Brian Austin

I was reminded of a couple of old concept trucks: Chevrolet-PPG XT-2 https://ppgpacecars.com/chevrolet-xt2-concept-1989-ppg-pace-car/ GMC Centaur https://www.motor1.com/news/307118/gmc-centaur-concept-we-forgot/ Oddly enough, I also see a little latter-day Lamborghini Countach in the angular styling of the Cybertruck...and those seem fairly popular. (I tend to prefer the earlier version, myself.) Now, for you old gents complaining the Cybertruck isn't for you, no duh... "Wall Street analysts said Detroit automakers who dominate the full-size pickup market have little to fear from the Cybertruck, but Tesla may not be aiming for those traditional truck buyers. “While the design and ‘armored’ features may actually expand the market by drawing in younger drivers who are gaming and sci-fi fans, these are buyers who are not likely to have been in the market for a King Ranch or Ram HD,” Barclays Plc analyst Brian Johnson wrote to investors on Friday." -You Think the Tesla Cybertruck Looks Stupid? OK, Boomer: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-22/you-think-the-tesla-cybertruck-looks-stupid-ok-boomer And note the Cybertruck isn't due to be in production for another couple of years or so. Shouldn't the Big 3 be designing more advanced trucks by now? It's pretty much the same thing year after year. :-P

Considering the tail light looked to be a segmented white/clear rod, I wasn't sure how it was supposed to be illuminated.

How did the tail lights work?

A former member of my model club loved his Aztec. It was dependable. Others have said so as well. So you have those who hate them, but weren't in the market for them anyway, and those who actually owned one, and loved it. I suspect this may happen with the Cybertruck as well. People complain that all cars today look alike, and then complain when something breaks way from conventional design practices.

Give it a chance, maybe it will be a decent vehicle. Maybe we're not the target demographic.

https://www.carscoops.com/2008/06/bell-aurens-longnose-custom-made-land/ https://driving.ca/land-rover/auto-news/news/this-one-off-land-rover-bell-aurens-longnose-is-up-for-sale https://www.freenet.de/auto/magazin/pictureshow/bell-aurens-longnose_875940_4714768_875936_0.html https://silodrome.com/bell-aurens-longnose/

Monogram's "Honest Engine". I watched my father build one (since it was somewhat related to the family train hobby) sometime prior to 1977. We still have it.

Now for something really obscure...one of my own! Keep in mind this is a rough demo recording I made several years ago. I have a friend who wants to record for real with me, so maybe I'll redo this one at some point. The image I had in mind when I wrote this was an early '50s Buick wagon in a snow storm.

Hemmings has had some interesting discussions regarding the film: https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2019/11/08/ford-v-ferrari-movie-review/ https://www.hemmings.com/blog/2019/11/15/who-is-the-underdog-in-ford-v-ferrari-again/ My local IMAX theater is screening this one. I am trying to determine whether it's available in 3d. That would be fun if it was.

Hah. Fords and Chevys. Try being a Studebaker fan. :-P

Writers have made similar comments even in the '50s.

The GMC motorhome doesn't have dual rear wheels like the Kenworth does, though. Remember the GMC is FWD and there's no solid rear axle. FWIW, a heavily "customized" tandem-axled Winnebago clone makes an appearance in the animated TV series "The Venture Brothers." https://www.imcdb.org/v001057512.html

The venerable Hawk cable car kit is 1:48 scale, despite what some boxes might say. It's fun to note the different box art over the years, mirroring the prototype's changing paint schemes. It builds into a nice model.

Is the pictured car an all-electric or hybrid?

FWIW, the paint was redone once or twice in its show career. At some point the paint got more of a green tint than it originally had.

Many '40s cars have had fake wood in their interiors as well. "Woodgrained" dashes are steel, painted with great skill and care to resemble wood. If I had a customized vintage station wagon, I'd be tempted to paint the sides in faux-marble-grain effect just to be different among the woodies. :-)

StevenGuthmiller, how about simple common courtesy and respect for others without snark? The "It's ugly" and "Yawwwn" (seen elsewhere in this forum) responses aren't particularly productive.

Someone built a replica of the Golden Sahara in 1:25 scale. https://www.customcarchronicle.com/model-cars/the-golden-sahara-model/#.XaecXTd7njo Now are you going to tell the builder it's ugly? Oddly enough I was recently thinking of posting the restoration progress thread on Rik Hoving's wonderful Kustom Car Chronicle site. https://www.customcarchronicle.com/forums/topic/golden-sahara-ii-restoration/#.Xaedpzd7njo To me the point of many '50s wild custom cars was to be "in-your-face" creative. The Golden Sahara was always a show car. They had to outdo their colleagues, and then re-do them for next show season, topping themselves in the process. When you go to model shows, do you complain about how "ugly" the radical customs are?

IMHO nothing about that yellow car is "factory". :-) 'tis a kit car.

The MB roadster was spotted in a shopping center parking lot, slightly rough around the edges. The night shots are of a local classic-car dealer.

That "suspicious" looking Countach sure looks like a kit car. That wacky front bumper looks like it was designed to prevent under-riding in a collision (but was executed with a heavy hand!). https://otobekas.com/detail/1986-Lamborghini-Countach-1986-Lamborghini_283585898727.html I considered the latter Countaches as being cool when I was young, but today I just really love the clean styling of the original version.

There are lots of different model-building forums out there, from around the world. Fantastic work.

Some elaborate miniature neon signs were built for the 1980s film "One From The Heart". Working neon signs were bent from 2mm tubing. https://www.facebook.com/NeonMuseum/posts/throwback-1981-miniature-las-vegas-strip-used-for-francis-ford-coppolas-film-one/10154748364670754/ One such neon sign from the movie is/was on ebay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEON-Miniature-Movie-Prop-One-Heart-1981-Nastassja-Kinski-/192684017407 Some are seen in the title sequence shown below. Other sets were constructed for a scene depicting background scenery seen from a moving car that was later cut.

OK, I just found the record label does in fact spell it as Beetlebaum. Nevermind...

FYI, the name is Feitlebaum .