W Humble

I'll look! If not... ??? Sorry! Wick

Can you spare the Deuce seats? If not no probs. Thx!!

"Packard Lacauered' ? With real copper strands! Yes, we're old; 'old enough to know better, but too young to care?" Wick

Yep; can't find anything like you describe, so far. Alternates?? Wick

Some of the other guys may have a better line in this, but as I believe it was the very late 'sixties at the earliest. I try to keep to other colors for earlier cars, and don't got with blue or other sexy colors until later. The trick 'fifties color was the transparent red with the Rajah terminals! Or woven type. Black was the most common color, and the typical stock color (except for MoPars, maybe, with tan) until about '68? Wick

I built the original issue Monogram Avanti kitin the 'eighties with a phantom BBC (well, they had Chevy engines in the last gasp, after all!) but have never displayed it because of fit issues, doors, windows, etc. It isn't even in the same race with this nice iteration! It's engine went to an AMT '53 kit. I also used some Ditzler acrylic enamel clear that yellowed, and un-evenly! Fooey! Wick

Delicious! Anyone know if there was ever a 1955 Delray issued? I made one, more or less satisfactory, from a '56 center section and '55 front and rear sections, but it was too much like work. Trying to build one of all my significant rides from the day! My first car in 1961 was a Delray coupe with all the current stuff: full-moons, lakes pipes, hot 265, stick with real 'Vette floor-shift complete with plate, pattern, and ashtray, and pinstriped by the famous 'Coop'! Out of my life in '63 for college money; the draft board was on my heels -- and they got me anyway in '68! Oh well...

Early Chevelle SS or '63 Pontiac GP are like the Lincoln; slab-sided (subtle, cool) but had to get anything like the OEM 'carry thru' reflection line, tho it obviously can be done. Anything can be done, with enough $$ = time/materials! My bought-new in '61 AMT Continental kit was begun 'back when' and I used the Styline front and rear pans, and then sanded off the rear-fended 'jog' (well, I was Kustomizing, wasn't I?), and as I am finally finishing it now, I realize that around the rear wheel-well opening, one fender has taken a slight indentation. So, that puts an exclamation point on Bill's example. I have too many similarly old kits to finish, so that issue will have to be ingnored; it's pretty subtle anyway.' In '61 I also wanted to make it like the T-Bird 'Sports Roadster' conversion, so I blanked off the rear seat (with a piece cut from a soap-dish, all the sheet plastic available to salvage in our little western town, back when!!) and filled and relocated the 4-door lines to widen the fronts to a credible two-door length. It's going to be JFK's "Hyannis Port Hotrod", in satin black lacquer with POTUS stickers on the doors, R-R Lucas P-100 headlites, a red telephone, etc. Also a V-12 made from two 430 blocks -- the headers were a headache! The big wire wheels and fat tires aren't too period perfect, tho. OC, this was a promo type body, without opening hood, but it had the engine-bottom plate which gave 16-year-old me a start. Cotton gloves: often used by photo-lab techs in the day, and available from Kodak, as I recall, and cheap, once. Wick

So I'd heard. Yes, the Buick Club of America hasn't much to offer for the 215, or the Y-bodied cars. Such neat packages, and generally as big as a car needs to be, really! I'm going to do a registry of Pontiac V-8 cars extant I hope. I have Land Rover aluminum valve covers on my engine now, but they don't polish up well; still a nice fillip! It was pretty obvious that it must have been a mechanical ailment that sidelined the one in the salvage yard; little other damage. When I was Restoration Editor of the late Z-Car Magazine, the staff was polled for which engine they'd use to replace the L-series SOHC 6 (if they wanted to supplant one of the best features of he car!) and I had priced a Rover 3.5 'crate engine', writing my column around it as a strong little mill that wouldn't wreck the f-r balance of a 240Z, nor add more weight. Funny that the 215 is the same width and height as the SBC, but over an inch longer, tho the iron engine will go to 6.5-l. ! Twice as much $$ to rebuild, too! Wick

That's the story, all right. The Victoria could have been created by Ford earlier, but they were selling everything but the plant fork lifts in 1949. The Vicky 2-door hardtop coupe was just a lid grafted onto the convertible body; all the ragtop hardware attachment holes are there! I love the look, but could never afford a Vicky; the club coupe was my best '51! Honduras Maroon Custom, black wheels with baby-moons, and wide w/w's -- all on the cheap for a college freshman with the draft hanging over his head. A year later, the Ford was wrecked (snowstorm, vs. '57 Dodge; I got the coupe back on the road, but the frame was tweaked; the Dodge never turn another wheel!) and I was back in a '55 Chevy B-A hardtop. The 'shoebox' (don't like that tag; we never called the 1949-51 cars that, back in the day) was fun, easy to fix, and the V-8 sounded 'real' even tho a Chevy six could give it a run for it's money. My actual first '51 Ford was a $50 rust-bucket 2-dr sedan from MI -- disassembled itself in a sideswipe collision -- not my fault. I did save the drive train, though, and it ran for another year in my coupe. GM and Chrysler figured out the convertible-to-hardtop gimmick right away; Ford hesitated with the Crestliner, a name that lasted as a top-line model until the Fairlane was introduced in '55. I'm pretty ancient, obviously, and I swear I never beheld a Crestliner until I started going to car shows and swaps. I have a decal sheet for a Crestliner, origin unknown, that includes the lower paint portion of the cove, but ivory white. The only Crestliner kit bodies I'm aware of were resin creations, right? I made a model of my club coupe for nostalgia sake, along with my first car, a '55 Chevy Delray post hotrod (c'mon, lakes pipes?!), and my old love, the '65 Pontiac Tempest Custom hardtop (326/stick) which I had to sell when the draft finally caught up with me! I'm sure Ford might have been more motivated to do a true hardtop if they could have amortized the tooling against both Ford and Mercury, but oc Merc was the little Lincoln body mate until '52. The '52-54 cars are nice enough and tasteful, but neither has the panache of the '49-51 bodies for either, I M Humble O! The '51's were a mixed blessing, but I was prompted to buy this C-liner bec of a comment my younger bros made at our last family reunion: "We sure had a lot of fun in your Ford!" True; but now I wonder what they did in it!! For some good teenage adventures with lots of danger, rock n' roll, and cars, read A PLACE ON MARS series on Kindle, by yours truly. :-<) [Not Sci-Fi]

I'm building a resin-copy mash-up featuring the White "3000" tilt-cab, and need a set of the door logo "Green Hornet" from the old 1/24 Monogram T kit of the same name. My step-dad bought one new in '52 and put about a million miles on it running CA, I inherited it in decent running condition, but eventually couldn't afford the remainder of the restoration (it was a single-screw semi-tractor, gas powered) and it left the family for new quarters, don't know where. I'm building this one as a car-hauler, probably to display one of my Mono 'old skool' dragsters. He always referred to it as "The Green Hornet', tongue in cheek -- it wasn't too fast! I'd like to have the decals to 'name' the finished rig, painted two-tone green, of course! It's mounted on a Ford C-series chassis, with Alcoa rims, etc. Some trade stuff available. Thanks! Wick, ex-trucker 'back in the day' (Whites, K-Whompers, Peter-cars, Corn-Binders, Fartliners, Jimmys, Stovies, Tin Henrys, etc.)

You can still drive one, too! New acquisition; '51 Crestliner (older restoration, pretty much rebuilt stock but: 12V and alternator, Pertronix conversion, Red's Headers and duals, Fatman/Shoebox Central f&r sway bars, etc.) My high-school '51's were Deluxe and Custom models, and lots of fun/ez to work on! Only 12 years old, then, and seemed ancient -- wierd, huh? Funny Ford did this elite trim model on the 2-dr. sedan body; club coupe was so much more sleek. Did anyone mention the Frank Oddo engine book on CA BIll's Automotive Handbooks? Good photos, esp of mod engines. Ole' Wick

I bought a sheet of the POTUS seal decals, meant for the presidential helicopter, but only need a few, and there are lots! I'll gladly share a sampling (maybe 20, in different sizes) for just a self-addressed, stamped envelope. These are prob 1/48 scale, the largest about the size of a dime -- you remember dimes? -- and smaller. Look okay on my 1/25 AMT '61 Lincoln door, thought. I put two on a 1/25 'jalopy' art-car, for fun, converted from a glue-bombed Muster coach. PM me for my address. Wick

Wick here; sorry I didn't reply, but a couple of guys generously supplied the steering, etc. Very kind! I'd like to have the Deuce seat assembly, if you can spare it, plus the engine and parts collection. I'll have to look at what Firebirdy parts I have, but you're welcome to what's there. Otherwise, I have a little trove of early '60s bumpers, grilles and wheel covers from AMT /125 kits if you have specific needs. Or a few airplane kits to choose from, or ?? PM me? Ole' Wick, modeling (off and on) since '53!

Scott, Yep, I love the shape of the early Z-Car, and they performed great, for that era! Couldn't afford a 911S, purchase price or maintenance costs, so I was glad my $3,661 bought something that a guy raised on SBC's could work on! When I wrote the restoration book, it was apparent that any good set of metric tools, a factory shop book, and a bit of experience would put the average N American in a good position to build a nice car. I considered eventually putting an American V-8 in mine, but frankly, the l-series six is one of the best parts of the car, and runs great while giving over 25-mpg. Steve Pettersen (Motorworks) built my L-28 mostly stock, but with some refinements, and while it won't outrun some of the new rice-bombs, it still gets right down the road! I don't drive real fast anymore (78 years young) so I don't add the areo doo-dads, etc. My block was decked, over-bored, etc. and has Mallory/Pertronix ignition and fresh-air intake in grille, backed by an A-series 5-speed with steel synchros, etc. With moderate horsepower, one doesn't have to replace the rear-end set-up, and so on. HRM put a big coil/40link solid axle in theirs, c. 198x?, good for the drags only. Might as well build a 'Vette? A local drag racer campaigned a 240 with built BBC for a long time; Huge Holleys, etc, and he could still close the hood! My V-8 solution would be the Buick/Olds 215 (or the block Rover built that was larger displacement, later) and T-5 WC. I have a '61 Tempest coupe with that motor; pretty scarce -- but darned PowerGlide (in the trunk) but I like the sound! Wick

Zippi, the rust on the back of that cab gives me a long-distance migraine! I dealt with a lot on the car that wasn't supposed to be my last full restoration; a '61 Pontiac Tempest aluminum V-8 coupe. The car before it, our '51 Chevy Styline 2-door was, since it was Dad's car from 1954-1957. Just couldn't say no! Tempest was one of 2,000 built, probably about 20 coupes left with the Buick 215 from the factory. I'll post photos by next fall, when it's all done. Wick, old enough to know better... !

Steve, Thanks for the detailed paint rundown; I don't set up to be an authority! There were lots of changes, and the Chevy orange is a new one on me! I only build the 1960-65 car kits, so will never need the others -- most of my 'collection' is just kits I bought in high school, or replacements later on. :-<) I have a Pontiac that has a stock, unpainted (raw metal) block and heads; wanna' guess what it its? Wick

Remember that PMD changed the valve-cover design and engine paint in '66, if I'm not mistaken! Also, there are a lot of versions of the first Pontiac blue; the 1/1 touchup rattle can from Ames Automotive, PMD specialists, is somewhat greener than what I'd been using, the lighter, sky blue. Not that we ever see them, but the 1955-58 (I think) 286-370 engines were greenish, with a touch of gray. The '62 AMT Bonneville kit has a 2x4 intake, also, though not accurate to the 'bathtub' plenum 421 item. It resin-copies fairly well. Wick Bob S.: "No man is an island -- he's a peninsula!" Jefferson Airplane

Well, I might find someone with those bits individually, if I keep searching. Not with bated breath, tho! Thanks, Bill!! Wick

Just bought a decent Mono "Big T" assembled kit, and while it's not too bad (for $20!) it has some parts missing: really need the steering wheel, column and box, firstly. Then the rear shocks, tho I can fab them. Lastly, a fan. I realize this may be a lost cause, but... In that vein, I have that Mono big V-8 kit from my high school daze, and still need one chrome Stromberg-type two-barrel carburetor, and one finned chrome valve cover, if there is any chance those are also 'out there' looking for a good home! I have a stock valve cover to swap, and a few other parts. Or?? If I can restore this T kit, I think I'll put a wooden floor in the bed, and display the big V-8 engine in it, same scale. The 4-71 blower and six carbs would look great on the engine! Once again, thanks! Wick

My Restomod '71 240Z ujst after I finished it about 5 years ago. My original--owner '70 was green, and I always wanted silver! NISSAN USA bought the '70 back for a display car in 1995, and this (excluding a '7 that was stolen!) is the replacement. May have to sell it next year, but I'll make a model! Wick Author of "How to Restore Your Datsun Z-car."

I've been there, bro Bill! Too many times to recount (and keep my sanity intact!) but still score once in a while. Still, no one can keep it all! My current 'thing' is the early Pontiac Tempest (Y-body) with the transaxle, etc. My first auto article (for Special Interest Autos, July 1976) was the complete Tempest history. I know of a dismantler (almost an old skool storage lot!) twenty miles from here that had four of 'em, esp parts for my current '61 coupe project, an aluminum V-8 car (Buick 215, oc, one of about 200 of this style ever built) and I have sourced a good windshield (!), heater core, and a lot of small stuff from some very haggard cars. Also a set of cast valve covers from a Land Rover, who took over the 215, and 4-bbl intake from a very similar Olds F-85. But while I wasn't looking they crushed a '61 ragtop with (bad idea) a later 326 iron V-8! But the stuff that got deep-sixed... don't get me started. Still, if I had to rely on eBay... I'd have given up 1/1 cars by now. Ha! Five years ago I was given an intact '65 Corvair (4-door) and passed it to another VCCA member who was thrilled, but maybe I should have kept the IRS?? Back in the day... ! I'm mainly a body/paint man, strictly shade-tree, but over the years... some nice ones! Hot-rodding the old-timey way! One thing, kit builds are almost as tedious, but less costly and easier to stash! Wick Two doors & three pedals!

So, old Molotow should mix with about any lacquer, I guess. I'll try a few and take notes. I cleaned out my bottle (plastic) and spread out the last few drops on a sheet of coated paper; the aluminum particles seemed to have clumped together and were easy to discern in the highly thinned form. As the alcohol dried (slowly) they never stropped moving and churning; too bad they couldn't have had that effect for light shows in 1967! Looked as if it was alive. No longer mirrored tho. Long as it ain't choon-gum! Ole Wick

Don't doubt it; I had to do a number of fine-arts printimaking classes to get my MA in Art, and inks were a big factor; lots of varieties. So is Aluclad, too? I just ordered a new refill bottle; when it's good it's very very good! Some BMF too! WIck

I use the refill size, and decant (finally got to write that word!) it into a little top-hat shaped pipe cap glued to a big washer -- doesn't tip over that way. Ink, huh? I knew it and Alclad were alky based, but might mix with lacquer, as it's thinner is very close to alcohol. Hmm! Thx! Wick