W Humble

Tom; don't mind me butting in. I also tried the modified pick, but haven't gotten the cut-down point smooth enough; it is very sharp and does a good job of digging a trench (good for opening up doors, etc.) but like most tools, hard to control for consistent width. And those very important corners; like I mentioned, a good metal template is required, and the only one I have is a brass book-mark (also had a likeness of Mark Twain) that has tight radii that I find very useable. It's smallish, and hard to hold in place, tho. I'd hoped to find a re-scriber that had some method (side flanges or ??) of controlling depth of cut. I guess this process separates the men from the boys, huh? Some beautiful examples posted -- wow!

Plug wires; don't go out without 'em! First thing I notice on a build when the hood is open, I suppose. I built my own distributor/magento and wire set ups for quite some time, and still do the Vertex style mags (below), but I often buy either Parks (best) or Gofer (okay) pre-built, especially when they go on sale. Parks includes the coil (though it's so tiny I can hardly see it now; wonder how he does, as he's even older than me?!) which is very nice. I can't find the ideal size plug wire, nor do my 'hang right, but I'm usually using scrounged wire. I have a spool of black from I forget which source that is too thin; it resembles Gofer from Hobbylinc stock, but I use it. The cylindrical Vertex-style magnetos I make from old (real old!) auto antenna stock -- chromed brass, as a rule, and FREE -- cutting the top with a roller tubing-cutter, and the bottom with an abrasive blade on my Dreml. It would be nice to cut both with the rolling blade, as it chamfers the end nicely, but it often becomes to short to fit the cutter jaw. In the top/chamfered end, I glue a piece of thick tube; sprue works, nd drill a tiny hole through it side to side. Then, I cut the wires to length (four for an eight-cylinder car, etc.) and poke them through the hole in the top, and expedient but it hasn't drawn criticism... Then I put a 1/16" pop rivet in the bottom with epoxy on it for the shaft, which is trimmed. Usually, old phone 'spaghetti' wire colored coverings work for this, but I strip the insulation off to make it flexible enough to look somewhat realistic. Boot material is where you find it. Boy, do I drone on! Like I think I'm still getting paid by the word, or something! Good topic; sorry I don't have photos. Wick

I found the #11 blade idea okay, and it has the advantage of allowing a fairly thick handle for better grip, too. Still, seems a bit awkward to me; blade-angle and all. Hoping for better, I first bought the BMF line scriber, with the slight hook at the tip, and it worked best when it was relatively new. Later, I got Micromark's scriber, and like it better, On all mine, I slip the handle inside a pieces of rubber/neoprene vacuum hose for better purchase, especially when trying to turn corners. I'm impressed that Steven got such good results on the fuel-filler door on the B-ville, if he had to do it too. At least once in every job, I lose my guide edge, and wind up filling an errant scratch -- which my builds don't need! As Steven said, the old kit bodies are a luxury when scribing, though a lot of fans don't like the thick edges one gets when cutting out apertures. All my builds are from my stash so-called from the first half of the 'sixties, many of which must have hoods opened to have power-plants adapted from the parts box. The resulting 'deep scribe' often creates a rather pronounced gap, and so for the best effect, the other lines representing openings benefit from some size emphasis, to avoid very obvious discrepancies in accuracy! The older the kit, the more they were able to get away with -- but we loved 'em! I also use my pin vise to hold a sharpened bit of steel (baling?) wire, which has some advantages. Being able to hold onto the tool very close to the tip seems to me to be helpful, but then I'm not as adroit with fine handwork as I once (think) I was! On a 'custom' with lots of new scribes, perfection of curve, depth, and line sure help to 'sell' the re-design! Wick

My issues: 1.) Deep scribing means repeated strokes, which increases the chance of slips. 2.) Corners! Doing straight lines, or those the mfr. put in pretty distinctly is old stuff, but creating corners (as opposed to just rescribing the kit version) is challenging. I have done several 'old school' customs, and this generally requires 'pancaking' the hood, deck, and even door corners, which typically involves scribing all-new lines in surfaces that are usually part styrene and part filler. Makes for very interesting work/re-work. I use 'found object' metal templates, to get consistant, symmetrical corner shapes, but... !f These are hard to find (metal book marks a good source of tight curves, the faithful s/s eraser guide okay for a few others!) They are not easy to secure to the surface, even taped with green masking over most of the edges, and oc they don't follow sharp contours in my often convoluted custom work -- this requires some thinking ahead! Last point, demi-rant: some of the stuff I've seen at shows, mags, etc. is much like the modern trend toward* 'rusting'; over-done, I M Humble O. On a 1;1 scale car, even a very light or white one, the body openings are visable enough, but don't look like they've been outlined with an airbrush, somehow. I use a tiny-tip writing pen (any brand) and immediately after accenting the scribe line, give it a wipe with a soft T-shirt rag. If too much comes off, I can always repeat. For the record, I'm seldom really satisfied with my results. *My favorite 'rat ruster' was in SA; a Chevy Cameo kit with elaborately 'rusted' bed sides; which everyone knows are fiberglass! Oy!

Trying to finish a Maisto '53 Stude die-cast remod for the Dragonlady/Yuba City show upcoming. I'm making a scratch-built McCulloch blower, air-box, and aaugh: pulleys and belts! I'm glad it is 1:16, anyhow. YC used to hav a dealer called Frank Morgan, and he advertised in some of the hot-car magazines as a source for new Studes with many mods 'Drive a Morgan Studebaker and eat no man's dust!' I blew up one ad and am making a billboard of it, for a semi-diorama effect. The Maisto (such strange kits!) had a mis-shapen door-window profile, and their usual V-12 plug wires on a V-8 (good source for those sets, tho; none better!!), plus I changed the green/tan color to bright red with a maize-colored roof and interior details, like is on the '53 Stude dealer brochure cover. Scarey when one is finishing up a build for show, because every handling is an opportunity for some disaster to strike! (Esp if you're ME!)

David, thanks for your input. The 'New Improved" isn't proof of better adhesive, anyhow... Guess I'll just use it lavishly, and keep a fresh sheet! I tried the Molotow pen, but didn't care for it, so I bought the refill size, and just use a small brush; usually gets great results. Sometimes it comes out more like silver paint we're all so used to, but it seems to depend on the eveness and uniform depth of the application. I sprayed it through my Iwata a few times; just depends on the job. I fought the urge to build a solid chrome car at first! Trying to get a chrome effect c.1958 was just an exercise in frustration. Still, we were all in the same boat. I remember trying to soak the plating off of the chrome sprues with my sis's polish remover, and carbon tetrachloride, among other potions! I usually came off, but what remained couldn't be re-applied, to my anguish. Some things do improve!

I was really 'liberated' when I discovered BMF; no more painting trims Testors silver (back many gens ago) but lately I've been having problems with the adhesive. How long does the stickum on the back typically last? No more than a year, I suppose, but recently I've found new stuff that when applied and trimmed, seemed to just pop off with the handling to apply the next piece. It's doubly frustrating to have to re-apply foil after I may have left some knife cut-lines in the finish, too! I do keep my painted models clean. The foil sheets are pampered and kept cool. Your experience? I love Molotows; it was another step to better results, even tho my hands don't do the accurate work I used to expect, but both 'chromes' have their uses, and it's frustrating for me to be hobbled by the stiction or not.

Revell Highway Pioneers, bought for my dad and built with him, which was great because he died of a coronary in 1958 when I was twelve. I did a lot of Aurora Famous Fighters, Revell and Renwal military, and Monogram aircraft -- plus half the warships on the market, too! I was a real wastrel! But automobiles: the Revell '56 Ford ragtop kit; I think I had two, and the '56 (?) Buick, followed by the discovery of AMT/SMP and soon after JoHan 1'25 cars in 1958. That was my real beginning; I gave away all my other type kits -- and sunk my navy with firecrackers -- and concentrated on 'customizing' more or less the 3-in-1 kits, adding Revel MoPar offerings in '62, and some other oddballs like Palmer and Strombecker (their cool Scarab 'slot' car, which I'm rebuilding) before it mostly ended in 1965 when the real world got serious. Studying hard to keep my 2-S draft deferment, fighting fire in the summers, and getting serious about gals! Drafted in 1968, I packed up my kits, built and unbuilt (still working on some from '60) in a big box that got smushed. Saved, but lots of radical repairs! I found some bits from the Highway Pioneer era a while back. Sheesh! Wick

Here's a laugh: like our other holidaze stuff, all made in China! I gave up trick or treating a few years ago, anyhow. Wick (about the time I got my SS!)

Pat, Of course the box art is correct; being as this is about humor, I was punning on the 'car' part. Nice model! I did airplanes, ships, and military as a kid (in the 1950s) but am just about cars now. Wickerhsham

Not a Flying BoxCAR? I don't have pics, but I cleared, cut and buffed my CD Maisto '53 Stude, now red body and yellow-white top, like on the cover of the big Stude dealer brochure for that year. I'm also scratching (a bit on the big scale) a McCulloch blower for it. I do like working with 1:16 scale, as my fingers are not so hot anymore. I also have a '57Caddie Maisto that I am re-painting again matte black, a 'Stray Cats' theme car in 1:16. I used Ditzler 'Hot Rod Black' and wasn't pleased with it for 'patina' (I say it 'PAT'na', like the British, when I say it at all!) for all it cost me over $60 with hardener... and that was with the empolyees' discount, three years ago! Wick

Snake: Ditto! OMG! So sorry; here's hoping... ! Wick (age 77, but still counting)

Funny! Snake, how do you have time for your kit projects? :-<) Wick

Where are the clowns? Bring on the clowns~

It's a MoPar; they invented 'Floating Power", right? Wick

An oldie: from a bumper sticker on the back of my buddies A-H bugeye auto-x car, c. 1971: "All the parts falling off this car are of the finest British manufacture." Or my late Dad's Model T joke: "Q; Why does Henry Ford put magnetized rear bumpers on his flivvers? A; to catch all the parts that fall off!"

Riddle from a 90 year old magazine (thus not at all PC): Why does a Scotsman only buy one spur? Because he assumes that if one side of his horse will go, the other side will follow!

As I mentioned, there were a plethora (!) of neat cars on Perry Mason, and I once found a website that featured most of them, plus a lot of LA cityscapes. Ever watch Speedway, a one season 'hot rod' adventure? Thought it was great back when! Wick

I'm sure that's so. On the pilot for LITB, there was a pretty new Ford Fairlane 500 in several shots but it had the brand and model moldings carefully masked-off! OC, it was Ford who supplied Ward Cleaver's '57 Custom 300 sedans for the first seasons, then LITB changed networks and Plymouth stepped in until the '64 demise. He had a '60, '62, and '63, but not the wacky '61, although other MoPars were seen on the streets , including a Simca. Wally and Eddie drove old Chevies, Lumpy the pretty Ford. For me, it's a lot of fun seeing those rides from my own Jr. Hi and Hi School days! And modeling them!

A bad day: "You know it's going to be a bad day when you're driving behind a bunch of motorcycle outlaws, and your horn sticks...!"

Painted my 1961 'Plodge' 2-dr hardtop 'phantom' combo GM white: nice tasteful Plymouth rear body, with good-looking contemporary Dodge front clip replacing the 'Favorite Martian' front treatment of the Plymouth. Still letting the clear-coat (PPG 661 spot clear 2K, with light pearl) get dry, then I'll post photos -- I hope. I did the top amd rear-deck trim panel in medium metallic blue, and the oh-so-shallow JoHan interior tub silver-gray and the same blue. Using the original promo chassis, I opened the frame for a (make unknown) 413 V-8 (cross-ram 2X4, but short-runner; I know, it's all I had!), 4-speed (ditto), and chrome rims with narrow w/w's (ditto again; not released until 1962 on low-priced three cars). A curbside build, it's going to have a slight 'dago' (shortend from 'San Diego', home of the raked front, PC folks) to be era-accurate, and a lower stance just because most kits of that era (and others, too) sat far to high to be scale-correct, I M Humble O. Wick

Ray, Got my CDL in summer of '61, and drove both Corvair and '60 Ford Falcon almost new: my opinion is that at the point when the 'Vair is starting to tuck a wheel on it's not-optimum swing axle suspension, the Falcon would probably have rolled over. For the suspension Ford put under the original Falcon, the center of gravity was too high, and it rolled like a round-bottomed boat. SO: I like my '62 LeMans ragtop, but it shares the swing axles with the Chevy; just that the Tempests had infinitely better weight distribution, with their front engine, almost 50-50% f&r. All the above needed better, but in that era, they were economy cars, hoping to compete with V-W -- which also had swing-axles until about '68?? Every car mag loved the '65 up 'Vair, but... not enough oomph to compete with the Mustang, etc. Wick

Dave I picked up another '51 Deluxe 2-dt sedan about 1973 here in Chico; it was a 'driveway car' that had been parked for years and left to moulder, but in a very posh driveway! Another $50 car, but it was one of the worst; not much body rust, but oh -- the plating! It mu have been of the first of the Korean War 'rationed chrome' cars, because the grille literally went bare when I tried to put some Classic Wax on it! And, though I got it running well enough to drive across town, it was so low on power that it wouldn't accelerate in third; just gagged along until you down-shifted! And... when I knowingly went looking for the dreaded broken steering box capscrew: there it was !! Boy, it's almost impossible to ease threaded stubs out when the bolt shaft is inside the frame, but this on loosened while I was drilling it for an Easy-Out, and with a little encouragement, drove on through the casting and out! Foam Green, and we called it "Geraldine" Ford after POTUS. We moved, had our first child, and reality set it: it had to go. Two dudes (what they would have called themselves, back then) gave me $700 for Gerry, even I warned them of the engine probs. Ten years later, I made an offer of $2K for a Victoria HT (which I might not have had in the readies!) and lost out, but it was nice, if shopworn. I'll never b e able to afford one again, sad to say; at least not a Tudor! Wick

From a very old magazine: Guy in a jalopy drives up to a toll booth, and the collector leans out and says "Fifty cents!" Guy says "Make it a buck and I'll throw in the tool kit!" Schmock, schmock! Wick

Jim, et al: I guess I hit a nerve, huh? The joke was a gag/riddle, and it was original with me. Would it be too extreme to say I wasn't dog PC? I thought it was sorta' subtle and funny; sorry the topic ruined it for you-- does that make you dog apologists? :-<) I'm old, yes, and old school; I believe my right to not have four tooth-marks in my hand is more important than an animal's right to put teeth into it. If you find a PB so easy to forgive, perhaps you can forgive me? The owner was lucky I didn't want a settlement, huh? Of course she wouldn't bite him!~ Gosh! I'm not coming back to this thread. Wick