jaymcminn

I've been checking out some of those Bentley transkits. I'll have to pick and choose what to splash out on, definitely the wheels/tires and probably the engine. I can't wait for the Bugatti to come out. I'm going to build it to replicate the mostly bare-metal example in the Revs Institute here in Naples.

Because there are no places on the Internet other than this forum to argue about/obsess over politics, right? Forums banning political talk isn't exactly a new phenomenon.

Heeeerrreee, birdie birdie birdie...

Now that issue 212 is out I can post up some "Under Glass" pics of my Fiat Mefostofele racer. The Mefistofele was the brainchild of an English race driver named Ernest Eldridge, who combined the chassis of a 1908 Fiat chain-drive racing car with a WW1 surplus Fiat bomber engine to create a monster. Mefistofele broke the land speed record in 1923 with a speed of 146.8 mph. In the 1960s it was bought by the Agnelli family, restored and displayed in the Fiat museum in Turin. The kit is the 1/12 scale Italeri reissue of the old Protar metal-body kit from the mid-70s. Modifications included molded rivets drilled and replaced with Tichy Train Group styrene rivets, basswood parts replacing kit plastic and the driver's seat resculpted to be prototypically correct. The build is featured in MCM #212 as well as this thread. http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/164630-fiat-mefistofele-112-italeri-ex-protar/ One of my favorite things is the plaque listing Mefistofele's accomplishments... the kit decal probably could have stood some proofreading. I'm guessing nobody was expecting it to be blown up to 20 times its normal size with a macro lens?

Molotow airbrushes beautifully without thinning. I go about 15psi with my Iwata Revolution. If you leave it alone for a few weeks it'll be more durable, but it doesn't really like a lot of handling. It's much easier to get a good result than with Alclad. I've also used Molotow under a grey wash to represent engine bay aluminum.

I dearly love my NA Miata ('95 M Edition) but I'd never want to take it cross-country. I think that would count as an epic journey. I'd want something quick, smooth, comfortable but fun in the twisty bits. A Lexus SC400 would fit the bill nicely.

I'd be pretty upset if my late-model car lost some functionality due to 3G going away. It's not the sort of thing you'd ever think to look into. Fortunately my Miata was born when cell phones were bricks and my '13 Kia Soul, despite having all the bells and whistles, doesn't rely on cellular networks for nav or infotainment functions (updates via SD cards).

If we're talking specifically about Goodwill, I've gotten a few scores there... more in previous years than recently. I found the console below for $40 in the local Goodwill. It's Danish teak from the mid 60s, built by cabinet maker Poul Hundevad. These go for $1500+ in worse condition than this one. The lamp is a rare chalkware piece from Jo Wallis. I haven't seen another one like it to date it. It was painted with gloopy black enamel when I found it. I repainted it in a more appropriate finish. The painting below was actually found by a buddy of mine who had it for a few years before his girlfriend banished it from the house. He paid $15 for it. It has pride of place in my entry way now. I tend to haunt local thrift places and antique stores as well as checking out those types of stores when I'm traveling in the area. Most of my wood furniture is mid-century pieces that I've bought cheap and restored. It's so much better built and beautifully designed than the new stuff.

Many thanks, I'm pretty psyched about it. Gonna frame the cover! http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/164630-fiat-mefistofele-112-italeri-ex-protar/

Still waiting for my issue. I have an, ummm, personal stake in seeing the Fiat in print!

I like Micro Krystal Klear. Thick consistency, cleans up with water.

ATTACK!!!!!!!!!

For most belts, add two inches to your pants size. If you're a 36" trouser, order a 38" belt. My job requires "business casual" dress and I tend to stick to brands I know... Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Charles Tyrwhitt, etc. I can order these things online and know they'll fit. Same with shoes, Allen Edmonds you buy online will fit just like Allen Edmonds you buy in store and you can get some great deals that way. I generally dislike malls and don't have time for more than the occasional clothing run anyway so being able to order online makes my life a lot easier.

Yeah, I bought this one many years ago with thoughts of accurizing it and producing a killer replica. That never happened.

Two or three times I've done it with the Nichimo Lotus Esprit Series 1. Recently, my LHS got one in with a consignment of vintage kits. Picked it up, put it down, realized I was being an idiot the next day and went back for it. Of course it was gone.

So a few years back a buddy of mine acquired a painting in a thrift store in St. Pete for the princely sum of $15. He displayed it proudly in his apartment but recently moved in with his girlfriend, who decreed that said painting will NOT be gracing the walls of her house. He called me and asked if I would become the custodian of this piece of fine art. I jumped at the opportunity, since it's exactly my kind of weird and I'd have gladly paid up to, like, $20 for it. I finally got it hung yesterday with a cool pendant light from West Elm for illumination. Behold this awesome piece of 70's primitivist surrealism...

I caught McCartney on the same tour (Flowers in the Dirt) in Tampa. That's my favorite concert. Close second would be Flaming Lips a few years back at Jannus Landing in St. Pete.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/128478-112-tamiya-datsun-fairlady-240zg-under-glass/ Above is the link to my build thread...

Thanks guys, this kit is all about the prep. I narrowed panel gaps with styrene stock, block sanded everything with the panels in place, and mounted the flares before painting to make sure the fitment was perfect. The doors close with neodymium magnets so there isn't any sag or weird gap. It's a fantastic kit, but there's a fair amount of work that goes into making it look really good!

The Street custom has Watanabes with spacers, triple carbs, period bucket seats and some PE bits. When I built my early-issue ZG several years ago I ordered the parts trees with the wheels and spacers from Tamiya USA. Cost $20 or so and got me the parts I really wanted. The Watanabes use the same tires as the stock steelies.

Bingo. Great for cleaning models and works really well for pre-paint dust removal.

The ex-ESCI M1 is a pretty decent kit, if a bit "clunky" in the details. Looking forward to getting the Italeri repop. It does have engine detail.

I have a plated version of the Ferrari 360 Berlinetta I bought back in the late '90s.

I clench up every time I buy something and see the dreaded "USPS" as the shipping method. Recently I purchased a fairly expensive watch and the vendor sent it USPS Priority. It disappeared off of tracking for four days before showing back up. I got it a week after it shipped. By contrast, I ordered a new set of aftermarket mirrors for my '95 Miata from a Japanese vendor who used DHL. Tracking showed every single step of the way and it made it from Tokyo to Florida in 3 days!

That Bugatti Type 35 is going to be epic. Can't wait.