Brian Austin

The 4x4 R/C hobby forums have several threads regarding bodies fabricated from aluminum sheet. Here's one example: http://www.rccrawler.com/forum/1-9-scale-rigs/147988-project-true-scale-aluminum-toyota-body-24.html

Wasn't there excitement last year that young people were getting introduced to model building and were giving the hobby a much needed boost? Has all that good will already dried up?

Here are some recently-scanned 35mm color negative images from the 2002 MassCar contest. Can you ID the builders of the '59 Chevy and the wild custom Edsel combo?

There is one Model King box I had. The Hemi Under Glass. One year at NNLEast there was an announcement for people to head to the bleachers outside for a photo session. So I, along with some others from my club are in the background of the boxart, along with other show attendees.

Ask Terry Jessee about "Olfactory Airs". :-)

There is good reference available regarding Chevy cars and trucks. https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-heritage-archive/vehicle-information-kits.html Yes, the sedan roof was shared between two-door and four-door models, and through the '55-'57 years. Hardtops will be different from the sedans, different windshields.

They're all the same to me. :-P I've had similar conversations in my model club meetings. Most members seem enthusiastic about muscle cars, pony cars, etc., while just a few of us would rather have a nice kit of a Lincoln Zephyr coupe or other Classic. As far as Moebius goes, I've been hoping they'd develop the Pontiac line to other body styles.

That airbrushing is what makes it special to me. :-) A high school friend of mine's parents bought a similar Olds wagon used, in the '80s, that came with airbrushed artwork of its own...a graveyard theme! They got a chuckle out of it, and called it the Deathmobile or some such. I don't have pictures of that one.

Aren't there enough muscle car kits already? :-P

I have only a vague memory of this place. A recollection was the name "Car Palace", and eventually a period newspaper describes a business of that name in Somerset, MA. It's interesting the article mentions the Rolls Royce van, as I have found it online in later years, and IIRC it has been restored. I wonder if the Turbo Tub still exists. (Pictures taken with a 110-cartridge camera.) Newspaper clipping (online) from Lewiston Journal, June 12, 1985

These pictures are from a color negative scan, so the color balance may be a little off. :-)

Twenty years ago I was in Miami for my cousin's wedding. Saw some interesting cars and architecture (and the Everglades as well on the day of the 11th). https://www.flickr.com/photos/brian_w_austin/29681240755/in/album-72157673871741815/

Compare kit prices against average wage.

Interesting concept. Running the grooves neatly at that angle on a curved surface will certainly be a challenge...

https://www.streetsideclassics.com/vehicles

The Jan-March 1972 issue of Special Interest Autos has an article on Nomads, and it includes the Waldorf Nomad. One lovely illustration compares the show car with the production Nomad and its Pontiac cousin. Note the show car's roof and greenhouse differs from the production models.

Quick history of the Gar Wood company... http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/g/gar_wood/gar_wood.htm

In the late '80s a couple of friends and I went to an eclectic toy and collectibles store in the Boston area (Mr. Big's Toyland in Waltham) and there was a large selection of Jo-Han kits. I should have picked up one of everything. ? I suppose everyone had one of these X-El flyers? I'll take a '58 Cadillac...

A Scenicruiser won't do anything for the WWII crowd. :-)

Huh... The Gar Wood body was put together by a CAD guy finding information on the internet. So different from the days of original factory blueprints!

http://cadillacdb.planeteldorado.com/Dbas_txt/prof59.htm FWIW, the author of the above website had this to say regarding the red ambulance in the MotoExotia listing I posted earlier. "This Miller-Meteor Futura-styled ambulance was offered for sale at auction on eBay in December, 2003. According to the vendor, tens of thousands of dollars went into restoring this car ...even though he said the gauges, wipers, blinkers and A/C were o/s. Note that the leather front bucket seats are from a 1964 model; the steering wheel from a 1965; the wire wheels are from the nineties, the boat horn is non-authentic, as is the upper chrome side trim running from the front door to the rear bumper. Late Extra, 4/2004: According to Sarah, my young friend and professional car enthusiast from Cleveland, OH, the base vehicle is a Miller-Meteor Sentinel model; Sarah is right! The car was acquired by an enthusiast in England for less than the $25K asking price. Corrigendum 5/2004: At first I thought those rectangular roof-mounted tunnel lights, blue lens siren and curved chrome side trim were not authentic, however, the new owner has sent irrefutable proof that all these items are genuine MM issue; he sent a period advertisement for Miller Meteor's Sentinel, Volunteer and Ambulandau models (see below). He added that the vendor had repaired most of the outstanding defects before shipping the car to Europe; he found the original front bench seat and sent that over with the car." The horns and wire wheels do for sure look out of place.

High-top ambulance. https://topclassiccarsforsale.com/cadillac/16064-1959-miller-meteor-cadillac-hightop-ambulance.html

I've seen their catalog but I've never seen any of their product. Apparently they had other Model T kits, along with horsedrawn vehicles and trains.

Apparently people do buy those basket cases to build their Ectomobile clones. Here's an ambulance in much nicer condition: https://www.motoexotica.com/sold_inventory/inventory/15277/1959/Cadillac/Ambulance/20192228?detail_embedded=true&leadsource=Showroom|motoexotica_sold_inventory