Danno

Thanks, guys! Your feedback is really appreciated.

There's an echo in here.

ONLY ONE WEEK AWAY!!!!

There was a 2-door Monaco kit called "Force 440," but all the various versions of the 4-door Monaco (TJ Hooker, Enos' Cruiser, Joker Goon car, etc.) are the same. They are one and the same other than box art.

Exquisite, Charlie. Purely exquisite.

This was a hare-brained concept that just kind of presented itself . . . there may have been strong margaritas and loud Jimmy Buffett music involved. This was the second in a series of whimsical models based on the Aluma-Coupe kit. What if the Town of Boydville used an Aluma-Coupe for its police force? It took longer to mask than it did to assemble, but it was fun little slump-buster at the time. (Forgive the photos, they're old and it was an air-pollution-alert day.)

Excellent!

Ditto What JC said!!!!

We are hearing it might rinse our prickly pears tomorrow night.

Thanks, G! Regarding the rest of your message . . . well, I don't think I want to know. What happens in St. Louis, stays in St. Louis.

Just spectacular!

Thank you, Jim! Tool box? What tool box? Yeah, that's one of the clues of the major fault in my mind's-eye memory. When I built this model (pre-YouTube and without any internet research), I failed to recall that Rescue 8 was an LA County squad, not an LAFD squad. At least I got the right state!

Stranger Ranger Danger.

Naw. But "Model Builds Magazine" might be okay.

Thanks, Mark! I appreciate your approval. Aaron, For some reason, Rescue 8 has never surfaced (to my knowledge) on VHS or DVD. It hasn't shown up on the nostalgia channels (like METV, etc.). But, there are some clips and full episodes on You Tube! Amazing. When I built this model, there was nothing out there except faint and fuzzy memories. Obviously, my memories weren't as sharp as they could have been. I was eight years old when Rescue 8 first appeared. I thought it was earlier than that. When I set out on the project, I thought the van was earlier ('56 to '57) than the '58 model you see in the YouTube clips. Worse still, it wasn't until much later that I realized I had made two really serious errors with my build . . . but when you consider so few people remember the series in the first place, I seem to have gotten away with those errors! Even so, it was a fun build, it satisfied my creative needs at that point, and it has evoked a few fond memories. If I had it to do all over (and, maybe I will), there are things I'd do differently. And, it would be more accurate to the show's 'star' vehicle ~ now that YouTube has some episodes to view! Thanks for checking it out. I really enjoy your builds!

Well, Russ, welcome back to Phoenix! Just wait til you see what's going on these days! The swap meet you refer to is still going strong . . . although it is 3 times a year now instead of only once a year: once in the Spring, once early Summer and once in the Fall. It is now held at the Postal Workers' Union Hall, 3720 W. Greenway Road, Phoenix. Not terribly far from where you'll be living. But it gets better. The Desert Scale Classic contest/show and swap meet is APRIL 12 at the Postal Workers' Union Hall. You can't miss that!! It's huge - hundreds of entries from 7 or 8 states plus a great swap meet and a barbeque afterwards. More info at the Cactus Car Modelers site . . . http://www.cactuscarmodelers.com/ Moonlight Modelers Club is still going strong after more than 30 years! Meetings 3rd Saturday of the month. Check it out . . . http://www.moonlightmodelers.com/ Cactus Car Modelers Club is another great club . . . Meets 2nd Wednesday every month . . . http://www.cactuscarmodelers.com/ Good Guys Rod & Custom Association holds two events in Scottsdale every year with big model car and pedal car contests/shows at Westworld. You'll miss the Spring Nationals (March 7,8, & 9 this year), but you'll be here for the Southwest Nationals in November. The IPMS Craig Hewitt Chapter (Phoenix) meets 1st Tuesday of every month and holds a big contest and swap meet 1st weekend of November. AND, really great news for you is a huge new hobby complex opening in April at 3401 W. Greenway Road . . . HobbyTown USA retail store, indoor R/C track, outdoor R/C track, indoor go-cart track, plus restaurant and meeting rooms, build rooms, etc. So, good luck with the job hunt and give us a holler when you get here!!!

Beautiful, Mark!

Excellent!

That's funny, Tony. I like that kind of spirit.

Rob's right. Superclean and Purple Power don't work well on lacquer. Doesn't 91% alcohol work pretty well on lacquers? I think that's what most guys who work in lacquer recommend. Might try that.

Danno... You know it buddy, It will be at the Desert Scale Classis finished or not and sitting on the display/project table for sure. I am hoping to have the body in primer and possibly more of the engine done as well. Or pretty much what I can get done in the next 6 weeks...lol Chris, I can't wait to see it . . . and touch it . . . LOL. Don't panic, man. I'll settle for seeing it! {Don't forget to bring along your transmission jack so you can lift that monster up onto the table.}

Fantastic! Glad you're showing pictures, John. It's nearly unbelievable as it is! Without pix, well, . . .

True dat. You don't even know . . . how true dat.

And little sun dresses, and short-shorts, and tank tops, and wet T-shirts, and string bikinis, and thong bikinis, and smaller bikinis and 1/2-bikinis . . . Yep, it's brutal. But somebody's gotta live here.

Yeah. It rained last year and I think most years when we get an early Spring rain it comes on the weekend of our NASCAR events! One of the earliest Spring NASCAR races I attended at PIR turned into a frog-strangler and shortened the race. Parking lots were lakes and the streets/roads flooded.