jaymcminn

Friction. And yes, the bottle can (and, at some point, will) fall out.

Only irritated in the sense that Italeri released the Monza version of the 8c first and then released the Roadster a year later with parts that could have easily been included in the first release. I'm guessing they're going to do the same thing with the Bugatti. I get the need to monetize expensive new tools as much as possible, but do it in a way that actually adds value, like the 1/12 Fiat 500 and Abarth 695SS. For the Alfa, including the Roadster parts would have created an excellent 2-in-1 first release then the Zagato version I mentioned would have been a killer second issue for that tool.

As much as I really, REALLY want this, I'm a little irritated that they're doing the same thing they did with the Alfa 8c and not including fenders/spare tire/headlights on this version. I'll probably buy both versions anyway... anything to encourage Italeri to keep producing 1/12 scale kits of long-overlooked subject matter like prewar sports/racing cars. Speaking of which, since they've already got the chassis, engine and wheels tooled up I'd love to see an Alfa 8c Zagato Spider...

When this song blew up on Sirius XMU I figured them for a one-hit novelty act. The rest of this album is 100% bangers, not a bad track on it. They're the real deal!

The Metal Color line are really nice paints. The chrome works well for polished aluminum and the other shades are great as well. They like to be sprayed about 20psi, so a little higher pressure than metalizer. Being brushable is a big benefit as well. I'm not as crazy about the Vallejo gloss black primer they recommend as an undercoat... it takes forever to dry and seems to stay a little rubbery for a long time. I'm going to try them with Tamiya gloss black lacquer and see how they do.

I love it. I built the Monza when it came out and have been toying with the idea of getting the Spider as well... the fenders, spare and headlamps really change the character of the car.

That is lovely. Bold color choice that works really well on this car. Great photography as well.

That is a handsome cat. Tank is the perfect name for him! I had a Russian Blue named Samantha growing up. They have a lot of personality and tend to bond pretty strongly to one or two people. Sammy loved me and my mom, mostly tolerated my dad and absolutely hated my little brother, who came along after she did.

Got lucky here in Naples. Only lost power for 18 hours or so, probably because all of the power infrastructure in my area was replaced after being decimated by Irma. I live about 7 miles inland on a freshwater canal so I didn't have the storm surge that wrecked coastal areas. There's some cleanup I need to do in the yard but not too bad. I'm the front office manager at a 183 room hotel on the Gordon River where it meets Naples Bay. Our property was built 7 years ago to withstand both category 4 winds and worst-case storm surge and made it through with flying colors. We're open running on enormous generators and are accommodating FP&L crews who are working to restore power in the area. Our executive chef has been working hard to set up a "soup kitchen" to provide free meals to our guests who can't go out to eat with local restaurants closed. The downtown area sustained significant damage and the beachfront is a wreck. My old hotel on the beach had 8 feet of water inundating the ground floor. The devastation on the Lee County barrier islands is heartbreaking. Ft. Myers Beach, Matlacha, Sanibel, Captiva... these areas will take years to recover. So much history and local color was lost and it can never be the same. One of my favorite day trips would be to hop in the Miata and take the long route up to the Bubble Room in Captiva for dinner. Seeing all the places that I know well along that drive destroyed is... there aren't really words for it. That doesn't even take into account the human misery. The death toll, which won't be known for a while. People displaced and homeless. I love this area. SW Florida has its frustrations and annoyances like anywhere else but when it comes down to it we pull together. In that spirit we will rebuild. Hopefully smarter. Hopefully stronger. The reality is that storms are getting more powerful and major storms seem to be more frequent and damaging.

Not digging the interior, the iPads hot-glued to the dashboard are an automotive fad that needs to go away. Buttons and knobs are safer and easier to find while driving. Screen displays wash out in bright sunlight (not good in, you know, a convertible). The sweet spot has already been hit with a simple touchscreen in the center of the dash to access the settings you don't need on a regular basis and physical controls for everything else. Unfortunately, the need to keep up with the latest trends tends to overrule common sense.

Whatever Johnny's rear leg just did, he's not happy about it.

Those second-tier Japanese companies passed molds around like crazy back then. Otaki, Doyusha, Nichimo, Nitto, Arii... there was a whole host of kits that some or all of these companies released at one time or another. As one company would fold, another company would buy the molds and rerelease the kit. I think most of the surviving molds would be held by Doyusha and Arii now. IIRC, Otaki folded in the early 80s. They tooled up the 1/12 Countach LP400/500 series, which is an excellent kit on par with Tamiya models of the time.

Thanks! I got it from IKEA about 5 years ago. I just checked and it's still on their site, but not in the red color. It's called "Fabrikor".

My LHS is Family Hobby Center. It's a great little shop, I've been going there for 40+ years. Owned by the same family since 1959. I don't know that it's worth a road trip unless you were coming to the area anyway... it's not a big shop by any means and they tend to be a little conservative in terms of what they stock. K&K Hobbies in Port Charlotte is bigger and has a better selection. Can't wait for the Southland show!

Honestly, I look at the Internet as my hobby shop. Of course I still patronize my (very good) LHS. Different companies are good at different things. 1/12 detail stuff and aftermarket bits? Spot Model (out of Spain) rules. Good prices, fast shipping. Hobby Link Japan and Plaza Japan are great for a kit stock-up, but the shipping has gotten silly lately from Japan. I've gotten some good deals from Hobbylinc as well and of course there's always the dreaded eBay for vintage kits. Model Roundup was my go-to when I was building more American stuff and their service was always great.

Bandit's a big (17lbs) boy. That pic doesn't show off his color to full advantage. This is more like it... The belly rub thing is my favorite. I start off scratching his ears, then he scoots down and flops his leg over my arm so my hand is pretty much trapped and I can't help but rub his belly. I have never seen a cat go for belly rubs like he does. He's like a freaky mutant cat-dog.

If I could find someone to rub my belly while I take a nap, I'd be all set...

I'm a big fan of acrylic display stands to add dimension and space to my display cabinets. The effect can be almost like the cars are floating in midair. For some builds I really like I have a few small display cases scattered around the house...these get swapped out from time to time. Everywhere I go in my home I get to look at the models I've produced over the years. It's a good feeling!

Probably the Monogram Deusenberg SJ Murphy Convertible in about 1979. I was a big fan of classic cars as a kid. Still am, come to think of it.

Definitely contact Tamiya. I think the 935 is either in the current catalog or recently rereleased. My 934 had a thin mold line in the windshield but nothing like that.

I probably spent the first 40 hours on my Trumpeter GT40 test-fitting and correcting the panel fit. It's my usual procedure when it comes to large-scale kits with opening panels. I still ran into issues when I got to the final assembly stage. It's not the worst-engineered kit I've ever built, but it's definitely in the top 5. If they hadn't nailed the overall look so well it wouldn't be worth it.

Breathtaking.

I think this might be the most 80s thing ever.

Naaah, I always wind up getting my packages but they sometimes take a pretty circuitous route. Just plain ole institutional incompetence.

Aaaaand back to USPS. Every time I look at package tracking and see "Ybor City Distribution Center" I cringe because it then turns into a huge crapshoot as to where it's going next and when. This time a package sat at Ybor for two days and has now vanished off the face of the earth. This only happens with expensive things... the $8 craft sticks I ordered from Amazon showed up on time but the $500 limited-edition Seiko watch is now in postal limbo.