younger days. I picked up a '53 Studebaker Champion 2door coupe from the police auction ~ complete except for engine and transmission. An Honest Charley engine mounting kit, a junkyard 327 and Muncie, some Starbird-esque radiused wheelwells framing a pair of slicks, a set of Cragars, and a custom interior, and Danno had a street machine! It's not exactly a replica of the 1:1, because the big car never got its finished interior. But in 1:25 scale, it was easier to complete. Buckets all around (parts box pair from who-know-where were resin cast to make four) straddled a full-length console that flowed from the mahogany dashboard. Under the standard Studebaker dash brow, a custom mahogany panel was home to a full set of Stewart-Warner gauges including tach and speedo. The body was shaved, hood nosed, and everything smoothed to highlight the near-perfect Raymond Loewy lines of the car that was 'way ahead of its time. What chrome was left to enhance the body was BMF'ed on the model. Lest anyone think she was mere trailer queen, the rear treatment was simple but pure muscle. The "barn" was where the horses were kept. Hooker headers routed the spent gases to the Thrush mufflers and straight duals. In true gasser-era fashion, I hacked out the lumpy stock firewall and replaced it with a flat sheet of aluminum ~ for show, of course ~ and dressed up the 327 with some chrome and polished aluminum. All in all, she was a fun build - both in 1:1 and 1:25. I still have the little one and I can't begin to tell how many times I've regretted giving up the big one! Hope you've enjoyed her, and hope we haven't overstayed our welcome.

Whoa! That's some smooth-as-glass black! Beautiful start.

Nice.

Wild! Looking good.

Unfreakin'believeable!!!

Very nice, especially for a first time.

Spectacular build, Steve! Fantastic tips. Thanks for sharing them all.

I think you've gone plumb crazy!

Great job on the weathering. It's a real Rat Ruster!

Nice.

Looks like a barnacle bus!

Breathtaking!

Continuing 'Wow!'

Looks like red primer exposed by sun-faded and degraded paint. Looks much like surface rust on a metal body.